Current Mead Options: RANT

beancounter · Dec 31, 2017

I love mead, but it's getting harder and harder to find any without added flavors.

I just don't get it. Mead should taste like honey. Why else would you drink it?

When you add flavors to mead, it becomes just another alcohol base.

Mead is mead because of the honey. If you have no interest in the flavor of honey, why drink it?

If you want a flavored alcoholic beverage, you could have flavored white wine or vodka, or heck even pilsner.

Sure, I could brew my own. I brewed beer back in the 90's, and had friends who made wine so I have an idea of the general process and requirements, but I just don't have the time.

Why does everything have to be soda-pop-ified. Don't even get me started on some of the adjuncts added to beer...

Rant over.

Crovax · Dec 31, 2017

beancounter said:
I love mead, but it's getting harder and harder to find any without added flavors.

I just don't get it. Mead should taste like honey. Why else would you drink it?

When you add flavors to mead, it becomes just another alcohol base.

Mead is mead because of the honey. If you have no interest in the flavor of honey, why drink it?

If you want a flavored alcoholic beverage, you could have flavored white wine or vodka, or heck even pilsner.

Sure, I could brew my own. I brewed beer back in the 90's, and had friends who made wine so I have an idea of the general process and requirements, but I just don't have the time.

Why does everything have to be soda-pop-ified. Don't even get me started on some of the adjuncts added to beer...

Rant over.

Ive had this one before when we had a GoT party

The King's Mead - Traditional Style Honey Mead | Hidden Legend Winery

beancounter · Dec 31, 2017

Crovax said:
Ive had this one before when we had a GoT party

The King's Mead - Traditional Style Honey Mead | Hidden Legend Winery

Thanks, I will definitely give that a try.

HowardBThiname · Dec 31, 2017

beancounter said:
I love mead, but it's getting harder and harder to find any without added flavors.

I just don't get it. Mead should taste like honey. Why else would you drink it?

When you add flavors to mead, it becomes just another alcohol base.

Mead is mead because of the honey. If you have no interest in the flavor of honey, why drink it?

If you want a flavored alcoholic beverage, you could have flavored white wine or vodka, or heck even pilsner.

Sure, I could brew my own. I brewed beer back in the 90's, and had friends who made wine so I have an idea of the general process and requirements, but I just don't have the time.

Why does everything have to be soda-pop-ified. Don't even get me started on some of the adjuncts added to beer...

Rant over.

As a beekeeper, we've made our share of mead in the past and I tend to agree -- it's best plain. We also have an apple orchard, so we've experimented with cyser (a honey/apple blend), but most folks just prefer plain old mead.

I don't know what the deal is with adding all the fruity ingredients, the name actually changes from mead when that's done. Or, it's supposed to. Labeling something as mead when it's not isn't too ethical in my opinion.

Quag · Dec 31, 2017

I find mead OK dont love it dont hate it but if you give it to me I will drink it

Quag · Dec 31, 2017

HowardBThiname said:
As a beekeeper, we've made our share of mead in the past and I tend to agree -- it's best plain. We also have an apple orchard, so we've experimented with cyser (a honey/apple blend), but most folks just prefer plain old mead.

I don't know what the deal is with adding all the fruity ingredients, the name actually changes from mead when that's done. Or, it's supposed to. Labeling something as mead when it's not isn't too ethical in my opinion.

Ive always wanted to do beekeeping but the wife is strongly opposed

jimbo · Dec 31, 2017

That's true of most products these days. There are a couple dozen flavors of potato chips. The liquor store has more fruit flavors than a fruit stand. i don't particularly like it, but apparently you and I are in the minority or the manufacturers wouldn't waste the time and money to pour blueberries in your beer.

beancounter · Dec 31, 2017

jimbo said:
That's true of most products these days. There are a couple dozen flavors of potato chips. The liquor store has more fruit flavors than a fruit stand. i don't particularly like it, but apparently you and I are in the minority or the manufacturers wouldn't waste the time and money to pour blueberries in your beer.

Yea, but at least plain potato chips, and Russian Imperial stouts without peanut butter are readily available. Mead options on the other hand are about 99% flavored.

chuckiechan · Dec 31, 2017

HowardBThiname said:
As a beekeeper, we've made our share of mead in the past and I tend to agree -- it's best plain. We also have an apple orchard, so we've experimented with cyser (a honey/apple blend), but most folks just prefer plain old mead.

I don't know what the deal is with adding all the fruity ingredients, the name actually changes from mead when that's done. Or, it's supposed to. Labeling something as mead when it's not isn't too ethical in my opinion.

Actually, adding apples makes it "pruno" like all the other new fangled beverages young drinkers are experimenting with now - Orange, shandy's, etc. WTF?

HowardBThiname · Dec 31, 2017

chuckiechan said:
Actually, adding apples makes it "pruno" like all the other new fangled beverages young drinkers are experimenting with now - Orange, shandy's, etc. WTF?

"Pruno" appears to be a wine made from apples and other things:

Pruno, or prison wine, is an alcoholic beverage variously made from apples, oranges, fruit cocktail, candy, ketchup, sugar, milk, and possibly other ingredients, including crumbled bread. Bread supposedly provides the yeast for the pruno to ferment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno

That sounds interesting but I've never made it. Never even heard of it until you mentioned it.

Cyser is actually a mead-type product, since it's made with "honey." In inclusion of honey is the key to making mead.

Blended varieties of mead may be known by the style represented; for instance, a mead made with cinnamon and apples may be referred to as either a cinnamon cyser or an apple metheglin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyser

The cyser was not any more difficult to make than just plain mead, but as I mentioned, I think everyone preferred the plain mead.

Skeptic Bob · Dec 31, 2017

Agreed. And other than pumpkin stout in October, I am no fan of adjuncts, particularly fruity ones.

Winchester · Dec 31, 2017

Crovax said:
Ive had this one before when we had a GoT party

The King's Mead - Traditional Style Honey Mead | Hidden Legend Winery

That's the brand available here, they actually make in our state... I had no idea they were so widely distributed till I went to their website. I'm gonna have to take a daytrip and visit their tasting room sometime.