Anyone here ever have mead?

[Taverner]

If so, what's it like? Does it taste like honey, or are there other flavors going on.

And is it complex? Dry? Sweet? Other?

[arbusto_baboso]

1. Not only have I had mead, I've MADE mead.

And it is a varied creature. There are sweet and dry varieties. A lot depends on the kind of honey used, the kind of yeast, how much carbonation there is, etc.

Everyone has their own preferences. Personally, I prefer my mead a bit sweet, a bit dry.

Check out this site www.heidrunmeadery.com

[GCP]

2. I got one of the worst hangovers ever from mead

We made it ourselves, it tasted vaguely of honey, but wow - what an aftershock!

[arbusto_baboso]

5. Any sweet alcohol will do that to you.

And if it was well-carbonated, too, well....

It's like a champagne hangover, squared.

Yup, you have to be careful with mead. Moderation, moderation.

[Taverner]

8. This is why I love beer

As long as you are drinking craft beer, no hangover.

Let me repeat - no hangover.

At Dark Lord Day in Chicago, I went through A LOT of beer. We're talking as much as a college binge. I should have hurt the next day, no? No.

No hangover, in fact I was able to wake up at 3am to drive to O'Hare in the morning, just a little tired, that's all.

All mixed drinks have given me hangovers.

Wine gives me hangovers.

Cheap beer gives me hangovers.

Whiskey, oh my fucking GOD!

Don't even mention Tequila mixed (by itself, nothing)

Although the worst hangover I ever had was with a bottle of Night Train. Just one though - and I was in serious pain in the morning.

[arbusto_baboso]

12. Heh, that's because you've never had my 13% ABV homebrewed barleywine...

I guarantee that overindulging in that WILL give you a hangover.

[Taverner]

19. Oh but I have

And I got to have Barley John's Dark Knight, which was 13%ABV and one of the yummiest beers I've ever had. No hangover.

[Shakespeare]

13. I wouldn't say ALL craft beers are hangover-free.

Lagunitas' Sirius cream ale (limited edition, not even sure if they're making it anymore) kicked my freaking ASS. First time, EVER, that a beer gave me a hangover.

Totally worth it, though. :P

[Taverner]

22. Hmmm have not had that

But again, every time I drink, even beer, I drink a lot of water. Learned that trick in Thailand.

[sasquatch]

16. Somebody should inform Midlo and Rev-Acts about this

:hide:

[Kutjara]

3. There are quite a few varieties.

While I understand that there are some kind of mead that are sweet, I've only ever tasted dry mead. It's something of an acquired taste that I can best describe as sort of like barley wine, only stronger. It's quite a complex taste, although it doesn't run to the enormous range of flavors you get with wine, but I understand that different honeys produce a differently-tasting finished product (although I haven't had enough to have experienced this personally).

It's pretty strong stuff so, images of Vikings and Medieval noblemen quaffing flagons of the stuff notwithstanding, be careful the first time you drink it, or you'll quickly experience an ass-pavement interface event.

[Kutjara]

4. Dupe. n/t

[Kutjara]

6. Dupe. Damn DU's flaky behavior today. n/t

[Redstone]

7. Drink a lot of mead, and you'll understand why the Vikings did all that berserking and pillaging:

It's because their hangovers were so vicious that they HAD to go a-raiding, hoping they'd get the mercy of an arrow through the brain to end their suffering.

Redstone

[Symarip]

9. I brew beer

Mead is pretty versatile, and so there are many varieties: carbonated, dry, sweet, aged, young, flavored, etc.

Basically, if made correctly, it'll fuck your world up because it's primary ingredient is honey (simple sugar) which yeasts converts quickly. Alot of the brightness is taken off by age hence most mead aficionados will store it for years. Some people force carbonate it after it's settled giving it a champagne effect. Alot of beer enthusiasts like to make quick batches since it ferments so quickley, similar to a cider, and flavor the crap out of it with everything from hibiscus to blueberries.

[semillama]

10. I have a friend who used to work for White Winter Winery

near Superior, Wisconsin. She used to get me free mead. Loved that stuff! and it WOULD knock you on your can.

Here's a link to some of the different types:

http://www.whitewinter.com/?110030

I drank a lot of Melomel and Brackett.

[alstephenson]

11. I bought a bottle for a theme party once.

It wasn't cheap, and was one of the worst tasting things I've ever had. Just my opinion (I'm generally a wine drinker).

[Scarlett17]

14. I love mead!

A RenFest tradition. There's nothing like a giant turkey leg and a LOT of mead.

:woohoo:

[redwitch]

15. Yes. too sweet.

yuck.

[BrotherBuzz]

17. I'm a winemaker and raised bees....

I had tons of honey and I made lots of mead. I can't stand the taste of any of it. It tastes awful! The best alcohol drink I made with honey was pyment. It was so good it took second (silver) at the California State fair.

Meanwhile, I have cases of mead collecting dust in the cellar. I'm considering distilling it down to some hot juice to either make some exotic cocktails or maybe even run a vehicle.

[Taverner]

23. I'll take a case off your hands

I love homebrewed anything!

I'll pay for shipping and send you whatever you want in the Golden State for your troubles!

[BrotherBuzz]

24. I have no desire to ship anything

I have no desire to ship anything, but a case can be had if find yourself blowing through the Davis area on I 80. PM me.

[Orsino]

18. Tastes like wine to me, with a touch of honey.

But the alleged complexities of wine are completely lost on me.

[LostinVA]

20. We used it for the toast at our wedding

It does taste like honey and all are different. Some are dry. Some are sweet. Sometimes fruits are added to it.

We like the one from Magpie Meadery in upstate NY. That's what we used for our toast and we saved a bottle to drink on our first anniversary.

[LostinVA]

21. Dupe -- stupid broken DU

[Fox Mulder]

25. It's ambrosia.

I absolutely LOVE mead! The taste of mead depends on what brand of mead you buy.

[tigereye]

26. I've had the Dogfish medieval version, but not home-made

I guess I haven't been invited to enough SCA parties....


I didn't like it - it was too sweet and grainy for me.