Granted, this is more in the British-style which I don't have a ton of experience it, but it just seems so true to the Imperial Stout style. Great beers that are just as thick and chewy with that right touch of hop balance that come to mind are Founder's Imperial Stout, Bell's Expedition Reserve and Kuhnhenn's American Imperial Stout. For the style, it's really one of the best I've ever had. O: Wow, I am truly impressed by this beer. Love that you can taste a slight hop addition for balance, but by no means is this hoppy. M: Extremely thick, chewy, and slick beer here. Even a slight touch of chocolate-covered raspberry on the back. T: Very nice balance of chocolate, vanilla, fig, prunes. Some cocoa powder or brownie notes in there too. Fig, raisin, very dark chocolate, vanilla. Almost looks like it could be a barrel-aged beer. So I'm assuming May 2021 bottling, so maybe 8 months old at this point?Ī: Has a pitch black, motor oil look to it. No canned on date, but says best by 05/2023. Serving: 1 pint can poured into a Cigar City snifter. For one, Heady Topper and Focal Banger, both have severe hop bites that over power some of the subtle flavors and last for hours, which is too long.

In my non-humble opinion, this libation is clearly more enjoyable. This brewery is famous for its Heady Topper, followed by the Focal Banger. Finish has nearly a dark chocolate, with roasted, mixed grain flavors and a fair bite. Initial, frothy, creamy mouthfeel, that brings on the grain, toffee, etcetera, flavors. lots of non-bitey, very dark roasted grains, espresso, some slight molasses and toffee accents. The taste really grabs oneself, full, rounded. When swirling in glass, it leaves a viscous film on glass that slowly drains down. The aroma is abundant, and has a full, very dark roasted grain aroma. So, next time someone asks you what mead is, you can certainly call it “honeywine,” but it’s the non-pretentious, easily enjoyed version of wine.Can label states that this is a British style imperial stout.īought this at the brewery, so it is very likely, fresh. No weird, or concocted ingredients have been added. if it’s a blueberry mead, you know it’s brewed with blueberries. it’s one of the reasons we keep our ingredient list simple, with pronounceable words. You should know what you’re drinking, what went into it and what you can expect. Like ciders, mead becomes a favorite of the casual consumer who just wants to enjoy something without the baggage of having to learn waaaay too much about what they are trying. We like to think of mead as beer-adjacent. Typically, craft beer and mead are both very natural, using organic ingredients which can be made the same way, every time. Some fans don’t respond well to the sulfites added to wine, defeating the point of drinking something purely for pleasure. We also appreciate the simplicity of mead with no additives. It’s a mercurial agricultural product and not as accessible as, say, hops. Most of that cost is associated with the high expense of honey. Like beer! A GOOD mead will be priced in the $20-30 range. Mead, by comparison, is fairly economical and easily approachable for the average person. It makes it difficult to know, without guidance, if it’s a “good” wine. It is very difficult for the average fan to distinguish a $20 bottle of wine from a $75 bottle of wine. Wine, unlike beer, has wild variations in quality and price that make it more of an experiential product than a true consumer-friendly drink. While we really appreciate wine, it’s just not our vibe. We think of it as an alternative to beer, when you want something very different. We also seem to share many of the sensibilities of the beer fan. Unlike wine, which really doesn’t include a brewing process.

Unlike wine, good mead is intended to be fairly consistent, from season-to-season, unlike wine which dramatically changes by vintage.Īt the core, beer and mead (and cider for that matter) are brewed and fermented. BUT, it is more akin to beer than wine because of it’s consistency and habits. But like wine and beer, mead exists in it’s own category. Both of them are brewed and fermented in a similar way, more so than wine.

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