Comments on: Mead Styles: Should mead taste like wine? or beer? http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/ Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:55:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-9197 Erroll Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:49:19 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-9197 Hello Jack, You reminded me of a line from the Princess Bride, "... that word you keep using - I don't think it means what you think it means." Ok, that's only funny if you've seen the movie, but if you haven't you should! Erroll Hello Jack,

You reminded me of a line from the Princess Bride, “… that word you keep using - I don’t think it means what you think it means.” Ok, that’s only funny if you’ve seen the movie, but if you haven’t you should!

Erroll

]]> By: Jack Keller http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-9147 Jack Keller Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:48:49 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-9147 Erroll, two years ago I was head judge at a winemaking competition in south Texas that had a concurrent brewing competition. The beer judges were having a spirited discussion and the words "mead" and "wine" kept flowing from their direction. Finally, I went over to see what their problem was, for clearly there was one. Meads were entered for the first time, and the organizers had put them in the brewing competition because, well, you "brew" mead. Their problem was that most of the meads were "high alcohol," meaning over 8% (truth be known, most were over 14%) and the judges didn't like it. "These ought to be judged with the wines," one said. Well, there were only 9 meads entered, so I was about to say "Send them over" when I noticed that two were listed as 7.5% abv. And that stopped me. Clearly, those two belonged with the beers. So I said, "Not my rules, not my call," and walked back over to my side of the hall. Until that moment I always thought that mead was "brewed" but really was a wine, but come on -- 7.5% abv? That ain't wine, my friend. That ain't wine. Erroll, two years ago I was head judge at a winemaking competition in south Texas that had a concurrent brewing competition. The beer judges were having a spirited discussion and the words “mead” and “wine” kept flowing from their direction. Finally, I went over to see what their problem was, for clearly there was one.

Meads were entered for the first time, and the organizers had put them in the brewing competition because, well, you “brew” mead. Their problem was that most of the meads were “high alcohol,” meaning over 8% (truth be known, most were over 14%) and the judges didn’t like it. “These ought to be judged with the wines,” one said. Well, there were only 9 meads entered, so I was about to say “Send them over” when I noticed that two were listed as 7.5% abv. And that stopped me. Clearly, those two belonged with the beers. So I said, “Not my rules, not my call,” and walked back over to my side of the hall.

Until that moment I always thought that mead was “brewed” but really was a wine, but come on — 7.5% abv? That ain’t wine, my friend. That ain’t wine.

]]> By: Dick Adams http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-4118 Dick Adams Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:32:21 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-4118 My entry to Mead came from looking for something to do when I became disabled. Thus, I came unburdened by either a beer or a wine mindset. This had all the learning curve of starting a new avocation where the both the industry and research have not matured. My research (constantly asking questions) has led me to my own Mead mindset where boiling honey and adding acid blend to the primary are frowned upon. Mead, beer, wine, and hard liquors are very different alcohol products. To me, Mead is a much a honey wine as beer is a malt wine. My entry to Mead came from looking for something to do when I became disabled. Thus, I came unburdened by either a beer or a wine mindset. This had all the learning curve of starting a new avocation where the both the industry and research have not matured. My research (constantly asking questions) has led me to my own Mead mindset where boiling honey and adding acid blend to the primary are frowned upon.

Mead, beer, wine, and hard liquors are very different alcohol products. To me, Mead is a much a honey wine as beer is a malt wine.

]]> By: Michael http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-695 Michael Sat, 25 Aug 2007 01:16:15 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-695 Mead in the modern era is now mostly about education. Very few people (relatively) know what mead is. Most people have to be told what mead is, and even many homebrewers have misconceptions. I know a good mead when I taste it but, unlike beer, there isn't a consensus on what a particular style of mead should taste like. With beer, the base malt is almost always two-row. With mead, there are many types of honey, each with their own taste and aroma characteristics, and that's just the beginning! Which beer style is best for braggot? Which wine grapes are best for pyment? Which spices make the best methlegin? Which apples make the best cyser? The list goes on and on. In homebrewing, I use procedures from both beer making and wine making when making mead. It all depends on what I'm trying to make and what I'm trying to accomplish. The most fun comes from experimentation. Wine yeast for mead? Sure! Beer yeast for mead? Why not? Have you tried it? Bottom line to the taste issue: my answer is "neither". Mead shouldn't taste like beer or wine. It should taste like mead. Mead in the modern era is now mostly about education. Very few people (relatively) know what mead is. Most people have to be told what mead is, and even many homebrewers have misconceptions. I know a good mead when I taste it but, unlike beer, there isn’t a consensus on what a particular style of mead should taste like. With beer, the base malt is almost always two-row. With mead, there are many types of honey, each with their own taste and aroma characteristics, and that’s just the beginning! Which beer style is best for braggot? Which wine grapes are best for pyment? Which spices make the best methlegin? Which apples make the best cyser? The list goes on and on.

In homebrewing, I use procedures from both beer making and wine making when making mead. It all depends on what I’m trying to make and what I’m trying to accomplish. The most fun comes from experimentation. Wine yeast for mead? Sure! Beer yeast for mead? Why not? Have you tried it?

Bottom line to the taste issue: my answer is “neither”. Mead shouldn’t taste like beer or wine. It should taste like mead.

]]> By: Washington Winemaker » Blog Archive » The Beginnings Of A Beer-Like Mead Recipe http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-69 Washington Winemaker » Blog Archive » The Beginnings Of A Beer-Like Mead Recipe Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:51:21 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/06/06/mead-styles-should-mead-taste-like-wine-or-beer/#comment-69 [...] about the “beer mead” vs “wine mead” divide made me reconsider how I make my own mead. All my meads have been squarely in the wine-mead [...] […] about the “beer mead” vs “wine mead” divide made me reconsider how I make my own mead. All my meads have been squarely in the wine-mead […]

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