The Need for Mead

In the midst of these chilly wintery gusts, we're on the hunt for a warming hint of sunshine. The Portland-based Maine Mead Works has introduced four new honey-based meads that have the power to transport you from a sludge-trudged Alphabet City street to a honeysuckle-saturated field. Made with 100% Maine wildflower honey, yeast-fermented, and American Oak aged, the meads can be opened now for sipping on the rocks or mixed in cocktails, or cellared for future winters.
The newest HoneyMaker Mead flavors are Apple Cyser (a medium-bodied off-dry mead made with cider-pressed MacIntosh apples for pairing with pork or strong cheeses), the peppery and clove-nosed Elderberry (a lovely accompaniment to bitter dark chocolate), the bright and crisp Cranberry (for late winter turkey dinners), and - most excitingly - the Reserve blend, a bourbon barrel-aged mead with hints of vanilla and toasted sugar, best served on the rocks or in a hot toddy.

If you're lucky enough to live in a non-restricted state, a 750-ml bottle can be purchased for $14 from VinoShipper, or you can make a weekend road trip out of a trip up to the Tasting Room.

Visit their facebook page for a list of terrific cocktails.

This weekend, we'll be making a simple champagne cocktail by topping our bubbly with an ounce of the lavender mead. Mmmm, springtime.