Chaucer's Mead

Photo credit Chaucer's

I can't tell you how many times I've passed Chaucer's Mead up and down the wine aisle of my favorite grocery store. My sister suprised me with it during the holidays, but for whatever reason we didn't pop the cork. So after our kite flying at the Korean Friendship Bell Sunday afternoon, I mentioned to my sister that it was the perfect time for Chaucer's Mead. We were so cold I thought it would help take the chill off.

Mead, the drink of the Vikings, also known as honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It can be flavored with spices, fruit or hops.

You can enjoy Mead two ways, either chilled or heated with mulling spices. How did we enjoy our Mead, you ask? Heated with spices of course. I followed the Maiden Hot-Spiced Mead Recipe attached to the bottle.

Recipe:

Includes 2 Spice bags.
1. Pour 1/2 or full bottle of Chaucer's Mead
     into a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Drop in spice bag(s) (one spice bag for
     half bottle, two spice bags for full bottle)
3. Let the bag(s) steep over medium heat
     for 5-10 mins or until Mead has reached
     the desired spiciness. Do not bring to a boil.
4. Remove spice bag(s) and pour hot-spiced
     Mead into a favorite goblet, mug or glass.

Region: Northern California
Producer: Chaucer's Cellars
Color: Pale gold
Alcohol: 10.5%

Chaucer's Mead is composed of a blend of four types of honey: orange blossom, mountain wildflower, sage and cotton -alfalfa. When heated it has a pleasant aroma but that is about all it has. I prefer the Mead chilled, whereas my sister likes it both heated with mulling spices and chilled.

We give it: