The Allure of Viking Blood Mead Viking Blood Mead is a type of cherry mead that has captured the imagination of many due to its rich color, unique flavor profile, and historical connotations. This cherry-infused mead draws inspiration from ancient recipes and the adventurous spirit of the Vikings, blending the sweetness of honey with the tartness of cherries to create a beverage that is both bold and complex. The name itself evokes images of fierce Norse warriors and their legendary exploits, is a fascinating subject deeply rooted in both history and mythology. Despite its name suggesting ..read more

Mead, often hailed as the ancestor of all fermented beverages, is a testament to humanity's long-standing relationship with alcohol. This ancient drink, commonly referred to as "honey wine," is crafted from the simple yet sublime fermentation of honey mixed with water, and it can be enriched with a variety of additional ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops to create a spectrum of flavors. It's a beverage that whispers tales of our ancestors' ingenuity and their penchant for the sweet allure of honey. The process, relying on the natural yeast present in the environment to conve ..read more

What Determines a Wines' Sweetness? The sweetness of a wine is primarily determined by the amount of residual sugar it contains after the fermentation process. When grapes ferment, yeast converts the natural sugars in the grapes into alcohol; however, not all the sugar is always converted. The amount of sugar left unconverted in the wine is what gives it its sweetness level. This residual sugar (RS) is measured in grams per liter (g/L), providing a quantifiable way to categorize wines by their sweetness. For instance, a wine with 10 grams per liter of residual sugar has a 1% sweetness level ..read more

The Appeal of Fruity Wines Welcoming you into a world where the sweetness of a berry and the zing of a ripe fruit can be found swirling in your glass. Fruity wines capture the carefree spirit of nature's bounty, offering a range of tastes from the subtle hints of peach to the bold flavors of cherry. Whether you fancy the light, refreshing effervescence of a Moscato or the rich, decadent sips of a Port, there's a sweet or fruity wine that caters to every palate. In this guide, we'll uncork the essence of these beloved varietals, exploring the craft behind their creation and the joy they brin ..read more

What is Riesling Wine? Riesling ("reez-ling") is a German style of wine produced from Riesling grapes. It's usually a white wine, but can also be found in Rosé or red varieties. Unlike many white wines, Riesling has a lower alcohol content. Riesling wine is renowned for its crisp, refreshing taste with sweet fruity notes, commonly of green apples, ripe peaches, and a hint of lime. Its distinctive aroma often carries a trace of floral essence, making it a delightful and versatile choice for wine enthusiasts. What does Riesling Wine Taste Like? Riesling typically boasts flavors of green app ..read more

What is Ice Wine? Ice Wine is a unique style of sweet wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. It's typically made from white or red grape varieties like Riesling, Vidal, or Cabernet Franc. Ice Wine has a lower alcohol content than typical wines due to the high sugar content in the frozen grapes. This wine is renowned for its intense sweetness balanced by high acidity, offering rich flavors typically of tropical fruits, honey, and citrus. What does Ice Wine Taste Like? Ice Wine typically has flavors of ripe tropical fruits like lychee, papaya, and pineapple ..read more

Do you have a sweet tooth when it comes to wine? Well, you're in luck because today we are diving into the world of sweet wine! Sweet wine is often misunderstood and stereotyped as cheap and unsophisticated, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Just like with other wine types, there is a wide variety of sweet wine available, each with its unique flavor and character. In this post, we'll be exploring some of the different kinds of sweet wine, and hopefully, you'll discover something new to enjoy. 1. Moscato d'Asti This Italian sweet wine is known for its light, refreshing, and fru ..read more

Have you ever wondered where the tradition of drinking from horn vessels originated? In ancient times, the horn of a cow, bull, or goat, was used as a drinking vessel for mead. This tradition has carried on throughout history, especially with the Vikings. Today, many people enjoy drinking from a horn as a nod to ancient customs.  The Origin of Drinking From Horns Drinking from animal horns goes back to prehistoric times. Ancient people used horns as a way to consume liquids and food. It was a natural resource that they had access to, and they could carve or shape horns into suitable drin ..read more

What are the BEST Meads? Best Super Sweet Mead: Figment, Mead made with Figs and barrel aged for two years, 94pts from Beverage Tasting Institute. Best Sweet Sparkling Mead: Viking Mjod, 11% Alc, aged on oak for over 6 months. Made with local meadowfoam blossom honey. Best Sweet Mead: Butter Bee Mead, 10% Alc, perfectly sweet, frothy and creamy made from caramelized honey, vanilla beans, lactose sugar and hint of butter extract. Best Semi-Sweet Mead: Strawberry Rye 11% Alc, resh strawberries, vanilla beans and aged in rye whiskey barrels for over a year with Chardonnay-esque notes Best Off ..read more

What are Ingredients in Mead? Mead is fermented honey. There are 3 simple ingredients to make mead that can be bought practically anywhere. Mead = Honey + Water + Yeast Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages. In different languages it is called different things but most languages have a word for this liquid gold libation. In fact, wherever there are bees one can find mead. It is so simple to make that it happens in nature when water mixes with honey. The history of mead making is as old as beekeeping itself which is more than 10,000 years ago. If one were to head to the local grocery ..read more