Chaucer's Mead

[socrates6]

So I had my first taste of mead tonight.

We went to the local liquor store and picked up their only mead. It was Chaucer's which I have seen mentioned on the boards a few times (some good, some bad).

I didn't really know what to expect and tried to keep an open mind and palate. I have to say that it was pretty good. I do hope that I am able to produce a better mead, but I have to applaud Chaucer's for making a mead for the masses.

I noticed that the ABV was only 11% which leads me to believe that they are aiming to get it to as big a market as possible. Over-all I think I am going to really enjoy my new hobby (read obsession)

Thats my review for what its worth.

Cheers.

 

[dover157]

Was also the first Mead I tryed this past summer. Not being much of a wine drinker and with nothing to compare aganist I thought it was good. Tried it warm and chilled, was more refreshing chilled, but lost what little honey taste it had. Did not try it hot with the mulling spices that came with it though. The way I see it as long as my stuff does not taste worse that chaucers it must be ok

 

[Medsen Fey]

Actually Chaucers can be quite good. It is very sweet though, and clearly a dessert style mead. Little Wifey likes it a lot; for me it is a bit too sweet.

 

[socrates6]

Me and the wife tried it straight and mulled with the spices. We both preferred the mulled version.

I did notice the lack of honey taste. It was my first time trying a mead so I was really just looking for a point of reference.

 

[fatbloke]

Me and the wife tried it straight and mulled with the spices. We both preferred the mulled version.

I did notice the lack of honey taste. It was my first time trying a mead so I was really just looking for a point of reference.

It's a brand that I'm not familiar with (read "probably not available in the UK" to that one).

How much honey flavour a mead has is a good debating point. Some of the slightly historical (out of print but can be found on ebay or amazon) books that I've read about is, say that the best honeys for mead making are strongly flavoured, very dark coloured ones.

Now I'd say that it's all relative, inasfaras, darker and more honey flavoured meads (may or may not be sweeter as well), could be fine for an autumn or winter evening, with or without the mulling spices, but on a warm spring or summer evening, it might be nicer to have a lighter, less flavoured/coloured one to sip chilled etc.

The biggest problem seems to be, that a lot of makers aren't as enlightened as someone like Brad. A lot of them seem to work on the basis that because it's made from honey, it must be sweet as hell i.e. that's "their idea" of the public perception.

Of course, here at Gotmead, there's a lot more enlightenment, so when it's explained, people go out of their way to make variations on a theme. To be able to work out which it is that they actually like. From dry to sweet, light to dark, subtle or "smack in the face" honey flavour etc etc.

I'd have thought that you'd only get a base idea about it from a lot of commercial meads, yet it's totally possible to make such a massive variation......

regards

fatbloke

 

[Dan McFeeley]

How much honey flavour a mead has is a good debating point. Some of the slightly historical (out of print but can be found on ebay or amazon) books that I've read about is, say that the best honeys for mead making are strongly flavoured, very dark coloured ones.

Might be a European preference. I can't recall the source at the moment, so take this for what it's worth -- a note I saw suggesting that darker honeys are preferred in European meadmaking v/s lighter honeys in the US.

It was one of the older sources, so things may have changed since.

--

 

[Cory]

I dont pretend to be an expert, ive probably only had a dozen or so meads, but chaucers spiced mead is still my favorite. I mull it with the spices as soon as I get it... longer than they reccomend... and then put it back in the bottle till its drinking time.

 

[cam07ds]

It is sweet but it says it is a desert type Mead, also it won first place year before last in the Commercial Mazer Cup. IMHO it actually has good honey flavor and is a very good "gateway mead".

Steve

 

[AToE]

I've heard that before fairly recently the mead wasn't very high quality, but they responded (obviously drastically, to take 1st at the Cup) to criticism and improved their product. I doubt it would be up my alley, but everyone I've heard who tried it and is the type to enjoy super-sweet meads has said good things about it.

I think they're now basically just having the problem of their old reputation vs the new product. Blind tastings don't lie, and they don't just hand out those awards at the Mazer Cup.

 

[Seth8530]

I recently managed to get a ahold of some.I dont think mine is spiced. Ill tell yall how it taste next weekend. This will be my first time experiencing mead.

 

[Seth8530]

ok, i was dissapointed. I drank mine without the mulling spices and it was just way way to sweet. i measured it and it came in at a whopping 1.030.... That is beyond sweet...

 

[Penguinetti]

This was actually the first mead I tried. It is sweet, but I read a warning on here that most commercial meads are made to be sweet, so that's what i was expecting. I did not mull it, though now that I am re-reading this thread, I think i might head out and buy a bottle to be mulled.

 

[skunkboy]

Mulling it with their spice mix should help temper the sweetness a bit.

Compared to some other commercial meads I have had, Chaucer's is pretty good, and fairly consistant, a problem I have also noticed with some commercial products...

 

[GDP]

I cant stand the smell of it but I have to say it doesnt taste bad at all.

 

[mannye]

I haven't mulled it yet, but I liked it pretty well. To put it in perspective, out of all the meads I bought, it was the least sweet. For example, Empire Royal Mead was to my taste practically just honey mixed with a little water...thick mouthfeel and cloying, but some others that tried it loved it... go figure. Overall though, I agree that Chaucer's is a good "starter mead" because real cold and with some spicy BBQ, it can disappear very quickly.

 

[billyO]

Just opened a bottle I got at the store, and SG 1.037. Not much to add to the above, didn't mull it though. Not bad for the sweeter variety.

 

[GntlKnigt1]

Just opened a bottle I got at the store, and SG 1.037. Not much to add to the above, didn't mull it though. Not bad for the sweeter variety.

1.037 !!!???!!?! Good Lord !!

 

[archer29]

It was my first mead also, tried it at a Ren faire. I love love love it! Have tried 4 or 5 others locally and they didn't compare, they were more wine like, dry and tasteless. One that got brought to me from down south was really good but I can't get more. I have had many friends try it and most of them love it some hate it very few are indifferent.

 

[bathtub brewer]

This was one of the first I tried. It was sweet but I thought it was good.

 

[58limited]

I guess I need to give Chaucer's another try. I first had it at RenFests back in the 80s and then once or twice in the 90s - never cared for it and have advised my friends over the years not to bother with it. Sounds like they may have changed. I'll get some this weekend when I'm visiting my sister - me and my BIL collaborate on a lot of meads and wine kits and have similar tastes.