Redstone Gin & Tonic Mead

10th Annual San Diego Strong Ale Fest: Clear pale yellow color with some rising bubbles. The aroma was sweet and fruity with honey and honeydew melon notes. Somewhat candish. Big honey flavor with sweet candy like notes. Sweet finish.

Name: June and Tonic Mead
Date: 12/01/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Strong Ale Fest

Appearance: pale yellow,
Aroma: sweet and peppered spicy aroma,
Flavor: lots of sweet honey flavor balanced by the spicy character, good sharp spices play nicely with the sweet honey, really nice juniper bubbles to the front,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **+/4

Sampled on tap at the 10th Annual San Diego Strong Ale Festival, listed as June and Tonic Mead (8.7% abv): Pours a transparent, almost water-like color with greenish hues and light effervescence. Complex, sweet clover honey aroma has a touch of spruce and floral fruitiness. Body starts full, viscous and sweet with sticky honey and lightly piny bitter balance with good complexity toward a slightly tart, citrusy finish. An interesting and well-brewed mead.

Virtually no head. Body is hazy EXTREMELY light yellow (almost colorless). Aroma is notes of higher alcohlols (isopropyl, insecticide?), honey, evergreen, grass. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic. Medium body, watery texture, soft carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. A rather poor fusel alcohol-accented offering.