Now, to experience the myriad of other flavors available from the various meaderies, you can go for a tasting. Check with the meadery first as they must adhere to “Covid Precautions.” Or you can read the descriptions on their website and order online. Option three is to go to the local liquor store, read the labels, and make your choice. Obviously, a tasting would be the preferred option, but remember these are alcoholic beverages even though you can’t taste the alcohol. If you choose option three and bring a 750 ml. bottle home, and you find you are not particularly fond of the taste, don’t worry. Mead is versatile and can be used to create a cocktail. The basic elements of a cocktail are: • The Base- the primary spirit • The Modifier- something to round out or smooth the taste of the spirit. • The Flavoring or Coloring Agent-this is added to enhance the taste or appearance Obviously, mead satisfies two elements, the modifier and the flavoring. This is where personal taste enters the equation. There are so many flavored meads available and due to their local nature they are not the same everywhere, and due to laws their availability may be limited. The best way is to sample the mead “neat” and then decide on the cocktail. For example, I purchased a mead with strong vanilla notes. The sweetness and vanilla works well in a Manhattan, a “Meadhatten” if you will.
Bartender’s Best By Charlie Wohlrab
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t is October and that means summer is over and now it’s harvest time. Thanks to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), I was able to read a seasonably appropriate book, Harvest Home, by Thomas Tyron, repeatedly. My car’s registration was due in October so I kept a copy of the book in the trunk with the jumper cables to read while waiting at the DMV. This is an interesting book made into a two- part TV series which mentions the beverage, mead. Therefore, I associate mead with October, and its taste profile fits well with the cooler days. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey with water and other spices and flavorings. It can range from 7 to 36 proof, so saying “mead” is akin to saying “Jello.” There are many different flavors, some with fruit and some without. Mead is produced at a meadery and seems to be a predominantly local product. There are a few meaderies in Pennsylvania and some even have tasting rooms. Do a Google search and visit websites to see where the meaderies are located and what they offer. And if you live in Pennsylvania, you can order on-line. Or, if you prefer, you might decide to visit for a tasting, much the same as a winery. The latter would be my choice, as there are so many flavors of mead. The Colony Meadery in Allentown produces a mead called Straight, No Chaser, a traditional mead. There are no other ingredients other than honey and water. If you are contemplating trying a mead, this would be the one I suggest, since it has a bright clean taste and is quite smooth. Obviously, the Colony has other meads, but this would be a good starting point. Straight, No Chaser is available in a 375 ml. bottle which makes it ideal as a sample. I like to use a 2 ounce “Sherry Glass” and enjoy a glass (or two) for cocktail hour.
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Meadhatten • 1 and ½ ounces, Rye Whisky • 1 and ½ ounces (or more to taste) Mead • Splash of club soda • 1 orange slice and 1 cherry for garnish Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice, add the Rye, then the Mead. Give a few stirs with a cocktail spoon as the mead is heavier and may sink to the bottom. Add a splash of club soda, garnish and sit back and enjoy. This mead worked well for this cocktail. The “sharpness” of the Rye was softened by the vanilla and sweetness. Other meads may work well in other cocktails. Another way to enjoy mead is to fill a Collins glass with ice, add 2 ounces of mead and top with club soda or seltzer. Garnish with an orange slice and you have a refreshing way to enjoy mead. A mead spritzer if you will. There seems to be a renewed interest in mead, along with a renewed availability. The local nature of this beverage adds to its appeal, and definitely makes it worth trying. As for the book Harvest Home, it’s a nice October read or you can try to get the two- part TV series on one of your “streaming services” and shelter in place with a glass of mead.
Be safe. Stay Home. Have a glass of Mead!
Charlie Wohlrab is a mixologist whose motto, “Drinking. . .more than a hobby” has been topmost in his mind since he first started tending bar while getting his Pharmacy degree. Now retired, when he’s not restoring his older home in New Jersey, he’s made it his goal to elevate the experience of having a daily cocktail from something mundane to something more exciting. He is now Harrisburg Magazine’s official bartender in residence. My recipes are like my opinions,” says Wohlrab. “They continue to be refined as I try new products and work with old standbys.” Currently working on a book about cocktails, Wolhrab welcomes comments from his readers. He can be contacted at jgoodwin@harrisburgmagazine.com. 7
