Sap House Meadery is on point with their branding – though i’m still torn like an old sweater over the wax over the cork. On the one hand, I like the look and what it says about the contents of the bottle. It brings to mind the artisanal qualities of the mead and the sap house brand. And of course, being beeswax it calls to mind the source of the primary ingredient. All great things.
My one issue with it is that when opening their mead, bits of the wax tend to fall back into the bottle if you aren’t careful. Also, If the bottle doesn’t get consumed all at once, I like to re-cork it and see how it tastes after a day or two of mingling with oxygen. Usually to do this with wine, you need to use the opposite end of the cork since its smaller… But that side has wax on it. Again, i’m torn on this. I love the form but the function just isn’t quite there.
Anyway, to the stuff that matters – what’s inside the bottle.
I was surprised with the carbonation when I poured my glass. It was quite lively with lasting bubbles. Partly from the carbonation release, the aroma was immediate. The smell of ripe strawberries was very present. I still smell it as the glass sits beside my computer. The strawberry sweetness is all I get in my nose. It overtakes anything else going on in the mead – not necessarily a bad thing for a strawberry melomel, but I do like complexity.
I only noticed this when i posted the picture depicting the carbonation, but check out the little piece of red wax in the right side of the glass.
Based on the initial pour, I expected more carbonation in my sip. The carbonation was light in the mouth as was the strawberry flavor – another surprise based on the aroma. It has a slightly waxy honey flavor with tart berry – a tartness that lingers on the tip of the tongue. The sweetness is nicely balanced with the tart berries, but overall i think it falls a bit flat. That aroma though, It has staying power.
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