〈Brewer's Note〉 Shiomead '23 Wine Barrel Aged

We have released "Shiomead," a sweet mead made entirely from honey produced by "Yoho-ya" in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, again this year!

Compared to the 2022 release, the alcohol content is slightly higher and the sugar content is a little lower. The potential of the honey, just like last year, is exceptionally high; it truly is delicious honey.

Last year we aged it in white wine barrels, but this year we are releasing two versions, one aged in white wine barrels and the other in red wine barrels! The base mead is exactly the same, and through these, we have expressed the fascinating aspects of barrel aging.

Below is a comment from "Yoho-ya," who produced the honey.

New honey harvested in June 2023. This year's harvest took place during the period spanning from the end of the mandarin orange flowering season to the blooming of the wax tree and mountain holly. It has become a well-balanced wildflower honey with a gentle sweetness that is followed by the herb-like fragrance of the wax tree and mountain holly.

〈Yasu→Hamamatsu〉

We are always able to dedicate ourselves to crafting products thanks to the support of people all over Japan—no, all over the world. Whether it's how we make our mead or the kind comments we receive from those who drink it, everything encourages us and gives us the courage to take another step forward.

The folks at "Yoho-ya" have been teaching us how to keep bees and about the fascinating differences in honey flavors since last year. They are wonderful people, and I have taken the liberty of looking up to them as beekeeping mentors for both myself and Okada-kun.

They brought this year's honey from Hamamatsu by car, and we brewed the Shiomead together.
Just like last year, it was a refreshing and cool-toned honey, but this year it also had a strong, soft citrus aroma reminiscent of mandarin oranges.

We all waited for the release day with excitement, convinced that this would turn out delicious. We pulled it from the barrels early because we were worried that if the barrel characteristics became too pronounced, it might clash with the nature of the honey.

〈Tasting Note〉

【Red Wine Barrel】

Fruitiness and tannins derived from the barrel combine with the mead to create an atmosphere similar to a light Madeira. With a strong sweetness and body, I would love to pair this with chocolate desserts or red meat.

【White Wine Barrel】

The soft fruitiness of the white wine barrel and woody nuances have been imparted to the mead. It has a slightly lighter body and is more delicate than the version aged in red wine barrels.

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Style: Barrel-Aged Mead

ABV: 12%

Carbonation: None

Volume: 500ml

Ingredients: Pure honey (produced in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)

Sweetness (10-point scale): 8

Serving Temperature: Room temperature (14-20℃)

I truly believe we have successfully drawn out the best qualities of the fresh honey in both versions. They are very much my favorites!

〈Mead making〉

On a day so hot you’d want to shed your short sleeves, Mr. Shiomi and his team from Yoho-ya came all the way to Shiga with the honey.

From the morning, we worked together to diligently pour the honey into the tank, tasted it together, added the yeast, and then everyone prayed for it to turn out well. We tapped the tanks, saying, "Good luck!"

While doing that, the primary fermentation of the mead finished, and we racked it into white and red wine barrels respectively for aging. By this time, the fermentation had already settled to about 98%, but it’s common for fermentation to progress again when placed in barrels due to changes in outside temperature. However, that often creates complexity in the liquor and becomes a new charm.

This time, the fermentation of the white wine barrel-aged version progressed a little more, resulting in a slightly lighter finish. The red wine barrel version has a sense of maturity and has become a well-rounded bottle with good body.

It is great fun to compare both and understand the character of the barrels. Quantities are extremely limited, so please get yours soon 👏