25 Drinks: Black Raspberry Espresso Mead

December 16 was one of the best boozy advent treats. New Day Craft's Breakfast Magpie is a mead you'd never think would work. Honey, black raspberry, rich espresso infused right in. But man, this is heaven. Such a stark contrast from December 2's Washington's Folly.

It's such a shocking dark burgundy color. The pour from the bottle smelled charred. It was so charred I had to check to make sure my fake Christmas tree wasn't on fire. As soon as my face left the glass it was gone. It was a good smoky char. The dark, juicy black raspberry somehow melded with the bitter, roasted espresso. You'd never think it, but it's a perfect match. I could sip this mead for ages. It's rich enough that one glass is satisfying, though it's not too much to finish a bottle.

Winter is a great time to seek out meads. So many infusions out there. So many flavors to discover.