25 Drinks: Cherry Mead

December 2's pick was Washington's Folly, a cherry mead by New Day Craft. I drank it slightly chilled. I'm a big fan of New Day. Their meads are all flavorful, earthy, and clean. They have so many different styles, some with juicy fruit flavors and even one with an espresso roast. 

This one was a beautiful ruby color. I could smell the cherries from the glass before I picked it up. It was thick, but the cherry tartness made it bright and light-tasting. It was a fresh cherry flavor, not like an artificial candy taste. The slight honey sweetness rounded it out. 

Mead is a great cold-weather drink. It's rich and warming. It comes in such a range of flavors from syrupy sweet to crisp and acidic. They even make some with rich bourbon flavors. With the market expanding, we aren't stuck drinking candy-sweet swill anymore. The new market has opened up my palate to honey wine.