ClubGonzo’s Ginger Binger

Mead, 10.6%.

Ginger Binger, mead batch 37.

Ginger Binger in the glass.

If you think that meads tend to be too sugary sweet you might like a mead with an added layer of crispness,  so what about a mead with ginger, “and lots of it”?

The Ginger Binger pours a rather pale golden and crystal clear body. The aroma is strong and it is a fun mix of sweet honey notes and very obvious dry ginger.

The flavour is also strong, and again I don’t pick up much more than honey and ginger. The honey profile is quite simple, probably to highlight the ginger, but the result is maybe a bit too safe and uncomplicated. I had hoped for even more crispness to balance the heavy sweetness, and I certainly could have tolerated much more ginger. There is actually more heat and a throat drying sensation than an intense flavour of ginger. Maybe a double dose of ginger and a slice of lemon would have given me what I had hoped for from this brew?

Conclusion: a nice and straight forward mead with a nice warmth from the ginger, but maybe not terribly exciting. 

Aroma:      7/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste:      6/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    12/20
Ratebeer score: 3.2/5.0

ClubGonzo’s Ginger Lemon Cure

Ginger Lemon Cure by ClubGonzo, mead, 10,3% ABV.

Ginger, lemon and honey, what could possibly go wrong?

Ginger Lemon Cure, mead batch no. 16.

It pours a crystal clear, dark golden body.

The aroma is strong, and I easily identify the three main culprits: heather honey, ginger and lemon. I like the fact that the honey isn’t completely drowned in the other elements, but at the same time the ginger and the lemon freshen things up significantly.

In the mouth this mead feels as fresh as a mead can possibly feel. Despite it being very sweet and syrupy, the lemon and ginger ensures that this is dangerously drinkable and “refreshing”. I particularly love the gentle ginger bite in the long-lasting finish, it contrasts the initial sweetness very well indeed.

Conclusion: A complex, powerful and refreshing mead!

Aroma:      7/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste:      7/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    14/20
Ratebeer score: 3.6/5.0

ClubGonzo’s Warming Christmas

Warming Christmas by ClubGonzo, Spice/Herb/Vegetable / Mead, 9.5% ABV, 43 IBU.

This is probably one of the most experimental brews I’ve ever had. A beer with several syrups, candi sugar and oak aged mead. Wow.

ClubGonzo’s Warming Christmas, aka. batch 32.

It pours a dark amber to orange body that is slightly hazy. The head is very light brown and leaves some lacing on the glass.

The aroma is strong, sweet and lovely. Distinct notes of dark dried fruits, sweet caramel, burnt sugar, honey and an overall vinous feel.

The taste is moderate to heavy sweet with a moderate bitter long-lasting finish. It feels fairly well balanced.

The strong flavours are dominated by the dried dark fruits, but there is also spices that I didn’t pick up in the aroma, also wood. There is too much alcohol mid-palate, but it gives way for some lovely sweet honey notes in the late finish.

Is it a beer? Is it a mead? No, it’s a braggot! [edit: it turns out that this isn’t a braggot,  see comment from the brewer below]

The body is full and has a nice, creamy texture. The carbonation is moderate to soft, hints of dryness in the finish.

Conclusion: an extremely interesting and complex brew that is both tasty and drinkable. A pleasant surprise!

Aroma:      8/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste:      7/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    13/20
Ratebeer score: 3.6/5.0