Dansk Mjod Review - Vikings Blod and GI

[loveofrose]

I've looked everywhere in Texas for these meads with no luck. So, imagine my surprise when I walk into a normal grocery store in New Orleans and it's staring me in the face!



I've tried Vikings Blod before and hated it. Since that time, I've realized that it was probably a bad bottle. I've never tried the GI. Reviews will be forthcoming!


Better brewing through science!

 

[skunkboy]

I like them both, but they are both a bit sweet if I remember correctly, and somewhat expensive...

 

[mannye]

I haven't tried the Dansk but the Viking Blod was IMO vile.

 

[loveofrose]

GI Dansk Mjod Tasting Review
(Ginger/Hop Mead)

Nose
Heather, citrus, lemon peel, flowers. Huge nose which makes this very appealing.

Taste
Predominant ginger with a balanced sweetness. Lots of beeswax secondary. Spicy sweet with a slight tart. I would guess Citra as a slight bittering hops, but mostly aroma. 19% ABV is well hidden, but does come around in the flavor after a few sips.

Palette
I know this is very sweet, but it seems fairly balanced by spice, alcohol, and tart. Body is slightly more than light and mouthfeel is light.

Overall
It's not as good as mead personally crafted by me for me (what is?), but it's not bad. I've found that I don't usually like hops in mead, but I could drink this just fine. More of a winter dram for me. I'll try some more in a few months.




Better brewing through science!

 

[mannye]

GI Dansk Mjod Tasting Review
(Ginger/Hop Mead)

Nose
Heather, citrus, lemon peel, flowers. Huge nose which makes this very appealing.

Taste
Predominant ginger with a balanced sweetness. Lots of beeswax secondary. Spicy sweet with a slight tart. I would guess Citra as a slight bittering hops, but mostly aroma. 19% ABV is well hidden, but does come around in the flavor after a few sips.

Palette
I know this is very sweet, but it seems fairly balanced by spice, alcohol, and tart. Body is slightly more than light and mouthfeel is light.

Overall
It's not as good as mead personally crafted by me for me (what is?), but it's not bad. I've found that I don't usually like hops in mead, but I could drink this just fine. More of a winter dram for me. I'll try some more in a few months.




Better brewing through science!

Interesting to hear that review. I am curious to get your take on the Viking Blod. Maybe I got a bad bottle?

 

[loveofrose]

Vikings Blod review will be this weekend. Don't really want to open two 19% bottles in one night!


Better brewing through science!

 

[loveofrose]

Vikings Blod Review
(Hibiscus Hopped Metheglin)

Hopefully, second times a charm.

Nose
Hibiscus, citrus, beeswax faint.

Taste
Very sweet with a faint hibiscus note. Hops are difficult to detect here. The GI was much better. This is so sweet.

Palette
Medium bodied with an alcohol bite on the backend. Not as viscous as the sweetness level would suggest.

Overall
First bottle I had of this was heavily oxidized. This bottle is not. A bit sweet for my taste and the balance is off. It's like they were afraid to actually use a decent amount of hibiscus in a hibiscus mead. Bottom line is save your $25 and make my Sorrel BOMM if you want hibiscus mead.

Afterthoughts for both Dansk meads are $25 a bottle is a bit steep when you are a mazer. That being said, these are some cool bottles. I look forward to putting worthy mead into these awesome bottles.


Better brewing through science!

 

[mannye]

I will agree about the bottle. It's by far the coolest "stoneware" container on the markets

 

[kchaystack]

There are spray paints you can use on bottles to give you a stoneware look. You could use painters tape around the top to prevent paint from getting into our onto where you do not want.

Yay mead!

 

[GntlKnigt1]

Ahh yes. We have those over here. Bought used ones with screw tops for .75 cents each. They cleaned nicely but not sure about aging in used screw capped stoneware

 

[mannye]

There are spray paints you can use on bottles to give you a stoneware look. You could use painters tape around the top to prevent paint from getting into our onto where you do not want.

Yay mead!

That may be one way to achieve the look. We looked long and hard for the bottles used by the Viking Blod guys and found them but they don't really make it easy to acquire them.

Maybe once I finish all the other stuff I'll give the stoneware paint a go. I'm just thinking that unless it's epoxy or something like that it may chip easily. But hey, nothing ventured right?

Wooden vessels would also be the bees knees.

I was thinking of giving Viking Blod another chance but it is sooooo expensive! I would rather get a few bottles of B-Nektar for the same money or better yet, spend it on honey.

 

[Medsen Fey]

... I would rather get a few bottles of B-Nektar for the same money or better yet, spend it on honey.

Yeah, I'd rather buy honey. I just don't like Viking Blod.

So where did you locate stoneware bottles? I'd love to get some.

A great commercial mead that comes in a stoneware bottle is Intermiel's Medieval http://www.intermiel.com/meads/

 

[mannye]

There's a thread on here somewhere between mostly GK and me. The links are all in there. It's a German company that has a retailer in Canada. I will look and edit the link in here. Gimme a minute.

Tapatalk won't let me search. But I seem to remember it's involved the the Madam Rosemerta mead someone was making (Joe?) and he was looking for the bottle from the movie. Which the Viking Blod bottle is a dead ringer for...


Bingo. Here's the link to the bottle.

http://www.flessenland.nl/shop/Steengoedkruiken-potten/750ml-steengoed-kruik-mat-zwart-met-kurk.html

Let me know if you want to go in on an order. I love those things. Maybe between two it would be less "ouchy" on the wallet?

 

[mead]

I love viking blod. We bought a couple bottles last time we went down to Portland OR at this really cool bee keeping/mead shop. We shared it with a bunch of family. The reaction we got from them was much like the reviews I've seen on the internet;

You either love it or hate it. Haha. Nowhere in between apparently. I've been keeping an eye out for more but it doesn't show up very often around here which is unusual because i can get twenty five different kinds of mead at the local liquor store. I asked them about it but they said they couldn't get it, sadly.

Just have to keep an eye out i suppose.

 

[mannye]

And a large bank account. If I liked it, I would probably go through a bottle in one sitting. Of course, then I would only be able to sit for a while but yeah. Luckily I think it tastes like sadness with a hint of disappointment and has the aroma of perspiration.

 

[loveofrose]

I finally figured out how to drink Vikings Blod. Mix 1/4 Vikings Blod to 3/4 bone dry mead and it's very good! All the aroma and flavor stays intact, but you lose the cloying sweetness.