1) Braggot is more than just a sweet beer...the best way i can describe it is that it kind of takes the best qualities of both mead and beer and puts them together. really braggot isn’t all that much like beer or mead to begin with, it kinda has a flavor all of its own, but if i were hard pressed to classify it i would call it a malt flavored mead rather than a honey flavored beer. Personally the qualities that i think are highlighted in a good braggot are the floral character and aroma of the honey, and the rich earthy flavor of the malt. The 1/2 oz of hops I add is not enough to lend a distinct hop flavor, its just there to add a bit of bitterness to balance out the sweetness. And notice that I don’t add any finishing hops as to not mask the honey aroma.
2) I use dark DME all the time in making stouts and porters…I can’t say I’ve ever used them in a braggot, although my brewing partner has been on back about making a stout braggot for about 6 months now. So really I can’t comment on how they would be in a braggot.
3) Hops certainly do not ruin the flavor…that being said I have always been careful about not over hopping my braggots. To me braggot is all about balance…a harmony if you will between the sweet honey, flavorful malt, and light hop bitterness. When I started making braggot I was using a very minimal amount of hops, then I started using ¼ oz, and recently I’ve been using up to ½ oz and a small proportion of darker grains and I’ve seen a big improvement in the final product. Is it less beer like without the hops? The best answer I can give is, kinda…like i said before its kind of hard to compair it to beer to begin with, but I feel that the hops add a depth of flavor that I would miss otherwise.