Rubus Jr.
Red Raspberry Meadowfoam Mead Aged in Stagg Jr. Bourbon Barrels for 12 Months
Type: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Melomel
ABV: 13%
Carbonation Level: Still
Honey: Meadowfoam
Fruit(s): Red Raspberry
Spice(s): Vanilla
Barrel Aging: Stagg Jr. Bourbon - 12 Months
Sweetness Level: Sweet
Residual Sugar: 16 Brix
Appearance: Deep Ruby
Aroma: Fruit Leather. Berry gummies.
Palate: Acid up front. Full bodied. Bright raspberries. Burnt sugar.
Finish: Warming. Not cloying. Vanilla. Faint tartness.
Overall: Extremly smooth for 13%. Alcohol well hidden. Berry jam for days.
When we decided to finally make a barrel-aged version of our fan favorite Rubus Cube we set up to find the most complimentary barrel possible, and while we all agreed that bourbon would pair better with the berry profile than something like rye or rum, the bourbon we selected needed to be of a higher tier. Enter our Stagg Jr. barrel. This bourbon is a legend in it's own right. Sourced over a year ago, the empty vessel had a warm vanilla nose when it was first opened. To say this barrel was potent was an understatement. When trasferring Rubus into the barrel the entire production area smelled like berries, vanilla, and caramel. It's something we wish we could recreate, but sadly barrels like this don't come around very often.
The resulting mead is flavor-filled on multiple levels. Deep red, warm raspberries. Vanilla from the Meadowfoam Honey and barrel. I light touch of heat from the barrels previous occupant. Tannin, char, and light wood notes from the heavily charred American Oak. There is quite literally nothing not to love about this mead.