Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Take a break from beer at Breaking Brew Meadery

Enjoy pints and flights in house, or grab crowlers or a growler
to go at Breaking Brew (Photo: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Until recently, the field of fermented beverages being made in North Texas consisted of various forms of beer, cider and spirits. Missing from that lineup was mead, but now honey wines have joined the ranks thanks to the arrival of Breaking Brew Meadery.

Breaking Brew debuted in September of last year, and in doing so it became only the second business of its kind to exist in North Texas. Its predecessor, Golden Grail Meadery, had a spot on Main Street in Deep Ellum, where it began operations in late 1996.

As for the modern day meadery, it's doing business off Midway Road in Farmers Branch. The hive, if you will, is contained in an industrial space occupying just under 1900 square feet. There, Breaking Brew is primarily a weekend destination, with taproom hours Thursday through Sunday.

Offerings at Breaking Brew are referred to as "session meads," but that seems to be a relative term referencing the idea that traditional meads have ABVs reaching as high as 20%. The company's present portfolio ranges from 5.9-7.8% ABV, which is probably a tick or two higher than what's generally associated with session beers.

Summing up the taste experience, the honey wines at Breaking Brew certainly aren't the sweet, syrupy grog some might expect (and no, there aren't any Viking horns from which to imbibe either). Instead, these meads are dry and drinkable with a relatively light body. Not only that, like some honey beers, much of the actual honey flavor appears to ferment out. What's left, then, is a subtly-flavored honey beverage that's ripe for enhancement.

Along those lines, Breaking Brew infuses various fruits, herbs and spices into its meads, with hops even showing up in one recipe. Flavor additions of cherry, blackberry, ruby red grapefruit and more are delicately-dosed, which makes for an array of balanced and enjoyable blends.

So, what's the best of the bunch?

Bee Sting, featuring jalapenos without the heat, was a popular choice with patrons on the day of my visit. For me, though, the favorite was Ginger Bear, a semi-sweet mead that's Breaking Brew's interpretation of a ginger beer.

Regardless of which you choose, all of Breaking Brew's meads represent a refreshing respite from the current landscape of craft beer concoctions. Indeed, if you're new to mead or simply curious, Breaking Brew is nothing if not a great place to take a break from beer.

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