Cavalier Braggot
Cavalier Beer

BRAGGOT!!! I finally got my hands on a bottle of Braggot! Making this number 101 in official BeerAdvocate beer styles I’ve reviewed... damn that’s a lot of different beer styles... I think I should get my liver checked. Funny thing is I love mead, why isn’t this style (a mix of beer and mead - or honey wine) more popular? I reckon people can’t handle the rad mead-styles, perhaps that is why. In any case this brew is a collaboration between Cavalier and Moonlight Meadery, who I’ve coincidentally met the head brewer/owner of - Mick, colourful guy who really knows mead. I couldn’t think of a better team to introduce me to this new, and very old style. Bring on the mead/beer combo!

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Wow! Deep hazed copper/brown body with a fairly compact 2 centimetre khaki head that very slowly dissolves leaving lace latticework inside the glass. Having no basis for comparison I’m going to say: This is an excellent looking Braggot! 9/10.

S: Overripe/decaying dark fruits/apple upfront, honeyed centre, woody/earthy note and a hint of pepper in the background. Overall wasn’t expecting overripe/decaying fruit esters in the aroma, but I’ll surely take it! Fairly dark and decadent fragrance in this Braggot. Looking forward to my first sip. 8/10.

T: Huh, you were expecting sweetness upfront right? I certainly was. It isn’t sweet at all. Flavour is the above mentioned overripe/decaying dark fruits/apple, NO HONEY, I repeat: NO HONEY character noticed, woody/earthy tones towards the finish, which is looooong and dry. Bit of an anti-climax this one. Was totally expecting honey character/sweetness, but ended up with very dry dark fruit/apple concoction. 5/10.

M: Almost medium bodied with a light but dense carbonation, all is good here. 8/10.

D: I don’t say this often, but this beer needs sweetness... a lot more. Feels like the year aging was 6 months too much, also tastes a bit homebrew-like (if you get my drift). Certainly doesn’t come across as a Cavalier brew, which are generally well-crafted, or having the sweetness of Moonlight Meadery meads, and I have tried all of their meads at a tasting where I met Mick, I recall the Moonlight meads having a seductive/aphrodisiac quality with a decent amount of sweetness. More fruit ester character came through as it warmed, however it wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of sugar. Will have to find another Braggot to compare now. 7/10.

Food match: Bring on the Medieval cuisine: roast animal... and blancmange!