Will Braggots ever become more popular?

Yes. I predict it will explode after Black Friday 2015, when Goose Island releases BCBB (Bourbon County Brand Braggot) - a braggot aged in fourth use barrels after previously being used to age barleywine, BCBS, and bourbon.

Interestingly enough, the gose craze was preceded by a rather pedestrian offering of the style by Sam Adams (Verloren), and I thought Honey Queen was rather average as well. So maybe that's a sign...

EDIT: speaking of Braggot and barrel-aging, I wonder what a mead barrel-aged beer would taste like?

 

The only Rogue I can say I've enjoyed. Braggot was very good. Hope to find some more brewers who produce this type.
Sam Adams version was fair. Maybe too sweet IMO

 

the Braggot trend came and went in the early 90s, just before IPA became popular.* Everyone missed the boat.

(*Yes, I'm mostly kidding, but I remember Mead and Braggot being big favorites in my home-brew club back in the early 90s)

 

Mead is becoming more popular, and there are quite a few commercial meadaries opening. Many are by Homebrewers that have decided to go pro. Mead makers have a wine license. A local mead maker says he can not have malt in premise by law. His name is Ken Schramm, so I trust him on this.

B Nektar has started to make beer, as they have a beer license now and a 30 bbl. brew house, and I expect them to make Braggot in the future. Honey is probably the most expensive source of sugar, so a Braggot can be expensive to make.

 

A potential reason that the Braggot as a style may not take off like many other beer styles have is simply because Honey by nature is VERY expensive in comparison to other ingredients typically used in brewing. It's no lie that per volume, mead is one of the more pricey alcohols I choose to partake in. Simply my opinion.

 

That, and there is only so much quality honey out there. CCD is not helping the supply of honey either.

 

Been a few* in Wisconsin for a long time.

(*or there were, anyway -- I haven't kept track of openings and closings)

 

There were ones like Oliver Winery making Camelot Mead back in the 70s. The new ones are often of top quality. Much better than what one could fine back in the day.

To keep it beer related, B Nektar did a Braggot with Cigar City, before B Nektar had the beer license. Maybe one will see more collaborations between Mead makers and Brewers.

 

Surly made a Braggot for their 3rd anniversary that was quite good: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13014/47396/

 

Braggots are one of my favorite things to homebrew when I'm in the mood for something different. @hopfenunmaltz hits the nail on the head though - as adjuncts go honey is one of the most expensive there is, and a Braggot is usually 80-90% honey (technically I guess the malt is the adjunct here?). They are not cheap to make, and it's unlikely we'd see a year round braggot brand with wide distribution.

There's an imported Danish braggot called Viking Blod that's okay. I say "okay" because I think some of my slightly hoppier homebrewed braggots were better - the style lends itself to spicy type aroma hops like Centennial or Saaz (used primarily for aroma).

 

I think this is a mead.

 

They call it a mead, but it has a little bit of malt and a fair amount of hops in it. I think because braggot is an obscure name but everyone knows what mead is?