Mead Cocktails

The cocktails below were developed by some of Ontario’s brightest bartenders and hospitality managers. Inspired by Rosewood’s meads from the Beamsville Bench these drinks honour the age old alcohol, mead. Meads are versatile, delicious and can be used in various combinations to augment a cocktail.

Southern Belle

Drink Creator: Craig MacLean, Spencer’s on the Waterfront

Ingredients

1 oz Jack Daniels

1 oz Rosewood Mead Royale

1 tsp vanilla-infused honey syrup

1/2 peach

Method

Cut Niagara peach into chunks. Shake all ingredients over ice until well-integrated. Pour over ice and top with mint.

Woodlot’s Manhattan Style Mead-Tini

Drink Creator: Kevin Korslick, Woodlot Restaurant

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Aged Bourbon with a bit of spice (Rebel Yell Reserve or Woodford Reserve)

1/2 oz Rosewood Mead Royale

Five dashes bitter almond tincture

1/4 teaspoon amerena cherry syrup

1 amerena cherry

Method

Chill a marie antoinette glass (or rock glass) with ice water. Combine all ingredients except for the cherry over large amount of ice in shaker. Stir gently until ice cold. Empty ice water from glass. Strain liquid contents of shaker into glass. Serve neat (without ice) with cherry to garnish.

Recipe for bitter almond tincture:

Crush eight bitter almond in motor and pestle and cover with 1 cup neutral alcohol, higher proof alcohols work best. Let infuse for 24 to 48 hours and strain through cheese cloth.

Honey Harvest Moon

Drink Creator: Scott McKenzie, The Chefs House at George Brown College

Ingredients

2 oz Rosewood Mead Royale

1 oz Cantaloupe Juice

1/2 oz White Grape Juice

bacon Powder on rim (optional)

Method

Line the rim with bacon powder. Shake mead and juice over ice until smooth and integrated. Strain mead and juice into a chilled glass and enjoy.

Royal Rise

Drink Creator: Globe Bistro

Ingredients

3/4 oz vodka

3/4 oz Rosewood Mead Royale

3/4 oz Rosewood Riesling

dash simple syrup

juice of half a lemon

sprig of fresh thyme

Method

Add all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with thyme or lemon.

Lead photo by Dinner Series