Gunlöd Danish Nature Brew DNB Organic Mead 50 cl 14%

Pour it cold, in a small glass, once the plates have been cleared. That is the moment you discover mead does not have to be heavy and cloying. There is apple in this one, there is citrus, and there is an acidity that cuts straight through the honey.

The expert's description

Gunlöd Danish Nature Brew DNB Organic Mead 50 cl 14% is an organic Danish Mead fermented from organic honey, apple must and citrus fruit and bottled at 14%.

Gunlöd is the pale one in the range from Danish Nature Brew in Kolding. Organic honey is the base, but it never stands alone. Freshly pressed, unfiltered organic apple must joins the ferment along with organic citrus fruit, and the two draw acidity and freshness into a drink that can otherwise turn heavy on its own. The balance between honey sweetness and acidity is the entire point of the bottle.

Fermentation and maturation take a minimum of 12 months. Everything is hand-brewed, the mead is fully organic, and there are neither sulphites nor artificial additives in it. Nor is it filtered hard, so a slight haze in the bottle is entirely normal and a sign that nothing has been tightened up afterwards.

In the glass it looks like a pale dessert wine, and that is where it belongs at the table too. It can take over wherever port would otherwise stand, it handles ripe cheese and dessert with ease, and it is increasingly used as the sweetening element in cocktails and welcome drinks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Floral honey arrives at once, bright and unmistakable. Behind it sit freshly cut apple and a strip of lemon peel, and there is a waxy quality across the whole thing, the sort you meet standing close to a hive.

Palate

Sweet, but never syrupy. Honey fills the front, then the acidity from the apple must cuts in across the middle and clears the way. Citrus peel is clearest at the end and keeps the whole thing upright.

Finish

Short, fresh and clean. A trace of honey and a dry citrus note hang on, but the mouth is ready for the next sip quickly.

Specifications

Name: Gunlöd Danish Nature Brew DNB Organic Mead 50 cl 14%
Producer: Danish Nature Brew
Region/Country: Kolding, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Mead
Age: Minimum 12 months
ABV: 14%
Size: 50 CL
Serving suggestion: Chilled to 8-12 degrees in a small wine glass, with ripe cheese or dessert

Flavour profile

Floral Honey · Fresh · Fruity · Citrus · Sweet

Did you know?

There are neither sulphites nor artificial additives in Gunlöd. That is rarer than you might think, because sulphite is the standard tool in almost all wine production, and doing without it means the honey, the must and the hygiene all have to be right from the start.

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Frequently asked questions about Gunlöd Danish Nature Brew DNB Organic Mead 50 cl 14%

What does Gunlöd taste like?

Floral honey with a clear seam of acidity behind it. It is sweet without turning sticky, and the apple must and citrus fruit keep that sweetness in check so it never cloys after half a glass. This is the palest and freshest style you will find in Danish mead.

Which glass suits Gunlöd?

A small white wine glass or a dessert wine glass. The bowl gathers the bright honey notes without concentrating the alcohol, and the narrow shape keeps the chill for longer. A tulip-shaped Whisky Glass does the same job. Avoid large balloon glasses, where the aroma simply gets lost.

Can Gunlöd stand in for port or dessert wine?

Yes, and that is exactly the role it was built for. It has the sweetness and the weight to follow a dessert, but far more acidity and freshness than a classic port. With apple cake, citrus puddings and pale cheese it often works better than the thing it replaces.

Why are apple must and citrus in a mead at all?

Because honey on its own has no acidity. A pure honey ferment gives a soft and rather flat drink, so the apple must supplies both acid and orchard fruit while the citrus lifts the aroma. Without them Gunlöd would be noticeably heavier going.

Why is there sometimes a light fizz in the bottle?

Because the fermentation is natural and the mead is not treated harshly afterwards. A little carbon dioxide can remain, especially if the bottle has been shaken in transit. Stand it upright somewhere cool for a day and it settles on its own.

How does Gunlöd differ from a distilled mead?

Gunlöd is fermented, not distilled. It keeps its honey sweetness and drinks like a dessert wine, whereas a distilled mead has been run through a still, has lost all its sweetness on the way and lands at spirit strength. Two very different drinks from the same raw material.

How should an unopened bottle be stored?

Dark, cool and upright. The mead already has at least 12 months behind it and will not develop meaningfully further in the bottle, so the job is simply to keep light and heat away. Standing storage also suits the natural carbonation best.