Eastern Tides

16%  – Our Second Final Gravity Society bottle release of 2025

Summer 2025 Release 

Mead Details 

This mead started out as Crimson Tides, a blueberry, raspberry, and apple mead aged in a Detroit City Distillery Sherry Rye Cask. What that means is DCD had a very large 120-gallon Sherry Cask in which they aged Rye Whiskey. They dumped the whiskey out, and we scooped up the barrel and put this mead in. 

We pulled 15 gallons out and made this new member bottle. We asked Steve, the head distiller at DCD, if he would be so kind as to hand-pick a selection of botanicals for us to put in this mead. He did an amazing job. He picked, and we added a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, orris root, coriander seed, juniper, orange, and lemon peel.

Crimson Tides is a blended mead, and we used a variety of yeasts, including C, D47, and 71B.

Alicia’s Tasting Notes,

This bottle is such a summertime delight! If you’ve ever thought gin is just about pine trees and winter, I’m here to hopefully change your mind. From the very first whiff, you’re greeted with tart blueberry and bright raspberry, and as you let the aroma settle, the botanicals start to come alive. You’ll notice a hint of juniper without it overpowering, a subtle whisper of orange peel, and a gentle nod from the cardamom and star anise.

Now, onto tasting! I’ve been really excited about this release. As a gin enthusiast, I love botanicals, and this mead strikes a lovely balance. The first sip bursts with berry flavors, delivering fruity tannins right away, then the botanicals sneak in beautifully, giving a lovely twist on our Crimson Tides. The juniper keeps that classic gin vibe present but not overwhelming, thanks to the Detroit City Distillery’s carefully crafted blend. I truly hope this inspires both seasoned gin lovers and pine tree skeptics to see gin in a whole new light!