Is this the conclusion to my hero's journey? 

A bit of backstory - it was the COVID pandemic (remember we had one of those?). Lion City Meadery has been making waves within the sunny city of Singapore prior, being the first to commercially brew meads. The duo behind Lion City Meadery, mead enthusiasts Sanjay and Justin,  released three core meads - the Classic, the Blueberry and Hibiscus, and the Spiced: all of which were staples in the fridges of beer taprooms all over the country.

Source: SG Magazine

Sanjay and Justin would create the seasonal Liang Teh series: "cooling teas" in local vernacular, the series featured flavours of homemade herbal brews often made lovingly by grandmothers that takes hours of slow cooking. The first of the Liang Teh series features Chrysanthemum mead, inspired by chrysanthemum teas that is popular for combating the sweltering heat.

The very first Liang Teh seasonal mead by Lion City Meadery - the Chrysanthemum Mead weighing in at 7% ABV.

The first batch sold like hotcakes - and before I could come around to buying a bottle to try the brew myself, the mead was sold out in many places! The Lion City Meadery often teased about how the mead has been sold out - appearing stealthily in "IYKYK" taprooms that still kept their precious stock. Admittedly, I was quite mad at myself - why didn't I think of getting a bottle while it was still around? So, I followed the beer watering holes, stalked the Lion City Meadery Instagram for hints and clues on the next drop, and hoped that maybe this unicorn of the chrysanthemum mead would appear.

Yes, the scarcity was real. Even Lion City Meadery joked about it on their Instagram.

And perhaps my wishes were granted - but not in the way I expected. In Act 2 of this saga, Lion City Meadery released the regal Royal Chrysanthemum Mead, but this time, it's different than the usual. The mead here is twice the proof of the original, coming in 700ml bottle decanters with a beautiful watercolour painting and Chinese calligraphy by local artists.

The Royal Imperial Chrysanthemum Mead, perched on top the mezzanine railing at In Bad Company. 

Within the first day of its release, I rushed down to In Bad Company for a taste - and for a moment my thirst for the chrysanthemum mead was satisfied. The mead was rich, floral, and one that knocked off your socks having a full wine glass of in the early afternoon. It was then that I managed to catch both Sanjay and Justin too!

Well, I guess that's it - even Lion City Meadery said this is a one-off, last brew of the Chrysanthemum Mead that you'll see. 

Or was it?

Yeast Side, a local craft beer watering hole by the crew behind Orh Gao Taproom that features sourdough pizzas and craft beer (shoutout to the OG crew as always!), has announced a new branch in Serangoon Gardens, and you'll not believe what's on the menu for their opening party...

You mean, the original 7% Chrysanthemum Mead?

Needless to say, I made plans and made sure I would be the first few to taste this mead - even if it means drinking at an un-respectable hour of 11 in the morning. Last batch? The very last batch? The last batch, for real for real, this time? I did not care. It's been close to four years, and I'm not letting this one slip.

So here's the long awaited, testament to my silly quest that all started because I forgot to purchase a bottle when it was stocked on supermarket shelves...

Mead Review: Lion City Meadery Chrysanthemum Mead, 7% ABV

Nose: Deeply sweet and floral, especially those of traditional oriental flowers - dried chrysanthemums, osmanthus, and a hint of freshly blosssomed magnolias, alongside a slight powdery bitterness of apothecary herbs - such as dried lily flowers. Subsequent nosings reveal a stronger chrysanthemum tea aroma - akin to those that come in little sachets of freeze-dried pre-sweetened tea.

Taste: Whilst remaining sweet, the palate isn't as sweet as the nose would suggest. After the initial wave of wildflower honey and chrysanthemum aromas, the mead give way to more bitter, herbaceous flavours - dried chamomile, the astringency of dried and deeply steeped chrysanthemum buds, liquorice root and a slight carroty profile of angelica root.

Finish: The finish ends off strong on the herbal spectrum - the rooty, bitter herb flavours leave more aromatic sweetness - the liquorice root, angelica root and accents of chinese rhubarb make a strong presence retronasally. There is some lingering traces of clarified honey on the palate, followed with a minty sensation.

My Thoughts

Sweet, herbal, nostalgic - this really is reminiscent of the chrysanthemum teas granny used to make! The mead comes off quite thick and rich as well texture wise. When you compare it to the canned stuff off the shelf, the chrysanthemum tea here is stronger, deeper, with more medicinal elements. I do quite like the bittersweet flavours, especially as I'm quite the traditional chinese medicine junkie, though I feel it could be an acquired taste for some. Awesome stuff - and definitely worth a try once, especially for how strong that chrysanthemum tea note is on the nose!

@vernoncelli

P.S The petty musings aside, there was a silver lining in all of this - a blunder on my end to keep putting away a purchase I could have made with just a few taps on my phone, but as they say: the real journey is not the destination, but the friends we made in the way. In my wild goose chase for this chrysanthemum mead, I have stumbled upon new beer taprooms, talked to folks within the craft beer community, got recommended to try the new local brews...

Perhaps to illustrate my point - in catching the Royal Chrysanthemum Mead at In Bad Company, I met up with Justin and Sanjay, which then led me to their calligraphy artist friend, who then cue-ed me to try Outtamost beer, which then led me to Locality Craft Beer - a taproom that only features Singaporean craft beers exclusively. And this odessey doesn't even capture all the tangents in between!

One thing led to another, and I can safely say I have only managed to make many new friends, had great pints, and fall in love harder with craft beer and all it has to offer with the serendipitous interactions I've had over the few short years. Of course, this wouldn't be the last of Lion City Meadery that I would be keeping my eyes peeled for, as with much of the local brews and growing community.

So cheers to Singapore's craft beer community - one pint and one bottle at a time!