Schramm’s Raspberry Mead
Schramm's Raspberry is the mead that made the style famous: a 14% ABV melomel from Ferndale, Michigan, built on whole Michigan raspberries and premium honey, in a 375mL half-bottle. This was the first mead ever made by Ken Schramm — the man literally wrote the book on meadmaking (The Compleat Meadmaker) — and it earned a 100-point rating from RateBeer. Unmistakably fruity, balanced by honey sweetness and bright berry acidity, it drinks like Michigan summer in a glass. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 14%
- Size: 375mL
- Style: melomel (fruit mead) — whole raspberries + honey
- Producer: Schramm's Mead, Ferndale, Michigan; head meadmaker Ken Schramm
- Acclaim: RateBeer 100 points
- Aging: drinkable now; high berry acidity lets it age gracefully for years
The First Mead of a Mead Legend
Before craft mead had a movement, it had Ken Schramm — a Michigan home meadmaker whose 2003 book became the style's bible and whose meadery became its benchmark. Raspberry was his first commercial mead, and it remains the flagship: Michigan raspberries (a tribute to the state's fruit-growing tradition) fermented with honey into something between wine and pure fruit essence. The high natural acidity of the berries is the secret — it keeps the honey sweetness in check and gives the mead the structure to age for years, developing like a fine dessert wine. Deep ruby-red to magenta in the glass, still, full-bodied and viscous. Explore more mead and wine at Del Mesa Liquor, plus the Schramm's collection.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: deep brilliant ruby red to magenta, excellent clarity, pronounced legs. Nose: intense fresh-picked raspberry and preserves, moderate floral honey, clean fermentation. Palate: bold raspberry from sweet jam to tart fruit skin, high honey sweetness balanced by bright acidity, subtle honeyed warmth from the 14% ABV. Finish: clean, lingering tartness and persistent berry.
How to Enjoy
Serve slightly chilled (50–55°F) in a wine glass. Pair with grilled salmon, summer salads, cheesecake, or nothing at all — and know that an unopened bottle will reward cellaring thanks to the berry acidity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mead? Fermented honey "wine" — one of humanity's oldest drinks. A melomel is a mead made with fruit; this one uses whole Michigan raspberries.
How strong is Schramm's Raspberry? 14% ABV — wine-strength, not beer-strength.
Can I age it? Yes — the winemaker notes say it's drinkable on purchase but the high berry acidity lets it age gracefully for several years.
Mead lovers in San Diego, CA can order Schramm's Raspberry online from Del Mesa Liquor.