During the week of February 24, Sprecher Brewing Company will release the 2014 batch of "Beyond" Braggot, a style of mead made with honey and barley malt.
Braggot, sometimes called bracket or brackett is said to be one of the oldest fermented beverages, originally pioneered by the Vikings and later mentioned in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which were written in the late 1300’s.
Sprecher Brewmaster Craig Burge’s braggot contains the same local Wisconsin honey he uses for Sprecher sodas, along with barley malt and plenty of Cascade and Centennial hops. The limited edition brew is made in three separate brews with over 50 percent honey and four different yeast cultures. The current batch of "Beyond", which comes in a distinctively colored copper bottle, has aged for 18 months and will be released in three separate batches, one batch of roughly 400 cases in each of the next three years.
According to Burge, "Beyond" has a great balance of many flavors, including, "sweet and dry honey mead notes followed by the big fruit character of Belgian Barleywine." He also notes that the braggot can be enjoyed now, but that it ages well if stored in a cool and dark location.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
