LIBATIONS
There’s a host of wonderful libations outside of beer and table wines! At Meridians, we don’t discriminate, and we love ‘em all. We maintain our same standards for these boozy goodies as we do for out wine and beer selections.
Hard Cider: Like beer, cider is experiencing a revitalization in the world of craft beverages. Cider is the perfect liaison between the rapidly evolving worlds of fine dining and small farming. Especially in Maine, cider is now a quintessential farm to table drink. Mainers have been making cider for a couple centuries, and like many things, what is old is new again. We carry a wide array of ciders, most of it made in the Northeast, and much of it made in Maine. Our options vary from somewhat predictable, fruity ciders, to tart, funky, and earthy ciders made with native yeast fermentations, and everything in between.
Mead: We currently have two options for Mead. Dansk Mjord produces an ancient Danish style of mead that achieves a viscous consistency, robust alcohol, and wonderfully ingredients such as apple, hops, and hibiscus. These meads are shelf stable even after opening and drink like a fine Port. The other is a table mead made by Aegir’s Den, a veteran-owned farm in Pittsfield.
Fortified Wines: This style generally refers to wines with added grape spirits and includes Port, Sherry, Madeira, and others. All of our offerings are made by high caliber producers who use pure ingredients to let the wine speak for itself; no funny business. And, they’re not all sweet; we have some beautiful dry Sherry and Madeira.
Aperitifs: Aperitif comes from the Latin “to open” and the idea is that these wines open one up for what comes next. Digestifs also fall into this category. Familiar aperitifs are vermouth, lillet, cappelletti, etc. These wines are fortified and also infused with herbs and spices, a tradition that harkens back to their medicinal origins. Back in the ole day, every village in France and Italy had their own aperitif consisting of local ingredients. Drink the old way (on the rocks) or up your cocktail game.
Sake: We have a strong selection of some of the best sakes available in Maine. We carry Ozeki and other common but well made and respected sakes, as well as higher end, specialty sakes from the likes of Ichishima and Hakkai-Jyozo.
Craft Sodas: We have craft sodas made from quality ingredients from producers such as Q, Green Bee, Sap, and Fentemans. Enjoy a sweet, refreshing drink, keep the kiddo happy while you browse the shelves, or take your cocktail to the next level!