4 Norsemen’s Mead opens its doors in Albuquerque

At 4 Norsemen’s Mead, one primary goal is to expose the Duke City to the charms and flavors of one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages.

But Albuquerque’s only meadery is also about fostering community.

“The vibe that we want to go for here is not like an in-and-out (experience),” said CJ Daniels, who owns the establishment with his wife, Bernadette. “We want people to come here and plan to spend time here. We’re about bringing people together.”

The foundation for 4 Norsemen’s was laid years ago, when CJ Daniels began looking into his Norse and Scandinavian ancestry. That, in turn, helped to foster an interest in mead, a drink commonly known as honey wine that is produced by fermenting honey, water and yeast. A variety of fruits, spices and hops can be added for extra flavor.

CJ Daniels has been making mead for nearly a decade, but what initially began as a hobby has transformed into a full-fledged business. Earlier this month, 4 Norsemen’s enjoyed its grand opening in the Nob Hill location formerly occupied by Lizard Tail Brewing. While 4 Norsemen’s mead products had already been available for purchase for approximately a year, the reception has thus far exceeded all expectations — especially for a business in its infancy.

This even includes a few mead converts.

“So (recently) somebody came in and she was like, ‘I don’t like mead. This is my last attempt to try it before I’m just like, it’s not for me,’” Bernadette Daniels said. “She ended up loving it.”

The atmosphere might have played a role in the change of heart. The interior, which remains a work in progress, has transitioned from an industrial-brewery feel to something that hearkens back to the longhouses of Nordic or Viking culture. Bernadette Daniels has painted the concrete walls to look like wooden planks, and she has designs on wrapping the metal beams in the ceiling with faux wood to provide an even more authentic visual.

“In the Norse culture, the longhouse is where everybody came together to celebrate, to eat, and just… everything,” CJ Daniels said. “It gives you that community sort of feeling to sit next to people you may not know, and then you can come out with a new friend.”

CJ Daniels estimates that he currently has a total of 14 different flavors of mead on reserve, though some have yet to make an official debut. There are currently 10 on the menu, including a variety of seasonal options. They come with names like Raven Storm, a full-bodied mead with hints of cacao nibs, hazelnut and vanilla bean, and The Soul Guard, a more tart drink with notes of cherry and blackberry. The Traditional, the meadery’s flagship creation, comes with a distinct honey taste, while the Myre Song has a more earthy flavor and is made with the bog myrtle plant— which CJ Daniels had never heard of before he began making mead.

Those who are having trouble making a decision can order a flight, which comes with four two-ounce servings delivered on a wooden longboat carved by Bernadette Daniels’ uncle. All the ingredients are free from concentrates and preservatives, and the mead is gluten-free.

“You can give every meadmaker the same ingredients, and it’ll come out a lot different,” CJ Daniels said. “That’s what we like about it. I try to stick to it as traditionally as I can. I base a lot of flavors off of what the Norse and all the Scandinavians back then would have available. I get some interesting ones, which turn out to be good.”

Because of the relatively high ABV content of mead, 4 Norsemen’s has a two-drink limit. It also has a small-yet-hearty food menu that sticks to the overall theme with options such as Viking Meat Pie, Valkyrie’s Roast Chicken Plate and Odin’s Feast Board, to name a few.

Bernadette Daniels is the mastermind in the kitchen, though she enlists help from family members in various capacities from cooking to washing dishes to bussing tables. All the food is made in-house and delivered in hearty servings.

“We researched what kind of vegetables are traditionally Norse or were available back then. And then we kind of create things from them,” Bernadette Daniels said. “So definitely nods to them, but for the modern day.”

Ultimately, mead is the vessel to bring people from all walks of life together.

“It’s kind of like a safe ground for people,” CJ Daniels said. “If somebody wanted to come and try something fun and cool and different, it’s kind of something like that.”