Pips Meadery

Meadery in Gurnee, Illinois, United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: Pips Meadery

Established in 2018

Contact
1350 Tri State Pkwy, Ste 124, Gurnee, IL, 60031, United States
Description
We certainly know that we wouldn’t be here if not for all of those that have come before us. What started many years ago as an obsession to try every beer and mead in existence has now led to an opportunity to come to the table with our own interpretation of what a mead can be. Playing most frequently in the dessert category, we are willing to push the boundaries at times and stretch past balance to bring out intense flavors and unique combinations in our products.

The name Pips is not only a nod to the seeds in fruits, but also to counting devices like the symbols on playing cards or the dots on a die. Though, most importantly, it is a nod to our son, Parker, who was born with special needs. Not knowing what his future holds, Pips will forever be a home to him as a family owned business.

We firmly believe in continuous improvement at Pips. We simply make what we enjoy drinking, and are beyond humbled when we can put a smile on even one other face as a result. That said, we actively seek out learning opportunities and always plan on listening to feedback from our customers. Every voice matters, for it is because of you that we are able to do what we love to do.

We thank you for your support and for joining us on this journey.

– Pips

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7/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 7
Wineglass showing caramel crimson tones.

The nose shows moderately intense sweet vanilla tones and light quince

The palate is medium bodied and moderately sweet with notes of quince and light fig throughout.
Tried from Draft on 13 Aug 2026 at 23:52

9/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9
Wineglass showing brick red center with caramel rims.

The nose shows intense notes of baking spices.

The palate is full bodied and mildly tart. Cherry pie forward with more cherries on the finish. Balanced sweetness throughout.
Tried from Draft on 13 Aug 2026 at 09:38

7.9/10 Appearance 9 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
Wineglass showing pitch black with brick red.

The nose shows intense notes of peppermint patties and light chocolate.

The palate is full bodied and mint forward with notes of milk chocolate.
Tried from Draft on 13 Aug 2026 at 09:33

9.1/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 9 Overall 9
Wineglass showing pitch black with blackberry rims.

The nose shows intense notes of ripe and jammy bramble.

The palate is full bodied. Bramble forward and perfectly tart. Balanced sweetness.
Tried from Draft on 13 Aug 2026 at 09:26

7.5/10 Appearance 9 Aroma 8 Flavor 6.5 Texture 8 Overall 7
Wineglass showing caramel sherry tones.

The nose shows intense notes of banana, walnut, and baking spices.

The palate is full bodied. Raisin forward sweetness with a nutty mid palate and more baking spices on the finish.
Tried from Draft on 13 Aug 2026 at 09:19

8.5/10
Tried from Bottle on 07 Aug 2026 at 11:17

7.4/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7.5 Texture 7 Overall 8
very very dark red, nearly black. bubbles for head.
deep dark fruity aroma with fruity sour and tart notes and a solid honey base.
flavor is honey, faint fruit stone, quite strong ripe cherries or other dark red fruits. is in fact strawberries - those must be really well done ripe or the honey adds sweetness that seem to be fruity.
there is a litle bit of mead bitterness but mostly it's just honey and strawberries extremely effectively blended together, resulting in a uniform flavor that is neither fruit nor honey. perhaps a tiny bit thin for a mead - but not at all watery. very balanced and smooth. also tastes really good.
Tried from Bottle from Kihoskh on 31 Jul 2026 at 18:35

8.6/10
Intense, sweet and heavy with some banana syrup, hints of nutty notes, coconut and toffee, faint Sahti vibes. Aroma and color is quite unpleasant but taste is quite nice. Complex and tasty but a bit weird
Tried from Bottle on 17 Jul 2026 at 19:44

8.2/10
Sweetish with loads of honey, some apple brandy, barrel, fruits and apples. Quite sweetish
Tried on 29 May 2026 at 16:04

6.3/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 6.5 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
12.5% sold as 2024
clear deep red, no head.
raspberries, raspberry jam, bitter honey in the aroma.
flavor is honey, bitter honey, fruit stone, almost earthy, gunpowder, herbal notes. not one of the best meads i've had, flavor seems to be all over the place, from campfire roasted bread on a stick to raspberry jam.
clearly complex and you'll probably like it more after having handled the initial confusion.
Tried from Bottle on 23 May 2026 at 12:05