Fuhmentaboudit!

Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme continue to identify off-flavors on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! Once again, Mary and Chris are joined by BR Rolya, and also by newcomer and brewer extraordinaire, John Naegele. Hear about the importance of sanitation in homebrewing. How does clean equipment prevent against acetobacter? Tune in to hear the gang taste beer doped with vinegar in order to learn to identify for acetic infections! Later, Mary and Chris talk John about one of his other hobbies- making vinegar. Where does vinegar come from, and how did John’s wine surplus inspire him to make vinegar at home? Is it possible to make beer from vinegar? Find out on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! This episode has been sponsored by Catskill Provisions. “If you’re teaching yourself off-flavors, you want them to be prevalent, so they stick in your senses and your memory.” [18:30] — Mary Izett on Fuhmentaboudit!

Learn how to taste for off-flavors in your homebrew on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! Joining Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett in the studio are two BJCP National Beer Judges, BR Rolya and Vlad Kowalyk! Learn about two chemicals that cause off-flavors in beer- acetaldehyde and diacetyl. Find out how to taste for these chemicals, and what causes them to form in beer. What criteria does the BJCP use to judge beer? Listen in to the crew talk about beer competitions, and how to effectively interpret and act on judges’ feedback. This episode has been brought to you by Tabard Inn. “Phenols can contribute desirable traits in beer, depending on the style.” [31:30] — BR Rolya on Fuhmentaboudit!

Peter Hepp made his first batch of beer for a school science project, and he’s been brewing ever since! This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme welcome Peter into the studio to talk about brewing at Birreria at NYC’s Eatlay. Tune in to hear Peter talk about his days brewing in the Middle East during his time in the Navy. Peter talks about the importance of using local ingredients in brewing. Find out the best way to source local ingredients in New York City! Peter shares his special apple beer with Mary, Chris, and friend-of-the-show, Zack Kinney. Listen in to hear the gang geek out about honey, and check out some conversations about the logistics of having a brew pub on a roof in Manhattan! This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch “After getting shot at on a regular basis, there’s nothing you want to do more than drink a beer.” [4:30] “When talking about collaborations- for most of us, our earliest brew days were with our buddies.” [13:50] — Peter Hepp on Fuhmentaboudit!

Dan Woodske mixes bread, lemons, raisins, and water to make beer. Dan makes a Russian style of fermented beverage called kvass, and he’s calling in to talk with Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme for today’s Fuhmentaboudit! Dan wrote the book Kvass: History, Health Benefits, and Recipes for the Russian Bread Drink to spread the word about fermentable bread! Hear how the drink evolved based on health reasons. Learn why brewing kvass is much simpler in chemistry than brewing beer. Hear about some of the other crazy ingredients that can be used to brew kvass. Why is kvass so low in alcohol? Hear about the health benefits of kvass, and hear Dan’s predictions about local beer markets. How should one incorporate fresh herbs into their brews? Find out on this week’s Fuhmentaboudit! This program has been brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “If you have ever made soup at home, you have everything you need to make a kvass.” [10:05] “If you do one thing when you make kvass- toast your bread. It will make your life a lot eas

If you want to make beer, you’re going to need yeast. But what is yeast? This week on Fuhmentaboudit! Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are joined in the studio by Chris Lovrich of Brooklyn Homebrew to demystify the fungus. Listen in to hear how Chris harvests yeasts from the air, and its role in the brewing process. How can you ensure that you’re “pitching” properly? Chris gives you the ABC’s of lagering, and the importance of consistent temperature in making a good lager. How do dry yeast and liquid yeast compare? Find out how yeast is affected by temperature, and how heat can alter your homebrew. This episode has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “Even though I’ve been brewing for a long time, it took me a while to realize all the bad things about my beer came from not using enough yeast.” [10:15] “If you increase the amount of water, you’re going to slow your temperature change.” [26:00] — Chris Lovrich on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit! host Mary Izett talks with Jesse Ferguson of Carton Brewing in Atlantic Highlands, NJ and Matt Chan, an experienced home brewer with a couple of his own brews in tow. Ferguson speaks about the growth of his 15 barrel craft brew house and some of the really inventive beers that they are producing, including a Super Storm Sandy Stout that came about by accident. Chan talks about the Berliner Weisse and Gratzer style beers that he has been brewing and discusses the unique process and ingredients he uses to create these small batches. These avid home brewers know their stuff so tune in and learn about the process of brewing beer at home and the use of unusual ingredients to create really diverse and interesting flavors. This program was sponsored by Edwards Ham. “[The Super Storm Sandy Stout] is super interesting because in that seven day period in the kettle, I think a lot more started happening than just lactobacillus.” [9:56] ## –Jesse Ferguson and Matt Chan on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett conducts an interview with Dr. Fritz Briem, the Director of Technology at Boonrawd Brewery in Thailand, and brewer of several historical beers distributed by B. United International Inc. Dr. Fritz Briem also receieved his degree from the TU Munich-Weihenstephan, and was the former Director of Education at the Siebel Institute in Chicago. This episode is a homebrewer’s dream! Tune in for a step-by-step description from Dr. Fritz Briem himself about how he made his 1809 Berliner Weisse. Hear about the importance of wild flora in the beer’s brewing process. Later, Dr. Fritz Briem talks about his Grodziskie, and the role of the smoked wheat in the brew. Learn why the Grodziskie needs to mature, and then ferment further in the bottle to get its delicious flavor. Why does Dr. Fritz Briem smoke his own malt? The doctor also talks about some of his upcoming brewing ideas that will involve honey and molasses! This episode has been brought to you by The Heritage Meat Shop. “Wha

Welcome to another frothy, bubbly episode of Fuhmentaboudit! This week, Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are joined in the studio by Tim Stendahl, Union Beer Manager and homebrewer extraordinaire. Today, Mary, Chris, and Tim talk about clone brewing. Tune in to hear how brewers attempt to replicate beers from their some of their favorite craft breweries. Hear about the awesome clone brew program at Bitter & Esters, and how they are able to obtain commercial beer recipes and compare their clone brews to the originals. What variables determine the consistency in clone brews? This episode has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch. “Even though we don’t brew the exact same beers, it’s a testament to the brewers and how they can be so consistent on such a large scale.” [14:40] — Tim Stendahl on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett shift the focus of the program to another beverage – kombucha! Joined by guest Danielle Regan, Certified Holistic Health Coach, they discuss the many benefits of the fermented tea we know as kombucha. Kombucha is thousands of years old and has been known to be used as a health tonic. Tune in as they discuss how kombucha is made, taste a few different varieties and list its top 10 nutritional and health benefits. What’s the difference between good and bad bacteria? How hard is it to make kombucha at home? Find out on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “Kombucha improves digestion. Because of the probiotics and bacterial strains, it helps you break down and absorb food differently…you’ll feel a lot better from the food you’re eating.” [9:45] –Danielle Regan, Certified Holistic Health Coach on Fuhmentaboudit

Welcome to the second episode of Fuhmentaboudit! hosted by Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett. Today’s episode focuses on the Australian brew-in-a-bag method of homebrewing. Joining Chris and Mary in the studio is Zack Kinney of the New York City Homebrewer’s Guild. Zack is a convert to the brew-in-a-bag brewing method, and is sharing his tips and experiences with you! What are the benefits of this method, and why do many New York City homebrewers brew in bags? Mary explains the methodology step-by-step so you can try to brew-in-a-bag at home! Later, tune in to hear Chris, Mary, and Zack talk about beer infusions, and how they can add a little flare to your homebrew! This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “The biggest difference [offered by brew-in-a-bag] that has been outlined is the saving of space in a brew day, which ultimately leads to saving time.” [10:00] — Zack Kinney on Fuhmentaboudit!

Fuhmentaboudit Debuts! Join hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett as they introduce themselves and the show format to listeners. On the inaugural episode, Chris and Mary start their home-brewing radio journey at the beginning and explain what beer actually is. Learn the basics of how beer is made and discover what makes it such a unique beverage. Later they give listeners a very applicable recipe for a beginners home brew! Fuhmentabout it will explore the entire process of home brewing and will give listeners the chance to submit their own questions and participate! Tune in to the first episode and see what they’ve got in store! This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “Beer is the lubrication of social intercourse!” “Brewing is glorified janitorial work.” –Chris Cuzme on Fuhmentaboudit!