Fuhmentaboudit!

This is a special episode of Fuhmentaboudit! On the show’s very first episode, Chris and Mary cited a fantastic book called How To Brew, and today Chris interviews the author, John Palmer, during his first trip to New York City in 20 years! Tune in to hear the master himself tell us about the basic chemistry of fermentation, and how water has such a big effect on the brewing process. Today’s program has been sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. “Writing about beer is more fun than anodizing aluminum.” [5:15] –John Palmer on Fuhmentaboudit!

To say that tonight’s guest on Fuhmentaboudit has a wealth of information would be an understatement. Kombucha and tea are the topics of discussion tonight and there’s plenty to study and learn. Tune in as Scoby farmer and kombucha/tea expert Chris Strait breaks down the science of kombucha and tea and shares some insight into how home brewers can make better and more interesting kombucha. You’re guaranteed to learn something on this episode – dive head first into the wild world of fermentation, kombucha and tea! This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “Brewing kombucha at home is relatively unexplored.” [18:00] “Kombucha wine can get strange and barnyardy if you don’t have wizardry skills.” [30:00] –Chris Strait on Fuhmentaboudit

In case you missed the memo – beer is big in Queens. We’re in the thick of Queens Beer Week in NYC and to celebrate, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are joined by the team behind Big Alice Brewing on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit!. Tune in and hear from founder Robby Craften and a few of the brewery’s interns as they explain how the brewery got started and what makes the concept unique. From one-off beers to specialty brews. go behind the curtain at one of the most promising new breweries in New York! This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “Queens as a borough had no breweries a few years ago. The idea of a Queens Beer Week would have been ridiculous but now we have more breweries than any other borough!” [13:00] –Robby Crafton on Fuhmentaboudit!

On today’s episode, Mary and Chris talk to brewer Eric Steen who tells us about his many brewing endeavors on the west coast. Then, they recap the Craft Brewers Conferene which they attended last week in Denver, CO. At the conference, Mary and Chris spoke with Michael Pollan and Andrea Stanley, whose interviews we get to hear on today’s show! This program has been sponsored by Bonnie Plants. “There really aren’t a lot of educational opportunities out there, so we’re hoping through our guild to be able to point people in the right direction of where they can be educated.” [26:00] –Andrea Stanley on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit! we welcome water kefir makers and founders of Kefir Pop Robyn Jasko and Paul David, to the studio. They tell us about this unique fermented beverage, how it is so great at preserving taste, and how they figured out the perfect recipe for their product. Robyn is also the author of Homesweet Homegrown. This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods Market. “I thought ‘why don’t I make some hot sauce to sell with my book at book signings’ and it just took off.” [25:30] –Robyn Jasko on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris & Mary interview Michael Fairbrother and Berniece Van Der Berg from Moonlight Meadery. Michael started the meadery out of passion after being blown away at his first sip. It became a full-time operation as the first batch sold out in less than a day. Later, Michael explains the basics of making mead, and runs us through the simplest recipe. This program has been sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. Image from Uncrate “I want to make the best craft mead in the world…That’s my passion.” [7:15] “I love the art of fermentation. That’s what drives me to do what I do.” [10:35] Michael Fairbrother on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris and Mary invite some brewers to the studio all the way from Portland, Oregon. We have Ben Edmunds from Breakside Brewery, Mike Wright and Josh Grgas from Commons Brewery, and Christian Ettinger from Hopworks Urban Brewery. These brewers tell us all about the city of Portland, which has around 180 breweries – that’s 1 brewery for around every 3,000 people! This program has been sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. “We let that yeast speak loudly in our beers, and the hops and the malt are a little more reserved.” Mike Wright on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris and Mary interview Dann Paquette, Brewer and President of the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project Inc, as well as Ron Pattinson, beer history expert and author of The Home Brewer’s Guide to Vintage Beer. Tune in to learn about the party guile brewing process, , This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “I realized at a certain point that if I ever wanted to find out the truth, I was going to have to research it myself from primary sources.” [5:30] –Ron Pattinson on Fuhmentaboudit! “I kind of have a thing against people that think that English beer is weak, so that was the best way to fix that – you know, a beer with 3.5 lbs of hops per barrel, something like that.” [18:30] –Dann Paquette on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, we’re joined in the studio by Tommy Harder, executive chef at Blind Tiger Ale House in Manhattan. Chris and Mary ask Tommy all about fermented teas, and how he cooks with them. This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. “The more it’s fermented, the healthier it is for you…give or take!” [8:45] Tommy Harder on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, Chris & Mary update us on the many fantastic events happening this week as part of New York City Beer Week. Then we are joined in the studio by Braden and Yasmin wages, owners of Malai Kitchen: a restaurant serving Southeast Asian cuisine in Dallas, Texas. They tell us about bringing bia hoi, a Vietnamese beer, to the U.S. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. Image from Claire McCormack “We don’t ever want to make more than 5 gallon batches. We want to be able to sell it in a day or two, keep it really fresh.” [23:30] Braden Wages on Fuhmentaboudit

Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett visit Hong Kong’s only microbrewery, Young Master Ales, on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! Learn how Rohit Dugar and Ulrich Altbauer met and decided to brew in the craft beer desert that is Hong Kong. Find out what barriers Young Master Ales had to overcome to find a space and open their brewery. Why does Young Master Ales focus on ales, and how do they source their ingredients? What beer helped Rohit win Hong Kong homebrew competitions? Find out how different types of bars and customers are reacting to Young Master Ales’ beers! Learn how classism influences drinking culture in Hong Kong. This program has been brought to you by White Oak Pastures. “Rents are high in Hong Kong, but beyond that, it was difficult to find a site that was suitable. It becomes sort of a jigsaw puzzle… there are so many variables. Many landlords would just say, ‘No,’ but because they don’t understand what a microbrewery even is.” [7:50] — Rohit Dugar on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett share some recordings with the team at HK Brewcraft, a homebrewing supply store in Hong Kong. Tune in to learn about the growing craft beer culture in Hong Kong, and why homebrewing is so difficult in Hong Kong. How is HK Brewcraft promoting good beer through multiple avenues? What is Hong Kong’s brewing identity? Hear about some of the interesting fermentations coming out of HK Brewcraft, including lemon tea beer and banana wine! Find out how the melting pot of Hong Kong leads to a certain open-mindedness regarding different beer styles. Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market. “It used to be that the only way to drink beer in Hong Kong was to make your own.” [4:50] “I see Hong Kong water as a blank slate. You can always add minerals to the water, but taking them out is another issue.” [22:20] — HK Brewcraft on Fuhmentaboudit!

Tony Limuaco of Kimcheelicious returns for this week’s edition of Fuhmentaboudit! Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme pick up where they left off with Tony and talk about alternative kimchi fermentations. Find out if Tony was successful fermenting brussels sprouts, bok choy, and fiddleheads! Hear what temperatures causes kimchi to thrive, and what considerations are necessary for large batch ferments. How does Tony cook with kimchi, and what kimchi recipes have failed? What tips does Tony have for cooking with kimchi? Find out on this week’s edition of Fuhmentaboudit! Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market. “Oxygen is the thief of all flavor!” [3:45] “Sea level has a lot to do with food-making.” [5:15] “A whole batch of kimchi has the potential to turn in a single hot summer day.” [12:00] — Tony Limuaco on Fuhmentaboudit!

On this week of Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett share some recordings from a recent cider event at Jimmy’s No. 43 in the East Village, New York City! Greg Hall of Virtue Cider talks about his transition from brewing at Goose Island to making cider. Hear how cidermaking differs from brewing in terms of agricultural production. Find out how Virtue Cider blends different ciders in order to create American takes on different European styles. Later, Steve Wood of Farnum Hill and Poverty Lane Orchards joins the conversation to discuss the importance of playing a premium for cider apples to jump start the industry. What is cider’s role in American history? Find out on this week’s edition of Fuhmentaboudit! Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA. “As a brewer, you’re not directly involved with agriculture at all… You’re lucky to know where your hops come from, and you probably don’t know where your malt comes from. Your maltster doesn’t even know where your malt comes from! They just buy the barley

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are discussing some beers to make with salt and pepper with Sixpoint’s Heather McReynolds! Tune in to hear how Heather has been experimenting in the Sixpoint labs for the experimental Mad Scientist Beers! Mary, Chris, and Heather talk about gueuzes, a classic German style that relies on salty water. Find out why gueuzes are great for the summer! Learn how to use different salts to accentuate flavors in specific styles! Did you know that Sichuan peppercorns aren’t pepper at all? Find out how you can use peppercorns in porters, and how Heather added umami flavors to beer to create a pepper steak beer! Thanks to our sponsor, Whole Foods. “I love where brewers get inspiration from… you see these great foods and spices and think, ‘Yeah, I have to make a beer out of that!'” [15:20] — Heather McReynolds on Fuhmentaboudit!

Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking Korean fermentations with Tony Limuaco of Kimcheelicious! Tony is a graphic designer who fell in love with food- specifically kimchi! Tune into this episode to hear Tony explain the true definition of kimchi, and why the term is so often misused. Find out how Tony hopes to combine American staples with the enormous flavor of kimchi! Why does Tony generally make vegan kimchi with mushrooms and kelp? Later, Tony explains why a certain quality of ingredient is needed for kimchi, and explains how to prepare a cabbage for fermenting. What spices does Tony use for his chili paste? Tune in to find out! Thanks to our sponsor, S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. “Kimchi is any type of Korean fermentation. Most people think of it as the fermented napa cabbage, but it can be anything… Kimchi is Korean pickles.” [5:55] — Tony Limuaco on Fuhmentaboudit!

Welcome to 2014! Fuhmentaboudit! is back with Finback Brewery. In this week’s episode, Mary Izett kicks off the new year by explaining the process of making a short mead. Tune in to learn about the importance of water quality, honey ratios, and flavorings! Later, Chris Cuzme joins Mary to talk with Basil Lee and Kevin Stafford of Finback Brewery. Finback is located in Glendale, Queens; find out how the duo found their space, and why revel in its vastness. Hear about Basil and Kevin’s backgrounds in homebrewing, and how they are still inspired by the DIY ethos. What beers can you expect from Finback Brewery? Expect the unexpected! Thanks to our sponsor, Regional Access. “Getting into homebrewing was about drinking beer, and drinking different beers… it was about trying to experiment with new things.” [14:45] — Basil Lee on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are revisiting yeast and beer with SouthYeast Labs. David Thornton and Even Skjervold are interested in showing the terroir of yeast with their isolated yeast strains! Tune into this episode to hear how yeasts from different regions can affect the taste of a brew, cheese, and beyond! How do bee populations change the character of various yeasts? Hear about David and Even’s brew science education, and how their research has made them better brewers! Find out how David and Even feel about discovering SCOBYs in the field! This program has been brought to you by Route 11 Potato Chips. “Beer is the gateway. Brewing strains are used for cheeses and bread… All of these ferments depend on organisms, and there are different organisms in different regions, and they very from season-to-season.” [12:10] — David Thornton on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmenaboutdit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett recount some of their favorite recipes from their recent “Chocolate & Spice” competition! Tune in to hear from Suzanne Abaza of Divine Chocolate, as she shares her favorite chocolate fermentations, and explains some of the economic workings of fair trade organizations. Learn about some of the wilder fermentations from the event, including chocolate bread, chocolate and pepper mead, homemade cheese crackers, and pickled watermelon kombucha! Learn more about making food products like cream cheese and eggnog at home with Hannah Reich! Thanks to our sponsor, GreatBrewers.com. “Because the farmers are part-owners of Divine Chocolate, they get dividends off of the profits.” [5:15] — Suzanne Adaza on Fuhmentaboudit!

“Bah! Humbrew!” This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking about brewing holiday beverages with homebrewers Phil Clarke and John Naegele. Tune in to hear about the opening of Phil’s new homebrew shop, the Westchester Homebrew Emporium. Learn about Phil’s affinity for Scotch ales! Later, John shares some of his tawny port, and discusses the necessity for aging Christmas beers. Find out what ingredients you can use to spice up your homebrews this holiday season! This program has been brought to you by Tabard Inn. “I would never use ale yeast to brew a rauchbier because it calls for lager yeast. I’m very much a traditionalist; I don’t experiment too much.” [10:40] “With a good Scotch ale, you want all malt- nothing else.” [15:00] — Phil Clarke on Fuhmentaboudit! “A Christmas beer, especially if it has a lot of adjuncts in it, needs a lot of time for the flavors to become acquainted.” [19:35] — John Naegele on Fuhmentaboudit!