Fuhmentaboudit!

Fuhmentaboudit is back for a new season of hoptastic radio! On the line with Melody Meyer of Yakima Chief Hop Union, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett reveal that they recently participated in the hop and brew school with the organization and loved it! YCH Hops was originally founded by hop growing families, some of them growing hops in the Yakima Valley for more than 130 years. These family farms joined together to build an organization which would market their hop products direct to brewers worldwide. Melody goes on to share how the US hop industry works, what makes the Yakima Valley special, and how homebrewers specifically fit in to their equation. Conversation also touches upon HBC-438, a new experimental hop issued for use by homebrewers. Notably, profits from HBC-438 sales go to Ales for ALS. Tune in for all things hops! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.   “Being grower-owned, that is the best tool we have.” [12:00] —Melody Meyer on Fuhmentaboudit  

This week on Fuhmentaboudit! hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are ending the summer season with a BCTC 2015 Round Up plus Ethan Long, head brewer of Rockaway Brewing Co. in studio. Talking about what’s on tap, highlights from the Rockaway tasting room, upcoming brewery events, and thoughts on the brews they took to the ‘Belgium Comes to Cooperstown’ festival, the group rehashes tasty memories from the event. Tune in for some impromptu recipes from Mary and more! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett share a ton of brewtastic events and goings-on before welcoming Brian Kulbacki to the show. Brian shares how he and his late best friend Chris Ward initially thought up Departed Soles Brewing Company by conducting “mad science experiments” to brew gluten-free beer for Ward, who suffered from celiac disease. Notably, Brian became the first brewer specializing in gluten-free beer to graduate from the American Brewers Guild in December of 2012. Brian goes on to explain that the brewery produces all sorts of craft beer and is proud to be New Jersey’s first Craft Brewery offering craft beer with 100% gluten-free ingredients that can compete on the palate with traditional ales! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, hosts Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme welcome Brett Taylor to the studio, recalling his experiences in homebrewing and his recent completion of courses at the American Brewers Guild. Brett shares what about homebrewing initally appealed to him as well as the details surrounding his first successful brews. Talking why he loves working with the brettanomyces yeast strain, Brett dishes helpful hints for those looking to use the strain plus talks his hopping technique and an overview of his many brews. Tune in and geek out over brettanomyces with the crew! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “I got caught up with the whole New York City craft thing!” [8:35] “I have a wit beer that I like to do with the Brussels blend from the Yeast Bay, that’s what I really like now and I feel like the fruit character from that yeast blend along with the coriander and fruit peel just works so well.” [12:50] —Brett Taylor on Fuhmentaboudit

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, solo host Chris Cuzme welcomes Jeff Lord and Dave Scharfstein to the studio catching up on recent beertastic events as well as Jeff’s experiences at the National Homebrewers Conference. Talking up the good times had by all, Jeff relays cool things he took away and tasted from the conference as well as the hard work that goes into the successful event. In the second half of the show, Chris introduces a pre-recorded interview he and Mary did with Michael Ferguson of Beer Geeks TV, spanning many topics including thoughts on America’s history of brewing. This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “They also had some ghost pepper meads which you’d think would be terrible – delicious – unbelievably good!” [13:00] “How do you fail at making vinegar?!” [15:00] —Jeff Lord on Fuhmentaboudit! “You ask a German, what does it take to make beer, they say a scientist. You ask a Belgian what does it take to make beer, they say an artist. What we do in the United States, craft b

When did the fermentation bug bite you? Tune in to this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! as Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett reflect on their brewing journeys with guest Ben Granger. Ben talks about how he started brewing, what it was like opening the now-closed but still legendary Bierkraft, and what he’s up to these days. This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “Most of my fermentation studies in college were through a natty ice can!” [10:00] “Carbonation is often times the most forgotten about ingredient in beer. It really determines your perception of dryness and can alter the texture and flavor of your beer greatly.” [26:00] –Ben Granger on Fuhmentaboudit!

What are Chris and Mary up to lately? Talking their latest brews, homebrewing cask beer, mobile canning, and more frothy tidbits, tune in as this dynamic duo catch up listeners on their own ventures and projects as of late on this episode of Fuhmentaboudit. This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “If anybody is listening, please make a 2.5 gallon cask!” [16:10] —Chris Cuzme on Fuhmentaboudit “If you’re looking to brew something different and has just been added to the BJCP, a Kentucky Common would be a good one!” [29:40] —Mary Izett on Fuhmentaboudit

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme welcome Ben Middlemiss to the studio in from Ben Middlemiss Brewing located in New Zealand! Talking about the homebrewing scene in New Zealand back when he started in the late 1960’s, he shares the disarray of the hobby before quality ingredients and widespread techniques were readily available. Ben goes on to share how he went from homebrewer to running a brewery to eventually distributing his own brew. After the break, Mary shares her love for New Zealand hops as Ben gives his thoughts on the brews he’s tried while in the states and some of the unique ingredients that find themselves in his drinks. Notably, Ben shares some of his beer collaborations which includes working with the pop group Hanson on their budding brews! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “Beer became a challenge… It became a challenge to me to learn how to make a quality product because I believed it was achievable at home with the right ingredients a

With summer temperatures on the rise, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking the NYC Brewers Pro-Am and hot-weather fermentations and with friend and owner of Bitter & Esters, John La Polla. The NYC Brewers Pro-Am is a friendly collaboration/competition pairing local homebrewers with some of the five boroughs’ best professional breweries and John shares highlights from last year’s event as well as things to come this year, including details of the fabulous grand prize. With no shortage of good beers to enjoy, John stresses that these particular brews won’t be seen anywhere else due to the collaborative nature of the event. After the break, the group talks about the contraption known as the PicoBrew that can brew at the touch of a button and the varying techniques to be used along with it. Tune in for tips and tricks for summer brewing and more! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “[The PicoBrew] is my assistant brewer!” [23:00] —John La Polla on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week Fuhmentaboudit! host Mary Izett takes listeners along to the Windy City for a bottle share gathering that went down at Brew & Grow in Chicago’s West Loop in partnership with the C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club. Chatting up a plethora of homebrewers including Jim Vondracek, Chuck Mac, Kristina Wallig, Paul Thompson, Jeff Whelpley, and Brian Dombrowski, Mary gets the scoop on what each is fermenting these days and what’s to come from the Midwest’s brew barons! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.

This week on a brand new episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme kick off the show revealing details surrounding Mary’s soon to be released book “Speed Brewing: Techniques and Recipes for Fast-Fermenting Beers, Ciders, Meads, and More.” The duo then welcomes Alex Forbes of Artisanal Imports and Kevin Zielinski of E.Z. Orchards to the show. Kevin shares the origins of E.Z. Orchards and how he got started in the cider business while providing some samples in studio and talking about the different varieties of apples and characteristics found in his hard cider blends. Chris and Mary get Kevin’s take on the fermentation process and how his ciders have evolved since he started years ago and a lot more! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett go on location to chat with Scott Meyer, owner of Planetary Elixirs. Talking about his start in the fermentation and brewing realm, Scott shares the inspiration behind starting the Outer Banks Brewing Station and how he concocted unique flavors to make his own marketable beverages. Tune in for a great show! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett kick off the show with some upcoming events before introducing guests Leda Scheintaub and husband Nash Patel to talk about their venture, Dosa Kitchen. Dosa Kitchen is Vermont’s only South Indian eatery, a food truck turned outdoor restaurant overlooking the Connecticut River in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. Nash, who grew up eating dosas in Hyderabad, India, and Leda Scheintaub, cookbook author and lover of dosas and other fermented foods, chat with the hosts about all things dosa plus details around their successful food truck. Dosa Kitchen offers from-scratch dosas, from the traditional masala dosa (Indian-style mashed potato dosa) to free-range chicken curry dosa, a daily vegan curry dosa, and our signature dosa dog, a thick dosa wrapped around a 100 percent beef organic hot dog finished with house-fermented mustard, sauerkraut, and pickles. Hungry yet? Tune in for another great episode! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distribut

On a brand new season of Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett kick off the show with some upcoming events happening in the brew world before getting guest Eli Cayer, owner of Urban Farm Fermentory, on the line. Located in Portland, Maine, Eli shares how he got started fermenting which ultimately ended up with opening his own business where his notable fresh pressed Maine apple cider is spontaneously (or wild) fermented in a Farmhouse style until it’s bone dry and tart. Urban Farm Fermentory also touts a potent, probiotic Kombucha (fermented tea), with a 1.5% ABV and tart, acidic bite. After the break, Chris and Mary get the scoop on Eli’s experimentation with using sugar kelp (and other fun ingredients) in his various productions. Tune in for more! This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center. “What we’ve done mostly is dry hops with dried kelp but what we’ll be trying the in the next round is actually fermenting the kelp in the primary and seeing how that goes.” —Eli Ca

This week on a brand new episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme jump start the show with a great recap of the Pride of Brooklyn Homebrew Festival and talk details regarding upcoming brewtastic events. Catching up with listeners after an amazing trip to Portland, Oregon for the Craft Brewers Conference, Chris and Mary discuss the state of the brewing industry via the conference’s keynote speaker. Mary also recently attended the New York State Brewers Association meeting and shares how well New York State is doing in the brewing realm. After the break, listen in as the Fuhmentaboudit! crew (including David Scharfstein) gives a great rundown of the many breweries visited and good eats had while in the Pacific Northwest. This program was brought to you by Rolling Press.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, solo host Chris Cuzme takes listeners across the world to Batch Brewing Company located in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia. The brewery opened last year, the passion project of two American expats Christopher Sidwa and Andrew Finneran who gave up on failed home brewing projects came together via lacross to join Sydney’s quickly growing craft scene. Giving Chris the details surrounding the trials and tribulations brewing their unique craft selection in a foreign land, the duo relays their love and dedication to tasty beer. Tune in to hear all about these brewing pioneers in the land down under! This program was brought to you by Bonnie Plants.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett kick off the show with some beertastic events, Kickstarter projects, and a reminder that tomorrow is National Beer Day! Guest Cheryl Paswater joins the show talking about how she became interested in fermentation via a personal health scare in her early 30’s and how she started down the road to eventually founding Contraband Ferments. Contraband Ferments is her small start-up fermentation company in Brooklyn, New York with the goal to provide gut healthy fermented foods and education to the public. Telling Chris and Mary about Contraband’s featured CSA program, she also goes on to talk about her recipe for dosas and idlis, traditional South Indian breads that happen to be fermented. Thinking of fermenting at home? Tune in for this informative episode! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “As a fermenter, in general, I’m not super OCD about things. I just kinda go for it and I don’t worry about every last detail.” [31:20] “

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett kick off the show talking about some great, upcoming brewing events to look forward to. With the first round of the National Homebrew Competition going on around the country, Chris and Mary dedicate the first half of the episode to their thoughts and experiences in running homebrew competitions. Listen in as the hosts dish out worthwhile tips and tricks to putting on a successful event and after the break chat about the new book, “Fermented Foods for Vitality & Health” by Dunja Gulin and further fermentation topics in the recent news. Tune in for an episode featuring a little bit of everything! This program was brought to you by Edwards VA Ham.

Cheers! This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme open up the show with a great recap of fermentastic events before introducing Louise Leonard to the program. Louise is a chef, food personality, stylist, and booze lover who was recently crowned the winner of Season 2 of ABC’s primetime hit, The Taste, where she was chosen from a nation-wide search to compete with professional chefs and home cooks. She shares how she fell in love with not only cooking but cooking with beer, wine, and other spirits. After the break, Louise shares some of her favorite dishes that she’s become known for as well as why she’s such a fan working with the boozy beverages. Tune in for a great show! This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “I started cooking a lot more with beer, wine, hard liquor and married the two passions together so to speak and here i am call these years later still cooking this way.” [12:00] “We spend our day making food look beautiful for either TV, film, cookbooks, or

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, solo host Mary Izett kicks off the show with a plethora of brew-tastic events coming up before welcoming guest co-host Bahiyyih Comeau and Zack Schulman, the founder of Ferment! Ferment! which is taking place this year on Sunday, March 22 at The Brooklyn Free School. His goal hosting Ferment! Ferment! is to encourage people to ferment foods, come together to enjoy them while sharing the experiences making them. In a world of the fetishization of the food professional, this particular event celebrates the amateur fermenter. Think of it as not only a party, but also an informal tasting! Zack shares some highlights and workshops taking place this year and some of the memorable moments from Ferment! Ferment! events past. This program was brought to you by Union Beer Distributors. “It’s party meets informal tasting meets potluck. It’s super participatory!” “If you make something that totally fails, bring the story! Share the story!” —Zack Schulman on Fuhmentaboudit!