Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, guest host John La Polla of Bitters & Esters welcomes a crew of guests to discuss spicing homebrewed beer. First up, John relays a ton of beer events happening throughout October before welcoming Sean Torres of the Richmond County Homebrew Club. Sean talks about some of his latest brews, notably his fig double and pumpkin brews. He goes on to explain how he implements necessary spices into his brewed beverages for the best results and also shares some of his not so great experiences making spiced beers. After the break, John speaks with Hollis Smith about her recent beers, some of which incorporate butternut squash and beets. Continuing the discussion, Robby Crafton of Greenpoint Beerworks explains his recent brews and some great thoughts on spicing a homebrewed beer. This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “We took the seeds from the butternut squash and roasted those as well and threw those in. That’s where you get a little bit of an extra nutty flavor.” 22:

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are getting ready for the Great American Beer Festival! In the studio the duo welcomes Chris O’Leary from Brew York and via phone Michael Kane from Kane Brewing Company, located in New Jersey. Michael shares his brewery’s plans for the Great American Beer Festival coming up in Denver, October 2nd through 4th. He goes on to explain the four beers that Kane Brewing Company will feature at the festival and seeks to show everyone that New Jersey brews are something special. After the break, Chris and Mary chat with Chris O’Leary about what he expects from the GABF, including the few breweries that he has yet to drink from, and his personal advice on how to navigate the festival to get the most out of the experience. Tune in to hear all about the Great American Beer Festival from the experts! This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “We’re super psyched to walk around and try beers we can’t get around here.” [10:29] “New Jersey is a great

This week on a brand new Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talkin’ home brewing for fall and early winter with the owners of Brooklyn Homebrew, Danielle Cefaro and Benjamin Stutz. Opening the show chatting about Brooklyn Wort, the home brew competition that Danielle and Benjamin are behind, they share that 30 homebrewers are expected to compete in Gowanus on October 12th for $1000 prize money and that ticket holders are in for some great brews and food. Also talking about happenings at Brooklyn Homebrew, after the break the duo shares a peanutbutter and jelly as well as a ‘sweet potato fly’ brew with the hosts. Discussing the complexities and costs of certain ingredients, Danielle and Benjamin go into the detail of their brewing process and what’s on the horizon for Brooklyn Homebrew. Tune in to hear all about great beer and beer events to accompany the fall weather! This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “If you’re thinking about brewing your own sake at home, it’s much ea

Patrick Rue of The Bruery is this week’s guest on Fuhmentaboudit! The Bruery is a boutique craft brewery located in Orange County, CA specializing in Belgian-style, experimental and barrel aged ales. Tune in and find out how Patrick took up brewing as a hobby at first before turning it into a full blown career. Hear some of the brewing methods he employs and his thoughts on trends, styles and tastes within craft beer. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “We often limit ourselves to styles and marketing terms – beer is much more than those things” [7:30] –Patrick Rue on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, host Mary Izett and guest host John La Polla of Bitter & Esters kick off the new radio season welcoming some notable brewers and home brewers alike to the show that are in the process of making the jump to opening their own brewery. From Kings County Brewers Collective Pete Lengyel, Tony Bellis, and Zack Kinney talk about their beginnings and how they came to be inspired to not only take their brewing skills to the next level, but to take on the task of opening their own brewery. However, Kings County Brewers Collective looks to create a community tap room featuring different beers by different brewers that work together and share business responsibilities. After the break, Jason Sahler, Head Brewer at Strong Rope Brewery, talks about his background and how he has come up through the beer world. Tune in for a frothy discussion and learn where to get a great brew in the near future! This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “We’re doing this as a collective so

What’s the science of sugar? What happens in a beer lab? Find out on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit as Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are joined by Tom Price, Lab Manager at Brooklyn Brewery. He talks about his job duties as a lab manager and gets into some of the science behind sugar in the fermentation process. Learn about the affect sugar has on brewing and hear Tom share some essential brewing tips. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market “You can add a surprising amount of sugar to a beer without it negatively affecting anything. 20% of total fermentables is totally reasonable.” [17:00] –Tom Price on Fuhmentaboudit!

Things get scientific on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit as Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are joined by Drew Bombard, lab technician at Brooklyn Brewery and their first (and best!) microbiologist. Drew has also worked as a brewer at New Belgian Brewing Company. He describes his work and shares some tips for brewers – from cultures to bacteria to sanitization and beyond. If you’re looking for a conversation that goes beyond basics of brewing – this is for you! This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “We’re all in this together no matter what brewery you’re at. craft beer is something that needs to be taken seriously. [12:00] –Drew Bombard on Fuhmentaboudit!

Welcome John La Polla of Bitter & Esters as the new guest-host of Fuhmentaboudit! He’s here with a cavalcade of brewers and beer professionals in anticipation of The NY Pro-Am Brew P.I.T. (Philosophy. Inspiration. Technique.). The P.I.T. is a celebration of the local beer brewing community both professional and amateur. A one-of-a-kind event featuring local brewers and the beers they inspire. Participating home brewers (chosen via lottery from online submissions) will meet with professional local craft brewers, get a tour of their brewery, share some beer, and talk shop. The home brewer will brew a beer inspired by that meeting and serve it alongside a beer of the professional brewer’s choice at Covenhoven located at 730 Classon Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. On August 9th, there will be 2 tasting sessions. Session 1: 1-3pm, Session 2: 3:30-5:30pm. Learn more here.. This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “When I started brewing in NY there were only 2 home brew clubs, now thanks to people like Bi

Ever think of making your own sake? Tune into tonights episode of Fuhmentaboudit and learn how you can pull it off! Find out how to make your own sake and hear about some of the science behind the fermentation process as Chris and Mary are joined by guest Eddie Hoskin. Eddie is an engineer and avid homebrewing hobbyist who began brewing with the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild in 2007, where he earned something of a reputation for bringing “unusual” beverages for sampling at club meetings. He has tested for and received the rank of Recognized under the BJCP organization, and has taken a leadership role in his new local homebrew club in Southwest Michigan. This program was brought to you by GreatBrewers.com. “Sake is not a wine – it’s actually much closer to a beer.” [07:00] “I can generally have sake ready in 3 months, thought it generally benefits from additional aging.” [15:00] “American sake produces are starting to infuse other flavors in their sake such as peaches.” [27:00] –Eddie Hoskin on Fuhmentaboudit

Jeff Mello is a yeast wrangler. Find out what this means and so much more about yeast on today’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit as hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett chat with Jeff about home brewing, yeast strains and other tidbits of information about yeast and making your own beer. Jeff runs Bootleg Biology, an open source yeast (and wild bugs) project whose goal is to create the most diverse library of microbes for the creation of alcoholic and fermented beverages. Jeff leaves no stone unturned in this conversation on yeast and brewing. Things get particularly scientific here, but don’t be afraid – any home brewer can implement the tips Jason offers here. Tune in and get the inside scoop on yeast! This program was brought to you by Edwards VA Ham. “Anywhere you are there is yeast available. It’s amazing how character can be different between different strains.” [09:00] “I need people to become a part of Bootleg Biology. It’s bigger than myself i want to teach people things – the larger goal is to make a databa

CHAOS, the Chicago Homebrew Alchemists of Suds, is a coalition of home-brewers, beer aficionados, and enthusiasts in the Chicago, IL area that strives to cultivate appreciation of the science and culture of beer through education, exploration, and community. As a club, CHAOS is unique in that it also offers a permanent space that allows members the ability to hone their craft in a community setting. Tune in to learn about this fascinating project from its president, Ken Getty. Mary Izett hats with Ken on this episode of Fuhmentaboudit! about the homebrewing community, the challenges of brewing in small spaces and the evolution of CHAOS. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “It’s very difficult to homebrew in an apartment. The idea behind [CHAOS Brew Club] was to find a space, keep the equipment in one location. That idea grew like wildfire and in 7 months we went from a small basement under an art studio to renting out a 900 square foot space which became a 1300 sq foot space. We are the

Be a fly on the wall at a recent Brooklyn Brewsers Homebrew Club meeting at an on-location episode of Fuhmentaboudit! This week, Chris and Mary chat with homebrewers about sours that they entered into a recent competition. Get some insight from the pulse of the homebrewing movement and learn about some tips, trends and tactics for brewing your own sour beer. Cheers to sours! This program was brought to you by Bonnie Plants.

What makes good quality malting barley? Where is grain for beer sourced from? What do gluten free beers look like? How do you malt millet and other gluten-free grains? Tune into a grainy episode of Fuhmentaboudit, as Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett chat with Andrea Staley of Valley Malt and Twila Henley of Grouse Malting. Learn about everything from brown malt to buckwheat as both guests take listeners on an audio tour of the world of grains. This program was brought to you by Bonnie Plants. “The majority of our customers are breweries or home brewers looking to make 100% gluten-free beers.” [11:00] –Twila Henley on Fuhmentaboudit “We would like to be able to design a kilm that would be capable of making brown malt on a commercial basis.” [32:00] “We call it base malt – but it doesn’t have to be base malt. The character of your beer doesn’t have to come from specialties or hops – dare I say that.” [36:00] –Andrea Staley on Fuhmentaboudit

Meet Tara Whitsitt, of Fermentation on Wheels. Fermentation on Wheels is a community of gastronomic nomads focused on providing free food education across the United States. Their community has converted a school bus to house a fully equipped kitchen and workshop space powered by solar. Fermentation on Wheels is now traveling across the country to harvest produce alongside small-scale farmers, and hold workshops on the importance of fermentation and micro-agriculture. On an off-site episode of Fuhmentaboudit, Mary Izett chats with Tara on the bus about all things fermentable! This program was brought to you by Bonnie Plants. “Fermentation on wheels came to me in a dream which I just thought was funny at first.. it was just a lovely dream where i was driving around fermenting food.” [03:00] “I’m always seeking out kombucha cultures that are really interesting. Kombucha is one of my power foods.” [20:00] –Tara Whitsitt on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are joined in the studio by homebrewers Jess Molinari and Jonathan Voris to talk about their recent trip to the National Homebrewers Conference! Tune into this episode to hear about some of the interesting beers that the crew had the opportunity to taste. What seminars did our homebrewers attend? Find out how Mary survives the ‘club night’ tasting, and why does Chris prefer when homebrew clubs showcase beers using themes? Tune into this program to learn more about harvesting wild yeast, ancient beers, and beyond! Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market. “You really only need as little as ten percent of a yeast in order to get the qualities of that yeast in your beer.” [33:40] — Jess Molinari on Fuhmentaboudit!

You may not be aware, but there are some weird, weird wines out there. Wine is typically a fermented grape beverage but there’s an entire history of wine made out of all different types of vegetables, herbs and fruits. On this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett chat with two gentleman making very weird wine. Hear from Jason Knight and Damian Harris-Hernandez, who explain what happens when wine moves beyond grapes. This program was sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. “I’m really passionate about mixing whatever flavors I think of – most of the time it turns out pretty good. […] I want to get more into making a wine that can be a medicine as well.” [15:00] –Jason Knight on Fuhmentaboudit

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are on location at Port Jefferson Brewing Company in Long Island! Tune in as they embark on an 11 beer tasting tour and chat with head brewmaster Mike Philbrick. Mike Philbrick is a Port Jefferson resident who homebrewed for almost a decade prior to graduating from The World Brewing Academy at Siebel Institute in Chicago. His passion for craft beer led him to bring Port Jefferson their own brewery to showcase his recipes in the popular tourist town and beyond. Tune in and hear about the brewing process, the inspirations behind the beers and some interesting styles he’s experimented with including honey porters. This program was sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. “When you have draft beer people in a can, people can take it anywhere. It’s very advantageous.” [24:00] –Mike Philbrick on Beer Sessions Radio

Chris Prout, head brewer and Erik Olsen, both of Dirck the Norseman/Greenpoint Beer & Ales – Brooklyn’s first brewery/restaurant – are this week’s guests on Fuhmentaboudit. Learn about the beers they’re brewing over at Greenpoint Beer & Ales and why managing a gastropub in conjunction with the brewery has proven to be so successful. Learn about everything from kettle sour to brewery management as they gives listeners some insight into the life of a burgeoning brewer in New York City. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market. “When you make beer it’s a lot of work and you wanna make the most beer you can at one time.” [07:00] “The flagship beers pay the bills and that affords us to experiment more.” [10:00] Chris Prout on Fuhmentaboudit!

If only you could brew beer in just a day….wait… you can! The Bootlegger Bottle is a small hombrewing kit that ferments juices into wines, ciders, and alcoholic cocktails in a day. The best part is it fits on your counter and you can continue to reuse it for three months. That’s equivalent to 30 bottles of wine or 120 different mixed drinks! Sound like magic? Well it kind of is magic. Tune in to this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! as Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett chat with Josh Riley, president of The Bootlegger Bottle. Hear how the idea was inspired and what it took to launch the project off the ground. Find out what the magic is behind this system that allows you to brew quicker than you can say cheers! This program was sponsored by GreatBrewers.com. “What we wanted to do with The Bootlegger Bottle is make a kit thats as simple as possible but allows you to get really creative with it.” [07:00] –Josh Riley on Fuhmentaboudit!

They say necessity is the mother of invention, but alcohol helps, too. Born from attending a few too many beer festivals, 33 Beers is a beer journal that provides an easy way to record tasting notes in a small, convenient notebook format. It’s designed for beer geeks, by beer geeks. The author of 33 Beers is this week’s guest on Fuhmentaboudit! and he describes the tasting process that went into the making of this book! Amanda Mayer of SingleCut Beersmiths is also in the studio – and together the group chats about tasting notes, beer varieties and drinking memory! This program was sponsored by Fairway Market. “Tasting is really about making personal observations.” [12:00] –David Selden on Fuhmentaboudit! “It’s beer – it should be fun – you should enjoy it with other people. It’s not a competition. If you don’t taste bitter chocolate from the roasted barley – that’s ok, you’re not a horrible beer drinker!” [29:00] –Amanda Mayer of Singlecut Beersmiths on Fuhmentaboudit!