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...
May 05, 2014•36 min•Ep. 71
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,...
Apr 28, 2014•33 min•Ep. 70
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...
Apr 21, 2014•39 min•Ep. 69
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 ...
Apr 14, 2014•35 min•Ep. 68
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...
Mar 31, 2014•32 min•Ep. 67
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 w...
Mar 25, 2014•35 min•Ep. 66
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 th...
Mar 17, 2014•33 min•Ep. 65
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...
Mar 10, 2014•38 min•Ep. 64
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! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Mar 04, 2014•14 min•Ep. 63
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...
Feb 25, 2014•32 min•Ep. 62
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 t...
Feb 18, 2014•38 min•Ep. 61
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...
Feb 11, 2014•39 min•Ep. 60
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 cookin...
Feb 03, 2014•33 min•Ep. 59
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 L...
Jan 28, 2014•29 min•Ep. 58
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 Si...
Jan 21, 2014•32 min•Ep. 57
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...
Jan 14, 2014•32 min•Ep. 56
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...
Jan 08, 2014•33 min•Ep. 55
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...
Dec 17, 2013•31 min•Ep. 54
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 kombu...
Dec 10, 2013•34 min•Ep. 53
“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 prog...
Dec 03, 2013•32 min•Ep. 52
This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are talking kombucha with Kombucha Brooklyn’s co-founder, Jessica Childs. Recently, Jessica co-wrote Kombucha! with Kombucha Brooklyn co-founder and husband, Eric Childs. Tune into this episode to hear how Jessica’s science background fueled her love for kombucha and the brewing process. Tune in to hear how different compounds and bacteria in kombucha can ease stomach problems and skin outbreaks. What is a scoby, and how does a scoby inter...
Nov 26, 2013•34 min•Ep. 51
Johnnie Leroy Compton III brews wild open-fermented sours in his home! This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett packs a bunch of brewing enthusiasts and professionals into the studio to talk wild yeast, blends, and more! Joining Mary and Johnnie are Hayley Jensen and Stephen Durley from Taproom No. 307, and John La Polla of Bitter & Esters. Tune into this episode to learn about some of Johnnie’s unorthodox yeast-collecting methods, and why no brewer should fear infection. Hear how Johnnie br...
Nov 19, 2013•35 min•Ep. 50
Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking yeast and community supported beer with Anthony Accardi and Rob Kolb Transmitter Brewing! Transmitter is moving to Long Island City to provide farmhouse ales for New York City! Tune into this episode to learn how Rob and Anthony define farmhouse styles, and hear why they love the possibilities that come with making a farmhouse beer. Learn about Anthony’s fascination with yeast, and why he collects different brettanomyces strains from across the world. Liste...
Nov 12, 2013•32 min•Ep. 49
This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary Izett travels back in time to the 2013 Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival and plays a recording of a private tasting with Brewery Ommegang’s Michael McManus. Michael is the Innovation Manager at Ommegang. Tune in to hear Michael explain the taste profile of pink peppercorns in brewing. Find out why it’s often difficult to brew a Belgian-style hoppy beer. Learn more about the signature Ommegang yeast strain, and how they use it in their Fade to Black stout. H...
Nov 05, 2013•33 min•Ep. 48
Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme are recapping Cider Week with Joy Doumis and Jeremy Hammond of Proper Cider! Joy and Jeremy have been making cider in their home for years since their first experiment using apples from the Prospect Park Greenmarket! Tune into this episode to hear how cider-making differs from making beer or wine. Find out why yeast can be so unpredictable when used with different apple varieties. What constitutes “proper cider”? Tune in to learn why Joy and Jeremy spend so much time b...
Oct 28, 2013•36 min•Ep. 47
Gear up for Cider week on Fuhmentaboudit! Chris & Mary are joined by Drew Beechum, who knows his stuff when it comes to fermented beverages. Drew is the author of The Everything Homebrewing Book and also the recently released, The Everything Hard Cider Book: All you need to know about making hard cider at home. Drew is also the former President of the Maltose Falcons brewing club. Tune in for some serious beverage insight! This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA . “If you wanna make...
Oct 21, 2013•34 min•Ep. 46
Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking yeast and beer writing on this week’s edition of Fuhmentaboudit! Tune in to hear Chris and Mary chat with Greg Doss of Wyeast about their Private Collection for the months of October through December. Learn more about yeast strains like the West Coast IPA, the new ESB, and the Farmhouse Ale. Why would a homebrewer select the Farmhouse Ale versus the Belgian Saison yeast? Find out what temperatures these yeasts excel in, and how to implement them creatively....
Oct 14, 2013•34 min•Ep. 45
Peter Kennedy’s beers often defy categorization. This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Peter sits down with Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme to talk greasy beers and jockey boxes. Tune in for a step-by-step explanation of Peter’s bacon beer. Does a beer with bacon have a long shelf life? Hear why Peter started the Iron Brewer competition in order to highlight some of his inventive beers, and how the competition has become a home for like-minded brewers. Peter talks about making his own giant jockey box, and n...
Oct 07, 2013•32 min•Ep. 44
This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris Cuzme invites Chris Pagnotta and Nick Ladd of the New York City Homebrewers Guild into the studio to talk pumpkin beers with the master, Dick Cantwell of Elysian Brewing Company. This year marks the 9th Annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival for Elysian Brewing; hear why Dick started the festival, and find out how many pumpkin beers Elysian cooks up each year for the fest. Why are many pumpkin beers heavy on spice? Tune in to hear how pumpkin can contribute to the...
Sep 30, 2013•30 min•Ep. 43
Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are talking fermented soy products on this week’s episode of Fuhmentaboudit! Their first guest is Christian Elwell of South River Miso- one of the oldest miso producers in the United States! Hear about the roots of the company, and how a tragic event inspired Christian’s mission to pursue health and alternative lifestyles. Learn the steps of miso production, and hear why so many cultures get their sodium intake through fermented foods. Later, Barry Schwartz of Barry’s ...
Sep 23, 2013•32 min•Ep. 42
