Fuhmentaboudit! (Heritage Radio Network)

On the season finale of Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary, Chris and Rachel are joined by Madi Holtzman and Devin Hardy of Toast Ale, a beer brewed with surplus bread that would otherwise be wasted. Their special recipe combines toasted bread with malted barley (pale malt, CaraMalt, and Munich Malt), hops (Hallertau, Centennial, Cascade, Bramling Cross), yeast and water. Profits from the sale of Toast Ale will go to Feedback, an environmental organization that campaigns to end food waste at every level of the food system.

Mead pioneer Sergio Moutela calls in to talk to us about the challenges and rewards of opening a meadery in New Jersey. The Garden State makes it tricky to ferment honey on a large scale; unlike other states, it doesn't count meaderies as a type of winery for registration purposes and has some acreage requirements.

Along the way, we talk about "apple pie in a glass" and the basics of making a delicious mead. Pro tip: go for the quality honey.

Melovino Meadery's award-winning products are available in New York State starting today (and they're coming to NYC soon). Budding mead brewers can find useful resources at meadmaderight.com and mead-makers.org.

Chris, Mary, and Rachel are joined by Ann Yonetani of Nyrture, the only natto producer in New York. Ann talks about how natto is made, why it has that crazy texture, and how we can get more Americans to eat it!

Powered by Simplecast

Chris, Mary, and Rachel are joined by author and fermenter David Schmidt to talk ancient Mexican cultures and ferments. What is pulque? Does all tepache have pineapple?

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

On the season finale of *Fuhmentaboudit!*, Mary, Chris, and Rachel are joined in the studio by Jason Moore, a single malt specialist for Whyte & Mackay Americas, makers of Jura single malt whiskys. Tune in to hear them discuss the "extremely ungetatable" Isle of Jura, the process of making Scotch whisky, and the launch of the new Jura 10 variety!

On this week's episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary, Chris, and Rachel are joined in the studio by Lana Guggenheim of Noah's Vice Meadery.

Mead is essentially wine made with honey, and Lana has been brewing her own for about three years now. She is one half of Noah's Vice Meadery in New Jersey, the name of which refers to certain events depicted in the Book of Genesis. Tune in for this "official unofficial" Mead Week edition of...Fuhmentaboudit!

In this pre-recorded episode of Fuhmentaboudit, Mary, Rachel and Chris welcome Ken Fornataro, CEO and head chef of culturesgroup.net. a blog and nonprofit organization dedicated to food culture’s education, preservation, and research. Ken has an extensive background in cooking and science. A primary focus of culturesgroup.net is how cultures and societies are related to food and how they function in relation to food. In this episode, Ken gets into many throw back ferments (beef broth sake!?!?) and draws on special life experiences. Enjoy!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, it's a Halloween Special! Mary, Chris, and Rachel tell us about "freaky ferments" including hoppy brown ale, homemade candy corn kefir, and Brett brux.

Chris and Mary are joined in the studio by Anu Menon and Suyog Mody, Co-founders and owners of Driftaway Coffee. Driftaway is a subscription-based coffee roaster in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Listen in to learn how coffee beans get from fruit to cup, how grinding and preparation impact your cup of joe and how to taste and evaluate coffee.

Are you for real?

Chris and Mary brought their listeners a souvenir from Iceland: cool info about the craft beer scene! Valgeir Valgeirsson of Borg Brugghús (brew house), and Steinn Stefánsson & the crew from the Icelandic Beer Academy talk Icelandic hops, sap, skyr, and cool collaborations. Emphasis on the cool.

Chris and Mary are joined remotely by the inimitable Christopher Gandsy of DaleView Biscuits and Beer. They discuss baking gluten free, the birth and operation of his Chris' Brooklyn business, basement brewing, now and future plans, and a brand new scholarship/internship aimed at diversifying the industry planned in collaboration with the NYC Brewers Guild.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.

Keep Fuhmentaboudit!  on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate. 

Photo Courtesy of DaleView Biscuits and Beer

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Homebrew festival season is in full swing, and in this episode we're bringing all the strange characters, interesting brews, and lively people straight to the radio waves from the Pride of Brooklyn Homebrew Competition at Littlefield in Gowanus. Rachel is joined by special guest host John LaPolla of Bitter & Esters Homebrew Shop, and roadie Saul Glass-Siegel as they make their way through 30 homespun, weird, and wonderful creations that are the best Brooklyn has to offer.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Fuhmentaboudit is kicking off Cider Week with a visit from local (down the block) cidermaker Peter Yi. Peter shares his life-changing trip and the cider that made him quit his job and venture into the world of apples, natural yeast, and high quality foods.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

On the spring season premiere of Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary, Chris, and Rachel catch up on last weekend's TAP New York Craft Beer and Food Festival, Rachel's sima recipe for Passover, the Ferment! Ferment! festival, Chris and Mary's upcoming trip to Iceland, the importance of taking pH readings, and Mary's packed fermenting schedule for the spring!

On this week's episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, our guest in the studio is Rob Handel, the executive chef at Bees Knees Café, a farm to table cafe located on Heather Ridge Farm. In addition to weekly brunch and lunch offerings, they organize a monthly "Supper Club," which is a five or six course tasting dinner. Rob has a passion for seasonal, locally grown, and foraged produce, herbs, and flavors. He also teaches monthly cooking classes that aim to provide a technique based approach to cooking that is accessible to cooks of all skill levels.

Jay Goodwin, Co-founder/Director of Blending and Brewing at The Rare Barrel and co-host of The Sour Hour podcast, calls in to the show to talk barrel-aged sour beers, bugs, off-flavors and hot sauce. We delve into yeast and bacteria selection, kettle sours, good, great and terrible practices and much more.

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, the crew talks to Sandor Katz, the man behind the fermentation revolution! The occasion: Katz has recently published a snazzy update on his classic, Wild Fermentation.

Traditional cider is getting pretty big in New York State and around the country, but although Kyle Sherrer's cider is rooted in tradition, this cider is anything but. Chris and Mary join Kyle Sherrer and David Hall at Graft's popup in Newburgh to talk about the cidery's start, its trajectory, and its focus on flavors and technique to get complex and unique flavors out of simple fruits and yeasts. Hear of Kyle’s history with Millstone, beer influences, and how it has all driven him to expression through apples and art at Graft.

It's all in the family with cheesemaker Andy Marcelli of Marcelli Formaggi farms, importer of raw milk sheep cheeses from a town with 300 people and 1500 sheep. Join us for an on-air tasting and pairing of some of Marcelli Formaggi’s famous cheeses that look earthly but taste out of this world.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Chris and Rachel sit down with Dr. Patrick E. McGovern to discuss his latest book, "Ancient Brews, Rediscovered and Re-Created". The book includes homebrew interpretations, meal pairings, and much much more. Hear of his inspirational journeys of discovery, of his collaborations with Dogfish Head and dreams of "dinobrew" in this intimate chat on episode 208 of Fuhmentaboudit!

Miso kimchi? Black radishes? Purple Kombucha? In this episode, Rachel navigates the Baltimore fermentation scene with founders and fermenters at Hex Ferments, Maryland-based food alchemists, dedicated to sourcing from local and organic farmers. They talk about their journey as artists into the world of krauts, kimchi, and kombucha, and their innovative take on classic fermented foods to help introduce new customers to the world of fermentation and gut health. To find out more about Hex Ferments, check out hexferments.com.

We come back for the season with some important announcements. Then we take a trip to the pacific northwest to talk to Julia O'Brien of Firefly Kitchens, about carrot krauts, kimchi for all, and the importance of salt. Plus, fermentation adventures at home!

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, Chris and Rachel are joined in studio by brewers Jeff Lyons & Brett Taylor (also from episode 128) of Keg & Lantern Brewing Co. We hear their stories detailing humble beginnings to the now, celebrating the 9th annual NYC Beer Week. A mutual love of Brettanomyces has Jeff and Brett inspired and thrilled to be working together as the creative brewers of Keg and Lantern. With roots of being a member of the NYC Homebrewers Guild and The Brooklyn Brewsers, Jeff Lyons has previously worked/brewed/taught at Brooklyn Homebrew, 508 Gastrobrewery and Greenpoint Beer and Ale. Brewing with Jason Sahler at Strong Rope Brewery since March 2016, Brett Taylor took the leap to full time brewing in November 2016.

Join Mary and Rachel for the season premiere of Fuhmentaboudit, where we meet Christina Ward, Master Food Preserver, and author of Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation and Dehydration. We delve into different pickling approaches, chat about lacto poop, and learn what a kraut hammer is.

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Let's explore the mysterious world of absinthe in this episode where Mary and Rachel are joined by the only absinthe distiller in NYC, Doc Herson's. We answer all the pressing absinthe questions. Why is it green? Do you really need all that fancy equipment? Does wormwood make you hallucinate? Tune in for these answers and more!

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Live from Fifth Hammer, it's the NYC Ferments meetup group! Join local NYC fermenters and fermentation enthusiasts for a deep dive into homemade kimchis, sourdoughs, and tempeh.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

This week's episode of Fuhmentaboudit! is all about beer! At the top of the show, Mary, Chris, and Rachel check in with Andrew Luberto, who is running for Northeast Representative on the board of directors of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), a non-profit organization that certifies and ranks beer judges. For the rest of the show, they are joined in the studio by Mike Smith, co-author of The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World's Favorite Beverage from 7000 BC to Today's Craft Brewing Revolution. Tune in to hear them discuss how there's no greater time in history to be a beer drinker or beer brewer, and why it's only getting better!

Stephen Lyman, Cool Japan Ambassador - Honkaku Shochu, Certified Shochu Adviser - Sake School of America and founder of Kampai.us, joins Mary, Chris and Rachel in the studio. We delve into the fascinating world of shochu, a traditional distilled beverage from Japan. Shochu is made from a variety of sources, including barley, rice, sweet potato and chestnut, koji, yeast and water. Tune in to find out how shouchu is made, how to taste it and much, much more.

Mary sits down with Jason Alexander, Co-founder and Brewmaster of Free Range Brewing in Charlotte, North Carolina, in this week's episode. Jason and his brother, Jeff, brew with many local ingredients - tune in to learn what it takes to brew with popcorn, how to get citrusy hop flavor from trees and more!

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast.

Invited by the Culinary Institute of America, a gaggle of HRN hosts journeyed North to visit the Hyde Park NY campus and interview the people that make them awesome. In this episode, Chris speaks with Hutch Kugeman and John Fischer about the ins and outs of their hands on brewing program. Hutch brews and teaches inside a fully functional active brewery in the center of campus.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

These ferments are on fire! Chris and Rachel are joined by the fiery Kirsten and Christopher Shockney to talk about their new book, Fiery Ferments, which explores a world of hot sauce and hot pepper recipes. Hear conversations on the best kind of peppers, where to find old recipes, what an achar is, and more tales of "when foodies have too much land."

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Cuzme and Rachel go into the origins of Fuhmentaboudit’s theme song and Zimbabwe culture, including the making of and the role of “seven-day beer” in traditional Zimbabwean Bira ceremonies. With special guests Musekiwa Chingodza (mbira master) and Nora Balaban (former owner of Tribal Soundz and currently from the world music ensemble Timbila). They speak of their connections through Nora’s store, mbira workshops, Chris Berry and Panjea, and traditional Zimbabwe culture and the role of beer specifically brewed for ceremonies.

Mary ventures to Strongrope where she talks with Ted Hawley and Mark Sorrells. Ted and Mark talk about the second-longest profession – Malting – and explain what exactly is New York Malt, and how Cornell University got itself involved in the beer industry. PLUS a bonus interview about KCBC's new collab with an Indian brewery!

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, we talk to Dave Janssen of Hors Catégorie. Dave speaks to the history of grisettes, how to brew your own, and mixed fermentations. He also shares his recommendations for a perfect day in Belgium.

It’s a brewerpalooza! Chris and Mary head off to the Blind Tiger to talk about the Beer Camp collaboration project: brewers from Sierra Nevada, Odell, Bear Republic, and more are being set up into supergroups to make even better beers than they could on their own.

Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head) and Brian Grossman (Sierra Nevada) talk about this craft brewing project, what made it come about, and where you, the listener and consumer, can participate, support, and try the brews yourself! Also, after the break, Chris reunites with old friends at the Craft Brewer’s Conference: Julia Herz (Brewer’s Association), David Myers (Redstone Meadery), Jimmy Stockwell, and Sean White (Littlefish) talk about the state of craft beer and wines in New York and the USA.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, Mary Izett brings us more clips from Homebrew Con in Baltimore. Topics include how to brew beer in the middle of a heat wave, banana-flavored disasters, and great brewing accessories you might want to put on your wishlist.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, hosts Mary, Chris, and Rachel are joined in the studio by Amanda Feifer, author of Ferment Your Vegetables, and the blog Phickle.com. Ferment Your Vegetables covers a variety of lacto-fermented vegetables, including vegetable kvasses, as well as alternative approaches to vegetable fermentation, including Misodoko. Amanda recently spent time in Japan with a family that makes miso in the traditional manner.

What are the NYC Fermenters up to in April? April fooling around! From more crazy cookies to many delicious creme fraiche mistakes, Fuhmentaboudit talks to the local makers about things they made in their own homes -things you can make, too!

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

For the past eleven years, Baltimore has hosted a homebrew and chilli competition known as ChiliBrew. Hosted at the peak of chilli and bear season in October, the Maryland homebrewers bring their best and their weirdest to this competition. The guests serve as the judges and pick the winners, as we talk to some of the competitors and some of the attendees about what they're making and what brewing trends are going on in Baltimore and up the East Coast.

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Today on Fuhmentaboudit!, Sean Z. Paxton of homebrewchef.com joins us (again!) to talk about cooking with beer. We cover everything from smoked garbanzo bean couscous with witbier to beer jams and sorbets (and don't forget about the chocolate stout pastry cream). We also bring you a special investigation into what the "Z" in Sean Z. Paxton stands for.

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, Mary and Chris travel to the far, far kingdom of Bushwick to talk with Sebastian Sauer of Freigeist Bierkultur. We hear from him about his mission to redefine German beer!

Chris and Mary stop in the middle of a multi-cultural collaboration to interview the makers at Norwegian brewery Haandbryggeriet. Stefan and Ragnar talk about how to make beers in Norway, beer trends, frustrating lawmakers, and making the transition from musician to beermaker.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

WHAAAAAT? After a season sabbatical from hosting the show, Mary and Chris return to Fuhmentaboudit! with the tables turned! Guest host, Heather McReynolds, joins co-host Rachel Jacobs to interview them about all things Fifth Hammer Brewing Company and its first year. Mary and Chris speak to the neighborhood of Long Island City, what it’s like to open a brewery in NYC, the journey from then to now, and of course the types of beers they love brewing. Elated to be back to Heritage Network, this is sure to be a fantastic season with Mary and Chris’ whole new outlook on life. (Mary quit her day job and has blue hair!!!)

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Brewstoria, Queens' local homebrew club, paired up with Pilsner Urqell and Reyes Brewing Company to host a diverse and delicious fundraiser for the Queens Council On The Arts' "High School to Art School (HS2AS) Program. Inspired and tasty homebrews were shared alongside unfiltered Pilsner Urquell, beers from Reyes Brewing Company, ICONYC, Big Alice, Clemson Bros., KCBC, Keg and Lantern and more. Chris grabs precious fun and loquacious moments with its participants, pros and joes. Hear here on episode 212 about the mission, the people and the stories behind the charitable fun: 2017 NY Craft & Imports Festival - the first, and definitely not the last!

Mary, Chris & Rachel are joined by Rohit Dugar, founder of Young Master Ales, The Ale Project and Second Draft in Hong Kong. Rohit discusses incorporating local and traditional ingredients into his beers while we taste the Cha Chaan Teng Gose, a kettle-soured ale brewed with salted limes. We chat about the explosive growth and evolution of the Hong Kong craft brewery and bar scene, NYC pizza and marrying flavors with quality beer.

This week Mary and Chris catch up with friend and occasional co-host Cheryl Paswater to talk fermented nut cheeses and food preservation in a pandemic world. Put on your “Depression Era Grandma Helmet” and preserve those vegetables!

Photo Courtesy of Valerie Ruzzo

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast.

Mary, Chris and Rachel are joined by Michael Schwartz, founder and owner of BAO and Organic Food Incubator. Listen in to learn how Mike teaches a Cub Scout pack how to pickle, makes kombucha without a SCOBY and creates fermented ketchups and barbecue sauces utilizing traditional sauerkraut techniques.

Today on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary and Chris are away at the Westchester Homebrewers Organization. But, hustlers as they are, they put together a few in-the-field interviews with beer-makers all over New York, from Astoria Distilling Company and KCBC Beer to Rockaway Brew Co. and Strong Rope Brewery.

This week in Episode "Halfway to 500", Mary and Chris bring on long time friend and fellow fermenter/Brooklynite Joe Kirchhoff to talk all things bread and home baking. From sourdough starters, injera, boules and bagels...this episode celebrates patience and rise. Cheers to Joe's friends and homebrew clubs The Brooklyn Brewsers and The Brewdies!

Image courtesy of Joe Kirchhoff.

Fuhmentaboutit!  is powered by Simplecast.

Kheedim Oh, Chief Minister of Kimchi at Mama O's Premium Kimchi, joins Chris, Mary & Rachel in the studio tonight. Tune in to hear how Kheedim got started, learn more about the different types of kimchi and get inspired to make your own. Bonus: learn how to make Kheedim's favorite kimchi dish.

Join Mary and guest co-host David Kyrejko on Fuhmentaboudit's 200th episode as we dive deep into chocolate with Nate Hodge, co-founder and head chocolatier at Raaka Chocolate. Learn how Nate went from answering a Craigslist ad to creating unique chocolate bars that are enjoyed all over the country, how chocolate goes from seed to bar and lots more!

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, we’re joined via phone by Marie Valgarðsson and Eyglo Björk Ólafsdóttir in Iceland!

Marie Valgarðsson been very interested in all aspects of Icelandic life ever since she moved there with her Icelandic husband nearly nine years ago. She has written dozens of articles on how Icelandic food and culture is changing rapidly.

Eyglo Björk Ólafsdóttir is the owner of an organic farm in east Iceland, one of the few in the country, and is well versed in the traditional methods of fermentation.

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary, Chris and Rachel are joined by Rich Shih, a mechanical engineer by trade whose passion is kitchen experimentation. When a friend suggested he work with koji, he became interested in playing around with miso flavors. Rich also founded Our Cook Quest, which provides "informative and fun" cooking classes, in-depth analyses, and investigations of cooking techniques to improve and inform culinary adventurers. Some of Rich's unusual misos include peanut butter, ricotta, bacon, and cookie dough.

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, Rob Handel calls in from the Bee's Knees Café, a farm to table cafe located on Heather Ridge Farm. Rob tells us all about fermenting with neat ingredients like mushrooms and elderberry, and tells us about how his cuisine is changing as summer turns to fall.

We reconnect with Tara Whitsitt, of Fermentation on Wheels, and author of the upcoming book of the same name. We chat about highlights and learnings from her journey around the country, some favorite ferments and what she is planning next.

On this week's episode of Fuhmentaboudit!, Chris and Rachel are joined in the studio by Dan Acosta and of LIC Beer Project, a boutique craft brewery and taphouse in Long Island City, Queens. Tune in to hear them discuss their Belgian influences, and what they have in store for beer lovers in Queens and beyond.

Preaching the good word of fermentation science, we bring scientists Elizabeth Landis and Esther Miller from the Tufts University Open Lab. Liz and Esther talk about their research on kombucha and sauerkraut, including strange experiments, education outreach, and Wolfe Lab's ongoing project to collect kombucha cultures from all over the world!

The Fuhmentaboudit gang is joined by Sigurdur Snorrason, Co-founder & President of RVK (Reykjavik) Brewing Company. Join us as we delve into Iceland home brewing and beer culture, the country’s tumultuous relationship with alcohol and Siggi’s personal journey to opening a brewery.

Jason Synan and Aiyana Knauer join us in the studio tonight. We chat about creating balanced sour beers at Hudson Valley Brewery and what it's like to work at two of the best bars in America.

Author Pete Brown joins Mary & Chris in the studio to talk about his newest book, Miracle Brew: Hops, Barley, Water, Yeast and the Nature of Beer. Learn why Pete recently gave up cask ale, hear about highlights of his trip around the world researching the book and learn what he's looking forward to drinking on his United States book tour. Follow Pete's adventures on https://www.petebrown.net/

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Highlights from the second-ever New York Fermentation Festival on February 24 at the Brooklyn Expo Center! We interview fermenters from all walks and corners, from local breweries to start-up krauts, kombuchas big and small. Meet the largest collection of meaderies in one place in New York, and go on a taste journey as we sample natto!

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Danii Oliver and Kevin Braithwaite of Island To Island Brewery (Brooklyn, NY) join Chris, Mary and Rachel to talk of how they started the brewery and what kind of inspiring and inspired ferments they are up to. Their name, Island To Island Brewery, represents their roots in the island of Trinidad, to their current life within the island of New York. From Sorrell ferments, flavored Jun Kombuchas, and fermented juices, their small brewery is pushing flavor exploration while staying true to their natural familial roots. Listen here, and visit them in Brooklyn!

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

In this special pairing episode, Chris, Mary, and Rachel are joined by Alexa Wilkinson of Murray's Cheese who made her way over from the Cheese Caves of LIC to talk about cheese and beer pairings. Alexa highlights a range of cheeses, from mild to wild, and what to pair with them. We talk cheese shop, and beer shop. Pairings are in the show notes!

La Tur + Poglodyte Sour [alt: Peekskill Simple Sour]

[Double Cream Brie][3] + Nieghbourbrau Pils 
[Sheep Rustler][4] + Savvy Sea-Mare Session Ale 
[Project X][5]  + Brut by Hammer Five 
[Jasper Hill Willoughby][6]  + Belgian Dark Strong 
[Annalies][7] + Three Little Words Saison 
[Stockinghall Cheddar][8]  + Tale of the Comet 
[Point Reyes Bay Blue][9] + Belgian Double 

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Join Chris in a recap of his adventures at the Craft Brewers Conference, the annual conference for the Brewers Association, then listen to interviews with Bart Watson, Chief Economist of the Brewers Association, and Paul Leone, Executive Director of the New York State Brewers Association. Lastly, Mary and Rachel highlight some of their learnings and takeaways from Fuhmentaboudit's 14th season. Join us on March 8 as we launch season #15!

Beer Adventurer Chris O'Leary joins Chris, Mary and Rachel in the studio to discuss the 138 new breweries he has visited in 2017. From Charlotte, NC to Vancouver, BC to Leeds, England, he fills us in on beer trends, cool tasting rooms and brewery culture. Follow O'Leary's beer travels at Brew_York on various forms of social media.

Mary and Chris are joined in the studio by Raphael Lyon of Enlightenment Wines and Honey's. Raphael is a small-batch mazer in Brooklyn and fills us in on his latest creations. Listen in to learn more about 16th century kvass, mead made with hallucinogenic honey, "Sunday School" at Honey's and traditional mead-making approaches.

Adam Elabd, author of Fermenting Food Step by Step, joins Mary, Chris & Rachel in the studio to discuss various fermentations, sustainability and his upcoming Tonico cafe and tonic bar in Troy, NY. Adam chats about fermenting while traveling, using/re-using materials in multiple fermentations and international influences. Join us as we dive deeper into tepache, pulque, lahpet and more.

Chris & Rachel are joined by Keith Seiz and Jonathan Galbraith, representing the National Honey Board. They speak to using honey to produce beer, spirits, cereal, baked goods and more, as well as the importance of bees in pollenating plants in the United States. How can you help save the bees? Drink beers/spirits/everything made with honey! Eat honey! Plant flowers! Hear here on episode 222! #fuhmentaboudit!

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary, Chris, and Rachel are joined in the studio by Derek Dellinger, brewmaster at Kent Falls Brewing Company, and author of The Fermented Man, which is due out in July. The book is a chronicle of Derek's year of fermentation, in which he ate only fermented foods for the entire year of 2014.

Derek is also the author of the homebrew and craft beer blog www.bear-flavored.com, a contributing writer to Upstate Brew York magazine, and a homebrew advisor to Beacon Homebrew, a homebrew shop supplying the Hudson Valley region.

Oh how we’ve missed you! …but boy have we been busy.” Chris & Mary catch us up while warming up for a new season of fermentation fun and inspiration in 2020. They discuss a few ferments they’ve been doing at home during social distancing, an indoor herb garden, and how they’ve pivoted their business taproom to a full on “To-Go” room at Fifth Hammer Brewing Co. Have topics you’d like to see covered? Email fuhmentaboudit@gmail.com or DM them on Instagram @fuhmentaboudit.

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast.

Fruits are fun! Chris and Rachel are joined by chefy cook and librarian enthusiast Sara Bir and her new book The Fruit Foragers Companion. We talk about paw paws, aka hipster bananas, fun with fresh apples, and fruits with jackets.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

We had our summer fun fermentation-style! Chris, Mary, and Rachel report from the scene at the Boston Fermentation Festival at the Boston Public Market for lectures, workshops, and all sorts of great fermenters from New England. We're joined by Jeremy Ogusky, Joshua Pablo Rosenstock, Jeffrey Yoskowitz, Matt Scobrack, Doug Schmitt, and Paul Nixon of Independent Fermentations.

Mary talks with several fermenters at the January meeting of the NYC Ferments Meetup.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Chris and Mary are hard at work running Fifth Hammer Brewing in Long Island City. So while we don't have a new Fuhmentaboudit! episode for you, we have something else to share: Hard Core is a new series from Heritage Radio Network taking a close look at the rebirth of American cider! Over the course of six episodes we’ll break through folksy stereotypes to gain a deeper understanding of where the cider industry began and where it’s headed. Hear from orchardists, cider makers, policy experts and academics to learn about everything from the science of fermentation, to the magic of terroir, and the challenges of breaking into the beverage market.

This episode is all about history. Cider has been a part of American history since the first colonists hit our shores. But while apples took root on this newly claimed continent, so did the slave trade. We’ll break down common narratives about the founding fathers’ disposition for cider and talk about some of the ways cider makers today are engaging with the past. Plus, we’ll talk prohibition and explore the emergence of a new generation of cider drinkers. Click here to listen and subscribe to the rest of the series.

Hard Core and Fuhmentaboudit! are powered by Simplecast.

After a whirlwind of a time at Homebrew Con in Baltimore last week, Mary and Chris are back in the studio to bring you bits of wisdom from some of the seminar organizers! Topics include mapping a beer-brewing yeast's genome, home-brewed kombucha, and bringing consistency to the sudsy stuff you make at home.

Mary & Chris sit down with Scott Ungermann, Brewmaster at Anchor Brewing. They delve into the history of steam beer, the magic of open fermentation and all things Anchor, from the brewery's past to their brand new beer releases.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Following an incredible weekend opening Fifth Hammer Brewing Company... Chris, Mary and Rachel welcome back Barry Schwarz of Barry's Tempeh (also on episode 42) to the show. Join us as we talk about making and cooking with tempeh, portable pizza ovens and a fascinating ferment to control kitty litter odor and increase compost breakdown.

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

This week on Fuhmentaboudit!, joining Chris, Mary and Rachel in the studio is Jenny Dorsey, a professional chef and culinary consultant based in NYC. Along with her husband, she also curates I Forgot It's Wednesday, an underground restaurant, or "supper club." Fermented foods are an important part of these dinners, which consist of 7 courses paired with a 4 course cocktail flight.

Mary and Rachel are joined by the dynamic Jason Salher of Strongrope and Jeff Lyons of Keg and Lantern to have a lively debate about the limits of the NY State Farm brewers license and talk shop about Scottish Ale Yeast.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Mary moderates a panel of NYC Brewers from Other Half, Interboro, Hudson Valley Brewing, Fifth Hammer, and LIC Beer Project as they chat about beer trends in canning and the time long long ago – four years ago – when tap rooms were but a dream.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, Jesse Fergeson of Interboro Spirits and Ale joins the crew, which is back in the studio in full force for the first time this season! Interboro Spirits is the only combined distillery and brewery in New York City ("We're lucky," Ferguson says. "New York State was amenable to both of the permits existing in the same facility."

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, we talk to nutritionist Cynthia Farris, who tells us about the benefits of feeding fermented foods to not just our human friends, but the four legged kind too! Dogs may enjoy some of the reputed benefits of fermented foods and their probiotics.

Then we air an interview with Gordon Strong, who talks about updating the BJCP style guidelines. He also discusses his two books, Brewing Better Beer (2011) and Modern Homebrew Recipes (2015).

Mary sits down with a group of women working in the the beer industry in NYC. We discuss NYC's first weeklong celebration of women in beer, Beers With(out) Beards and different roles in the world of beer.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Did you know that nine breweries opened this year in New York City alone? Chris and Rachel talk with the newly minted Five Boroughs Brewing Co, whose goal is to unite all New Yorkers by beer. Even Staten Island! Chris and the crew get real nerdy about methods, high ceilings, and Belgian Candy Sugar. Fuhmentaboudit!

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

This week on Fuhmentaboudit, Mary and Rachel are joined by Suzanne Lee, founder of Biofabricate, director of BioCouture Research Project, and CCO at Modern Meadow. Suzanne tells us about working with SCOBY to create innovative textiles. She also talks about using living microbes, such as mycelium, to create new fabrics and materials.

Biofabricate 2016 will take place on November 17 at Parsons School of Design in New York City.

We're back at the NYC Ferments for the March meetup. Join the local fermenters for treats with the theme of Pickles from Parts, meaning ferments are used as part of a larger dish. Hear about pickled corn, nut cheeses, and some tips on what to do with whey.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

To round out the end of beer week, we bring to you a panel from The Well on Innovations in Brewing - moderated by our own Mary Izett! The all-star panel features Dan Acosta of LIC Beer Project, Erik Olsen from Greenpoint, and Peter Oates and Ricardo Petroni of Equilibrium as they discuss the innovations going on in brewing nowadays. Tune in to find out about new breweries, new hops, new styles, and New England IPAs.

Mary and Chris join Beer Advocate's Jason and Todd Alstrom alongside Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione to talk all things Project Extreme Brewing, their latest book collaboration. They speak to the history and inspiration of brewing outside the box (kettle?), how it brought the three together with Beer Advocate's Extreme Beer Festival, and their current book tour. Many fun words were had and a delicious time ensued! Then in the second half of tonight's show, we go back to Belgium Comes To Cooperstown 2017 (better late than never) and chat with Ommegang's Innovation Manager, Justin Forsythe! Innovation hath inspiration from all angles. As always it was another great and inspiring time at BCTC and was fantastic catching up with Justin. #breweringwithenjoy

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

Chris, Mary & Rachel are joined in the studio by food writer, editor and chocolate enthusiast Megan Giller. We learn about chocolate judging (and the role of room temperature soupy polenta), the rise of small-batch bean to bar chocolate makers and the magic of dark chocolate with porcini. Megan writes regular on her blog, Chocolate Noise, and her book, Bean to Bar Chocolate, is out now.

Fuhmentaboudit is powered by Simplecast

Today on Fuhmentaboudit, Chris Cuzme gives a thespian delivery of a poem on the creation of pruno, or prison wine. Then we learn how to make it. Flint Whistler of the Rockaway Brewing Company joins us in the studio to tell us all about how pruno is resourcefully made.

Chris and Mary do a special brewery recording with old friend of the show / yeast dealer Molly Browning, where she talks about diving into her background, learning to brew in Japan and international brewing in the UK, and bringing it back to barrel brewing in Brooklyn. PLUS Jon LaPolla and Brewminaries Rachel Zeiss and Ariel Schwartz discuss their collaboration with Fifth Hammer and the Brewminaries fundraiser.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast

An interview with Olivier Dedeycker of Brasserie Dupont and Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey Brewery, on their collaboration beer Deux Amis. Plus, a seasonal check-in with Rob Handel of Bee's Knees about what summer ferments you can make.

This week we have a two parter. In part one we talk to Chris Holden of the New York hop guild about the past, present, and future of hop growing in NY. Then in part two, we chat with Nakul Bhonsle, owner of Great State Aleworks - a craft brewery in Pune, India.

Fuhmentaboudit! is powered by Simplecast.

Staten Island’s homebrew club, Pour Standards, have challenged their members to brew outside the box…outside boxes of cereal that is! From Lucky Charms, Oatmeal, Cookie Crisp, Grape Nuts, Apple Jacks and beyond, their members pulled delicious beers from skill and ingenuity. Hear here how they formulated and executed the fun, sharing a sneak peek at their annual club fundraiser Pourmania III (featuring music of the Homebrewsicians). Sean Torres and Patrick Wade touch upon the makings of Kills Boro Brewing Company. But wait there’s more! Hear bonus interviews from The Boston Fermentation Festival catching up with Derek Dellinger (The Fermented Man, Episode 161), and Chris Strait (Episode 70) in his new role with Urban Farm Fermentory (Episode 118).

Today on Fuhmentaboudit!, Mary and Chris are joined in the studio by Stephen Valand, a long-time fermenter.

"We just wanted to kind of do what we did with beer with the rest of food", Valand says of Farm Steady, a company which like Brooklyn Brew Shop helps customers make their own ingredients at home with special kits.

All you need for "the best ricotta I've ever tasted", for instance, is milk, citric acid, salt, and less than an hour.

Experienced homebrewers Dailey Crafton and Joey Dehnert are working with Harry Rosenblum (of Brooklyn Kitchen, host of Feast Yr Ears, author of Vinegar Revival) to curate and provide simple recipe kits shipped straight to you. We catch up with Harry about his forthcoming vinegar book, and learn all about Bierbox.co and Dailey's unique and wild homebrewing approach: culturing yeast from logs, rocks, apples and air! Dailey is also the newest member of the local beer centric tonal evangelists, The Homebrewsicians - available for hire at rates of $2k per hour per man...or free beer.

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

Fuhmentaboudit! This week Chris and Mary welcome back Chris O’Leary of Brew York, New York for another show on the Great American Beer Festival taking place in Denver, CO. Sharing some beertastic stories and previewing GABF highlights to come, tune in for Chris, Chris, and Mary waxing poetic on one of the best brew events of the year!

“Colorado is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to craft beer.” [39:00]

–Chris O’Leary on Fuhmentaboudit!

Tune in to this special recap episode of Fuhmentaboudit as hosts Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett (now happily engaged!) share recordings from the scene at the Great American Beer Festival held in Denver, Colorado last week.  First, Chris shares a few local, beer-tastic events before introducing clips with Alexander Liberati, Taylor Rees (Spangalang Brewery), Birrificio Argo, Colin Ferguson (Live Oak Brewing Company), M.I.A. Brewing, and Baere Brewing Company.

Chris and Mary catch up with Pete, Zack and Tony of Kings County Brewers Collective ( See episode 87) in their new location, 381 Troutman in Bushwick Brooklyn. They discuss the trials and excitement of then and now in starting a brewery in New York City. At one time Bushwick produced 10% of all the beer made in the United States and we’re excited to see production brewing return to the neigborhood! Delicious times abound.