M i C r a f t B e e r C u l t u r e I s s u e # 1 Au g u s t 2 0 1 4
Mi.Craft.Beer.Culture MAGAZINE
Drink local, Eat local, Create local
B. Nektar
Meadery A visit with Brad Dahlhofer
Is the Future of Craft Beer SYNEK™? We think so
Cyclo-Mashing
Fly to the Coq ride with Founder's Racing Team
EatDrinkExplore&Think
A Weekend at Oslo Brewery
Twisted Spokes
Bike Trail and Beer Pairings
Spank Your Picnic
Expand your picnic palate
Why We Craft Why do over 1 Million Americans Homebrew? 1
Mi.Craft.Beer.Culture I s s u e # 1 Au g u s t 2 0 1 4
Drink local, Eat local, Create local
Back of Griffin Claw's tent at Summer Beer Fest, Ypsi
Our mission is to further the Michigan craft beer industry by fostering connections between brewers and their communities, highlighting the thriving craft beer, agricultural, recreational, art, music and food cultures in Michigan.
Columns
Features
15 Spank Your Picnic
Why do over 1 million people in the United States choose to brew their own beer?
17 Twisted Spokes
5 Why We Craft
9 B. Nektar Meadery
A visit with Brad at B. Nektar Meadery.
13 Is the Future of Craft Beer SYNEK?
We think so.
32 MiCraftBeerCulture An introduction
Chef Nick Lundberg talks about expanding your picnic palate. Jered Michael pairs Michigan Bike Trails with Michigan Craft Beer.
19 EatDrinkExplore&Think
Every Malt Has a Different Sound: a weekend at Oslo Brewery.
22 The Sky is Falling Elena Flores writes about raising
chickens with her son in Ann Arbor.
25 Cyclo-Mashing
Jane Van Hof rides for Founder's Racing. Here she covers the "Fly to the Coq" ride.
27 HopHead Fred
Top Ten Beers Ever, period.
29 Art on Draft
Jon Whitney Pottery
30 Sip and Spin
Mike Ross pairs Beer and Vinyl
33 MiCraftBeerCulture Events We've had two fundraisers at New Way
Bar in Ferndale. Where were you?
35 An interview with Jason Osburn of MiCraftBeerCulture
reprinted from MotorCity Blog. MiCraftBeerCulture reminds you to drink responsibily. Do not drink and drive and do not promote under age drinking.
Copyright 2014 Em&O Media. All Rights Reserved, 'MiCraftBeerCulture and 'Drink local, Eat local, Create Local' are registered trademarks.
Mi.Craft.Beer.Culture MAGAZINE
S TA F F : Jason Osburn - Editor in Chief/Creative Director/Writer Elena Flores - Managing Editor/Writer/Columnist George Walsh - Copy Editor Alex Lundberg - Feature Writer HopHead Fred - Columnist Jocelyne Elyse - Writer/Food Columnist Nick Lundberg - Food Columnist Jered Michael - Biking Columnist Jane Van Hof - Biking Columnist/Writer Jeff Howitt - Event Consultant/Writer Dennis Thornton - Columnist/ Writer Jaimie Franchi - Writer Christopher Kendall Jeffers - Writer Jamie Severinski - Designer Brian Rozman - Photographer Heather Gardner - Photographer Michael Ross - Writer/Artist Contact us at: MiCraftBeerCulture 1752 Elmhurst, Canton, MI 48187 info@MiCraftBeerCulture.com MiCraftBeerCulture.com
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Why We Craft -By Alex Lundberg
Over 1 Million Americans Homebrew. Alex Lundberg examines what it is that draws us to this ancient art form.
“I love it when someone asks me how I do it because I’m able to let them know how easy it can be to make your own beer at home,” Everhart said. “It’s not something that everyone does and I like explaining what I’m doing and seeing people get the idea to do it themselves.” - Erik Everhart
Roseville, mid-Polar Vortex, suburban driveway — I was standing out in the February cold in front of a watched pot that had finally begun to boil. The grains had steeped for 20 minutes and we had just poured in the small amount of malt extract to make a batch of light, raspberry ale. It was cold, and the fire in the turkey deep fryer we used for brewing was just enough to get the wort going but not enough to mitigate the slashing winds. My hunting boots were failing. A numb spot in the middle of my right foot defined a crack in the sole of the boot, and my
sock was wet. What the hell am I doing out here? Why am I subjecting myself to this when I can buy this stuff by the 24-pack just a half mile down the road? No. I can’t. I can’t get that beer, that particular beer, anywhere else but right here, a block off Gratiot, and it’s going to taste fantastic in June. According to the American Homebrewers Association, there are more than a million homebrewers in the United States—slightly more on the west coast, slightly fewer on the east coast—who cook up about 2 million barrels every
year. As of July 1st, 2013, you can legally brew beer in all 50 states. You can buy good beer practically anywhere there is a bar or national chain convenience or grocery store. In Michigan you can get an extremely good six pack in most supermarkets. So why make your own? If you ask homebrewers why they laboriously make what they can easily buy anywhere for cheaper, you’re bound to get an earful. Erik Everhart, a sales representative for an industrial
Continued on next page
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Why We Craft
continued from page 5
and doesn’t see himself writer, has been homebrewing maintenance company (and changing that anytime soon. for the past 12 years with his the guy who introduced me He likes being able to share wife, Amy Kuras, a freelance to homebrewing in 2002), has homebrewing with other people writer. He got into it after he been brewing since 1997 when (he taught me, for example), got a brewing kit as a birthday he got a kit as a Christmas either by sharing his beer or present from his in-laws present from his brother-in- talking about the process. (today’s hint: get in good with law. At the time he had been “It was an IPA and it was barely drinkable. I didn’t a fan of better beer for five know about the importance of chilling the wort quickly years. and it took forever before I could pitch the yeast. The “I had my first craft brew when next batch was a little better and the one I went to Washington D.C. in after that was better.” 1992 and I had a Pete’s Wicked Ale for the first time. My life “I love it when someone asks your in-laws). His first batch was changed.” me how I do it because I’m didn’t turn out so well. The brewing kit he got at the able to let them know how “It was an IPA and it was barely holidays wasn’t a “Mr. Beer.” It easy it can be to make your drinkable,” he said. “I didn’t was a fermenting pail, siphon, own beer at home,” Everhart know about the importance of hydrometer and capper. While said. “It’s not something chilling the wort quickly and Everhart’s brother-in-law was that everyone does and I like it took forever before I could ‘a solid and staunch Natural explaining what I’m doing and pitch the yeast. The next batch Light man’, he was insightful seeing people get the idea to was a little better and the one enough to think that he would do it themselves.” after that was better.” want to do it the right way the Paul Eggebrecht, a grant He said he likes the process. first time. “I got myself a copy of Charles Papazian’s book, read it coverto-cover, and followed the instructions to the letter,” Everhart said. “It was a nut brown ale, which was my favorite kind of beer at the time. It came out really good.” Since then, he’s made vanilla java porters, Russian imperial stouts, clones of Chimay Red, Oberon and Double Diamond, seasonal beers for the holidays and black IPAs. He brews for his own enjoyment. “I make beer for myself,” he said. “I enjoy it when a friend likes my beer but I do it because there’s no beer I like better than one I’ve made for myself.” He knows there’s more to the art that he could be pursuing (like working from absolute scratch or making beer right into a keg) but he’s happy with being an extract brewer (L to R) Joe Rutherford, Brian Bennett, Norb Leppanen, Scott Vaughan, Judi Bennett, Gregg Grooters
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Why We Craft
continued from page 5 It’s a process he can work towards perfecting over time. Their dark beers, the pumpkin ales and a notable porter, turn out really well but here have been some problems making lighter beers. A blonde ale they recently made had a strange head but the beer itself was good. Pauls says the next step would be to seek out some semiprofessional help and connect with a brewing club or take a class. Amy adds, “We’re not at a point where we would take this stuff to a competition. We can do better. We’ve got a lot of room to grow.” Vaughan Scott, an automotive controls engineer, had his first exposure to homebrewing at the annual Homebrew Day Brew-Up at Liberty Street Brewing in Plymouth. He said he was relieved to see that beer
M i C r a f t B e e r C u l t u r e I s s u e # 1 Au g u s t 2 0 1 4
can be made fairly easily, even starting from grain. Several months later he managed to convince some friends, who used to homebrew and still had plenty of gear on hand, brew again. They started with some old kits they had. But it was all still extract and Scott was bound and determined to make full-blown all-grain beer. He and his friends purchased some turkey fryers and rigged them with welded bungs. They converted a leftover cooler, and started to brew. Their first batch was an American IPA. He says they were blown away at what an upgrade it was from the extract kits. “Then things rapidly snowballed, we got into more and more complex expansions to our brewing rig, then our own, recipes,” he said. “Now, here we are.”
Where he is now involves an all-in-one brewing apparatus that takes beer from boiling wort to ready-to-bottle finished product. It’s a purely gravityfed rig (saving money on pumps) that stands about eight and a half feet tall. The folding aluminum rig is designed to be sturdy enough to hold multiple kegs, drain into a carboy and still fit through a regular door in his house. It’s not done. “Our hot liquor tank is on the small side and we plan to upgrade the burner for quicker heating times,” Scott said. “We also need to still boost our chilling capacity. Quicker heating and cooling will speed the process.” But why go through the hassle, the experimentation and (apparently) engineering involved in making your own beer? Continued on page 38
Scott Vaughan, an automotive controls engineer, designed this brewing rig.
An all-in-one brewing apparatus that takes beer from boiling wort to ready-to-bottle finished product. It’s a purely gravity-fed rig (saving money on pumps) that stands about eight and a half feet tall. The folding aluminum rig is designed to be sturdy enough to hold multiple kegs, drain into a carboy and still fit through a regular door in his house.
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Dennis Thornton recounts his lifelong quest for mead and visits with Brad Dahlhofer of B. Nektar Meadery
I first learned of the existence of honey wine, or mead, as a young teen reading mythology and fantasy novels. I was fascinated. I took an empty jar, doubt if I had the sense to sterilize it; mixed some honey and water together; added a little yeast from the fridge and let it sit on my dresser for a few weeks. It yielded a nice cream-colored bubbly head but eventually turned slimy and moldy on the surface. I at least had the good sense to pitch it. I laid eyes on my first bottle of actual mead at Merchant of Vino in Ann Arbor. Chaucer's, a very sweet, winey version that came with a spice packet and the recommendation that it be served warm. Somehow not the Viking brew I'd imagined, these samples whet my interest but still the holy nectar seemed out of reach, the realm of a small collection of ambitious
enthusiasts. Enter B. Nektar. The Uptown Grill opened in Commerce with close to thirty taps. It was there that I sampled my first bottle of B. Nektar's mead. Here was the ancient flavor I had been seeking. Sweet, yes, but with a luxurious lightness and heavenly bouquet. I was spellbound. When I examined the bottle and saw that it was made in Ferndale, my jaw dropped. I was surprised and delighted to find yet another great beer made so close to home. Soon afterward I tried B. Nektar’s Zombie Killer Cherry Cyser, made with Michigan tart cherry juice, apple cider and star thistle honey. More offerings followed with movie monster inspired names: Black Fang (blackberry and cloves), Necromangocon (mango and black Continued on next page
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Mission: Michigan continued from page 9 pepper), Kill all the Golfers (tea and lemon). B. Nektar Meadery is located in a single story industrial complex off Wanda St. in Ferndale, marked by a single banner sign pointing the way to the warehouse service door. Immediately inside is a small bar where a jovial bearded man dispensed samples and full size pours to a small crowd. The bay doors were half open for this warm summer evening and I was delighted to find the Berliner Wheat Wine Braggot on draft. It was a favorite of mine at their Spring Mead Festival. In 2006 Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer and Brad Dahlhofer stands in the B. Nektar production facility. their close friend Paul Zimmerman, decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge and turn Brad's hobby into a business. mead and the three decided to pursue the business. Brad had been homebrewing since 1998, In 2008, Brad too fell victim to layoffs and the three making beers, ciders, wines and meads. Paul worked night and day to open B. Nektar’s doors on joined Brad in his basement in 2005 and their August 2nd, 2008 (National Mead Day). Currently, meads quickly began winning homebrew they produce about three thousand gallons of mead competitions. In 2006, after being laid off, a week using two thousand gallons of Michigan star Kerri suggested that they try selling their thistle and wildflower honey. Continued on next page
Mission: Michigan continued
M i C r a f t B e e r C u l t u r e I s s u e # 1 Au g u s t 2 0 1 4
Honey is a particularly costly sweetener, especially if you want something that isn’t Chinese sourced from bees that are fed corn syrup. Brad negotiates directly with Michigan beekeepers, contracting a whole season’s supply at a time, in order to satisfy their production needs. B. Nektar has recently expanded into cider and beer production. Cider and beer have always been part of Brad’s craft. It was a logical progression as they already use cider to flavor certain varieties of mead and their beer production is currently minimal. Liquor barrel B. Nektar currently uses about 3000 pounds of honey per week flavors permeate many of the B. yielding about 2000 gallons of mead. Nektar’s new offerings, however, for an after dinner drink, or any time you have there are no plans to expand into a distillery. They are focused on expansion a half hour to kill in Ferndale. Samples are free, into Europe and Brazil. B. Nektar is currently pours are reasonably priced, and you can buy making plans for a larger, improved taproom for a bottle to go. They even make mead slushies now! I can't believe its taken me this long to the Jarvis location. The B. Nektar tap room is a casual and truly go but I plan to make up for lost time as often unique place. Easy to stop in en route to a show, as I can this summer.
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Is the future of craft beer
SYNEK?
We Think So
“This is a technology that can benefit everyone in the industry if everyone rallies behind it; brewers can engage more customers, distributors save on reduced shipping costs, retailers fit more product on shelves, and customers can get a wider variety of the freshest beer in the world.” – Steve Young (Founder) By Elena Flores and Jason Osburn SYNEK™ gives you access to any beer ever created, fresh from your kitchen counter. It is the first ever crowdsourced beer dispenser that dispenses beer from cartridges that are specially designed for beer. Unlike cans or bottles, the cartridges can be filled using a simple adapter—giving access to unlimited variety. Plus, the dispenser is pressurized and self-refrigerated, extending shelf-life well past growlers. SYNEK™ has the convenience of a Keurig™ coffee machine and the variety of an iPod™. We’ve been watching Steve Young (Founder of SYNEK™) for the last few months. As I write their Kickstarter campaign has raised nearly $600,000 and still has 6 days to go. The little invention at the center of this campaign could completely revolutionize the craft beer industry. What has us so excited? Variety – SYNEK™ is a ‘crowdsourced’ packaging system available to all brewers (home and craft); consumers gain access to any beer ever produced. Convenience – Consumers can access beer anywhere there is an outlet. Also, the recyclable cartridges mean never having to clean a container again. Quality – Independent tests have shown SYNEK™ ranks at or above cans/bottles/kegs on 5 major categories: (pressurization, shelf life, contamination, oxidation, temperature maintenance). SYNEK™ is specifically designed for craft brewers who create the highest quality beer in the world. Young identified the packaging void in the craft beer industry between growlers and bottling. Over and over he heard the same complaint, “We make amazing beer, but we can’t get it into our customers’ homes and make money at the same time. If there was a way to create a growler that maintained our beer’s quality longer than two days, it would change everything.” Brewers have 3 primary options to package their beer:
Cans/Bottles (expensive, limits variety, extremely wasteful) – Both the equipment to fill these and the raw materials are very expensive. Plus they are limited to bulk filling only their mainstream beers. Kegs (only for businesses) – Kegs allow breweries to ship their beer to bars and restaurants but end consumers have no desire to force feed themselves 200 pints of the same beer. Plus brewers have to buy all the kegs upfront. At $100 a pop, it is a large undertaking Growlers (poor quality) – These are essentially ‘glass jugs’ that have made a comeback recently as laws have started to allow people to enter breweries to fill right from the tap. The downside to these is that they only last about 2 days before natural elements cause the beer to go bad. Bottom line: Currently, there is no good method of packaging beer. Consumers are either being denied access to beer from cans/bottles/kegs or they have to forfeit quality with growlers. SYNEK™ will change all of that.
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SYNEK? continued from page 13 Synek is the first innovation in beer packaging in half a century. Young gathered a top notch team of engineers: Head Engineer Jeff Macler, The best flexible packaging engineer in the world. Although only age 34, he has 4x more patents filed than Anheuser Busch-In Bev. He does most of the packaging design/ testing for large companies like Hormel, Sara Lee, and others. Mechanical Engineer Mike Young, An electrophysicist at Boeing. He designs top secret parts/systems for crazy cool defense projects. Beer dispensers are a cakewalk – need we say more? (Can we make a “This isn’t rocket science, or is it?” joke here?) Sourcing Engineer Randy Neider, an expert in production, quality assurance, and logistics. He owns a multi-million dollar product sourcing business. He will ensure your dispenser is on your countertop without issues ASAP! Together with Young they designed the optimal system to dispense beer. The problems of pressure and refrigeration were secondary to designing a unique, recyclable cartridge that can be filled by home and microbrewers, as well as large-scale breweries. This countertop micro-tap offers the perfect pour of over 50,000+ craft beers exclusive to independent breweries across country. Once filled and capped with its patented adapter, the product is preserved, chilled and ready to go home. This could be a game changer. Expense, quality, convenience, and the fight for commercial shelf space in the open market no longer needs to limit breweries. Connoisseurs will be able to tap and sample craft beer ad infinitum. We love it’s sleek, stainless steel design as well. This one went on the staff wish list as soon as we caught wind of it.
*Homebrewers: you will never have to clean and sterilize another bottle ever again… Game changed. 14
Here’s some specs: Cartridge:
Holds 128 oz or about 11 (12 fl oz) beers Ships flat, oxygen-deprived, and sanitary – ready to be filled 7 layer bag is ultra insulated to lock in freshness Holds intense pressure – well in excess of boxed wine bags Outer metallic film rejects UV rays to prevent oxidation Includes a pressure release valve to reduce leaks Barrier qualities comparable to bottles Recyclable but not reusable *Clarification- Bags can be reused, however to maintain maximum quality, it is not recommended Costs will be comparable to bottles for homebrewers
Dispenser:
Chills beer with cooling system Includes thermostat to fine tune freshness Pressurizes chamber using CO2 Includes pressure valve to manage foam/carbonation Front window allows you to see the beer being dispensed inside Drip tray included for messy pours Dimensions are yet to be defined but will take up as much countertop space as a standard toaster oven The dispenser will cost less than a kegerator
Spank Your Picnic Explore local ethnic food stores to expand your picnic palate Chef Nick Lundberg There is no greater travesty (Well, there probably is but,
forgive me, I am a chef.) than pulling up to a potluck barbeque and finding another chain-grocery store ‘veggie plate’ nightmare orbitted by a container of onion dip in a galaxy of bagged salads and artificially colored chips. Do not to speak to me with whispery anticipation of your “special sauce.” Trust me, I’m as excited as you are proud… honest. I’ve stolen some of my most delicious, accessible food ideas from the backyard parties, barbeques, and days on the lake I grew up on. Your grandmother's recipe for potato salad brought over from the old country is properly represented here. This is your base. These are your bricks and mortar. Now it’s time to build. From Lake St. Clair to Lake Michigan you can follow
a path of ethnic communities spanning the world, each with their own cuisines and markets to serve them. Our strip malls here in the suburbs of Detroit are littered with terrific ethnic markets. Usually quiet, unassuming store fronts, this is where you will find bulk cumin at ⅓ the price of the big chains and giant bags of basmati rice at a price and quality that are well worth the stop. There’s a lot to discover. No doubt even a seasoned hobby shopper hasn't scratched the surface of these places, I know I haven’t. The amazing thing is you’ll start to notice a few ingredients keep popping up. You will find chile, cumin, cilantro at the Latin, Mideast, Asian, and Indian markets. This is where food becomes a history lesson as you chase the chile east, the cumin west, and follow cilantro and coriander everywhere in between. ` Continued on next page
Summer parties and bbqs are about relaxing and having fun. The best part about cooking is pleasing friends and guests. Let this be something that gets you excited and pulls you out of your summer rut. Get out. Find some balls and walk through the door of an ethnic market near you. 15
Spank Your Picnic
continued One can easily rise to summer picnic stardom with a little exploration beyond the “world foods” aisle at the hypermart. (Beginners, there is no shame in this but it’s time.) TUBULAR MEATS Do you want to show up with some shrink wrapped Johnsonville brats or some fresh kielbasa from a Polish market? Better yet, something you grind up yourself with a few ingredients and some research?
RIBS/ CHICKEN If your guests are a bit intimidated by the world beat of your cooking, (I’m talking about that couple the shows up with an entire case of Bud Light and very likely
smuggling in Ranch dressing to put on EVERYTHING) you might have to take baby steps at first. Add some Char Shui (Asian market) to your regular bbq sauce. Marinate some chicken in bitter orange and adobo powder (Latin market). It’s a bit sneaky but it must be done.
THE VEG
Buy a couple pounds of bulk cracked wheat, fresh dates and sunchokes (Wtf is a sunchoke? Try it.) for a salad. What else do you like? Throw in some orange segments and feta, maybe the fresh mint? (Mint goes great with feta) Blend the date syrup with pomegranate molasses for an alternative to balsamic or tiresome store bought Italian dressing for this salad.
POTATO SALAD Turn your potato salad around and silence the mayonnaise debate with a trip to the Indian market. Here you can roast or toss your boiled potatoes in tandoori paste. Toss in some bell peppers and peas, a squeeze of lime and a splash of olive oil. Maybe make a rice salad starring a jar of coriander chutney. (Try corrainder chutney on your next grilled burger instead of mustard and ketchup) They also sell prepared ground ginger and garlic. Very handy. I can chop it, you can chop it, but why? Picnics are supposed to be fun.
DESSERT So you want fruit salad? At the latin market you can buy quince or guava paste, mix it with a jar of Coco Lopez, some lime juice and a shake of chile de arbol drizzle this trifecta to whatever fresh fruit you can find. A trip to the Asian market will yield cans of young coconut and lychee. Mix these along with some inseason Michigan fruit, sesame and grated ginger and you have elevated the humble fruit salad to something that would make Don Ho blush.
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Twisted Spokes Jered Michael Pairs Michigan Bike Trails with Michigan Craft Beers
After spending a few hours bombing your favorite
trails and getting your heart rate well into the red, there is nothing like getting to your car knowing that you had the supreme foresight and wisdom to pack a cooler full of some delicious, cold, craft beer to drink and share with fellow riders. These beers are all at once, celebratory, reinvigorating and rewarding. But what to brew to pack? Why not elevate our experience and enjoy the synergistic effects of a wellthought out pairing?
I humbly submit one man’s top beer and trail pairings. These are just one man’s opininon on the best Michigan craft brews to enjoy post ride at some of Southeast Michigan's best singletrack trails... All these trails and their current conditions and locations can be seen at www.mmba.org
Re a d Je r e d ' s p a i r i n g s o n p a ge 1 8
Advocacy for women and girls in action and adventure sports. Retail for female athletes by female athletes. Look for SheShreds Indiegogo campaign: http://igg.me/at/sheshredsco/x/8016834
Tr a i l a n d B e e r Pa i r i n g s b y Je r e d M i c h a e l
1. Trail: Bloomer Park (Rochester Hills) Beer: Founder’s Devil Dancer This trail is not for beginners and neither is the beer: tough descending switchbacks, scary rolling benchcut, big log piles- I sometimes feel the devil riding beside me as I tempt him in his playground here. This is a serious Imperial IPA and tasty too. Might be a bit much on a dry throat but you just almost died out there and the Devil is laughing. 2. Trail: Stony Creek Metropark (Clinton Twp) Beer: Greenbush Brewing Sunspot This popular trail offers a lot of training options. A nice two-track with great hills surrounds some fun technical singletrack with good climbs. Stony is good for CX training, MTB rides and is an excellent resource for Iceman training! A great beer to cool down with after an intense training bout is Greenbush brewing’s refresshing hefeweizen, Sunspot! 3. Trail: Tree Farm (Lakeshore Park, Novi) Beer: Bells Oberon There's nothing bad to say about either. They're popular, fun and inviting to everyone. Like Oberon, you look forward to riding Tree Farm every spring! 4. Trail: Maybury (Northville) Beer: Brewery Vivant Farmhand William H. Maybury almost single handedly supervised the construction of the Maybury TB Sanatorium thich occupied the site which is now Maybury State Park. He borrowed a team of horses from Howard Whipple, a local farmer. Together they wandered up and down the land plowing a single furrow which marked where the roads were built back around 1918. These roads still exist today and are used for parts of the trails. This trail is great for beginners and advanced riders alike. After your ride crack open a Brewery Vivant Farmhand and toast local farmer Howard Whipple.
5. Trail: Milford (Milford- duh!) Beer: taster’s choice You can’t go wrong with Milford trail which rides like a roller coaster. When you finish your ride head to downtown Milford less than a mile away. Check out the new River's Edge Brewing Company or try Palate with their 32 taps of craft brews. After a after a good ride on a really hot day it’s nice to slip into some AC and have a cold pint. 6. Trail: Island lake State Recreation Area (Brighton) Beer- Founder's All Day IPA Like an old friend, you’re always glad both are around. ILRA is a great place for the novice, but even advanced riders can find pleasure and work on their speed and handling. Same goes for All Day IPA. At 4.7% you can drink it on a long hot afternoon and still keep your wits about you. 7. Trail: Potowatomi Trail (Pinckney) Beer - Short’s Anniversary Ale One of the best trails in the area deserves one of the tastiest and sophisticated beers. Poto is non-stop fun that will get your heart racing. Tough climbs are rewarded with great descents. Short’s Anniversary Ale, likewise, is just as great. It's a wheat wine fermented with blood oranges and green peppercorns. It is very refreshing while sitting on the edge of your trunk postride and grinning like an idiot with fellow riders. It’s like a bike ride in your mouth! 8. Trail: Torn Shirt/Murray Lake (Brighton) Beer: Oddside Beanflicker Ale and a shot Torn Shirt is rough like cheap whiskey. Murray Lake is rich and smooth and beautiful like Beanflicker. So take the shot but follow it with the comfort of Oddsides delicious blonde coffee ale. Well there you have it folks. Now step up your experience and see how a properly curated igloo cooler in your trunk can turn every post-ride pack-up and hum drum “Hey- thanks for riding with me see ya around.” into the next party of the century! Please note: Michigan has fluctuating rules for imbibing alcohol in state parks dependent on which parks and time of year. Ignorance of
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the law won't pay your ticket so check ahead!
EatDrinkExplore&Thin k Every Malt Has a Different Sound, a Weekend at Oslo Brewery By Jo c e l y n e E l y s e
Hanging out in the brewery room Matt, the assistant brewer, and I break the ice by comparing music and beer. After the prerequisite, intros: 'What you’re doing here?', 'Yes I would love to have a beer'. and 'Put me to work'. I tried my pre-written classic interview questions with him. Immediately I noticed that this was not going to work which made me happy. These are the kind of questions that people always ask during a brewery tour and they bored him. Matt vibed that I was more fun than that. I had appeared at the brewery the night before and out of nowhere began drinking with the employees. Being damn serious with this witty team would be patronizing and unprofessional. Americans that live in Svalbard, that are from California, do not just appear at
the Nydalen brewery in Oslo. They knew someone like me was coming. Matt, originally from New Jersey, (not fluent in Norwegian but gets by) came here, fell in love, married a hot Norwegian babe, had a son with her, and lives happily ever after. His other love, that of beer, began as inspiration and passion from his father. He is the son of a chemist and home brewer and when Matt was younger he used to steal his father’s homebrews out of the fridge and be amazed at how something like this could be created and taste like it does. He was hooked. I think most people in love with beer can relate and reminisce of the 'spark' that began their love affair with beer. While attending Chico State University in California, he started out his first brewing job at the Sierra Nevada
brewery. Coincidentally, the style of Sierra Nevada has become ‘hip’ in Norway, a country which is starting to stray from traditional bayers or bavarians, pilsners, and larger. His personal brewing style emphasizes fun and unpredictability. He likes to work with others and share ideas of what should be created and why. He likes to experiment and create new things. If throwing seaweed in a beer turns it into a disaster then it’s a learning lesson. As a lover of Belgians he likes to hit a batch with sour yeast for a fun endgame. He once had a really delicious outcome and it became a brewery favorite. In fact, their latest and most popular blonde ale was developed using a single mild hop to encourage people to understand why hops are delicious. Continued on next page 20
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EatDrinkExplore&Think continued from page 19
“If every malt, yeast and hop were the same, it would be like if every guitarist, singer and drummer in a band sounded the same too” - Matt Thomas Assistant Brewer of Nydalen Brewery, Oslo
This cheerful lollygag of 'brewing perspective' which Matt prescribes to is shared by a few other local brewers who got together a week before I arrived to create a random brew. Each brewer brought a single ‘mystery’ ingredient: 2nd place Winner 2014 World Hot Sauce Awards
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licorice, ginger, cardamom, coffee, and shitake mushrooms. All were thrown into a basic mash. A true art form exists within these guys; they have an ability to bring their individual personalities into the brew itself. Matt indeed has this ability as his beers evolve with mild mystery, they’re chill, happy with hoppy, with the first taste a unique almost spicy flavor with a smooth finish. It’s a combined message to incorporate an emergence of American style of brewing that loves hoppiness and Norwegian style brewing methods which tend to favor sweet malts. American styled at first, like him, but with a Norwegian finish. The pale ale, soon going to bottle, pours out of a mini kegerator and into two glasses. He passes one to me. As I peer down at my ale from behind my laptop, then look right at him, I ask my first suave question, “So beer is awesome but, why?” He quickly glances at his glass, then looks back at me, attempting to not look like your classic beer nerd, and then describes how if you look at the playful cookie-like color you will begin to wonder about the most random things. We glance at our beers, cheers, and sip. Beer sample number two is poured. It was a freshly made saison straight from the copper tank. I felt like a princess. The first brew tour began appearing and gracefully I stepped aside, out of the way, greeted everyone, and then placed myself behind
M i C r a f t B e e r C u l t u r e I s s u e # 1 Au g u s t 2 0 1 4
Beer Pizza Dough A way to use 'that beer' By Jocelyne Elyse
2 t dry yeast or 1 T fresh yeast 1 cup buttermilk flour 3 T olive oil 3 t honey 1 T salt Yields about a 1lb pizza dough Enough for one 14 inch thin crust pizza
Use a coffee mug for measurement. Think one mug per pizza Prep time for this dough is about 2 hrs.
Start the yeast by combining with a little luke warm water to wake it up in a bowl. After a few minutes add one mug of flour, 1 T salt, 3 T honey, 4T olive oil and stir with a spoon just to combine ingredients. This is also the time to add random ingredients like curry powder, dry herbs, garlic or onion powder, cheese, etc...? While stirring with a spoon, start to add the beer, alternating stiring and adding beer until the dough comes together in to a ball. Walk away leaving dough covered for about 15 minutes to allow the proteins to relax. Perhaps drink a beer, with your clean hands (because a you used a spoon), and chat with friends. No rush. Now it's time to knead the dough till a nice soft ball
EatDrinkExplore&Think continued
my laptop. I soon realized that I was to add to the tour and drinking beer and talking to everyone became part of my job. I loved this first bachelor crew of about twenty dudes whom preferred to enter the brewery through the window, not the traditional entrance. Some had shirts, some didn’t, some wore brightly colored pants, some rock star and NFL shirts, and converse. I had to join in on the tour, I could not easily hide. These guys were into a little learning lesson but wanted to have fun. We greet them, looked each one in the eye, culturally important when meeting new people, and with
forms. If dough becomes tough add a little more olive oil and allow to rest for a few minutes. If you will be using the dough soon, cover it with a wet towel (paper towel work too) and allow it to rise until when you poke it the dough bounces back. This is a good time to prepare toppings or decide to order pizza knowing that this dough can be left in the fridge over night and either made into a bread or an awesome breakfast pizza. If making 'thin crust' use the highest temperature on the oven, 500 deg F. For thick crust use 350 deg F. When crust becomes golden, cheese is melted, and ingredients are cooked, take it out of the oven. It's time to grab another beer, before cutting allowing the pizza to rest. Now enjoy!
their first pour beer, a Brambling Blonde, the tour begins. It’s the first of three to pour. Leading into discussion he begins talking about the creativity and history of beer and about the importance of malt, grabbing a few glasses filled with different malts from behind the ‘panel of doom’. The control panel for the brewery. Matt's lecture begins with talking about the properties of different malts followed by the effect of water temperatures on the brewing procedures. The guys in the tour had no clue that there was more than one type of malt. A fun fact I learned about Norwegian Viking brewing is they
began with juniper. Vikings used to stir the mash with a juniper ‘brew stick’. This brew stick began fermentation because it was able to hold and expel a strain of yeast to create their beer. The tour listens to Matt talk about malt but he quickly realizes they aren't excited by it. The Brambling Blonde beer tehy're drinking is so smooth they don’t realize that the purpose of this beer was meant for them to get into a discussion on hops. They drink it fast, like it, but don’t know why. Matt and I smile because we know what the next question will be, hops. Coninued on page 28
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Elena Flores writes about raising chicken and her son on a small farm in Ann Arbor. It is three o’clock in the afternoon and all I want to do bag within reach, they will quickly pull out its contents
and “chicken scratch” them to bits. A chicken scratch is an endearing little dance chickens do. It is two big steps in place followed by a quick hustle backwards, so that they can push their little noses (beaks!) down into the dirt to look for tasty bugs and shoots of grass. Think: one, two, cha cha cha! The best is when one finds a frog or a moth and takes off running with the entire flock hot on her tail. Sometimes a gory tug of war ensues and we have to witness a frog drawn and quartered at our feet, but I forgive them these trespasses. They give us eggs and they dance. Oh, and they sing too! I think that’s what I love most about their company. Sure, there is the loud cough-call alarm they do if a hawk flies over or a blunt “Fup! Fup!” that announces the discovery of some sort of delicacy, but mostly it’s just a light trilling song of contentment as they dance along. They remind me most of a group of old ladies shrilly oohing and aahing over a new baby or good gossip. It’s a quizzical Sometimes a gory tug of war ensues and we have to witness a little song that adds such peace frog drawn and quartered at our feet, but I forgive them these to our farm. trespasses. They give us eggs and they dance. They adore us as well, it should be said. Some say a chicken’s interest in people is purely food motivated, but this is often leftovers from dinner or a handful of scratch grains, but quickly settle into a thorough inspection of my not the case with my girls. As G and I roam out to clothing, my shoes, all things attached to me. If I have a the orchard, in and out of the barns and the “wild” in the world is sit on my porch with my chickens. If you told me even five years ago that this was a statement I would put into writing, I would probably file it as insult. When they hear the front door open “the girls,” as we call them, come full tilt across the yard with a gait that most resembles a fat man running with his hands behind his back. Mine are fancy, chubby Speckled Sussex and Red Star hens - five in all. At exactly one year old, they are each giving me an egg a day. This turns out to be a profound amount of eggs for just me and my boy, my G, to consume. It’s nice though. I can not tell you how gratifying it is to wake up on a Sunday morning in the mood for french toast or a sunnyside-up on toast, pop out to the coop and return with fresh, delicious eggs ready to go. Surplus eggs also make novel, welcomed gift to friends and coworkers. Even if it is generosity born solely out of desperation, that still counts as a win/win, right? And here I sit. The girls come up looking for goodies,
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woods in between playing pirates or steam trains, the girls are always close at hand, hustling across the open spaces to keep up with us on our adventures. Twice I’ve accidentally locked one or two in the shed overnight, written them off as a loss to coyotes or hawks, only to find them unscathed the next morning. Right now, I’ve got this year’s chicks in a brooder in my living room. (You heard me, my living room. Oh, the horror!) The old farmers in the neighborhood say that in order to stay “in eggs” you have to add to your flock every year. My coop is only 4’x6’. I figure since I free range them I can safely squeeze in 8 hens. So, I picked up 3 ameracaunas from the local feed store. I will give away or harvest one in the fall. I’m not entirely sure I have the balls to actually do the deed, but that is next on my list of self-sufficiency / farming endeavors (ok, follies). Ameracaunas are funny looking “bearded” birds that are winter hardy, prolific layers of blue/green eggs. And yes, they’re in my LIVING ROOM! Again, five years ago the notion of raising chickens was nowhere on my radar. The notion of raising and brooding chicks in my living room - a little (completely) insane. When our lease went up on our Depot Town apartment in Ypsi two years ago, I knew I needed a safe place to raise my boy, free-range him even. After months of searching, G and I landed on this beautiful centennial farm on the northern tip of Ann Arbor. Steeped in the writings of Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, and Novella Carpenter, I decided almost immediately that I’d try
my hand at chickens first. And here I sit on my porch with my girls, my heart full of gratitude and wonder at the strange turns this life has taken me on. If you think this piece waxed a little too poetic about livestock, wait. The working title for a follow-up: “It’s Just a Fuckin’ Chicken.”
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Detroit Metro Area 8/1/14 - 8/31/14: Motor City Brew Tours offer bicycle tours of historical Detroit and local breweries. 8/24/14: Birmingham Bike Festival - USACycling Michigan State Criterium Championship Ann Arbor Area: 8/2/14: Pedal and Whine road tour takes you to visit local wineries near Jackson, MI. 8/9/14: Saline Summerfest bicycle tour provides routes of varying distance for all riders. Lansing Area: 8/2/14: Capital City Cycling Classic - offers the only Handcycling Class for racing in MI. Grand Rapids Area: 8/9/14: One Day Ride Across Michigan benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 8/17/14: Gaslight Criterium in East Grand Rapids
8/24/14: Skirts in the Dirt is a ladies only mountain bike “race” at Cannonsburg ski hill to inspire women to try mountain biking Manistee Area: 8/23/14: The Big Bear Butt Cruise celebrates road riding, mountain biking, live music, tasty libation and the beauty of the Manistee National Forest and Arcadia National Lakeshore. Mid-Michigan Area: 8/17/14: Assenmacher 100 outlines recreational bicycling routes from 20 - 100 miles through mid-Michigan farmland and villages. Traverse City Area: 8/23/14: X100 mountainbike race at Ranch Rudolf - a fun place for the whole family. Upper Penninsula: 8/9/14: Ore to Shore Mountainbike Epic is Michigan’s largest point to point race with distances for all ages. 8/30/14-8/31/14: 21st Annual Bell’s Beer Copper Harbor Trails Festival: experience one of the most scenic trails in the country by riding or racing.
Cyclo-Mashing
Celebrating the Art of Bikes and Beer Pedaling local trails and roads in Michigan makes me happy - especially when the journey leads to a local micro brewery. On a bicycle, cantoring along, experiencing new sights and encountering terrain that opens my eyes to the natural beauty of our peninsula, I look forward to partaking of a craft-brewed “recovery drink” at the end of the ride and sharing a “Prost!” among friends. My first post for MiCraftBeerCulture is a brief retrospective on what inspired me to learn the art of cycling and how the cycling community aligns with Michigan’s craft beer culture. I began cycling fifteen years ago as a way to stay in shape. Six years ago, during a local duathlon (in which I raced my 1992 Trek “mommy bike”), a woman passed me on the course and called out, “You’re fast on the bike! You should get a real one!” Feeling embarrassed that I lacked a “real bike”, I called up my friend Brian who owns Alger Bikes, and asked for advice. He sold me my first road bike and recommended I try a group ride with the Founders Racing Team, departing every Tuesday night from Founders Brewing Company. I showed up ready to ride and once we clipped in and took off, I quickly realized I knew nothing about riding in pace lines or with groups, and I seriously lacked the stamina to keep the cadence going. The patience of two kind souls, Dennis and Ernie, saw me through to the finish of my first group ride. My first foray into team riding humbled me. But, I sensed the adventure in cycling and determined to keep the pace and pedal like the other riders. I kept coming back. Sharing some Founders IPAs at the end of the ride created excellent motivation to learn the art of cycling while appreciating the art of craft beer. Now
continued on next page
Bicycle racing operative, craft-beer intelligence agent, urban education rabble-rouser and partisanly punkish classical musician, Jane enjoys living a full and vibrant life. She received her Master’s degree in Socio-Cultural Foundations of Educational Thought from Western Michigan University, teaches writing in an urban middle school, professionally performs Baroque music, races bicycles with the Founders Racing team, romps through the Michigan outdoors, and loves micro brewed beer. Her joy in life stems from her three robust and witty sons who challenge her to remain tenaciously steady in all things. Jane resides in East Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Cyclo-Mashing,
continued from page 25 I compete in road, trail and cross-country bicycle races throughout Michigan at the Pro-Am level. While racing bicycles provides an unparalleled rush, the best part of bicycling is not the race-scene. Meeting other like-minded cycling enthusiasts of all skill levels and enjoying a ride together defines the true spirit of cycling: efficient, alternative transportation best enjoyed when the path ends at a brewery over a pint with good friends. The conviviality of the cycling and craft brew culture came alive in a community event this June: “Fly to the Coq”- 2nd Annual Group Bike Ride. Around 200 bicyclists of all riding levels, but equal amounts of enthusiasm, arrived at Rockford Brewing Co. for this collaborative event with Brewery Vivant meant to raise awareness for cycling as an alternative form of transportation and to celebrate the Michigan craft beer culture. Rockford Brewing’s version of Fly 2 Coq, a Belgian style Michigan pale ale, went on tap at
Paul Smith enjoying 'Fly to the Coq' at Brewery Vivant.
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Andy Westmoreland enjoying the ride during the 2nd Annual "Fly to the Coq' event.
11:00 am, and after the 14.5 mile spin up the White Pine Trail, riders were treated to Brewery Vivant’s version of Fly 2 Coq. I pedaled from Grand Rapids to Rockford with my friend Paul and we enjoyed our first Belgian ale of the day at Rockford Brewing Co. It tasted crisp and cool, but our friend TJ of The Spoke Folks, assured us Vivant’s version of the brew was better, so we started rolling to find
out! I enjoyed a spirited pedal up the trail and was greeted by a long line of bicycle racks on the brick street awaiting the riders. Sipping Brewery Vivant’s version of Fly to Coq, watching folks of all ages roll in on bicycles of varying styles, smiles on their faces, reminded me why I enjoy cycling in the first place - the people, the beautiful Michigan outdoors and the culture of craft beer.
HopHead D FRE
Top 10 beers ever consumed Guitar Set Ups USed Gear Boutique Gear Lessons Repairs
We Sell Used Vinyl! "The guitar store owned by musicians, for musicians" www.facebook.com/ pages/BluesAirmenGuitars/171889618878
MiCraftBeerCulture
has advertising space available: info@micraftbeerculture.com
I was born to the world as the savior of hops many thousands of years ago. Many were using Wormwood/Mugwort, Bog Myrtle/ Sweet Gale, Yarrow, Marsh Rosemary, to bitter their beer. Really? WTF! It was then that I was birthed from a big green hop. Yes, hops are female hence why us guys like them so much. Even a scent of these gorgeous flowers puts us in a state of euphoria. I know a top ten list with beer is almost a new thing so let's throw originality out the window. As a huge contributor to the beer community I always get asked this covenant question.
"What is the best beer ever?!"
Here's my top 10: 1. The first beer ever made! With out it we wouldn't have this first edition of MiCraftBeerCulture. 2. The beer that topped the first beer ever. "This dude has his shit dialed in." If you've ever home brewed on new equipment you'll find this funny! 3. The time I thought I had a beer but it was really a loose term for marketing. I'm pretty sure that's all I learned in college. 4. That beer that was the most hyped beer in the world but nobody got to drink it but Henry Rollins. LSO. 5. I had this really cool beer once - they garnished it with an orange slice. 6. Another over hyped beer that my Coors Light drinking buddy found in my refrigerator and drank thenen went on to tell me how bad it was. It was the only beer ever aged in K.I.T's gas tank. Why would you do such a thing? 7. Any super high gravity beer because they are so complex bro! 8. The highest IBU beer ever created. (I do not realize I can't taste over 102 IBU's.) 9. "I'm so into sours right now. The more stomach byle I can taste the better!" I like sours but there is a point where it becomes too much. 10. "I've tasted over 20,000 craft beers." You mean you've sampled 20,000 craft beers? "I can tell what a beer is just by the smell alone" (This was an actual conversation with a highly regarded guy on "another website".) This is what plagues this industry. You've never really
had the beer unless it's 6oz or more and more than once. So please do not rate these beers! Just shut up and drink! More importantly, enjoy a beer with the person you're sitting with rather than your social network friends.
OMG, we've become the wine industry. 27
EatDrinkExplore&Think continued from page 21 Moving gracefully on to the next brewing processes and the next beer is poured, a lovely saison named 4 Saisons. He talks about hops and how to understand it. This saison starts gracefully with coriander and finishes with notes of black pepper. Perhaps it’s the spicy endnote that immediately causes one of the dudes to boast about hoppy IPA’s. The growing trend in Norway is IPA’s, not traditional pale ales. People here are falling in love with hops and want more. A brew geek can describe what they want in a hop. Like with malt these dudes didn't know there were different hops with different flavor profiles, all they knew is they wanted the 'hoppiest' beer the brewery made. The Saison was floral, spicy and bitter but they demanded more. Glasses were emptied and out came an IPA, Oceans IPA. The guys were eager to have the IPA of their tasting. They asked the brewery gets the hops. With a slightly inauspicious reaction he discusses how most of their hops come from the United States and some from Germany adding that Norway had not evolved into much of a hop-producer. A happy crowd and the conversations about malt and hops, continued. We end this tour, actually one of nearly four that day, and the guys fill the bar area eagerly ordering more beer. They proudly strayed away from the generic taps and flocked to the their new favorites, the house brews. An awesome time with the rest of the beer tours, and
wrapping the day with cleaning and a few more beers, I closed my laptop, noticed my phone battery would die soon, and chated more about beer and humanity with Matt. We decided to merrily end our work day at the bar with the rest of the employee crew over a few pints and food. I came to Oslo for the beer and ended the weekend with a few new friends that love beer and food as much as I do.
LESSBEERIAN - definition: a person whom doesn’t understand the finer points of beer, typically goes for the cheaper, mass produced swill
Art on Draft: By Jason Osburn
Jon Whitney Pottery
Jon Whitney makes some of the most beautiful steins and growlers (and pottery in general) that you will ever come across. I am most familiar with Jon’s work from the incredible mug club collection at Bad Brewing in Mason. Sitting at the bar in that decadent old building, gazing at all of those gorgeous steins elegantly hanging on the perfectly spaced pegs on that old brick wall. It makes you feel like you’re in a Henry Miller novel. Making beer steins, in the last year growlers, is only a few years old for Jon who was struggling with the ‘Art Fair’ economics of running a business and started shopping his wares around to local breweries. Now he is struggling to keep up with demand. He’s looking to expand in to more breweries and has begun courting local coffee houses with his beautiful coffee mugs. Jon grew up in the Upper Peninsula then attended Eastern Michigan University and followed that up with a stint at Owls Nest Ceramics followed by 4 years at Pewabic pottery in Detroit. Since 2004 Jon has managed his own pottery studio and managed to build a respectable following, clientele and name for himself. Jon prescribes to the words of John Ruskin, a prominent English art critic, social thinker and philanthropist of the Victorian era: ““One man’s
thoughts can never be expressed by another, and the difference between the spirit of touch of the man who is inventing and of the man who is obeying directions, is often all the difference between a great and a common work of art.” This is prominent in the individual character and beauty found in each of Jon’s pieces.
Jon Whitney Pottery is now in its tenth year and is located in the country setting of Mason, Michigan. Jon works with many types of firing, using high-fire stoneware to create his pieces. He creates functional pottery for everyday use. All of Jon’s work is food-safe and can be used in the dishwasher or microwave.
Find Jon’s pottery at:
Eagle Monk Pub & Brewery in Lansing Bad Brewing Company in Mason Midtown Brewing Company in Lansing Sturgeon River Pottery in Petosky And about 30 other galleries in the state and of course on his Etsy store:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/jonwhitney
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Sip and Spin A monthly pairing of our favorite records with our favorite Michigan Craft Brews.
Atwater Brewing Purple Gang Pilsner
paired with
The Lyman Woodard Organization Saturday Night Special (1975 Strata Records, Detroit)
by Mike Ross As you take your first sip of Atwater’s Purple Gang Pilsner while the needle drops on side one, track one of the Lyman Woodard Organization’s Saturday Night Special, you can practically see the members of the Purple Gang themselves hunched over their own lagers at some underground speakeasy, readying for their night flight across the Detroit
a shifty glance and a silver dollar. So we’ll talk about the beer itself, and of course the music contained within these vintage Detroit grooves. Atwater, positioned as they are downtown on that very same river, knows Detroit. In Purple Gang, they’ve created
By the time you’re halfway down the second pint and “Cheeba” rolls out of the speakers you’re back with the original Purple Gang,
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River to Windsor, where they’ll pick up their forbidden cargo and bring it back to the Land of Prohibition under the cloak of night. The title track, all clock-ticking hi-hat and snaky organ, paints the ominous picture of the gangsters – who of course, are all carrying one – and the risky task ahead of them. But I guess this is 2014. Beer is anything but illegal, and you didn’t get this six pack in a dark alley with
a pilsner with Detroit style – smooth and clean as a pilsner should be, but deeply flavorful with an edge of bitterness at the back end. Which is to say, perfectly matched with the brooding gallop of the LWO’s clipping rhythms and gritty organ. Saturday Night Special, like all of Strata’s output, is very 1970s Detroit - and very street. Dope. Guns.
Fast numbers that sound like a chase, and slower ones that feel like slow-motion syrup haze. It draws you in and keeps you at arm’s length, like all good street hustlers. By the time you’re halfway down the second pint and “Cheeba” rolls out of the speakers you’re back with the original Purple Gang, here on the Detroit side of the river with a truckload of illegitimate hooch and the feds in pursuit. But a couple of blind alleys, side doors and signals and there’s the speakeasy. The last song on the record – coincidentally titled “Help Me Get Away” – swirls fast and loose as you hit the door. It’s dark, and it’s dusty, and life is hard – but we have music... And we have beer.
Peoples Cider Co. Find us on tap around Greater Grand Rapids and at The Fulton Street Farmers Market Wednesday's from 4-7:30
www.ThePeoplesCider.com
MiCraftBeerCulture
Who we are and Why we're here. (AKA a letter from the editor)
Our mission is to further the Michigan craft beer, industry by fostering connections between brewers and their communities, highlighting the thriving craft beer, agricultural, recreational, art, music and food cultures in Michigan.
Welcome to MiCraftBeerCulture magazine!
If you want to know more about our magazine read the interview on page 35 by Jeff Howitt, originally published on MotorCity Blog. Our intention is to be an advertiser supported monthly free publication distributed to breweries, brewpubs, multi-taps, independent restaurants, and other supporters of the Michigan craft beer industry. Monthly topics will include Michigan Craft Beer and Brewing, Food and Cooking, Agriculture and Homesteading, Recreation, Art, and Music, all drawing from the culture and lifestyle that surrounds Michigan Craft Beer. To accomplish this we will need monthly advertisers, investors, and donations. Join us for our next fundraising event, @ Small's Bar, October 10th! Keep an eye out for our crowdfunding campaign - coming soon. Contact us for info on advertising @ advertising@MiCraftBeerCulture.com. Tell us what you think and share us with your friends! Cheers! -Jason Osburn
Thursday, Aug. 14 Read 'Em and Weep, Move Home, Antenna Lines and Aloha Mr. Hand
Wednesday Aug. 20 GRENDEL with Ludovico Technique and DJ Electronic Commando
Friday, Aug. 15 Thirst Wave Dance Thursday, Aug. 28 Party w/ DJs Pleasure Kitten, Elektrosonik and Gravestone Thursday with DJs Jay Aaron Hingst 9 p.m. - No cover before 10 p.m. Misanthropia, Riku Namako Saturday, Aug. 16 and Darrin Decay will Leper, Shadow Image, be DJ Voyager Violet Void & Scary Guy
Saturday, Aug. 30 THE MUGGS wsg Demon Eye and Precious Few Thursday, Sept. 4 Comedy Showcase Saturday, Sept. 6 Voyag3r record release party with Octopus and Belterra
MiCraftBeerCulture fundraising events at New Way Bar, June 21st and July 12th
We held our first event at New Way Bar in June 21st with a great lineup of Behind the Times, Davila and White Shag. Behind the times are in exceptional acoustic trio playing a great mix of traditionals originals and covers from Don Gibson's 'Sea of Heartbreak' to Bob Marley's 'Judge Not'. Always enjoyable! The second set featured Davila. Nichole continues to impress local crowds with her passion and Mike Latcha's great guitar work really creates an environment for her vocals. Expect to hear more about them very soon. Headlining the night was White Shag, one of the hardest working bands in the Motor City. Joe Leone never disappoints in his abitilties and Jorge Cortez has the abiltiy to send you into alternate dimensions with his guitar mastery. and then there's Laura Mendoza, what can I say? She drips pure rock and roll limerence on stage. They are currently recording a video, keep your eyes open for it, and will be playing an acoustic set at the Cabresto Tequila Summer Heat Wave event at The Old Miami on August 17th. We'll see you there! Our second event, again at New Way Bar, featured The Webbs, fronted by Scotty Karate of Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale fame. His new band plays a range of honky
Nichole Davila performs with Davila at New Way Bar
Leah Elizabeth Dunstan performs with Eleanora at New Way Bar tonk, blues, soul and cow-punk with a focus on musicality and storytelling. Tracy and Andie Webb accompany him with all three of them harmonizing on vocals. Detroit favorites Eleanora played the middle set and played brought there soaring energy to a fairly well packed room of listeners. Their intertwining mix of styles really defy classification and they are always an experience to witness. Lastly, Captain Ivory took the stage and blew the crowd away with their great Detroit rock and roll. Playing originals and great covers they are always a treat to see and hear. These fellas have great energy and are really going places. They recently booked a European tour for the spring and are in process of relocating to Nashville. You can catch them on August 16th at Ypsilanti Heritage Festival. Another higlight of the event was having Scotty O'Hotty hot sauce partner with the event. Scott brought out lots of their amazing Michigan made, award winning hot sauce and really heated up the room with wing specials and samples. Scotty O'Hotty was nice enough to give half of their sales to the magazine to help us get rolling. Cheers to that! We'll be teaming up with them again soon. A special thanks goes out to Eric and Jamie at the New Way Bar and their great staff. They've done a great job with the place since taking it over and it is truly a great destination in Detroit for live music and Michigan beers. Cheers to you guys and thanks for having us!
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Jon Whitney Pottery Handcrafted in Michigan
www.etsy.com/shop/jonwhitney
Home of 'Country Strong' one of MICHIGAN's best IPAs! - Jason Osburn, MiCraftBeerCulture
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Jeff Howitt interviews Jason Osburn
of MiCraftBeerCulture Magazine for MotorCity Blog Originally published on MotorCity Blog 7/10/14 - motorcityblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-interview-with-michigan-craft-beer.html Edited for length and content.
Photo by Brian Rozman - Josh Malerman's Birdbox release party
MCB: What was the inspiration behind starting a magazine that covered the craft/artisan class of Beer Brewers in Michigan? Jason: The inspiration came from the beer itself. I was actually drinking a Dark Horse Crooked Tree at the time. I was frustrated with the last several employment opportunities I had been involved with. I played a song on the jukebox. You know the old Merle Haggard song, ‘I think I’ll just stay here and drink’? The line, “Hey, puttin' you down don't square no deal. Least you know the way I feel. Take all the money in the bank. I think I'll just stay here and drink.”? Well that was the point of frustration where I got tired of complaining and decided to do something of my own. I have always been an artist and been involved in the nightlife, music, art and food industries. I combined that with a need for reading material that supported the industry and catered to the actual people involved. MiCraftBeerCulture is not a ‘brewing’ magazine nor a coffee table book and not just a vehicle
for advertising the places that those of us who make a living off the industry can’t afford to eat or drink at. I wanted to create something for us. Something Pig & Whiskey 2014 Photo by: Jeanette Fleury you would be interested in reading while you sit at the Jeff Howitt is the frontman for Detroit local watering hole sensation Duende! and a regular contributor to and wait for your MotorCity Blog and MiCraftBeerCulture friends to arrive. ‘happily ever after I’ll sip martinis I am a graphic designer by trade by my pool all day and hope TMZ with experience in social media and covers me just enough to keep my publishing. Combined with my love rating up’ dream, but the ‘I’m for craft beer, great food, outdoor done with this 9 to 5 crap working recreation, and interest in all things to fill filling someone else’s coffers’ Michigan this just made sense. dream. It’s the, ‘time to have a go MCB: You've worked in the at doing what I love’ dream. It’s no National Entertainment scene. What different than every artist, writer, brought you around to focusing on BBQ hobbyist, craftsman and Craft Beers and do you find similar musician, wants for themselves, to artistry in Brewers? pursue their art or craft and be able JASON: The craft beer industry is to support themselves, their family the embodiment of the American and their lifestyle doing it. I also love dream. Not the fantasy book of Continued on page 36
Detroit's Anti-Blog Promoting all the great talent in/around Detroit: Music, Art, Fun things to do, and other MotorCity aspects in the most infamous city in the U.S. www.MOTORCITYBLOG.net
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Interview continued from page 35 the community of the industry. Brewers are brothers and sisters. They work together, they wish each other well and they support each other. I love that comradery. The National entertainment industry is a commodity that is bought and sold. It is not an open enterprise where hard work and talent will succeed. I am going to use a rather extensive Dave Grohl quote here: “When I think about kids watching a TV show like American Idol or The Voice, then they think, ‘Oh, OK, that’s how you become a musician, you stand in line for eight fucking hours with 800 people at a convention center and… then you sing your heart out for someone and then they tell you it’s not fuckin’ good enough.’ Can you imagine?” he implores. “It’s destroying the next generation of musicians! Musicians should go to a yard sale and buy and old fucking drum set and get in their garage and
Dark Horse Brewery's 'fort' at the Michigan Brewer's Guild 2014 Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti, MI. Photo courtesy of Spread the Glove. SpreadtheGloveMI.com out a few chords and melodies and a friend or two says it’s good and you keep working and working until you feel you are ready to get out there and present your art to the public. MCB: What do you think is unique about Michigan Craft Beer? Jason: One of the unique aspects of Michigan Craft Beer is that we have the resources, climate and potential infrastructure that every beer made
“The craft beer industry is the embodiment of the American dream” - Jason Osburn
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just suck. And get their friends to come in and they’ll suck, too. And then they’ll fucking start playing and they’ll have the best time they’ve ever had in their lives and then all of a sudden they’ll become Nirvana. Because that’s exactly what happened with Nirvana. Just a bunch of guys that had some shitty old instruments and they got together and started playing some noisy-ass shit, and they became the biggest band in the world. That can happen again! You don’t need a fucking computer or the internet or The Voice or American Idol.” It’s the exact same way with the craft beer industry. You start making beer in your garage and it sucks and you stick with it and eventually you figure
in Michigan could be made entirely from ingredient and products grown or produced in our state. The hops industry is poised to explode and the number of breweries in the state necessitiate that growth. . The barley and malt industries are definitely beginning to see possibilities related to the craft brewing industries. We have an extensive array of breweries and pubs now which have opened up possibilities for bands and artists that just weren’t there before. We have some of the best brews in the country made right here in the state and the fact is that the craft brewing industry is one of the few that is actually growing in the state and we need to nurture and promote it and all of the industries that surround it,
i.e food, agriculture, tourism. MCB: You bring a wider scope than most do to the farming conditions, water qualities and how local laws apply and bind the craft movement. What do you think may be the upcoming hurdles brewers in this state may face? Let's start with this... TELL ME EVERYTHING Jason: These issues, farming conditions, water quality, local ordinances, really affect us all on a greater scale than most people are willing to recognize. You don’t see it on the news or read about it unless you turn to the back pages. The fact is that we are returning to an agrarian society that needs to be focused locally. The explosion of farmers markets and pushes for GMO labeling and “eat local” campaigns are not a flash in the pan, they are necessary. The hurdles the industry will face will be a lack of hops productions facilities, a lack of canning/bottling facilities, and outdated regulations and laws that restrict growth in the industry but, there are a lot of great people working on these issues in the state right now. The economic impact of the craft beer industry is astounding and legislators are starting to take notice. As far as the “Tell me everything” question, the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. But you know that.
Why We Craft continued from page 7 I could say that I’m into the process, or that I like drinking better beer. Both of those things are true. I could also say that this is the kind of art that I’m able to do. As much as I’d like to, I can’t draw or play an instrument, and I’ve tried both—I’m no good. For myself, I had been circling around homebrewing for a few years before I finally took Everhart up on his offer to brew a batch. Since then it’s been three or four sessions a year, a collection of different styles with a few favorites making encores. My garage has an overlarge stock of clean empties, 12- and 22-ounce bottles, ready to go when the need arises. I’m not saving money by doing it at home. After the startup costs of fermenting pails and siphon hoses (which aren’t so high), the cost of the ingredients for a batch of beer is only comparable to super-premium brands. Once you
factor in the cost of your own time, even if you only rate your time at minimum wage, there’s really no cost saving by making your own. So why? This is the kind of art that I’m able to do. As much as I’d like to, I can’t draw or play an instrument. I’ve tried both; I’m no good. I could also say that I’m into the process, or that I like drinking better beer, both of those things are true. I don’t do it only for myself and my own pleasure, but also for the pleasure of friends and family. If I’m having one of my homebrews
I am more likely than not pouring an extra one or two for guests. In the end, I do it because I like it. You don’t need a better reason than that. The raspberry ale? I didn’t wait until June.
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One Over the Eight
High Arrow performing at The Old Miami, July 17th, 2014 Photo by: Brian Rozman
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