Head Cheese - Your weekly ration

After a week hiatus Head Cheese returns with an enlightening cartoon, this one sure to brighten your day. I tell you watt, it would be pretty incandescent of you not to read it carefully, and that's no bulb.

Head Cheese

by Mark Siciliano

Hungry for more Head Cheese? Help yourself to seconds at thecartooniststudio.com. And while you're there, be sure to vote for Mark in the American Idol-like Best Cartoonist contest, which is going on now. (Update: Mark has advanced to round six!)

Cheers!

Road Trip: South Carolina Low Country

The boss' recent road trip down South confirms our suspicion—the best part of any vacation is the chance to drink in bars you've never been to.

One of the many beers
from the boss' recent road trip

By Steve Siciliano

I have to admit, as much sightseeing as we did during our recent visit to the South Carolina Low Country around Charleston, we probably spent an equal amount of time just hanging out in bars. That’s certainly not a bad thing. When I travel I enjoy exploring an area’s museums and historical locations and being awed by its natural and man-made wonders. But I also like getting glimpses into the lives of the people who live and work in the locales where I’m sojourning. What better way to do this than by rubbing elbows with them in the local watering holes.

Case in point. If we didn’t stop for a beer in a dilapidated bar on John’s Island we would not have heard the bartender’s frightening story about how she and her family failed to evacuate in time and had to ride out Hurricane Hugo. I would not have seen the terror in her eyes nor heard the fear in her voice, still there despite the fact that Hugo hit in 1989. Nor would we have heard from another bartender in a bar on Saint Helena about how the local shrimpers, themselves struggling to make a living, passed around the hat one night and sent a donation to the victims of Katrina.

If we weren’t at a bar on Folly Beach one evening I could not have listened to the transplanted retiree who had been walking his dog tell me how he was having a hard time selling his home in New York and then his complaints about the taxes and leash laws on Folly Island. If we weren’t at a dive bar one afternoon I wouldn’t have watched two local women chain smoke while playing the video poker machine nor would have I heard their loud argument about which bar in town served the best burgers.

And finally, if we didn’t go to a touristy pub on Sullivan’s Island I wouldn’t have gotten a bit of wisdom from the laid-back bartender: “Us folks here in the South start the morning off slow,” he said. “And then we taper off the rest of the day.”

Inside-look: Michigan's emerging hop industry

Brian Tennis, a founding member of the Michigan Hop Alliance, responded recently via Facebook to this article in the Hastings Reminder. We found his impromptu address on "what it takes to succeed at commercial hop growing" a fascinating mini-manifesto (mini-festo?), and one worthy of reposting. Here it is in its entirety, published with both Brian's permission and the understanding that future addresses/updates from him on the current state of Michigan hop farming are from now on always welcome on The Buzz.

By Brian Tennis

The article "Homegrown ingredients also brew economic growth" is an interesting take on the state of Michigan hops. We could not agree more: quality and consistency has been and will continue to be critical as our new industry emerges.

This is no longer simply about being a weekend farmer and drying hops on a screen you grabbed off the house, even though we have all “been there and done that” and had surprisingly decent results. This is also not about spending countless hours hand-picking cones until you developed “hop haze.” Trust us, you really never want to hand-pick an acre of hops more than once in your lifetime.

Commercial hop farming in Michigan is now here and it is real. It is time to step up our game. That is why we have traveled to Yakima Valley, Washington and, more recently, to Nelson, New Zealand to study and learn from some of the best in the business. This is not about tooting our own horn, but knowledge leveraging. You simply cannot take a textbook and hope to learn everything there is to know about farming and/or hop processing. Sometimes there is just no substitute for real world knowledge and hands on experience. We have all had some terrific wins so far in our industry and the proof is in the commercial beers that have been released either on-tap or in the bottle by some of the best breweries in Michigan. This success will only continue if some key goals are established and consistently met.

In our opinion and after talking to almost every commercial brewer in Michigan, we have determined several key areas that we all need to focus on. They include overall quality, price, alpha and beta testing, H.S.I. (hop storage index), packaging (the proper size and the correct bags), form (properly done pellets and whole cone) and proper drying techniques. You could do all of these steps really well except for one and you are done. Brewers cannot afford to gamble with inferior product, no matter how “local” it is. The sense of community may get you in the door, but don’t be surprised if that doors hits you on the way out if the quality is lagging.

It’s also critical to focus on the brewers' needs; if they want ten pounds of a particular hop and you only have a bale, break it down and sell it to them. To quote Bob Farrell, the founder of Farrell’s Ice Cream “give them the pickle.” In other words, give the brewer what THEY want. I have actually heard of a grower walking into a brewery with a 50-pound bag of pelletized hops sealed with duct tape and demanding a yearly contract. This is NOT how business gets done.

I wish everyone who is interested in growing hops all the very best, even if it’s four plants or forty acres. Hops truly are wonderful crop to grow, but be warned, there is a LOT of work and capital involved and you will probably not get filthy rich growing them. Do it for the right reasons. Do it because you’re passionate about it. Do it because you love to get your hands dirty. Do it because you love to create beauty. Do it because you are proud of what you are doing. Personally, the best moment I had all last year was sitting in a well-known Michigan brewery and ordering a fresh harvest ale with hops that we grew and it tasted amazing. Life doesn’t get much better than that. Cheers!

Siciliano's is proud to offer several varieties of hops grown and packaged by the Michigan Hop Alliance. Next time you stop in for homebrew supplies, be sure to check out the selection!

And the (March) winner is....

Thanks to everyone who participated in the latest cartoon caption contest. The top honor this month goes to Scott Wert, who impressed our judges by eloquently reiterating the age-old question, "Does a bear do its business in the woods?"

Scott should contact the Buzz editors for details on claiming his prize (a book on home coffee roasting and one pound of raw coffee beans). The rest of you will have another shot at comedy glory starting April 2, when the next caption contest is scheduled to begin.

Until then, remember to vote for Mark Siciliano's comic strip Head Cheese in the American Idol-like contest happening over at thecartooniststudio.com. Mark, our cartoonist-in-residence, recently advanced to Round #6 and would like to thank all of you for your continued support.

The March Winner

"No really? Where do you shit?"

First Runner-up, "TH"

"Ok genius, tomorrow we’re heading to Siciliano’s Market to pick up the book Home Marshmallow Roasting, Romance and Revival."

Second Runner-up, Kyle Fish

"Ketchup? For what?"

Third Runner-up, Rachel B.

I promise you, Stan, the pickings will be better next time if you look for a tent with lots of empty cans around it. Those ones can't run off so fast.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday - March 9 Edition

Imperial Hatter & Ren

By Chris Siciliano

On Wednesday of this week Siciliano's officially began accepting entries for the yearly homebrew competition. This is always my favorite part of the process, when hopeful homebrewers drop off their beers with nervous excitement, triple-checking they filled out the forms correctly, praying they didn't do something dumb like grab by mistake that experimental gym-sock lager. Even the most established brewers are sometimes reluctant to part with their entries for fear the results won't go in their favor.

I don't care who you are, what your experience, or how thick your skin, anytime you send something you created out into the world to be judged (like a beer or, I imagine, a kid), you can't help but worry how people will receive it. It's worth it though for the chance at glory, and that's exactly what's at stake here. Well, glory and the right to call your beer Siciliano's Best, a thing no less impressive than winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the Nobel Prize for physics, or the Academy Award for best supporting actor in an animated film or Youtube video.

Good luck to all contestants!

New (and Returning) Beer

• New Holland Imperial Hatter, $3.99/12oz - "A robust renovation of the India Pale Ale. Assertive dry-hoppying provides an aromatic telltale nose, indicative of the bitter symphony to follow. Bold hop character with lively grapefruit and citrus notes" (source).
• Aventinus Eisbock, $5.09/300ml - "The aroma reminds of ripe plums with a hint of bitter almonds and marzipan displaying strong characteristics of banana and clove. It is full and warming on your palate. The ideal digestive after a great dish. Goes great with crepes suzette, profiteroles with a dark chocolate sauce, tiramisu and mature Parmesan" (source).
• Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock, $5.09/12oz - "Dark-ruby colored wheat doppelbock with a creamy fine head. Strong notes of ripe bananas, raisins and plums meet liquorice and roasty aromes. Full-bodied and warming, with a well-balanced and smooth finish" (source).
• Shipyard Export, $1.79/12oz - "The Shipyard Brewing Company's flagship beer, is a full bodied ale, with a hint of sweetness up front, a subtle and distinctive hope taste, and a very clean and traditional finish" (source).
• Shipyard Olde Thumper, $1.79/12oz - "A non-tradition English bitter, brewed in the US solely by Shipyard. Hint of sweetness with fruit aromas, smooth texture, dry hoppy finish" (source).
• Shipyard Fuggles IPA, $1.79/12oz - "This light copper single hop India Pale Ale is brewed only with the Fuggles hops. It has a smooth, dry, and crisp flavor with floral aroma and apple plum palate" (source).
• Bell's Hell Hath No Fury..., $2.69/12oz - "Originally conceived along the lines of a Belgian Dubbel, Hell Hath No Fury... Ale morphed during development into something entirely different. Blending a pair of Belgian abbey-style yeasts into a recipe more akin to a roasty stout, Hell Hath No Fury... Ale offers up warm, roasted notes of coffee & dark chocolate together with the fruity & clove-like aromas" (source).
• North Peak Furry Black IPA, $1.89/12oz - "The black IPA is a wonderful winter beer. Its hoppy character is sure to warm you up on a chilly Michigan winter night. Made with Chinook, Columbus and Cascade hops and Pilsner, C-40, Midnight Wheat and Carapils malts" (source).
• Mt. Pleasant Sacred Gruit Ale, $1.79/12oz - "Pale ale brewed with yarrow, myrtle, and rosemary" (source).
• Anderson Imperial IPA, $3.09/12oz - "This over-the-top brew is loaded with excessive amounts of malts to balance 20 separate additions of the finest Pacific Northwest hops to create what the late beer critic William Brand described as “The kind of beer that made California craft beer famous” (source).
• Stone Old Guardian, $6.99/12oz - "We make small adjustments to the recipe every year, just a little bit...as it provides an opportunity to try some different hops or malts. For the 2012 release, we made a deliberate effort to move away from the English hop influence of the past few years, taking out the East Kent Golding hops, subbing in a blend of American Chinook, Calypso and Cascade. Yes, that's right, Cascade. This is the first use of Cascade in one of our beers, and we really enjoyed the hints of grapefruit and pine it contributed to the aroma and flavor. We also bumped up the Maris Otter crystal malt by a mere 0.5%, and it's amazing how much of a difference it made in the color and the upfront body. All in all, it's resulted in a well-rounded beer that is ready to drink now, or can be aged at cellar temperatures for many years" (source).
• Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin', $1.99/12oz - "Way smooth and silky with a nice wheaty-esque-ish-ness. Just the little sumpin’ sumpin’ we all need to kick Summer into full swing! Ingredients: Hops, Malt, Hops, Hops, Yeast, Hops, Water, and Hops" (source).
• Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale, $1.99/12oz - "This Special Ale is, in reality, a reconstructed exhumation of the very first ale that we ever brewed way, way back, in 1993. Brewed with a big head, a muscular malty thorax, a silky texture & all strung together with a hoppy sweet nerve sack... yum" (source).
• Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot, $4.79/22oz - "A malty, robust, jobless recovery ale! We’re not quite in the red, or in the black... Does that mean we’re in the brown? A big ol’ Imperial Brown Ale to help you with your slipperly slide on into springtime. Rich, smooth, dangerous & chocolatey" (source).
• Atwater VJ Black Imperial Stout, $2.69/12oz - The VJ stands for vanilla java, 11% ABV (source).
• Short's ControversiALE, $1.99/12oz - "Loaded with hops like an IPA, yet drinks like a Pale Ale, we simply decided to call it a Strong Pale Ale. The fragrant, earthy citrus laced nose is instantly detectable. Large amounts of toasted grains and high alpha Simcoe hops form a perfect union that creates the cool sensation of toasted sourdough covered with zesty grapefruit hop marmalade" (source).
• Original Sin Newton Pippin Cider, $8.09/750ml - "First harvested in 1740 in Queens, NY. Coveted by George Washington and Thomas Jeferson and planted in their personal estates. Benjamin Franklin had Newtown Pippins shipped to him in London in 1759. Credited with establishing the U.S. fruit export industry. Was popular for use in the making of hard cider" (source).
• Original Sin Cherry Tree Cider, $8.09/750ml - "Our Cherry Tree cider combines the finest American heirloom apples, which were popular in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, with tart cherries. The finished product has the clean, rich flavor of fresh cherries with the depth and elegance that comes from using freshly pressed U.S. heirloom cider apples" (source).

Random Fact of the Week

"Standing anywhere in the state [of Michigan] a person is within

85 miles of one of the Great Lakes" (source).

Lake Michigan. It's closer than you think.

Cheers!

Hey Kevin: An actual expert responds

New Holland Dragon's Milk

Welcome to Hey Kevin. Last week our "advice" & "information" columnist exposed two clandestine organizations which—he claims—are engaged in a worldwide campaign to discredit the aluminum beer can.

What Kevin failed to address in his column (read it here) are the reasons one might experience a difference in taste between canned and bottled beer. John Haggerty, Brewmaster at New Holland, has been kind enough to answer that question for us. His response came in via email, and we have John's permission to post it.

Hey Kevin,

I just read your column this week and found it to be very funny. However, I also felt like you missed an opportunity to educate people about aluminum cans. I am not sure what you know or do not know about aluminum cans (Editor's note: whatever Kevin claims to know about anything is suspect, always). But I thought I would throw my two cents in the pot and you can do what you will with it. So here goes:

Aluminum cans are lined these days with a material that keeps the beer and the aluminum from interacting thus rendering the can inert - i.e. bottle or can doesn't matter for the purposes of storage of the beer. Your beer, if packaged correctly, should taste more or less the same coming from either container. So then, one might ask why beer tastes different when from a can vs. bottle or some other package (say a keg)? Well, when you put the package to your mouth the aluminum from the outside of the can reacts with your palate and changes the pH of your mouth. This pH change affects they way you perceive the beer to taste. Whereas glass is inert and therefore does not affect your palate and you taste the beer the way it was supposed to taste. So, the long and the short of that lesson is this: if your beer is in a can pour it out into a glass. DO NOT DRINK FROM THE CAN!

There are advantages and disadvantages to either package: cans tend to have a higher likelihood of picking up O2, bottles let in light, cans are lighter weight, etc. The list goes on and on and as a brewer you ultimately have to decide what is right for you and your customers. Neither package is perfect nor is there any definitive right answer on which to use. However, as stated above, you can drink directly from a bottle if you wish (although, that will preclude you from having the olfactory interaction that contributes a tremendous amount to the perception of flavor), whereas you will not want to drink directly from a can.

Really, in either case, you should pour the beer into the proper glassware in order to consume it. It is simply the more civilized way to enjoy beer.

Thanks for letting me weigh in on the topic!

Cheers,

John Haggerty
Brewmaster
New Holland Brewing Co.
Holland, MI

Thanks for the insight, John, and thanks also for Dragon's Milk. Seriously. Thank you. (We love that beer.)

Road Trip: Savannah, Georgia

Moon River Brewing Coast IPA

Steve and Barb are currently vacationing with their friends Pat and Marcie MacAulay in Georgia and South Carolina.

By Steve Siciliano

It is said that Savannah, Georgia is the most haunted city in America. I don’t know about that but I do know it’s a must-see for anyone with a penchant for American history and an affinity for 18th- and 19th-century architecture. A solid brewpub , impeccably fresh seafood, massive live oaks draped with flowing, hoary strands of Spanish moss and a famous, hauntingly beautiful cemetery made our visit to this intriguing Southern city all the more enjoyable.

After checking into the Bohemian Hotel, a recently renovated property located in the heart of Savannah’s river district, we walked across the street to the Moon River Brewing Company. Moon River’s taproom and brewing facility are located in one of the historical downtown buildings that allegedly have frequent ghost sightings. If Moon River’s location is indeed haunted the resident ghosts are not negatively impacting the quality of the beer. I had the Wild Whacky Wit, a traditional Belgian wheat spiced with orange peel and coriander, and the Apparition Ale, the brewery’s interpretation of the classic English pale. Both were excellent.

The beer whetted our appetites but before looking for a seafood restaurant we decided to have a drink at the Bohemian’s rooftop bar. I’m quite sure that Savannah native Johnny Mercer had the Savannah River in mind when he wrote the lyrics for Moon River (hear Sinatra's version here). While we gazed down at the wider-than-a-mile river and at the majestic span of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge rising high in the distance, a huge cargo ship slowly made its way upriver.

The next morning we explored the Savannah Historic District. Roughly corresponding to what the city’s boundaries were before the Civil War, the district contains twenty-two park-like squares that were planted back in the 19th century with the now massive, wide-branching live oaks. The squares are dotted with statues, monuments and historical markers and are surrounded by stately old churches and Victorian homes—an incredible experience for someone who loves eclectic architecture and American history.

On the way out of the city we stopped at the Bonaventure Cemetery which was made famous by the John Berendt book and the Clint Eastwood directed movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. A steady rain had begun falling which further enhanced the eerie, melancholic atmosphere. It was probably just the breeze moving low-hanging strands of Spanish moss, but while we were driving out the cemetery gates I could have sworn I saw somebody waving goodbye to us from behind a mausoleum.