[EID Feature] This Cider House Rules: Tandem Ciders

Dan Young, owner of Tandem Ciders. All photos from Tandem Ciders.

When you think about "hard ciders," your first thought is probably that sickly-sweet alcoholic apple juice from the likes of Woodchuck and Strongbow, multinational corporate producers that make all of their ciders from apple juice concentrate and flavor it with -- what else? -- more apple juice concentrate. This is akin to forming your entire opinion of wine based on Bartles and Jaymes wine coolers. Cider -- as in "the hard stuff," as in the real stuff - can be as delicate and nuanced as a fine wine, and we Michiganders are in a unique position to appreciate the majesty of the fermented apple.

"One measure [of the growing craft cider industry] is that now the large conglomerate beverage companies are adding ciders to their product portfolios," explains Gary Awdey, president of the Great Lakes Cider and Perry Association. "But what I find much more encouraging is the increase in the number of small craft producers, and that’s somewhere that Michigan really excels. Michigan and the Great Lakes region is really the major cider region in North America. It doesn’t reflect in the volume of sales but is a good representation of the true variety that is being offered. There is a higher density of craft cider producers [here] than in other areas. Michigan residents have much easier day trips to cideries."

As the country’s second- or third-largest apple-producing state (depending on who you ask), Michigan is home to hundreds of different varieties of apples, from the table standards to rare antique and heirloom varietals. We also currently have the largest number of craft cider producers in the country. Many wineries and breweries are getting into the cider game as an alternative to beer and wine, and there are also larger-scale operations focused entirely on hard cider production. Unlike most beer and spirit producers, which are still forced to buy much of their hops and grain from out of state, Michigan ciders are made with Michigan apples picked and pressed by Michigan people running Michigan businesses for Michigan customers. Michigan’s craft ciders are dry, delicate, and above all else wholly Michigan.

Tandem Ciders opened in October 2008 on the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan. As part of the Leelanau Wine Trail, they had a lot of explaining to do that first year of business when people came in looking for Riesling. But all of that is changing, says owner and cider maker Dan Young (who owned Tandem with his wife Nikki Rothwell). "Customer perceptions are changing from, 'What is this?' to 'Hey, this is great to have a cider!'" he says. "We'll ask people, 'Hey, are you tasting wine today?' [and they'll say] 'No, we're here for cider.' It's not just wine drinkers who run into us."

They'll still get confused consumers wandering in wondering if it's "like beer," but they're easily converted. Dan has had customers thank him for making cider and giving them another drinking option ... one that is "like beer" in that it is carbonated (usually--Dan also makes a flat cider available only in the tasting room) but also offers a different flavor profile, is naturally gluten-free and lower in alcohol (unless fortified with brandy--Dan makes one of those too), pairs well with food but can just as easily be enjoyed on its own, and has the complexity of wine and the body of beer while being something different altogether. Plus, it's perfect year-round. "People are realizing this is another drinking option and it's good to have."

And the best part is, it's truly local, utilizing all Michigan fruits. While many other cider makers will incorporate other fruits into their ciders (like raspberry or cranberry), Tandem uses exclusively apples (though they do make a "perry" -- cider made from pears -- in the fall). Dan wants each product to be an expression of the apples he uses, whether traditional cider apples like Sheep's Nose and Fameuse, classic table apples like Northern Spy and Red Delicious, antique apples, even crab and wild apples. Dan notes that there is much more awareness of ciders now, which he attributes to the growing craft beer movement. "20 years ago when microbrews came out it was a hard sell because people had no way to wrap their heads around it," he says. "[Now breweries like Short's and Right Brain are experimenting with different flavored beers] and people see something made from apples and say, 'Oh hey, great!'"

Dan also attributes cider's popularity with Michigan's rich agricultural heritage and Michiganders' inherent connection to the land, with agriculture as Michigan's second-largest industry. "... Michigan is known for its huge manufacturing base. Agriculture has been overshadowed by manufacturing [but is still a huge part of people's lives here]."

Tandem works with several local growers on Leelanau for the many different varieties of apples they use in their ciders. They've recently planted 12 different varieties of traditional hard cider apples and have their growers planting more traditional varieties for them, in addition to the heirloom and heritage varieties they also use. "Cider fruit is interesting -- [the apples] taste horrible when you bite into them; they're very tannic. But once they're fermented it leaves a lot more body and depth behind."

They'll continue making ciders out of popular table varieties too; their hottest seller is the Smackintosh, made predominantly with the same household staple Macintosh apples everyone knows and loves. "People just connect to that and remember their childhood stopping at the cider mill and eating those Macintosh apples."

In addition to the Smackintosh, which has a lot of residual sugar, Tandem makes a variety of different ciders highlighting different flavor profiles from the bone-dry Crabster (made with crab and wild apples) to the moderately dry Farmhouse (classic cider apples) and the semi-sweet and highly complex Early Day (a blend of six cider and table varieties).

Because of the unseasonably warm weather the state experienced in March followed by frost in April, Michigan has reported losses of upwards of 90% of their apple crops for the year (though actual growers say it's more like 75% statewide -- still huge). Up in Leelanau, they still have about 40% of their crop. What does this mean for the cider industry? "It's not going to be a big growth year," Dan says. "We're not going to be making any extra." He adds that last year's crop was so abundant he was able to make enough so that he will still have plenty to sell throughout this year and keep his business going.

"[Sometimes] there's apples coming out of everywhere and we don't have enough boxes to put them in, and some varietals are known for being really biennial. Downstate was hit really hard for fruit but I think we'll be okay," adding that it's the major producers who supply corporate chains like Meijer and McDonald's who are scrambling. Dan at least is resourceful. "Last year we picked a lot of wild apples. We picked some that were incredibly tasty and some that were incredibly tannic and bitter [but made for great cider]. We're already marking wild trees [for this year] and will definitely be doing more of that."

As one of Michigan's largest dedicated hard cider producers, Tandem is still by no means a massive operation and distribution remains limited, but southeast Michiganders can find their products at the Produce Station in Ann Arbor and the MI General Store in Ypsilanti. Many of their products are only available on draft in the Leelanau tasting room, as if you really need another reason to visit northern Michigan this year. (You do. It's this.) And hey, this place is something Mario Batali and I can agree on.

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[HOT LIST] Old Mission Peninsula

Sunset on Old Mission. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Mario Batali has been yammering on incessantly about Traverse City once again, which is great and all but based on his "favorite picks" it sure does seem like he never makes the journey from his pad on the Leelanau Peninsula around the bay and onto Old Mission all that often. Old Mission (along with its sister Leelanau) is pretty much the crown at the head of Traverse City. And if the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is the most beautiful place in America, then Old Mission Peninsula is the most beautiful place on the planet.* It is 19 miles long and divides Grand Traverse Bay into East and West Bays. At its widest point it is three miles wide; at its narrowest points you have truly breathtaking panoramic views of both sparkling bays over the sloping vineyards and fruit orchards. Say what you will about Napa, Tuscany or Bordeaux, they look like an Ohio cornfield compared to this. (It's true. I've been. They do.)

In fact, do say what you will about Bordeaux; the world’s most esteemed winemaking region happens to sit along the same circle of latitude, the 45th Parallel, as the Old Mission American Viticultural Area (AVA), and world-recognized winemakers are taking up the challenge of making world-class wines in this region. The peninsula has seven wineries (though two more have been approved) and only a smattering of restaurants and hotels (well ... "inns"). The rest is preserved land (a state park and lots 'o farms), so Old Mission will stay frozen in this tranquil state of un-development forever. If late summer travel plans take you "up north," make this one of your highlights.

#1 Mission Table + Jolly Pumpkin
Do your life a favor and have dinner and many many drinks on the deck at Mission Table. With places like Trattoria Stella and Cook's House in Traverse City stealing all the thunder, Mission Table never seems to gets its due. Executive Chef Paul Olson is a quiet genius: he just does his thing, tending to his herb garden out back, cranking out some fan-freakin’-bloody-tastic farm-to-table seasonal dishes. This restaurant is a true representation of the indigenous flavors of Michigan. Think tender, succulent lamb loin with oven-roasted cauliflower, or crispy pork belly with housemade kimchi, roasted brussel sprouts, and a poached egg ... as one friend put it, "Paul should Iron Chef the shit out of Batali." As I put it, "I fucking love Paul." Attached to Mission Table is the Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant and Brewery, which is DUH IT'S JOLLY PUMPKIN. (And all their beers are also available at Mission Table; the deck is shared.) Oh, the deck? Overlooking West Bay, quiet, surrounded by trees, sunlight reflecting off the water -- some people meditate. This is better.

#2 Chateau Chantal 
Chateau Chantal is an estate winery and bed + breakfast. The Inn is connected to their tasting room, and guests are free to conduct their own wine sampling after-hours (this is northern Michigan, where people still believe in the honors system). The chef-prepared daily breakfasts are fantastic, and during the summer you can follow it up with their lunchtime "tapas tours" through the vineyard. They also have what might actually be one of the most stunning patio views in the state: order a glass of wine and a plate of cheese from local creameries and chill on the patio overlooking the bay, or check out their prix fixe seven-course wine dinners held several nights a week through October.

#3 2 Lads Winery
It's fun and young (four years old this year), and it also has the best damn view on the peninsula. 2 Lads' sleek, ultra-modern tasting room is perched atop a hill overlooking the bay with absolutely no obstructions. You might find it difficult to pay attention to the pourer's spiel when right behind them is a massive window showcasing this spectacular view, but do try to pay attention: 2 Lads specializes in cool climate reds and sparkling wines, and winemaker Cornel Olivier (originally from South Africa) believes that Michigan's reds can one day be on par with Bordeaux. Genius? Or insanity? It may be a fine line, but it sure does have a nice view.

Here's more of me gushing over Old Mission wines.

Actually here's more of me gushing over Old Mission to New Yorkers.

#4 Peninsula Grill
For casual fare, the Peninsula Grill offers classic American grill cuisine of serious excellence (try one of the flatbreads), along with a solid selection of local wines and beers. Longtime bartender Johnny even promises he’ll remember what you drink for next time.

#5 Tesoro Inn
A lot of people don’t like B+Bs because they’re a little too…folksy. The Tesoro Inn is the ultimate anti-B+B B+B. Owners Jane and Les Hagaman have created the kind of bed and breakfast experience that will appeal to even the most ambiance-sensitive. Jane is an artist and interior designer; Les is an accomplished fine dining chef. Their home is beautifully decorated with their own Asian-inspired art pieces and multi-colored slate floors, yet is also comfortable and inviting with warm tones and soft textures. For those of you seeking the “foodie” experience, their three-course farm-to-table breakfasts and homemade evening desserts (left on your nightstand next to the following day's breakfast menu printed on gorgeous cream-colored stationary) will make you want to make yourself at home FOREVER. But book early: the word is out on this three-year-old spot and they only have three guest rooms.

Bubbling under Brys Estate, The Boathouse, Peninsula Cellars, Black Star Farms Tasting Room, Chateau Grand Traverse, Old Mission General Store, Bowers Harbor Inn

*Eye for an eye, hyperbole for hyperbole.

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The Week We Ate [The EID Week in Review]

The "maids" of Chou Anime Cafe in Midtown.

Easy Like Sundae has officially opened in downtown Ferndale. The first four comments on Downtown Ferndale's photo? Not, "Congratulations!" Not, "Welcome to the neighborhood!" Not, "So excited to have another great business down here!" Not, "Go Ferndale!" No: "Are there any VEGAN options?" Seriously, you guys, I'm trying to be supportive of your lifestyle choices but you can be profoundly f-ing tedious sometimes. How about we congratulate them on opening before we start brow-beating the vegan/lactose-free/gluten-free agenda, hm? It's FROZEN YOGURT. [Ferndale Patch / Easy Like Sundae FB / Downtown Ferndale FB]

Detroit finally gets mass transit! Sort of. The Detroit Bus Co. puts the "pub" in public transportation. [Thrillist Detroit]

The Corktown train keeps a'rollin, with or without the train station. [Curbed Detroit]

I wrote the preview on Local Kitchen + Bar (almost ready!) but Curbed picked it up, which is always worth noting -- especially since that bitch just surpassed me in followers this week. [EID / Curbed Detroit / Curbed Detroit FB]

MotorCity Wine turns two! [MLive]

The solidest of dudes filmed a short at the solidest of places: check out Solid Dudes Kitchen as they win at Green Dot Stables. [Solid Dudes Kitchen]

Pumpkin beers have started coming in and I apparently have too much time on my hands. [EID FB]

Three Andiamo restaurants (including the flagship Warren location) will be changed over to the mouthful-of-a-name, Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian Steakhouse. [Macomb Daily]

Phil Cooley, former model and most interesting man in America. [Vice]

A Travel Channel writer names the 7 best beer destinations in the country and includes Traverse City, citing Short's (in NOT-nearby Bellaire) and Mackinaw Brewing Co. (RLY?) as reasons. He also included Beer City USA TIE city Asheville, NC, acknowledging its title as Beer City USA while conveniently failing to mention it was a TIE with ... wait for it ... Grand Rapids. Clearly this person thought it best to suckle at the teet of Batali than do any actual reporting. Why the snub, chum? (All that being said I still love Traverse City more than anywhere and anything else.) [Travel Channel / MLive / The Daily Meal]

Speaking of Batali, he makes his picks for the 9 best restaurants in the world and included not one but TWO places in Traverse City, the Cook's House and Frenchie's (a sandwich shop). That's right folks, according to Joey Tribbiani Mario Batali, a sandwich shop in Traverse City belongs on the very same list of the best restaurants in the world as Le Bernadin and Le Louis XV. The kicker is he's really NOT being paid off by the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau. (I asked.) [The Daily Meal]

The Brinery stimulates our gastronomy AND economy. [Concentrate]

Suburban nightclub South Bar closes after yet another shooting. Oh, Birmingham... [Downtown Publications]

NPR gets all NPR-y about Detroit coney dogs. [NPR]

Beer is good for the economy. [MLive]

The Bottom Line Coffeehouse will be opening in Midtown next week. It's now Facebook official. [TBL FB]

More importantly, Anthology needs a roaster and we need Anthology. [indiegogo / Anthology FB]

The Detroit News has been in a cryogenic slumber since 2005. They should really read Curbed more. [DetNews]

Motor City Street Eats announces their Dearborn summer schedule. [MCSE FB]

Mae's poured their patio this week! Sitting in the sunlight will make us feel less bad about sucking down butter burgers and salted caramel cream-filled chocolate chip cookie sandwiches. [Mae's FB]

Maria's Comida has announced they will be closing the restaurant on August 18 and transitioning over to a manufacturing facility for their "Maria's House Made" salsas and barbecue sauces. Last chance for a ghost pepper burger! [Maria's FB]

I have a feeling if I ever make it to Tokyo my head will explode. Perhaps this place can ease me into it. [HuffPo]

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[EID Preview] Local Kitchen + Bar

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

As much as chef-partner Rick Halberg tries to underplay the cuisine at Local Kitchen + Bar as "everyday food," avoiding the word "comfort" since upscale comfort food is all the culinary rage right now (particularly in this region), Local is quintessentially American, and there's no shame in that game.

Local celebrates Americana in a way that is appropriately fashionable for Ferndale. Partners Rick Halberg and Brian Siegel are both long-time area restaurateurs, and while Local has been on the lips of food bloggers hungry for bloggy buzz for some time now, they’ve taken the time to do things right. (Which is another way of saying it’s taken a lot longer than initially planned/announced, but that’s hardly news in the restaurant industry. See also: Astro, Sugar House, Green Dot, etc.)

Rick has been out of the restaurant industry for six years now and has been "dying to get back in." "We wanted to do a neighborhood place to eat that was really for the community," he explains. "We found this space and it seemed to fit perfectly with our partnership," referring to Local's relationship with event planning company Star Trax, which will be responsible for much of the booking in the sizable event space upstairs (where Via Nove used to throw techno parties, only this time it will be more like weddings, showers, bar/batmitzvahs, etc.).

The concept for Local is "to do a restaurant that is for everyone ... everybody's doing comfort food; we're trying to shy away from that package. It's really just about everyday food prepared extraordinarily well. We really want to focus on the community." The word "local" of course signifies a commitment to the use of locally-sourced ingredients and local suppliers (as much as possible) including Michigan beers and wines, working with local artisan food producers like Corridor Sausage, sourcing from Michigan farms, and even having their own share in the Ferndale community farm. "We want to do [this] the best way we can and offer product[s] that [are] accessible to as many people as possible."

The event space upstairs.

So what might "everyday foods" with a local emphasis look like? Chicken-fried chicken. Mac and cheese. Burgers. A pig platter with various different pork presentations. "Super fresh" fish. Hearty salads. And just about everything made from scratch in their kitchen, including honest-to-goodness American desserts like seasonal pies, cobblers, Devil's Food Cake, and other "bake sale items" (like brownies and Rice Krispies treats) that will be on display in their vintage rotating dessert display. Oh, and POUTINE. The focus is all on "super fresh, super clean" food, and not fancy presentations.

As a long-time chef and restaurateur himself, Local marks a return to form for Rick. A graduate of the CIA back in the '70s (when "it was just getting cool to be a chef"), Rick jokes he was "on the cutting edge of cool for one moment in my life." He had earlier endeavors in West Bloomfield and Birmingham, but his crowning achievement thus far was Emily's in Northville, which offered extremely high-end dining that at one point held the highest Zagat food rating in the United States (a 28 on a scale of 30, a ranking Emily's shared with only a few other restaurants in the country).

Diners remember the Emily's name and are excited to see the new concept emerge. As for Rick, while he will still be working as a chef in his restaurant (a chef's table in the kitchen with seating for 8-10 guests will be personally attended to by Rick himself), he has built up an impressive team of culinary talent including sous chefs Ricky McCormick, formerly of Cafe Muse, and Nick Schultz, who will be weekend moonlighting with Brew Jus. "It's really exciting to me to have the opportunity to influence another group of young cooks and chefs," Rick says. "It's kind of a nice reward for me to be able to do that." And he adds, "I'm very focused on quality and service. We're not going to slip at all here."

Diners can look forward to weekly specials, a late-night menu, a bar menu, craft cocktails, craft sodas and more. But one thing that might steal the thunder from the food is the fabulous indoor/outdoor patio with a towering wood-burning fireplace as the centerpiece. "We'll really have a 12-month feel to the patio," Rick notes, half of which will be closed off in the winter months so guests can still cozy up around the fireplace for cocktailing and dining.

The space, designed by none other than Ron Rea (a longtime friend of Rick's and Brian's), has a cozy Americana feel to it: wicker furniture on the indoor/outdoor patio, vintage pieces Rick has collected over time (including an antique hutch from an estate sale), an old park bench, stools that look like they came straight from a high school chem lab. The palette is soft and suits the stylish-yet-homey motif, like something you might find in the pages of Country Living. Where the trendy upscale comfort foot joints are universally gunning for urban-rustic, Local brings with it a certain bit of southern gentility, classic country without being corny. "Brian and I both had a very specific image in mind," Rick says. "We wanted it to be super-casual, not over-designed in any way. We wanted to have a lot of integrity in the feeling of this place. Ron's great like that."

The building itself used to be a gas station “a zillion years ago.” Part of the design aesthetic was to strip it down to some of the more iconic design elements, like the original wooden beams in the ceiling and the original brickwork. A communal table built of reclaimed wood will separate the bar from the dining room space. "Our space will be truly iconic for the neighborhood," Rick states. "Our food and service will be excellent, and our commitment to hospitality will be second to none."

Local opens later this month.

 

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Dinner dates and why they're awful

Dating. It's awful. There are few things in the world more emotionally and physically degrading than dating. And it starts from the very first date: "Can I take you out to dinner?"

Now, if you are a mature, emotionally-adjusted, self-secure person, this probably sounds fine, possibly even flattering and fun. But if you're me -- and by that I mean essentially Jerry Seinfeld, and by that I mean essentially a neurotic New York Jew -- the panic sets in immediately.

On the plus side, free meal. (I will pretty much always eat a free meal; the reason for this will become clear later on.) And if you are a mature, emotionally-adjusted, self-secure person, another plus side might also be the opportunity to get to know someone new and for something romantic-ish to potentially blossom. (If you're me this thought is wrought with at least a dozen-and-sometimes-two potential negatives; I gauge all of the things that I will find unrelentingly irritating about you -- and you, me -- that will inevitably lead to a rash of vicious fighting, misery, sadness, resentment and loathing ultimately resulting in the termination of the relationship, then I thank the sweet lord baby Jesus I'm single and decide it best to not bother in the first place. But I am not what you would call a mature, emotionally-adjusted, self-secure person.)

With dinner comes the act of eating. And let's just be real here: is there any more revolting way to better get to know someone with whom you may one day wish to have sexy time than watching them eat? Sharing meals is indeed a cherished social experience and I have no argument as to it being the ultimate way to exchange convivialities with friends, but on a date??? THINK of all the ways in which it can go wrong! Bad breath from overly-onioned dishes, remnants of your meal in your teeth or on your face (or if you're exceptionally graceless, on your clothes), foods that demand a certain amount of uncouthness to consume (tacos! ribs! pizza!)...the potential for improprieties is unbounded.

Okay, so maybe it's a casual pizza date, but what exactly is a polite sexy-time way to eat pizza? Fork and knife? LAME. And seriously, I'm a healthy bitch -- I can smash a whole pizza by myself in one sitting, but on a date??? Surely this is not acceptable or attractive behavior on a date. Or maybe you order a steak and it's a bit tough and the knife is a bit dull and you saw and saw and saw away at it to no avail ... if I'm with friends I will think nothing of picking up that hunk of beef bare-fisted and ripping away at it with my incisors like the FLESH-EATING CARNIVORE THAT I AM, but on a date???

Sure, there's the porno image of a woman scandalously tonguing a cherry or deep-throating a banana, but odds are pretty good neither one of those items is going to be on the menu at the restaurant you visit. Odds are you'll be facing down fish (stinky, and sometimes bony), or pasta (bloaty and the sauce more often than not disagreeable to sensitive digestive tracts), or steak (see above), or pizza (above), or tacos (above), or BBQ (above), or Indian/Thai (fire butt), or sushi (the most disgusting thing ever to watch another human consume as pieces tend to be too big for most mouths and are by a feat of Japanese engineering IMPOSSIBLE to cut smaller).

I know for myself what a sad, sorry, disgusting, vile, depraved and wretched thing it is to witness me eat. It looks as if I'm attempting to kill the animal all over again. Even when that animal is salad. I eat like I've never seen food before and am afraid I might never see it again. (Part of me is always afraid I might never see food again. Maybe this is a survival instinct?) My friends know and understand this about me and I think they just politely look away while I attack my food with all the purpose, vigor and finesse of a famished Barbarian. But on a date???

I can't be the only person who thinks this. I can't be the only person who breaks out into a cold sweat at the suggestion of dinner with unknown company. I simply cannot be the only person who feels like a captive prisoner in such situations. And so I share this with all of you: it's okay to not want to go on that dinner date. It's okay to just go to a movie -- movies are great! Two hours in the dark during which time the burden of conversation is lifted with built-in conversation content afterwards (at the bar, without food because by that time it's already late enough that the kitchen has closed) AND you get to determine right off the bat whether the person's tastes suck or not! Movies are awesome, just go see movies! But for the love of bacon, beer and cheese spare me the embarrassment of worrying over stinky breath and upset stomachs and messy foods and inelegant manners.

I should write a dating advice column.

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[Beerie] Good Morning Saison

Brewery Vivant's Farm Hand, a saison-style ale

Last week on Beerie, I discussed summertime session ales in the context of the American craft brewers' and consumers' tendency to glorify all that which is overwrought over beers with a bit more subtlety and civility. Confusion ensued. "YOU KNOW, hops aren't the same as ABV." Yesthankyou. Now I shall use even more words to say what I already said but make it clearer so there is no further confusion.

IBU and ABV are indeed entirely separate, but what I'm ultimately trying to get at is that a very high one or the other (or God save the queen, in combination) is not the ideal summer beer. Devil Dancer, referenced previously, is brutal and I would no sooner reach for that on a scorching summer's day than I would a gallon of ammonia. But for perspective's sake, Hopslam is a brilliant beer and I wouldn't touch that during an unholy heat wave with someone else's tongue either (Bell's definitely got it right by making it a dead-of-winter seasonal).

By incorporating both high ABV and high IBU beers into the argument, what I am ultimately trying to say is that neither really cuts it for the thirst-quenching poundability I seek in a session beer. Because, you see, while "session" refers mostly to ABV, it also refers to its general all day drinkability, and I for one have yet to meet the monstrously hoppy "session" beer I want to drink all day. Maybe you're a chest-thumping "hop-head" and happy I am for you in that; it's a good thing I'm writing this column on my blog and not you then.

You see, when we glorify these palate-killing, high-alcohol, hoppy cock-punches what ultimately results is the devaluing of aaaaaaaaaall the many other lovely beer styles that are not those things. (I mean, ferchrissakes, this is supposed to be an inventory of the best beers in the world.) And many of said devalued beer styles just so happen to be NON-hoppy, low-ABV session beers. Once again, the German weissbiers, the English milds and bitters, the Belgian farmhouse ales, the kolsch beers, the pilsners. Sure, the hoppiness is unrelated to the ABV, but these styles happen to clock in low on both scales and for that reason they present as ideal for thirst-quenching summer consumption.

And so, saisons. Most definitely my favorite of all the session styles for summer probably in no small part due to the fact that this is what they were MADE for.

The traditional saison is a low-alcohol farmhouse ale born in Belgium, brewed specifically for workers of the late summer harvest to be consumed in large quantities without getting the workers wasted. Modern saisons have a little more ABV oomph (though many hover around 5-6%, which by American AND Belgian craft standards is about as low as you can reasonably hope for), though they still have preciously few IBUs (20-35, compared to the 30-50 of pale ales -- also good summertime drankin', BTW). Saisons are dry, crisp, "light" (or at least just seem that way, even when they're not), and have a delicate yet complex flavor thanks to the use of special yeast (as is the case with pretty much every Belgian style, saisons are way more about the yeast than the hops; hops are anathema to the Belgian palate, which could explain my predisposition).

Saisons really haven't been "in vogue" for awhile, but they never really went away either, and now they finally appear to be coming into fashion once again. Saison Dupont and Omegang's Hennepin are certainly among the most well-known, but we've got some fine saisons coming out of Michigan (and almost-Michigan) from the likes of Jolly Pumpkin, Brewery Vivant, New Holland, Bastone and Chicago's Goose Island. Now together let's espouse the superiority of saisons for summer!

Next week on Beerie: Bringing Sexy (Beer) Back: A Conversation with Brewmaster Mike Hall

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[HOT LIST] Coffee (redux)

Anthology at MoCAD.

In EID's first-ever Hot List (June 20, 2011), we took a look at our favorite coffee spots in and around Detroit. This simultaneously prompted a more in-depth piece for Metromode on some of our local roasters, and later a shout-out from yours truly on Curbed Detroit christening Detroit as the new Seattle. (For the record, I said it FIRST.) But so much has changed just in the last year, it's already time to re-visit.

Alas, metro Detroit's growing coffee culture has taken a recent hit with the closing of Thistle Coffeehouse, but the seeds have spread and already two more cafes are positioned to take its place: the Bottom Line in Midtown (opening July 23) and the Roasting Plant in the CBD coming this fall. What many of these places have in common is that they are of the next wave of coffeehouses -- the third wave and beyond. Many roast their own beans in-house and are exquisitely conscious of sourcing; the others may not roast themselves but source beans from some of the top roasters in the country (Stumptown, Intelligentsia) who are themselves known for their exquisite sourcing. What you can take away from all of this is that we sure do brew some good java in this here food desert.

#1 Anthology Coffee (Midtown/Corktown)
They sprung onto the scene as a finalist of the first-ever Hatch Detroit seed funding competition last fall, and are now featured in a regular pop-up at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit as they work on the build-out of their very own permanent location in Corktown. Yes Corktown, where Astro Coffee resides, but one can hardly call it competition when Astro uses Anthology's coffee. Given the ample seating, ease of parking and wholly accessible WiFi at the MoCAD space, if it's Anthology's coffee you seek you should probably just go there, the end. Roaster Josh Longsdorff, who still roasts for Birmingham's Commonwealth as well, is a master craftsman and his coffee is probably the best in Detroit. If you'd like to show your support, they're currently crowd-funding for their new roaster and you can pitch in a few bucks in exchange for some goodies here.

#2 The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co. Institute for Advanced Drinking (Midtown) / Torino Espresso + Bar (Ferndale)
How to choose between two places that serve both coffee AND booze??? You don't. Therefore, tie. The IFAD is newly-opened in Midtown and is already my new favorite place ever, which isn't to say I love my old favorite place ever (Torino) any less. The two establishments might both focus on coffee, cocktails and cheese + charcuterie platters, but the similarities end there. The vibes of each space are entirely different: Great Lakes is a little more rustic-modern, like Brooklyn and LA had a baby in Detroit, where Torino is more urban contemporary, Miami by way of the Midwest. Both have great patios. Be sure to check out the IFAD and if you find you can't decide between coffee or beer, they have the perfect daytime transition beverage: the 50/50, half Short's ControversiALE and half cold brew. As for Torino, they're celebrating their one-year anniversary on Sunday, July 29 with a pork party.

Summer galette from Pinwheel.

#3 The Red Hook (Ferndale)
Stumptown Coffee and Pinwheel Bakery. That they ever close is a source of continual sadness, as is the fact I don't live inside. One of the best pour-overs you'll find in all of greater metro Detroit, and also one of the best bakeries with both sweet and savory treats for every craving. And for realsies, all of it is outstanding.

#4 Commonwealth (Birmingham)
Don't let the fancy Birmingham hausfraus fool you, this place is legit. Outstanding coffee (DUH) and exceptional sustainably-sourced food make this pretty much one of the only places worth ever going to Birmingham for. And I also don't hate that parking in the nearby garage is free for the first two hours. If only there were more places worth visiting in that time ... but screw it, Commonwealth FTW.

#5 Germack Coffee Roasting Co. (Eastern Market)
It might sound ridiculous, but until Germack Coffee Roasting Co. opened in Germack's snazzy new digs in Eastern Market, the market had no coffee roaster to call its own. Now Germack, best known for those pink pistachios, has an adorbs cafe (with WiFi!) and store selling items from local producers like Slow Jams Jam and McClure's Pickles, as well as a variety of looseleaf teas and their own house-roasted coffees. The coffee still has a way to go while they hone their skills, but it definitely shows promise and hey, I can walk there, which on certain days makes it the best place in the whole entire world.

Bubbling under Courage Coffee (Hamtramck), Chazzano Coffee Roasters (Ferndale), Cafe Con Leche (SW Detroit), Astro Coffee (Corktown), the Ugly Mug Cafe (Ypsilanti), Comet Coffee (Ann Arbor), Chez Zara (Detroit), 14 East (Midtown), the (espresso) bar (Ann Arbor), the Lab Cafe (Ann Arbor), Zingerman's Coffee (Ann Arbor), HenriettaHaus Coffee Roasters (Ferndale), Renaissance Roastery (Detroit)

 

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