The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner with Randy Clemens

It is with great pride that I announce the publication of my next book, The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance, gracing bookstore shelves on September 27, 2011. Not long after completing the manuscript for my first book (The Sriracha Cookbook: 50 “Rooster Sauce” Recipes That Pack a Punch), I started thinking about what on earth I wanted to do next. My answer? I wanted to write about one of my favorite craft breweries: Stone Brewing Co.

I worked tirelessly one evening back in January 2010, drawing up a completely unsolicited pitch email to Stone’s (in)famous CEO, Greg Koch, finally sending it off at 2:55am, telling myself I’d follow up if I hadn’t heard back within two weeks. Naturally, you can imagine my surprise waking up to a personal reply in my inbox at 6:53am!

Greg and I emailed back in forth a few times, coincidentally bumped into each other at a food industry trade show in San Francisco, and finally set up a meeting down at the brewery proper.  I’d honed my pitch and expanded it to encompass a wide spectrum of topics–the history of beer and how it’s made, the history of Stone, its beers, and how it has grown, a food pairing primer, recipes from the award-winning Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, as well as never before published homebrew formulas  for some of Stone’s most prized beers.

After getting the nod from Greg, I approached the illustrious Melissa Moore, my WONDERFUL editor at Ten Speed Press, and got a book proposal in her hands. Lucky for us, she’s quite the fan of craft beer, and she championed for this project just as much as we did!

And so began the leg work. Living in Los Angeles at the time, I drove down to San Diego on weekends to interview my co-authors, the co-founders of Stone Brewing: Steve Wagner and the aforementioned Greg. I dug through old photos, talked with lots of amazing people, tested a ton of great recipes,  and became even more enamored with Stone…AND San Diego.

One day, in the midst of it all, Creative Director Mike Palmer (aka Mike of Mike’s Beer Cheese fame) pulled me aside and said, “Hey, are you aware of this job posting for a Public Relations Coordinator? I think you’d be really good for it!” I hadn’t heard about it, but he was right, I would be really good for it! Applied. Interviewed. Interviewed again. And again. Hired. Moved. Win. (Mike, you’re awesome! Thank you! So are you Karen Tibbens and Dan Schlafman!)

It’s incredible to look back on, really… this past 18 months. I count my lucky stars every day, and am so incredibly thankful for all that’s come of it. Greg and Steve, you were an absolute pleasure to work with, and getting to hear so much of your incredible story straight from you has been an amazing experience. Thank you both for being so gracious, and for believing in this little craft beer geek who thinks he’s kinda OK at writing good.

To everyone else that helped, lent their ear, offered advice or expertise, a sincere thank you to you as well. In no particular order: Mitch Steele, John Schulz and his pirate crew at StudioSchulz.com, Chris Cochran, Karen Westfall, Mike Palmer (again), Sue Daughters, Alex Carballo, “Dr.” Bill Sysak, Alice Harvey, Tausha Lopez, Andrew Higgins, Arlan Arnsten, Dan Schlafman (again), Lee Chase, Tom Matthews, Vince Marsaglia, Carlton Greenawalt, Craig Spitz, Bill Sherwood, Julie White, Jen Knudson, Amy Krone, Sergio Salgado, Katy Adams, Kathryn Bouscaren, Ken Wright, Stephen Brucher, Jacob McKean (yes, even you), Todd Colburn, Kris Ketcham, Steven Via, Melissa Moore (again), Michele Crim, Kara van de Water, Jenny Fernandez, Colleen Cain, Toni Tajima, Kristen Casemore, Wade Lucas, John Dawson, Sharon Donovan, Jason & Todd Alström, Garrett Marrero, Charlie Papazian, Bill Covaleski, and EVERYONE else who helped and supported me along the way… THANK YOU. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND I AM FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU.

Mom, Elliot Weingarten, Sandra Hernandez…countless others, your encouragement continues to mean the world to me. Nate Sellergren and Angelo Valdespino, thank you for making me fall in love with Stone’s beers so many moons ago. And even more moons ago, a repeated thank you to Matt Finkel for getting my young, undisciplined ass to swallow my pride and finish out culinary school. (Long story… maybe I’ll tell it to you over a beer sometime.) And to the unbelievable number of like-minded friends I’ve made since getting into the worlds of food and craft beer: I love you guys. Keep doing what you’re doing. We’re shifting the needle, and making this a much better world in which to live.

Greg and Steve…again, THANK YOU! To have been a part of this project has been nothing short of surreal. Your kindness and candor made it a pleasure, even if the manuscript ran decidedly behind schedule. The company and culture that you’ve grown and fostered is an inspiration to us all. Cheers to 15 years of kickin’ ass and takin’ names. Here’s to 15 more!

Related posts:

1. Wine Enthusiast Top 25 Beers of 2009
2. Beer Advocate # 34 — Back to Basics
3. Featured Beer Tweeter: DrinkWithTheWench.com

The Master Cleanser detox plan

I’ve fallen in love with the Master Cleanse detox. I’m gearing up to do it again next week (my fourth time through it over the past 18 months), and I can’t begin to praise it highly enough. I get a lot of weird looks, and besides those I receive in general, I seem to get even more when I talk about the Master Cleanse. Then there are the inevitable questions and comments:

“Oh, the lemon juice thing? With the maple syrup and cayenne?”
“My friend did that. She lost like 10 pounds!”
“Is that even safe?”
“Aren’t you, like, starving?!” (Also: “tired” or “grumpy”)
And my personal favorite, “Oh, there’s no way I could do that!”

Bullshit. Yes, you can. Countless people have, of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Far more challenging than any physical struggles is typically overcoming the perception that you will encounter any. I’ve yet to feel hungry once during one of my runs with the Master Cleanse, and I actually feel a boost of energy while I’m on it. So, how is it done?I based my version off the original Master Cleanse plan in Stanley Burroughs’ original volume, aptly titled The Master Cleanser. Yes, I’m going to tell you the main part you need to know, but I still recommend getting the book if you’re serious about giving this detox a try. It goes into far more detail, and Mr. Burroughs’ worldview is inspiring and beautiful, if not a touch nutty. (It’s like $7 on Amazon; give it a look at least.)

Now then, on with the story. The Master Cleanse is a detox. It is NOT a diet. Yes, you lose weight, but it is as a result of detoxing. Focus on cleansing your body and purging toxins, not dropping pounds. It is also NOT a fast. You are consuming about 700 calories a day, and you’re welcome to have more if you like. But it must all come from one source: the fabled lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne drink. “Ewwwwww yuck! That sounds terrible!” You know what? I actually really like it. And everybody who ever tries some of mine seems to be pleasantly surprised.

Every morning, I extract 3/4 cup lemon juice from fresh, organic lemons. To that, I add 3/4 cup of a Grade B organic maple syrup*, 1 teaspoon organic cayenne pepper, and top with 6 cups filtered water. (*This last time around, I actually did about 1/2 maple syrup and 1/2 raw agave nectar. The agave is less processed, less expensive, and it’s raw! Bonus times 3.) Shake ‘er up, and drink it throughout the day. I have a big container that I’ve drawn lines on with a Sharpie so that I can just fill to those rather than measuring out each time with a measuring cup. Saves time.

I do this every day…for ten days. I don’t die. I don’t faint. (In fact, I’m going to be continuing my training for the Chicago Half Marathon I’m running in Chicago in September.) The truth is, I feel great when I do this. And it’s because my body is getting rid of all the SHIT that piles up in one’s system over time. The lemon juice and the cayenne serve to loosen the toxins and waste kept within us, while the carbohydrates and the minerals in the natural sweeteners deliver your calories and nutrition.

Organic ingredients are a must, so that you aren’t replacing old toxins with new ones. As for the Grade B maple syrup, its mineral content is much higher than that of Grade A (since it is less refined), and to me, it tastes much better. And make sure it’s pure maple syrup, none of that corn syrup/table syrup crap they try to pawn off on you. (Yes, it is expensive. But you’re not spending anything on food for 10 days, so just get over it and pay. Or cut it with organic raw agave nectar like I do!)

And then there’s the question of pooping. Yep. “Do I have to be near a toilet 24/7?” Nope. You’re not eating anything solid, so your digestive system has little stimulation to wanna shove anything out the hatch. That’s why we have to help it out a little bit. Laxative teas, taken once or twice a day, will help expel all the toxins that the Master Cleanse is loosening in your body. (I recommend Smooth Move by Traditional Medicinals.) No laxative pills. No fiber pills. For maximum effect, there is also the salt-water flush. Well, we’ve finally stumbled across the one part of the Master Cleanse that I do NOT enjoy. But, it works wonders, and I force my way through it three times over the 10-day period.

Take 4 cups filtered warm water, and in it dissolve 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt. (I recommend Real Salt.) Now chug. It’s tough to do, and it’s best to try not to think about it. You don’t have to get it all at once, but get it all down within 15 minutes. Then, yes. You need to hang around a toilet for the next hour. When it’s ready, you better hope you’re ready! The salt water flush tastes disgusting, and is less than fun to force down, but you can tell it’s doing its job! You can opt for just laxative tea, but the salt water flush is ideal to work in if you can. (Which you absolutely can. Stop making excuses.)

“So, outside of lemon juice, maple syrup/agave, cayenne, herbal laxative tea, and salt, can I have anything else?” No. No solid food. Zero. Drinks? Water. Lots of water. No coffee, tea, soda (you should stop drinking soda anyway), alcohol, juice, nada. Just water. No gum. The chewing will stimulate your digestive system and make it think food is coming. When no food arrives, you will be hungry and cranky and tempted to quit. Don’t do it.

So let’s lay out the plan. You’re going to need (approximately):

• 40-50 fresh, local, organic lemons
• 3 750mL containers organic grade B pure maple syrup (again, feel free to substitute some organic raw agave nectar)
• 1 small container organic cayenne pepper
• 1 box (20 bags) herbal laxative tea
• Finely ground sea salt

The night before the cleanse, do not ingest any solid food after 8pm. The following morning, start your day with a nice salt water flush. (Alternately, you can have a cup of laxative tea before bed the previous night.) Then, make your “detox drank” and keep your mind focused on the positive change you’ve chosen to make, and how incredible it will feel to overcome a challenge you (and plenty of others) didn’t think you’d be able to! Enjoy it throughout the day, while ignoring distractions, and having fun answering people when they ask what you’re drinking. At the end of the day, drink another cup of herbal laxative tea. Get plenty of rest, wake up, and repeat.

I drink two cups of the laxative tea each day, one in the morning and one at night, except for the three days that I opt to do the dreaded salt water flush. One to two “movements” a day is all that you should expect from it, really. At least, that’s been my experience.

One oddity you may encounter: a white, fuzzy coating on your tongue. Totally normal. Don’t even worry about it.

After the 10 days have passed, you should ease yourself back into solid food, starting with some freshly squeezed orange juice or a very light vegetable broth, working your way back up. Whatever you do, don’t gorge yourself, and don’t return to poor eating habits that you entered the detox to do away with in the first place. Ditch the high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors/colors. Forget that fast food exists. No powders. More fresh, local, organic produce. Educate yourself on the ramifications your diet can have on your health, and the planet’s! Especially if you eat meat!

“Can I do it for less than 10 days?” Yes, but why bother? You won’t give your body the chance to really dig deep and flush everything out. CHALLENGE YOURSELF. This really is 99% mental, and you can do it if you put your mind to it! I’ve read about people who’ve done it for 40 days. Crazy. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be one of ‘em someday. But for now, I’m extremely happy with my little 10-day commitment every six months. I hope you’ll join me and make a step toward bettering your own health! YOU CAN DO IT!

Questions? Comments? Leave ‘em in the comments section and I’ll be glad to answer ‘em! And feel free to chime in with any experiences you’ve had if you’ve done the Master Cleanse in the past!

Related posts:

1. Raw Sprouted Hummus Recipe
2. Eat Your Beet Greens: Recipe
3. How to Sprout Raw Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

This is easily my most-requested recipe, and I’m sorry it took me so long to post it. Sprouted garbanzo beans are an excellent source of protein, and their delicious, nutty — almost grassy — flavor helps to make this raw hummus a real crowd pleaser. It’s a lot of fun to make, and the unique texture that comes from using the raw sprouted garbanzo beans is what I think puts it over the top.

Sprouted garbanzo beans can be found at some Whole Foods Market locations, farmers markets, and health food stores. Or, you can always sprout your own garbanzo beans.

Sprouted Raw Hummus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sprouted garbanzo beans
• 7 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup raw tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. In a large food processor, combine the sprouted garbanzo beans, garlic, and salt.
2. Pulse to coarsely chop the mixture.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients, and process until a thick, slightly chunky paste is formed. You may adjust the consistency with more olive oil or a splash of water, if desired.
4. Check seasoning and adjust, to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour, to allow the flavors to marry.
5. Serve the raw hummus in a medium bowl, making a divot at the top.
6. Drizzle a generous spot of olive oil into the crater, and shake a few sprinkles of cumin over the hummus.
7. Serve alongside pita bread, flax crackers, sprouted grain tortillas, or vegetable crudité.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Related posts:

1. How to Sprout Raw Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
2. Eat Your Beet Greens: Recipe
3. French Country Boule Recipe

To sprout garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, select a large glass jar or plastic food container that will allow for the beans to expand to up to three times their original size. Place dried (preferably organic) garbanzo beans in your sprouting vessel, and fill with about three times as much filtered water by volume. Cover the jar with a layer or two of cheesecloth, strapped on tight with a rubber band. Let the garbanzo beans soak at room temperature for 8-12 hours, away from direct sunlight. After their initial soak, drain the water off completely, and replace the jar in its cool, dark resting place.

Although unseen at this point, the miracle of life is beginning to unfold in your kitchen. The garbanzo beans are beginning to sprout, and a great number of biological changes are underway. During their nice, long bath, the chickpeas took in a great deal of water. This causes the bean to think that it is being planted in the ground, and germination begins. Enzymatic inhibitors shut down, and the enzymes present in the garbanzo bean turn proteins into amino acids (garbanzo beans contain all 8 essential amino acids!), complex carbohydrates are broken down into simpler, more digestible starches and natural sugars, and nutrients like vitamins B, C, and E are produced in great numbers.

After draining the soaking water from the garbanzo beans, they should be rinsed and drained once or twice daily. After about two or three days, small sprouts should be visible at the top of each bean. They may not be visible on every bean, but that’s okay. At this point, if desired, you may let the beans absorb a few hours of sunlight to promote additional vitamin C and chlorophyll production.

When the beans have sprouted sufficiently, give them another good rinse, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will greatly slow the sprouting process, and will allow you to keep the garbanzo beans for up to a month.

As with all food, be sure to follow stringent sanitation practices. Cleanliness is especially necessary when dealing with raw foods and sprouts. Wash your hands with soap and hot water before working with the beans at every stage of sprouting. Rinsing the garbanzo beans once or twice daily is essential, both for sanitation, and for keeping the beans from drying out. Make sure your sprouting container and all surfaces that your beans come in contact with are clean and away from potential contaminants. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly just before use. Look your sprouted beans over, checking for mold or signs of rotting. If, after rinsing, you notice a foul odor or anything “off”, toss them. As the old adage says, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Related posts:

1. Raw Sprouted Hummus Recipe
2. Eat Your Beet Greens: Recipe
3. KCRW Good Food: Raw Blueberry Pie

Dionicess VIII marks the third such event that I’ve had the pleasure to work on. This time, we’re pairing up the world class beers of The Bruery with Chef Eric Greenspan, chef/owner of The Foundry on Melrose, to bring you an epic day of hedonism… with two separate tastings featuring two separate menus!

After really going over the top with Dionicess VII at The Foundry, pairing an eight course meal with eight different beers from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, we weren’t sure how we were going to take Dionicess VIII to the next level. We’d approached our friends at The Bruery to see if they wanted to have part in our next event, and they were game from the first mention. Chef Greeny was in, no problem. And when it came time to bring them together for our first meeting/tasting, something amazing happened.

Benjamin Weiss, manager of sales and marketing at The Bruery, showed up with a whopping selection of 10 beers, and we tasted through them all, coming up with pairings for each of them. When it came time to whittle down the menu and figure out which beers we wanted to cut, we ran into a major problem — we didn’t want to cut any of them. So, what were we going to do? We put our heads together and a brilliant idea was born…

Us: “Dude. We can’t do a 10 course dinner. No way!”
Greeny: “Wanna do lunch AND dinner in the same day?”

The resounding yes that we all toasted with could be heard for miles. And so, we resolved to host a four-course lunch and a six-course dinner, pairing a total of 10 different beers from The Bruery, including some nearly impossible to get bottles.

Lunch Menu

• Goat Cheese and Orange Rillettes / flatbread / herbed oil with Orchard White
• Endive Salad / taleggio / Asian pear / hazelnut oil with Saison Rue
• Confit of Rabbit / lemon / date / olive / harissa with Loakal Red
• Pecan Coconut and Cocoa Tartlet / bourbon ice cream / corn flakes feuilletine with a rare dessert beer

Dinner Menu

• Charred Mackerel / grapefruit juice & oil with Saison de Lente
• Crispy Skin Loup de Mer / spicy lemongrass broth / Sriracha kimchee mushroom ragout with Mischief
• Fried Chicken “Oysters” / cheddar cheese / biscuit bread pudding / collard greens / honey & black pepper gastrique with Première
• Mascarpone and Black Pepper Gelato Quenelle / strawberry, gooseberry, cranberry compote / balsamic reduction / tarragon with a rare, limited release beer
• Duck Breast “Reuben” / mustard / sauerkraut with Rugbrød
• Dark Chocolate Crepes / burnt orange marmalade / cinnamon and Nutella ice cream with a rare dessert beer

Dionicess VIII Team: Nate Sellergren, Dave Watrous, Gev Kazanchyan, Chef Eric Greenspan, Randy Clemens, Benjamin Weiss

Dionicess VIII: The FoundRUEy
Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Foundry on Melrose
7465 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, 90046

4-course Lunch /1pm/ $45
6-course Dinner /6pm/ $85
10-course Lunch + Dinner $115

Tickets MUST be purchased in advance.

For those crazy lucky enough to be attending both seatings, there will be entertainment and/or nap areas (TBD) provided for the little bit of down time in between gorgings.

Hope to see you there!

Related posts:

1. UPDATE: Dionicess VII Beer Pairing Event Dogfish Head & The Foundry on Melrose
2. Beer Pairing Event | Dionicess VII: Dogfish Head and Decadence
3. Dionicess VI — Beer Pairing: Sausage & Fries

Anyway, if you’re in LA and you’re free on the January 18th, I’d love for you to come share in the excitement of The Sriracha Cookbook’s release at Blue Palms Brewhouse. Please RSVP on the Facebook Event page if you plan to attend. Details are below:

After about a year and a half, The Sriracha Cookbook is finally being unleashed upon the unsuspecting world. And frankly, I can’t think of a better reason to have a friggin’ party!

Join me at the fantastic Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood, CA on the day of the book’s release: Tuesday, January 18th, from 7:30-11:30pm! We’re rolling out the red carpet (seriously) and putting together a great menu showcasing several recipes from the book, including:

Kicked-Up Party Nuts
Sriracha Jalapeño Poppers
Sriracha and Crab Rangoon Wontons

Sriracha Baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Fire Roasted Corn Chowder
Vietnamese-style Grilled Short Ribs
Ultimate Sriracha Burger

In addition to the amazing selection of craft beer that Blue Palms has graciously promised to roll out, there will be a special SRIRACHA BEER on hand, made just for us thanks to my friends at Eagle Rock Brewery! PLUS I’ve got a few extra Sriracha surprises up my sleeve that you won’t want to miss!

21+. No cover charge. Food, drinks, and books (of course) will be available for purchase at the event. Full bar. Parking ($8) is available at the adjacent lot, or you can travel Metro. Blue Palms is just two blocks from the Hollywood/Vine Red Line subway station, and is served by plenty of buses: 2, 180/181, 210, 217, 222, 780… check out www.metro.net for more info!

Blue Palms Brewhouse (map)
6124 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028

The Sriracha Cookbook Blog | TheSrirachaCookbook | @SrirachaBook

Related posts:

1. The Sriracha Cookbook — Landing January 2011!
2. Book Essentials: Michael Jackson’s Great Beers of Belgium
3. Dionicess VIII: The Bruery & The Foundry on Melrose