Category: Food & Drink

By Greg Roe and Mike De Smidt When you think of fermentation, cheese may not be what first comes to mind; or even second, or third. But many types of cheeses are indeed the product of fermentation. Some are non-fermented, such as cottage cheese and paneer, where the curds and whey are separated simply by adding an acid. If you… Read More

By Mike De Smidt and Greg Roe Everyone can agree that Guinness is the iconic Irish beer given its history, distinctive character, and wide global recognition. The title of this piece is also in jest, since, aside from a heavier mouthfeel, Guinness is by most standards a fairly light beer, being both low in alcohol and easy to drink. However,… Read More

By Mike De Smidt and Greg Roe This month, we’re going on a fermentation adventure. West Country White Ale, sometimes called Devon White Ale, is a seemingly odd beer with roots back to at least the 1500s, perhaps even the Middle Ages. An ale variety that existed before hops were a common ingredient, it was traditionally brewed in Devon and… Read More

By Mike De Smidt and Greg Roe Once upon a time in a wintery wonderland in northern Germany, in a bustling town called Einbeck, a beer was born. Commonly thought of as a Bavarian beer, the name of bock beer is believed to derive from an abbreviation of Einbeck, pronounced “Einbock” in the Bavarian dialect, to “bock,” noting its place… Read More