The Brinery

It's been WAY too long... Ann Arbor's "The Brinery" deserves a shout-out. These guys make naturally fermented products--sauerkrauts, kimchis, pickles, and the like. Each batch is unique based on inputs and conditions--and I love that about it. It's much like fine wine--not a mass-produced, factory processes food intended for uniformity above all else. Now, these are not $2 jars of pickles--if you want that--well, Meijer or Wal-Mart or your local mega-mart will take care of you. But the product is worth every $.

Today's newest offering is called "Mountain Elder"--a locally grown, locally fermented red cabbage with a nice seasoning of ajowain. It's got a citric, umami, smoky note that is unbelievable. It would be classic with Mediterranean and middle eastern yogurt sauces with grilled meats, I think--we'll know more later in the week. But more broadly, the krauts (at least 3 or 4 types most weeks--some green and some red) are all pretty amazing. The owner and fermentation master, David, adds various appropriate flavors--caraway, juniper berry, and so on--to varying types of cabbage. The creativity is amazing, and I've not had one bad offering.

The pickles are what good fermented deli pickles SHOULD be, but so often fail at. The texture varies from crisp to a bit softer, the flavors vary a bit each time, but the dill and the garlic and the salt always make for a wonderful experience. The pickled turnips are also a good standby.

For me, the kimchis are often hotter than I personally care for--but then again, so is most Korean kimchi. David often has one or more milder offerings in that realm too. The hotter varieties seem remarkably authentic, complete with the fermented fish sauce.

So, next time you get a chance--check out Ann Arbor's best fermented, pickled products--all from The Brinery