An interview with brewinhooligan from Hooligan Handrolls
Dec 16, 2017 21:44:58 GMT -5
antb, Ronv69, and 6 more like this
Post by billyklubb on Dec 16, 2017 21:44:58 GMT -5
I've been talking to brewinhooligan for 6+ years on home brewing forums. Pipes, cigars, beer, and music are something we have a lot in common. I've considered him a friend for that long though we've never met face to face, yet. But there are a great number of folks I've never met in person that I call friend and many more yet to meet.
I thought it'd be fun to do a short interview with brewinhooligan about his hand in cigar rolling.
1)How long have you been rolling cigars?
I have been rolling cigars almost 3 years now.
1B)If you had to guess, about how many cigars do you think you've rolled in that time?
Probably at least two thousand
2)What are your favorite leaves to work with?
My favorite filler leaves are corojo and criollo, my favorite binder is Dominican, and my favorite wrapper to work with is Ecuadorian habano.
2B)What's the oddest leaf you've worked with?
The oddest leaf I've worked with in aspect of flavor is Indonesian Besuki. It has a strange appearance too, sometimes it has spots that are almost purple.
3)How did you come up with the name Hooligan Handrolls?
Well my forum screen name is brewinhooligan and Hooligan Handrolls seemed catchy so I just "rolled" with it.
3B)Hahahaha!! Any plans for a Brass Knuckle series?
My original logo actually had a pair of knuckle dusters incorporated as part of the design. Ezra Zion came out with a blend called Brass Knuckles where the band was a mini set of brass knuckles tied around the cigar so they beat me to it. I want to try and remain original. I want to name a blend "Throat Punch" and incorporate some brass knuckles somehow though.
4)Do you think I can be a pretty, pretty princess some day?
Follow your dreams, you can accomplish your goals. I am living proof. Just don't drop the soap.
4B)Sweet! I already have my tiara picked out, but can't decide on a gown. What was a goal you surprised yourself by accomplishing?
Rolling barber pole cigars before I was actually ready. But pushing myself to do new things is the best way to make myself grow.
5)Every beginning starts with some kind of inspiration. What inspired you to start rolling cigars?
A guy on homebrewtalk posted how he started to roll his own cigars. I picked his brain a little, found where to order leaf from and decided to jump in head first.
5B)Is jumping in head first your M.O.? Is that how you started brewing as well?
Pretty much. I was gifted a Mr Beer kit for Christmas one year. Christmas day I whipped up my first batch. A few weeks later I was drinking nasty arse beer, but I made it. I made three more of the kits, but did some research and did some things to make the kits better, then went right into 5 gallon all grain brewing. If you're going to put in the effort, go all in, no sense in going half assed.
6)You enjoy smoking pipe as well, what are some of your favorite styles of pipe tobacco?
My favorite style of pipe tobacco is va/per followed closely by english blends.
6B)I have seen quite a few flavored cigars that claim to mimic aromatic pipe tobacco characteristics. Have you ever tried to incorporate Perique, Latakia, or Dark Fired Virginias into a cigar?
I haven't yet. I have had a few requests and I probably will bridge that gap in the near future, but I am of the mindset that if I want a cigar I will smoke a cigar and if I want a pipe I will smoke a pipe.
7)Have you ever smoked a cigar out of a pipe?
I am not ashamed to admit when a cigar is good I will stick the nub in a pipe so I can get every last bit out of it.
7B)See folks? Keep a pipe around to finish that cigar! How frequently do you finish a cigar this way?
I have only done this about a dozen times. Usually it's for a Cuban cigar because a non Cuban I can just go grab or buy another, the Cubans I can't.
8)How many fingers am I holding up?
Eleventy
8B)Damn, you're good! Are you looking in my window? What color is my banana hammock?
Fluorescent green!
9)What are some of your other ongoing projects besides cigars?
I just upgraded my brewstand to accommodate 15gal batches, I blend pipe tobacco here and there, I like to build ar15s,
9B)How long have you been brewing beer?
7 years
9C)What are your favorite styles of beer to pair with the cigar you're smoking?
Scotch ales, stouts, and porters are my favorite cigar pairing beers.
10)What is your favorite type of cigar?
My favorite type of cigar is full flavored, strong, and complex. I want the smoke to be thick and rich to coat the palate and leave a lingering flavor. I usually prefer there to be a natural sweetness along with some spice as well.
10B)We came over on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. About how many cigars do you smoke a month?
20-30 on average
Bonus Round! My interviews go up to 11!
11)Anything you'd like to add or mention about cigar rolling?
Rolling your own cigars can be very rewarding and requires very little equipment if you want to give it a try. A cutting board, a pizza cutter to cut your binder and wrapper, and some strips of paper to form your bunches is all you really need. Pre-blended kits from wholeleaftobacco.com are a great way to try things out and see if it's something you want to pursue further, but the kits will limit you based on the leaf options. You would be surprised how good a home rolled cigar can be for under $2 in leaf, you just have to be willing to put in the time and the effort.
Thanks for the interview brewinhooligan!
I thought it'd be fun to do a short interview with brewinhooligan about his hand in cigar rolling.
1)How long have you been rolling cigars?
I have been rolling cigars almost 3 years now.
1B)If you had to guess, about how many cigars do you think you've rolled in that time?
Probably at least two thousand
2)What are your favorite leaves to work with?
My favorite filler leaves are corojo and criollo, my favorite binder is Dominican, and my favorite wrapper to work with is Ecuadorian habano.
2B)What's the oddest leaf you've worked with?
The oddest leaf I've worked with in aspect of flavor is Indonesian Besuki. It has a strange appearance too, sometimes it has spots that are almost purple.
3)How did you come up with the name Hooligan Handrolls?
Well my forum screen name is brewinhooligan and Hooligan Handrolls seemed catchy so I just "rolled" with it.
3B)Hahahaha!! Any plans for a Brass Knuckle series?
My original logo actually had a pair of knuckle dusters incorporated as part of the design. Ezra Zion came out with a blend called Brass Knuckles where the band was a mini set of brass knuckles tied around the cigar so they beat me to it. I want to try and remain original. I want to name a blend "Throat Punch" and incorporate some brass knuckles somehow though.
4)Do you think I can be a pretty, pretty princess some day?
Follow your dreams, you can accomplish your goals. I am living proof. Just don't drop the soap.
4B)Sweet! I already have my tiara picked out, but can't decide on a gown. What was a goal you surprised yourself by accomplishing?
Rolling barber pole cigars before I was actually ready. But pushing myself to do new things is the best way to make myself grow.
5)Every beginning starts with some kind of inspiration. What inspired you to start rolling cigars?
A guy on homebrewtalk posted how he started to roll his own cigars. I picked his brain a little, found where to order leaf from and decided to jump in head first.
5B)Is jumping in head first your M.O.? Is that how you started brewing as well?
Pretty much. I was gifted a Mr Beer kit for Christmas one year. Christmas day I whipped up my first batch. A few weeks later I was drinking nasty arse beer, but I made it. I made three more of the kits, but did some research and did some things to make the kits better, then went right into 5 gallon all grain brewing. If you're going to put in the effort, go all in, no sense in going half assed.
6)You enjoy smoking pipe as well, what are some of your favorite styles of pipe tobacco?
My favorite style of pipe tobacco is va/per followed closely by english blends.
6B)I have seen quite a few flavored cigars that claim to mimic aromatic pipe tobacco characteristics. Have you ever tried to incorporate Perique, Latakia, or Dark Fired Virginias into a cigar?
I haven't yet. I have had a few requests and I probably will bridge that gap in the near future, but I am of the mindset that if I want a cigar I will smoke a cigar and if I want a pipe I will smoke a pipe.
7)Have you ever smoked a cigar out of a pipe?
I am not ashamed to admit when a cigar is good I will stick the nub in a pipe so I can get every last bit out of it.
7B)See folks? Keep a pipe around to finish that cigar! How frequently do you finish a cigar this way?
I have only done this about a dozen times. Usually it's for a Cuban cigar because a non Cuban I can just go grab or buy another, the Cubans I can't.
8)How many fingers am I holding up?
Eleventy
8B)Damn, you're good! Are you looking in my window? What color is my banana hammock?
Fluorescent green!
9)What are some of your other ongoing projects besides cigars?
I just upgraded my brewstand to accommodate 15gal batches, I blend pipe tobacco here and there, I like to build ar15s,
9B)How long have you been brewing beer?
7 years
9C)What are your favorite styles of beer to pair with the cigar you're smoking?
Scotch ales, stouts, and porters are my favorite cigar pairing beers.
10)What is your favorite type of cigar?
My favorite type of cigar is full flavored, strong, and complex. I want the smoke to be thick and rich to coat the palate and leave a lingering flavor. I usually prefer there to be a natural sweetness along with some spice as well.
10B)We came over on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. About how many cigars do you smoke a month?
20-30 on average
Bonus Round! My interviews go up to 11!
11)Anything you'd like to add or mention about cigar rolling?
Rolling your own cigars can be very rewarding and requires very little equipment if you want to give it a try. A cutting board, a pizza cutter to cut your binder and wrapper, and some strips of paper to form your bunches is all you really need. Pre-blended kits from wholeleaftobacco.com are a great way to try things out and see if it's something you want to pursue further, but the kits will limit you based on the leaf options. You would be surprised how good a home rolled cigar can be for under $2 in leaf, you just have to be willing to put in the time and the effort.
Thanks for the interview brewinhooligan!
