Feather Bowling & Belgian Beers: Inside Detroit's Cadieux Cafe

Step into a slice of living history at Detroit's famed Cadieux Cafe, where authentic Belgian feather bowling lanes have been delighting visitors since 1933. Our conversation with owner John Rutherford reveals the fascinating journey of this east side crown jewel from its origins as a Belgian grocery store during Prohibition to its current status as America's only authentic feather bowling venue.

John's own story proves equally captivating - a professional trombone player who performed with Bob Seger for over 300 shows before becoming Cadieux's third owner in nearly a century of operation. His passion for preserving tradition while thoughtfully modernizing shines through as we explore the cafe's unique offerings. The original dirt lanes (complete with their secret mixture including kitty litter and quick-crete) remain intact, rolling alongside an impressive selection of 30+ Belgian beers that showcase the rich brewing traditions of Trappist monasteries and Flemish brewers.

During our visit, we sample Chimay Red and Petrus Sour while learning about the cafe's regular music programming, including monthly performances by Planet D Nonet and Grateful Dead tribute band Super Crunch. John's improvements - an outdoor beer garden accommodating 242 people, lane cameras enhancing casual players' experience, and infrastructure updates - have enhanced the venue while maintaining its authentic character. Future plans may include a third bowling lane and improved facilities, ensuring this Detroit institution continues introducing new generations to Belgian culture, cuisine, and the unique joy of feather bowling for decades to come.

Join us for a pint and a roll at this one-of-a-kind destination where Belgian traditions meet Detroit history in the most delightful way. Check their website or Facebook page for upcoming events, including the popular annual Mussel Beach Music Festival.

https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour

www.ManCaveHappyHour.com

Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

Merch www.WearingFunny.com

Transcript

Jamie: 0:02

I said, hey, hey, welcome to the man Cave Happy Hour.

Matt Fox: 0:09

I said, hey, hey welcome to the man Cave Happy Hour.

Jamie: 0:16

We're going to drink a fine whiskey and smoke a really fine cigar. It is time for Happy Hour. It is the man Cave Happy Hour Whiskey, cigars, spirits, the stories that go along with it. I'm Jamie Flanagan. This guy next to me is August.

August : 0:33

I'm blessed to be sitting here with handsome Matt Fox.

Jamie: 0:35

Thank you sir, how are you, buddy? And we are blessed we are all very, very blessed to be in one of the finest, oldest, coolest establishment in the city limits and beyond the crown jewel of the east side of Detroit, the crown jewel, without a doubt. We're at the Cadieux Cafe.

August : 0:52

Yes, Wonderful Cadieux  Cafe In a neighborhood that I grew up in as a child. Used to ride my bike up to this place and have cheeseburgers and stuff with my dad.

Jamie: 0:59

I was a 7 and Van Dyke, but I hung with all the gross boy boys. So yeah, I was having a Van Dyke, but I hung with all the gross point boys. So yeah, it was a good time. So, but yeah, with us. Owner John Rutherford. John, welcome to the man Cave. Hi guys, thanks for having me, or thanks for letting the man Cave be in your space. Actually, no problem, it's a busy Sunday for you.

John Rutherford : 1:19

We got the big band in the big room on a Sunday last Sunday of the month, right? Rj Spangler's Planet D no Net Nice, starting here in about an hour. Nice, yeah, your restaurant will be jammed for that. It always is. I've been here for a few times for that.

Jamie: 1:32

So now the Cadieux Cafe has a long storied history. You're newer to the game? Yes, probably about eight years.

Matt Fox: 1:39

Seven, seven all right, I knew it was in ballpark.

Jamie: 1:42

there, how far back does the cafe go?

John Rutherford : 1:46

Well, you know the paperwork isn't great, sure sure, but the late 20s, early 30s, nice, the feather bowling started in 1933. We know that for sure, and there's probably some better historians to talk about that type of stuff, like Jerry Lemonow. Who does you know?

Matt Fox: 2:03

we have all those drawings of the league champs.

John Rutherford : 2:08

Jerry has a good knowledge and grasp of the history. We should say we're actually in the lanes right now.

Jamie: 2:12

You hear the noise. You hear the balls hitting walls. I'm scared the bejesus out of me. I'm not used to it.

Matt Fox: 2:21

What do you actually call what they roll Stones?

August : 2:24

So there's a lot of rolling stones happening. I'm in the beer league on Tuesday nights. We just call them wheels or balls.

Matt Fox: 2:31

But they are. I mean, keep it simple.

August : 2:33

My league mates are here. I actually have a sanctioned league game at 4 o'clock today, do you roll? A makeup game, which is why I chose that you do this today.

Matt Fox: 2:41

Oh, excellent. Also two birds, one stone. That's right, Skip it Stone.

John Rutherford : 2:45

Yeah, oh no, that's it. There you go Really quick, though. Originally it was a Belgian grocery store, oh, oh, okay. And then, during Prohibition, they started serving you know, drinks, I think out of the basement or something, and Then at some point it morphed into the Cadieux Cafe, I think circa in the 50s, maybe.

Jamie: 3:05

This was a.

John Rutherford : 3:06

Belgian neighborhood I grew up just west of here and the pigeon racing was a big deal in this neighborhood. Everyone would run the pigeons. You'd see them flying around the whole area. I went to St Jude's down the road and you would see them flying around. This was like the feather, and the feather bowling were always pigeon feathers. The pigeon coops were on the roof. It's still there. No, it's not.

Matt Fox: 3:28

Sadly.

John Rutherford : 3:30

I'm not making light of it, but the so I bought it from Ron DeVos and Paul.

Matt Fox: 3:35

All good friends of mine.

John Rutherford : 3:36

Ron's father died of a lung disease brought about from the pigeon feces oh good

Matt Fox: 3:42

lord. Wow, sorry, I brought it up by pigeon shit.

John Rutherford : 3:47

Well, I mean, there's a scientific name for the.

Jamie: 3:51

Right Sucks. It's called no thank you, phobia.

Matt Fox: 3:55

That's what that is. Yeah, it sucks.

Jamie: 3:57

But so a long storied history. People love, love, love this place. And then there's new owners. Everybody's like Fah, love, love, love this place. And then there's new owners. Everybody's like ah, new owner, they're going to mess it up.

John Rutherford : 4:08

What are these clowns?

Jamie: 4:09

And you've done, you've made some changes, but you've stayed true to a lot of the Kaju Cafe, that's been the goal, just enhance the experience as much as we can and and keep the building from falling.

John Rutherford : 4:24

I mean most. Most. Most of what we've done has been infrastructure, a lot of stuff you don't even see in the basement, on the roof, electrical work, plumbing work, but we're hoping at some point to expand off to the side over here.

Matt Fox: 4:39

You do have quite a lot of room over here, the biggest thing being new restrooms over here. There's so much charm and history. In these pistons we're going to have quite a lot of room over here, the biggest thing being new restrooms over here. Oh hey, all right. Well, there's so much charm and history in these pistons. With that trough in there, I mean come on how can you change the restrooms? You got to keep that stadium.

Jamie: 4:56

You can make the women's room nicer.

Matt Fox: 4:57

Tie your stadium trough down there, yeah, so what year was it that you actually came into Kaju Cafe? 2019?

John Rutherford : 5:01

into catch you in 2019 january. Uh, I think 16th was the so this is still kind of new for you, if uh yeah well, I mean, if you think about it too, it's like, yeah, it's been roughly seven years, but you know we were closed for we didn't do a lot of the 25 percent uh during covet, like we just waited until it was 50 and above. So we were closed. Probably of the seven years I mean we've owned it, uh, wow, okay, for you know, two periods of about six months each.

John Rutherford : 5:26

I think that we did, we just kind of it's just kind of weathered the storm and then, yeah, you know you'd rather figure out how much money you're gonna lose a month rather than like not the uncertainty and right being caught with stock and having to do the the curbside thing you know it just was a lot of effort and the whole time you have a day job.

John Rutherford : 5:44

Yeah, true, okay, I'm a musician. I play the trombone. I started working professionally when I was about 12 or 13 years old. I used to get hired to be a ringer at Bishop Gallagher when I was in grade school, down the street here at St Clair.

Matt Fox: 6:02

When we were here a couple years ago with the Zim's Vodka guys.

Jamie: 6:06

I think we spoke with you.

Matt Fox: 6:07

Who have you played with with the trombone? I've been fortunate to play with a lot of really great bands and musicians.

John Rutherford : 6:14

Most notably for Detroiters would be Bob Seger and the Solar Bullet Band.

Matt Fox: 6:18

Oh my God, You've served with him for years, didn't you?

John Rutherford : 6:20

Yeah, I did over 300 shows, maybe 350 shows, since 2006 was when we joined.

Matt Fox: 6:28

And then my memory is sparking here from this conversation.

Jamie: 6:30

We probably already we linked the Zim's interview in the comments below, because that was a good interview too. So the menu here right, the menu, that's something people love, because you had a very unique menu the beer selections and you've kept true to that for the most part as well. Yes, yeah, what's the big item that everybody loves? Mussels oh it's the mussels, the mussels, yeah, they have the Mussel Beach Festival in the summertime now.

John Rutherford : 6:57

Yes yes. That Ron and Paul started. Yeah, we carried that on and that's always a lot of fun over Labor Day weekend. Yeah, I mean when the leaguers that have been here for a long time, when John took it over and he had a part of the time Now, you're by yourself, right, it's just you. Yes, correct, you had a part of the time and changes were made and everyone was getting nervous. And then we saw the changes, yeah, and then we saw something as simple as that the lane, yep it keeps people from walking across the lanes and making it a mess when we're playing.

Jamie: 7:25

It was a big change. Hitting the ankle with a stone too, yeah, and then the garage door here behind us.

John Rutherford : 7:32

This whole beer garden has been.

Jamie: 7:33

Oh, my God, the whole brickwork.

John Rutherford : 7:34

Oh yeah, the brickwork was already done. I mean, you clean it once. It looked great. You knew it was going to get dirty within six months. You couldn't tell they're Brits now, but it's just the natural dust. That's the big thing at the Cadge. It's killing dust from the lanes.

Jamie: 7:47

Oh, the dust.

John Rutherford : 7:48

So that's why people say why don't you tear down the wall? You can't.

Matt Fox: 7:52

You would not. Health department must turn. Oh my God yeah, exactly. Right, you got to separate church and state at some point. You know, good point, good point, but man.

Jamie: 8:00

Cave, tell us a little bit about the beer selections and what you've done with the beer and spirits selections.

John Rutherford : 8:06

Sure, we have about what is it? Two to three dozen Belgian imports Nice, speaking of which August is enjoying a Chimay right now.

Jamie: 8:14

We're going to get into that. I've never had.

Matt Fox: 8:16

Chimay. There's three different offerings we have yeah, chimay, I don't drink it much, so you only have the red in stock right now the blue.

John Rutherford : 8:24

Grand Reserve is my favorite, but this is just damn delicious.

Jamie: 8:26

Are you calling out our manager?

John Rutherford : 8:27

No, it just means it's really good and people drink it. At $20 a bottle. It still flies off the shelf. It can be hard to get too $20 a bottle. It's made by the monks at the Monastery in Belgium.

Matt Fox: 8:41

They also make cheese. They're the.

John Rutherford : 8:43

Trappist monks. They also make cheese, which is great, and the recipes, of course, go back. What's the year on here? Is it on here? Hmm, 18. I think it's older than that.

Matt Fox: 8:57

Oh wow, that smells amazing, that's a flavorful smell.

Jamie: 9:01

Let's find it here. A flavorful smell, they're 1862.

John Rutherford : 9:05

1862. There's also a lot of sour Belgians. They have a few of them here that are fruited sour Flemish.

Matt Fox: 9:11

The Petrus.

John Rutherford : 9:13

And a few of those I enjoy. The Deliriums are great beer. They're all monk, except for your Feather Bowler Double, which is made by our friends at Dragon Meat. Oh nice, this is a recipe created by. Rest in peace, brad Etheridge, my former Feather Bowling teammate. Nobody, brad, I was talking about the Lambics, the Lindemans. The amazing thing about the Belgian beers is there's so many styles and flavors, and I found this out is that they have no wine region there. Really, there's a small area of the port of France where they can. They can make wine, but but that's why the monks. The monks made all these different types of beers because they didn't have wine.

Matt Fox: 9:59

Well, they had nothing else to do except make beer Right and pray.

Jamie: 10:04

Oh, these are nice.

John Rutherford : 10:05

This is tasty, so I love Belgian beers, but they will make me fart my brains out tomorrow.

Matt Fox: 10:11

There's something about Belgian yeast that just does it. Also, this is not gluten-free. Did I hear you? This is not gluten-free. It is not gluten-free.

Jamie: 10:22

It's thick, it's chewy, it's almost chewy. I'm enjoying it. It's not qu-free. It's thick, it's chewy, it's almost chewy, I'm enjoying it.

John Rutherford : 10:25

This one's not quiche, it's just.

Jamie: 10:27

these are the beers that my family always does a Chimay at Thanksgiving I started looking at it with this clear cellar and my brother and my dad, so for me this is chewy All right.

Matt Fox: 10:34

So about as Belgium as I've ever been with. Beer would be Fat Tire. That's about as Belgium as I've ever gotten with beer would be Pantai.

John Rutherford : 10:42

What about Stella? You've probably had Stella, right? Oh, I'm drinking it already.

Matt Fox: 10:45

I was waiting for that one.

John Rutherford : 10:46

Is it Belgium?

Matt Fox: 10:47

too yeah.

John Rutherford : 10:48

Oh, fair play. I thought it was French. Pretty sure it's something.

Matt Fox: 10:54

All right, we have something in our pocket I'll always drink a Stella, but as far as Belgian beer, I'm not really well versed, and this well versed and this is amazing.

John Rutherford : 11:07

Yeah, august you, you made a good call. Well, I knew, I knew what to go to well to impress my uh, my podcast mates here.

Jamie: 11:10

What is the uh apv on that? The alcohol content should be right there. Where are we at uh? Seven percent seven all right, that's that's nice.

John Rutherford : 11:20

Yeah, that's uh some of these can be super high. Some of these Belgian doubles and triples.

Jamie: 11:25

Like I say, it's not quite a kick in the dick, but you know you're drinking.

John Rutherford : 11:28

Deliriums are really high in alcohol content yes, absolutely the little Fendouman, now that's, that's rooting. Quebec, that's Quebec. Yeah, it's Montreal-based Belgian beer, yeah, but it's, I think, a nine or 10%. So there is a question that we we forgot to ask Jamie.

Matt Fox: 11:48

Oh my God, yeah, we did. You guys know as soon as I said that you know exactly.

John Rutherford : 11:55

All right August on three, one, two, three.

Jamie: 12:00

Tell us about your childhood? I always, that's always my first question. It's because do it, it's because of the zim's interview I know you yeah, I was here right and I lived through that.

John Rutherford : 12:10

I just wanted to get, I just wanted to get to the period that's when you get.

Matt Fox: 12:13

Can you tell me about my childhood?

Jamie: 12:17

yeah, yeah, yeah, this one's short, so are you?

John Rutherford : 12:20

are you a born and bred detroit guy? Yeah, grew up in gross point park, um berks and my mom's still over there. My dad passed last May Went to St Clair my Thalco Catholic grade school up the street, yeah, and then high school at UD Jesuit oh, right on. And you are a Detroit boy, I love that. And then music school in Boston, then at U of M, and then started traveling a lot and lived overseas and played in some different orchestras.

Matt Fox: 12:45

Were overseas like Europe.

John Rutherford : 12:48

No, mostly in Asia Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Is that?

Matt Fox: 12:55

where you get your trombone chops from.

John Rutherford : 12:57

I was a freelancer essentially, so hopping from project to project. I was fortunate I linked up with Yo-Yo Ma and recorded on an album with him and it was a small group of about nine or ten people and we toured a lot of North America and then just really got. I was addicted to sort of being on the road and just started doing different gigs and word of mouth is kind of how it works and I was fortunate to really have a good run. I played a lot with the Detroit Symphony and the Michigan Opera Theater here locally that's brilliant man and musical productions at the Fisher Theater and Fox Okay Masonic Temple when they were doing musicals there. And then, yeah, things really sort of took off then when the Seeger thing happened in 2006.

Matt Fox: 13:41

So it sounds amazing, and the experience itself. How did you want to come into the Kaju Cafe and continue the legacy? I mean August and I met here 20 years ago probably.

John Rutherford : 13:54

I was a regular here. I mean probably too regular.

Matt Fox: 13:58

So I just slipped on the street.

John Rutherford : 13:59

I live in this English village now for 20 years and once I moved here I never had food in my fridge, single. We'd come up here, you know, probably three or four days a week. We'd come after my gigs and we still have one of the latest kitchens open on the east side Always till midnight, except on Sundays, and I would pop in here after my, my gigs. I'd be in a tuxedo, oftentimes coming from the symphony and and then get a meal. Um and uh I I was shocked when it, you know, became for sale and uh I I was like, well, I'm already spending a lot of money here I don't know in business for a pound right.

John Rutherford : 14:40

No, I mean, the owners were great. Ron was a good friend of mine.

Matt Fox: 14:44

There's a good friend of mine too. I've known those guys. I met him at Fantasy Baseball League with.

John Rutherford : 14:48

Paul Mizoraki, thank you, and they were so helpful too with the transition when we bought it and gave us their blessing, which obviously helps at a place like this with so many traditions. And really I'm only like the third owner. I mean, it was their family. It was the first family. I forgot their last name, a Belgian last name, and then the DeVos family and now myself.

Jamie: 15:09

So now the lanes out here and the feather pulling, that's a huge part of it and people are like, oh my God, are they going to keep it Right? Because you never know Right, how are they going to keep it right?

John Rutherford : 15:17

Because you never know right A new owner, you're like, oh screw, that, that's a mess. It's funny how the rumor is that I promised Ron that I would keep it. Yeah, I mean, that's integral to the whole operation.

Jamie: 15:27

And this is very traditional Is it dirt? How do you describe the truck here? I mean it's traditional.

John Rutherford : 15:31

This is the original outside of Belgium. That would be all the All the other places I won't name them.

Jamie: 15:37

It's like AstroTurf, it's like Putt-Putt Golf, yeah.

John Rutherford : 15:42

I mean, it's not feather bowling Right and there's no slab beneath the lanes, it's just dirt, that's just dirt.

Jamie: 15:50

That's just Detroit dirt.

John Rutherford : 15:52

That first lane was outside, and then, when they added the second lane, they built around it.

Jamie: 15:56

Is that just Detroit dirt?

John Rutherford : 15:58

Yeah Well, there's some special ingredients there's supposed to be, like ox blood in there it's a coagulate but they don't use ox blood anymore. They use.

Jamie: 16:08

I don't know we're close. It's a trademark.

John Rutherford : 16:12

I'm in the Tuesday night league. My name was only on the wall once in that plaque over there. I got one win in my 18 years of doing this.

Matt Fox: 16:19

So a chemical analysis of the dirt that's on these. It would bring back some memories. There's a few different components. I think there's some quick-crete in there.

Jamie: 16:25

There's some kitty litter. There's some kitty litter. I know there's kitty litter in there.

John Rutherford : 16:29

Yeah, yeah, there is, and it's all about keeping it. So it's not too sandy but it's not hard as a rock. You want sort of just the right mixture.

Matt Fox: 16:38

Well, you want the stones to roll properly. Well, and the imperfections is part of the game, right you?

John Rutherford : 16:43

know, knowing where the dips are, knowing where the rises are. Sure, sure, sure, sure. The character of the lanes changes too with the seasons, like warm, moisture, humidity, no humidity, rainy season yeah, it's all coming underneath it. Humidity, no humidity, rainy season, it's all coming underneath it. So we installed a sprinkler system that has been working pretty well. We're still tweaking it, but the employees used to have to hose down the lanes every night.

Jamie: 17:10

Keep the dust down.

John Rutherford : 17:11

Yeah, keep the dust down and to keep again getting too sandy.

Jamie: 17:14

Well, you have cameras now, so you can see. Yeah, we put in cameras. I think it's worked out. I think people like it.

John Rutherford : 17:20

It was a bit controversial at first putting the cameras in, but it enhances the experience, especially for the people who are playing casually the only controversy was with the Thursday night. Arrogant us that think that everything has to be like it was in 1955.

Jamie: 17:38

So, how many lanes like this are around the country? I mean, is this a unique? How unique is this?

John Rutherford : 17:43

This is the only one that's. I mean, this is original feather bowling. This is like they do it in Belgium. Yeah, it's a small sport over there too, or game, whatever you want to call it, it's a Flemish thing. It's Western Belgium, western Belgium, and so you go to the bigger cities. People don't even know about it over there. It's a niche game over there, and this is the only like what can we compare it to in the States?

Matt Fox: 18:06

Well, you've been in my bowling league with me, yeah right, we did that together Exactly.

John Rutherford : 18:10

As. I'm the king of the obscure sports I foal and I feather bowl yeah. And I've won one title in each. He likes games and activities that start with F that's right, Four-letter ones too.

John Rutherford : 18:22

Hi Catherine, how are things Honey? So we do have active feather bowlers here. You do wreck the lanes out. How backed up is it? You know, we've been trying to do it through Resi, the app Resi, for our dining and lane reservations, but it varies. It really varies. You know, we still have a lot of companies come in and have their corporate events here, team building events, especially at holiday times holiday parties, family gatherings, birthday parties. We've even started to have some weddings here too. Oh wow, with the addition of the beer garden outside.

John Rutherford : 19:02

Yeah, I think 250 people out there, 260 people.

Jamie: 19:05

Yeah, Legally even. Yeah, Comfortably. There is a bar out there. There's a garage bar out there too. That's the fire marshal number they gave us.

John Rutherford : 19:13

I think it's on the wall out there.

Matt Fox: 19:16

That's what it says right there. Oh, there we go. Oh, 242. And 82.

John Rutherford : 19:20

Oh 240.

Jamie: 19:21

Okay, 260-ish, all right 220, 221, whatever it takes. You've had some music, like many festivals and concerts outside, which is great too. In the summertime it's a lot of fun.

John Rutherford : 19:39

It's a lot of fun, especially when the weather cooperates. The one there was a tribute for Rodriguez, His 80th birthday, was here. He passed away. What? A couple weeks later? Yeah, a few weeks later.

Jamie: 19:44

I was here for that. That was a good show. And then you've had a few punk rock kind of shows.

John Rutherford : 19:49

Yeah we've been trying to get everyone in who wants to play. It's hard, but we do our best to accommodate Much more music since you've taken over.

Jamie: 19:59

Much more.

John Rutherford : 20:00

I've always had great bands here.

Jamie: 20:02

It wasn't regularly consistent this is the home of the mugs. Somebody's coming up. Is McCarty and B having a birthday thing?

John Rutherford : 20:09

here yeah they are. Jimmy McCarty and Johnny B Bedangic from original members of the Rockets yeah the Wheels Detroit. Wheels yeah the Wheels Detroit.

Jamie: 20:18

Wheels, yeah, yeah. And then they moved on to the Rockets, and I love the Rockets, man, I just love that, even when Froggy was singing for them. I just love the Rockets, anyway. But yeah, so that's coming up, so people find out about all the shows and everything happening.

John Rutherford : 20:34

Yeah our website. We keep it updated. I think we have dates posted through April, maybe even May. Then our Facebook page is very active as well. Instagram, I'm not as good with that, but Facebook you can get all the info you need. That's how I knew that today was Spangler. They play the last Sunday of every month, RG's group. They're known at RG's last Sunday of every month. Super Crunch is very popular Our Grateful Dead tribute band. They've been playing there 20 years.

John Rutherford : 21:02

I think, they play the last Friday of every month and then usually some extra shows around the holidays. But we have a great following, great group of guys, friends of ours. And, yeah, like August said, we have our big Labor Day festival, Muscle Beach Music Festival. I'm usually occupied that weekend doing another big festival.

Matt Fox: 21:21

But that's why I can't make it to this one. But you know, so, John, if there was one thing that you could do here that may not be for the purists, what would it be?

John Rutherford : 21:33

Oh, I'm a Tuesday Night Beer League guy. I'm not a purist, I'm a change-it-all.

Matt Fox: 21:36

I don't care. What would you do to make it happy? What are some changes that you would do with the expansion, or what have you Like?

John Rutherford : 21:41

unlimited money.

Matt Fox: 21:51

Anything that come to mind over the next couple of years that you may want to do, just to kind of help people understand that it's for Belgium, it's for Keju Cafe.

John Rutherford : 21:56

That's a loaded question. Besides the bathrooms, before we started the show, we were talking about adding bathrooms out here, right Besides the bathrooms. It might be possible I'm having some drawings done to add a third lane.

Jamie: 22:07

Oh.

John Rutherford : 22:09

Which is tricky. We're kind of landlocked here a little bit, but we've got some different drawings.

Jamie: 22:15

Like an outdoor lane. Or yeah, yeah, yeah All right, I guess that's struct that way, or?

Matt Fox: 22:19

yeah, yeah, alright, I guess that's structurally possible.

John Rutherford : 22:22

I always enjoy expansion.

Matt Fox: 22:24

I always like seeing businesses flourish but then expand on what they already have. Just expand on what they already have, just to make it that much better. Somebody scored. Yes, I saw it in the monitor. Yeah, I saw it over there. I love hearing that that there are plans to expand Definitely, definitely and into a parking garage, oh yeah, a parking garage On the other side of that fence. I'm not sure if it's going to be three levels or four levels, but you know, tomato tomato.

Matt Fox: 22:54

No, I really appreciate what you've done here over the past seven years. Thank you.

John Rutherford : 22:57

Yes, it's a really special place. Indeed, do we have any other Belgian?

Jamie: 23:03

beers you want to try guys? I don't know anything about Belgian.

Matt Fox: 23:05

There is no Belgian spirit.

Jamie: 23:07

There's no liqueur or Belgian whiskey.

John Rutherford : 23:11

There's no Belgian vodka, it's just beer. Are you a fan of the Belgians?

Jamie: 23:15

They're all about beers, are you a fan of the Belgians, a fan.

John Rutherford : 23:18

Yeah, oh, yes, yeah, for sure.

Jamie: 23:23

So what's your go-to on those?

John Rutherford : 23:25

I like Le Fin du Monde, which is a Belgian-style beer, but it's made in Quebec or Montreal, did you say?

Jamie: 23:32

Montreal yeah.

John Rutherford : 23:33

Montreal it's award-winning. It's really really good. It's award winning. It's really really good. It's got a lot of kick to it.

Jamie: 23:40

I like Stella. What's the other one we should try? What's one other one that we should try? That you know, because I drink Stella, but what's something else?

John Rutherford : 23:48

we should try Stella. I'll try Petrus. Yeah, go with the Flemish Sours. It's a whole different taste. Either the Duchess or the Petrus.

Jamie: 23:59

I think your girl would grab one for us.

Matt Fox: 24:01

I think she would. Catherine, could you go get us a Petrus please? Petrus Sour, yes.

John Rutherford : 24:08

Yes, we have a little tasting glass. I'll need one more tasting glass, please, and one glass.

Matt Fox: 24:14

Thank you. I like having an intern on the show. It's an upgrade, you know.

John Rutherford : 24:18

She promised she would help. She did.

Matt Fox: 24:20

She's awesome she gave her a button.

Jamie: 24:22

So she has to help. So what's? It's a sour, so it's a Belgian, it's a Flemish sour.

John Rutherford : 24:30

Okay, yeah, it's the kind of beer that I will buy in a holiday pack of like six oh okay different petruses and they'll have, like the cherry, the regular, the dark, and it's always great during the holidays because that's where you can find it.

Jamie: 24:48

It's usually not on the shelves until the holidays, so many of these things are seasonal and unique, so that one bottle, how many ounces is that? It's a quart maybe, oh, the big boy here, 75?.

John Rutherford : 25:02

9.4 liters, no Fluid ounces.

Jamie: 25:05

Milliliter yeah.

John Rutherford : 25:07

What's a?

Jamie: 25:07

pint. What's a pint? It's a euro pint. So 22, maybe, 22 ounces probably.

John Rutherford : 25:13

It says 9.4. It doesn't make any sense.

Jamie: 25:16

Yeah, it's probably around 22 ounces.

John Rutherford : 25:17

Well, it doesn't make any sense. Yeah, it's probably around 22 ounces. Well, they're.

Jamie: 25:20

Belgian ounces. They're different, they're European ounces. Well, I'm going to call that, probably about 22. But that fellow runs like 26 bucks. Yes, yes.

John Rutherford : 25:29

So who's your? It gets spread amongst three people. No one drinks it by themselves Right right. Yeah.

Jamie: 25:33

Not that I do it, we did. That was nice breaking that up. So, as far as access to the Belgian beers, you got a good distributor, somebody you work with, that works with you. We have a few, we have a few. You got a hunt and pick and find them.

John Rutherford : 25:49

I mean it's state-issued licenses, so we're kind of focused, like limited to who has the licenses and who not? I have a personal Michigan's kooky with.

Jamie: 26:01

I have a personal favorite.

John Rutherford : 26:02

Belgian, the Delirium Red, which is like a raspberry current red ale. There's only two bars in town that have ever carried it that I've seen, and one of them is Henrietta House in Hampton. Oh okay, which also carries exclusively Belgian beers. They don't even carry Miller like that. Oh okay, which also carries exclusively Belgian beers. They don't even carry Miller Lite. Oh really, they're only Belgian beers.

Jamie: 26:21

Oh, all kinds of tasting glasses.

John Rutherford : 26:23

One glass, we got three glasses.

Jamie: 26:24

What the heck? Why not? Why not? All right, let's switch it up.

Matt Fox: 26:29

Oh, thanks Cap.

John Rutherford : 26:32

Yeah, this is a five, of five on the sour scale, boys. So prepare to pucker up Pucker.

Jamie: 26:39

So here's my favorite thing about doing these remotes I don't have to do laundry, yeah we have a bar.

John Rutherford : 26:47

It's still really nice, but there's no sink or washing area.

Jamie: 26:52

So I've got to take all the glasses home and do them, and then Colleen kind of knows as to how many glasses I brought home.

Matt Fox: 26:57

How hammered you?

Jamie: 26:58

are how bad the shenanigans were, and then Colleen kind of knows as to how many glasses I brought home, how hammered you are, how bad the shenanigans were, because our last show we had, we had like six people yeah. Mike was there, the Muslims, and it was like, oh my God. It was like she's like how many drinks did you guys have? I go there were six people. There were six people. We only did three cocktails. It was six people.

John Rutherford : 27:18

We only did three cocktails.

Matt Fox: 27:19

It was six people, not that we haven't had six people with the drinks in there on their own. I can smell the sour on that.

Jamie: 27:24

Oh yeah.

Matt Fox: 27:24

All right.

Jamie: 27:25

So what do we know about this? Are these aged?

Matt Fox: 27:28

at all. It's an aged pail Fodor beer, 100% Fodor. What is?

Jamie: 27:37

Fodor.

John Rutherford : 27:37

F-O-E-D-E-R. I don't know what that is. That's a.

Jamie: 27:39

Swedish stuff. That's different. It's a culturally insensitive. Here it's a 7.3%.

Matt Fox: 27:48

It's a product of Belgium Sour scale at a 5.5. Pucker up boys.

Jamie: 27:51

Cheers.

John Rutherford : 27:56

There we are.

Matt Fox: 28:01

Wow, I love that stuff.

Jamie: 28:03

Can I see the bottom? I love that stuff.

Matt Fox: 28:05

Thank you, that's such a unique. It kind of reminds me of like a Jolly Rancher, like a sour apple, kind of like sour apple and Jolly.

John Rutherford : 28:13

Rancher, I mean, if that's your reference point, it's a warhead.

Jamie: 28:17

But with your warning of, you know, five out of five pucker up buttercup. Not as, not as, not as I thought it was going to be painfully.

John Rutherford : 28:26

It's not. Some of these are fruited sours, others are vinegary sours. This is a fruit, and then the vinegar would make it different. That's a Dutchess. Is this fruited, would you call this?

Jamie: 28:34

more fruity.

Matt Fox: 28:35

That's where I get an apple from.

Jamie: 28:36

I don't think this one calls it fruity. Would you call it fruity? No, I just call it sour. You just call it sour, all right, everyone's palate's different Aged in a oak or something.

John Rutherford : 28:45

Yeah, if you see, like Flemish red, that's a fruited sour. Usually they're cherry 11.2 ounces. They did a release of the Duchess that I came back three times that week just for one glass a night. It was so good. It was tasty, I've got to give a shout-out to some of the guys in my league. My fellow league came out to join us.

Jamie: 29:09

Tim and Dan. Matt can slide down. How are you Good? Thanks for coming out, Matt. Slide down and pan the lanes with the camera. Yeah, look at what we're doing here, people can kind of see that we're right here on the edge of the insanity. There's all the stones.

John Rutherford : 29:22

There you go, there's the two lanes and they're traveling from one side to the other. So it gets quiet, then it gets loud, then it gets quiet, then it gets loud.

Jamie: 29:34

People are hopping back and forth playing the things Perfect man. Thank you. Yeah, so that's cool. I've always loved the cafe. I mean, yeah, we're both Eastside boys growing up, so yeah, it was just always coming up here. Love it, and this is nice.

Matt Fox: 29:52

So, john, with all of your knowledge and everything that's been going on lately, I already asked what's next, but what do you want to do right now?

John Rutherford : 30:02

right now. Yeah, drink, that's the right response. I thought it was a trick question. No, no, that's great. That's great. Well, this is wonderful, john, thanks for having us. No, thanks a lot, guys. I Well, this is wonderful, john, thanks for having us. No, thanks a lot, guys. I appreciate it. This is good beer, good friends, good people, cheers guys, cheers, cheers, cheers.

Matt Fox: 30:26

We'll be back.

John Rutherford : 30:27

We'll be back, so remember to hit like and subscribe on all your socials.

Matt Fox: 30:33

Hey, always forget to do that. It's hard to interrupt. No, no, keep it going. You know what? It's hard to interrupt. You know what?

John Rutherford : 30:37

I would like to do Not right now, but another goal is to broadcast the games.

Matt Fox: 30:45

Oh.

John Rutherford : 30:45

Like on public access or something.

Matt Fox: 30:46

I've got to get my play-by-play chats down. Right, right, I've got to get my play-by-play chats down.

John Rutherford : 30:51

Yeah, you guys could be like the commentators.

Matt Fox: 30:54

I think you could create a YouTube channel for the Cadieux Cafe. Yeah, we do have one, and you can use that as a platform.

John Rutherford : 31:01

I have to reach out to you guys this week and consult on that. What type of gear we need to get. All those Thursday night guys are going to be all over this shit. They're going to think that they're going to fight over who's going to be the play-by-play of the boys.

Matt Fox: 31:18

They are going to check those arrogant sons of sons of bitches. Hey, coming down the lane, stone number two, here it comes, oh my God. And don't even get me started in the women's league.

John Rutherford : 31:23

okay, wednesdays. I mean it's really nice to get off the plane though. It's kind of cool. We love everyone. Yes, I know you do. Thanks for the time I appreciate it.

Matt Fox: 31:34

Thank you Thank you.

Jamie: 31:34

Thank you. Like subscribe. Leave a comment. All the podcast things in all the podcast places. We're going to get the heck out of here and have a couple more pints. I'm Jamie Flanagan. I'm Matt Fox. I'm August Gitschlag.

John Rutherford : 31:45

Yay.

Matt Fox: 31:46

Thanks everybody, see you guys, see you guys.