Minutes of the May Meeting
Clean-Up Volunteers: Joe & ?
Seminar: by Jeff - Kegging
Old Business
Treasurer's Report: $677.28 - $15.77 to Lisa for tickets and fliers; -$22 to Jeff for Big Brew Pizza; - $11.55 to Xan for Feb. newsletter materials = $627.96
Dues: Not everyone has paid up this year. Here's a list of paid members as reported by the treasurer. If you disagree or want to pay up, see Doug.
Paid Members: Doug & Sherry Holub, Bill Siebenaler, Rob Dewhirst, John Falley, Joe and Joan Yoder, Chuck Epp, Jeff & Ellen Jensen, Pete Clouston, Chris Lounsbury, Dale Wheeler, Derek Osborn, Xanthippe Stevens, Steven Fretwell, Dwight Burnham, Joe McAfee, Rich Deviney, Andrew & Lisa Suddith; and there's a scrawl in my notes that may or may not be Tim & Jamie.
Thanks to Dwight for hosting the Big Brew!
Archivist: Because Robert Johnson is leaving us to join Americorps, head off to parts unknown and do good deeds, Joe Yoder agreed to take over the archivist duties. This ostensibly was a noble deed to help out the club, but I think the true reason was to get his hands on the Guild's library. Nevertheless, we thank you, Joe, for taking on these duties. Along with new personnel come new rules. Rob Dewhirst made a motion that we waive the deposit when checking out books until such a time that we have a problem. Then we can revisit the idea. The motion was passed unanimously.
Yeast Bank Report: Doug and Andrew have offered to plate yeast strains and keep them in a freezer in the lab. This will help prevent infections. If you have any yeast strains to preserve, let them know.
Bulk Grain: Rob brought up the suggestion that several people could buy bulk grain for cheaper prices. If you want details or have interest, contact him.
BrewFest Report:
Tickets - $15 both in advance and at the door.
Location - Clinton Outlet Park, Shelter #8.
Beer Committee - Derek has been promised 65 gallons, and we will have a couple of kegs on hand at Jensen Liquor, just in case.
Food Committee - Dale's bringing his smoker and smoking half a pig, as well as a couple of turkeys. He also will have some veggie burgers on hand. Other food will include smoked baked beans, potato salad, chips and condiments.
Volunteers - We need people to volunteer for set-up and clean-up, as well as to help serve beer and man the cash box.
Ellen Jensen
Secretary
Corny Kegging
Jeff gave an informative seminar on kegging for those in attendance. And what timing, with the BrewFest but a month away! Here are the highlights:
Benefits are simplicity - no more soaking bottles! and kegs make ideal fermenters as well. If purchasing a used keg, don't forget to replace all of the rubber parts and the poppets, total cost about $4.50. You will also need a CO2 bottle and regulator, as well as connectors (he suggests the flare-end type) and plastic tubing. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, so don't forget to clean your keg with a non-corrosive cleaner such as B-Bright. Iodophor is a good sanitizer.
If you missed out and want a copy of the presentation, contact Jeff. He might give you one... for a minimal price!
Stop Labeling Me!
LBG members continue to shine in the label department. Check out the June issue of Brew Your Own. Both Barry and Pete were featured in the magazine's yearly label contest. Barry was recognized for the third year in a row. This year he won the Editor's Choice award for his Brimstone Red label. Pete won the amateur Heart of Darkness award for his Stingers Stout label. Congratulations, guys!
Cooking With Beer
Scotch Ale-Marinated Lamb Kabobs
I haven't actually cooked this one yet, but it looked like something good for summer time grilling.
Makes 4 Servings
2 Bottles of Scotch Ale
1.5 lbs. of Lamb Meat cut into cubic pieces
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Small piece of Ginger, minced
1 Onion
1 Thick slice of Smoked Bacon
1/2 cup Cream
2 tsp. Grain Mustard
Herbs of Provence-mix of rosemary, thyme, marjoram, chives, and parsley (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Marinate lamb for at least six hours in the scotch ale with the garlic, ginger, herbs and salt and pepper. Cut the onion and the bacon into pieces to go onto the kabob stick. Place the meat, onion and bacon on the sticks and grill.
Make sauce:
Sieve the pieces out of the beer. Heat the beer liquid in a pan and add the mustard and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce sauce until thick and serve over kabobs.
Pete Clouston
The Polos are Coming!
LBG polos will be available for pickup at the June 10th meeting, so don't forget your checkbook! The price is $22.50. If you didn't have a chance to order one, don't worry. I have ordered extras and will have them for sale at the meeting and at the BrewFest.
Xanthippe Stevens
BrewFest '99
BrewFest is coming up in a few days, so talk it up to your friends. We're serving smoked ham and turkey plus some veggie burgers, baked beans, potato salad and chips.
June 12, Shelter #8, Clinton Outlet Park, noon to 8 p.m.
Set-up: 10 a.m.; clean-up begins at 8 p.m.
Here's a checklist of things to bring:
* Beer
* Hozes/nozzles: we need a few people to bring hoses and nozzles
* Sprinkler - if someone has a decent sprinkler, that might be an easy way for kids to cool off.
* Frisbees, volleyball, water guns, softball equipment and other toys.
* lawn chairs
* bug repellent?
Directions
The U.S. Army Corps of engineers has closed the road across the dam at Clinton Lake, so we won't be able to get to the BrewFest via Clinton Parkway. To get to the Outlet Park, take Iowa Street south of the South Lawrence Trafficway, then go west on Douglas County Road 458 for about three miles. 458 curves sharply to the left, but stay on the road that goes straight. The dam will be in front of you. Follow the road as it curves north, parallel to the dam. After you pass the golf course, look for a road on the right that will lead to two shelters. (If you cross the spillway, you've gone too far.) We are at #8, on your left.
Ode to German Beer
(Oh, yeah, and to that Italian Wine)
Clattering trains, rowdy beer halls, flapping pigeons, peeling cathedral bells, shuffling cards, popping corks, crashing waves - these were some of the sights and sounds of our Germany and Italy trip this last March.
Before I begin, I will note that I will limit my narrative to beer-related stories. We have tons of pictures and memories to share with anyone interested. There's just not nearly enough room to do so in this format.
The first leg of the journey for Rob Dewhirst, Xan Stevens, Lisa Boden and myself was a very long flight with a connection through Philadelphia. While there, we tried a local beer, Philly Lager. I thought it tasted like a Coors clone. As our game of spades picked up steam, we followed up with Sam Adams Boston Lager. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but we all agreed it was tastier than the Philly lager. We could hardly wait for the real beer, about 10 hours away!
The Pilgrimage Begins
We flew in to Munich to begin our journey. After securing our lodging near the open-air market, we went in search of our first beers. It was a very brief search. At the market we strolled around, purchasing various cheeses, breads and meats for our first lunch. To quench our thirst, we started with Franziskaner dunkle weisen. Rob noted (after overcoming the powerful aroma of the cheese I was joyfully eating) that it "tasted like it does in Missouri." Though I would have to agree (Boulevard unfiltered), I like Boulevard, and the beers only seemed to get even better.
After a much-needed power nap, late in the afternoon we started our Munich pub crawl. Munich has an incredibly large and excellent pedestrian zone in the old downtown with rail links to everything. So walking from hall to hall was easy.
First stop was a small bar near the market. We assigned Lisa as our beer note taker as she, for reasons yet unknown, still does not care for beer. As we drank our Holledauer Weiss (dunkel: very dark, very carbonated, helles: clean finish, spritzy), we took note that all the other patrons were men who seemed to be overly friendly with one another. We moved on.
Next stop, the Mecca of beer halls, The Hofbraeuhaus. In the riotously loud establishment, we found a small opening at a large table in one corner. We found out that two of the guys next to us were from Kansas City. It is truly a small world. Our first beers were Dunkler Doppelbock. These were served in huge 1-liter mugs (ein Mass dunkelbock), almost requiring both hands to lift. The doppelbock was excellent - dark, malty, very drinkable. We dined on weisswurst, beef and spaetzle with gravy, veal sausage and potato salad. And lots of beer. Xan spotted a breathalyzer on the way out. We registered at .50. Lisa knew at that point she would have her hands full the rest of the evening.
As we made our way to the next stop, we listened in as a street entertainer/comedian bagged on Bill and Monica. American politics and the World Wrestling Federation were the two topics most Germans wanted to talk with us about. In our conversations, we did our best to convey a more accurate portrait of America.
My personal favorite, The Weisses Brauhaus (are you beginning to notice a wheat beer theme here?) was our next stop. We enjoyed the best beer so far, starkbier. Comments: Dale - "very malty, high alcohol presence, BIG beer." Xan - ""Wow, Dale and Rob blew .50 and they're still drinking!" Lisa - "Cool glasses." Rob - "Urp." Lisa messed with Rob's mind by sticking the Borders price tag from one of our dictionaries onto a water bottle.
After much second-, third- and fourth-guessing from my companions on my ability to locate important beer halls, I successfully led us to the Augustiner, known for (what else) good wheat beer. We ordered the house weissbier. The beer was true to style. Banana, estery with good malt. We were all beginning to drag, and after Rob and Xan each blew a 1.2 on the breathalyzer, we headed home and slept like the dead.
The next day we took the rail to the Andechs Monastery outside Munich. The monastery was on a hilltop surrounded by beautiful, fragrant farms. Along with our chunks of roasted pork and pretzels, we drank Radlerbock (I did not like it - too sweet from the lemonade) and Spezial Helle, which even Lisa liked. After lunch, more Dunkelweiss and helle. All were consumed under a beautiful spring sky in a beer garden.
Here's to Good Friends
Back in Munich that evening, we caught up with our friends Erwin and Horscht whom Lisa and I had met on a previous trip. Along with a great German meal, we enjoyed more Dunkelweissen, Schneiderweisse, Berlinerweisse and starkbiers. Lisa amazed the Germans with her vodka shots. We finished the reunion with our friends back at the Hofbraeuhaus. One last round of Weissbier.
We spent the remainder of our trip in Italy. Here, beer plays third fiddle to wine and coffee, but Lisa and I learned to appreciate wine much more with Xan and Rob's expert help. We did have a few beers, Peroni and other Italian styles, but focused more on other things. The scenery and food were unmatched.
We wrapped up our vacation by flying out of Munich. This trip yielded a wealth of permanent, wonderful memories with all of the excellent beer, wine, food and scenery we experienced. Most of all, it was fun experiencing all these things with our friends, Xan and Rob.
Dale Wheeler
Sticky Beer, Say What!?
An ale-conner was an official whose duty was to inspect commercial beers for purity. Custom required the ale-conner, or ale-founder, to enter the premises and seize a quantity of any brew served. The sample beer was then poured on the seat of a wooden bench. Sitting down in the puddle of beer, the ale-conner would allow his leather overalls sufficient time to dry. Upon arising, he would observe whether his britches stuck to the bench. if they did, he concluded that sugar had been added to the brew.
British custom dictated that if the ale-conner's pants stuck to the seat, a more potent beer had to be produced. In Germany, however, sticky beer was prized.
In Britain, ale-conners were appointed by nearly every manor house to assay taxable unfermented sugar content. These bureaucrats dragged shifty brewsters in to borough-court, or court-leet. At such sessions, fines and less pleasant penalties were handed down. Condemned beer was seized and given to the poor. John Shakespeare, father of the poet and playwright, was employed as an ale-conner.
In London, the office of ale-conner dates to the first charter of William the Conqueror. In deference to this ancient custom, the lord mayor of London is still required to don the ale-conner's uniform every 10 years to ritually inspect a selected local pub.
In Saxon times in England, rents and taxes were paid all or in part with homebrewed ale. In an age when the sale of surplus beer was often the only source of hard currency, common folk considered good beer the equal of gold. Feudal landlords often stipulated payments of beer rather than coins.
In pharonic Egypt, and even earlier in Mesopotamia, measures of beer defined the minimum wage of the day. Thus, rents, tithes and tributes were commonly in the form of assets. Throughout the ages, landlords eased the pain of the annual rent days by providing beer to the rent-paying rabble.
from the "Encyclopedia of Beer", edited by Christine P. Rhodes
June 1999
Moderator: Officers