June/July 2000

[Greenblood]

Minutes of the May Meeting

Cleanup Crew: Joe & Dwight

Treasurer's Report: $547.00, a few checks recently issued to pay for brewfest tickets and flyers and a book for the library.

Old Business
Yeast Bank: Streptococcus and English Ale (White Labs Yeast 002)

BrewFest Committee: ALL LBG MEMBERS WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP SETUP BETWEEN 10:30-11:00AM. Dwight will check on the tents and tables. The pig is on order, Dale will bring it out at noon. Derek, in absentia, has beer under control. Joe will send four tickets to the band so they can enter without charge.

Library Books: We have six books out which is a record, but please remember to return them in a timely manner.

Big Brew 2000: Fifiteen participants showed up. Three batchs of beer were made, two on-site and one off, for a total of 28 gallons.

New Business
Newsletter: Ellen needs articles for the newsletter! Please send your submissions to elff@sunflower.com.

Upcoming Competitions: Thunderhead Brewing in Kearney, NE will sponsor a homebrew competition in celebration of American Beer Month in July. All styles of beer welcome, but First prize includes having two batches of the winning beer brewed at Thunderhead. Therefore, recipes must be simple infusion, all grain, and an O.G. of less than 1.080. Second place prize if 55 pounds of grain. Deadline is July 14, 2000. For more details, contact Thunderhead Brewing by calling (308) 237-1558 or visit their web site.

Beer Contributors:
Robb: Robb's Real Good Lager
Dwight: California Common
Joe: Brown & Stout
Pete: Bock
Dale: Munich Lager
Rob: Stout & California Common
Chris: Sierra Nevada

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR HOMEBREW!

Meeting Adjourned.


Commercial Tasting: German Style Bocks
Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock (9 votes-Winner!)

"This is delicious, even if it does smell like toe jam." - Sherry
"Ooooh malty" - Xan
"Must be a maibock." - Dwight
"Yum!" - Doug

Ayinger Maibock (3 votes)

"Weisen bock, it has that fruit yeast flavor." - Ellen
"I like this one better." - Rich

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Bock (0 votes)

"This is oxidized." - Jeff
"Oak" - Ellen
"This is terrible. I've made beers like this." - Rich
"Wet cardboard" - Jeff
"This beer wasn't good." - John

Aventinus Wheat-Doppelbock (2 votes)

"Bandaid with bactine" - Ellen
"Mmm bock, matey" - Andrew
"This is man's beer." - Dale

Xanthippe Stevens
Secretary


Special Tasting
Doug and Andrew brought a batch of APA fermented with two diffeent yeast strains.

#1) "Fruit Loops" - John
"Raisin Bran: - Robb
"No, I mean wheat fruit flavor" - John
"Tastes like mysterious skin" - Sherry
"Sweet aroma" - Xan

#2) "This is a lot sharper" - Rich
"Black licorice flavor, ick" - Xan
"Drier" - Dale
"What ever was done to this batch, keep it up" - Rob
"More hop" - Robb
"Definitely doesn't taste like mysterious skin" - Sherry
"More nasal, sharper taste" - John

After tasting both beers, it was revealed that #1 was fermented using a 2112 California Common yeast and #2 used a 1056 American Ale yeast. Thanks Doug and Andrew for this interesting tasting!


A Toast to Winemaking
Dwight presented a seminar on winemaking this month at the June meeting, June 8,2000. No business meeting was held, so I have no minutes to report, but the seminar was fascinating. I took the following notes and comments during the seminar:

Beginning with the most enjoyable part of winemaking- tasting-Dwight brought three different batches of wine to share. In tasting a wine, hold the glass up to the light, look for sediment in the glass and check the clarity of the wine. In good light, tilt the glass over a white tablecloth and look at the color. Aerate the wine by swirling it in the glass. Put your nose in the glass and take a deep breath to check the nose. Each wine will have different qualities. Checking the clarity, color, nose, and taste provides a way for the consumer to distinguish favorable qualities. Wine is a matter of personal taste, there is no right or wrong. Drink what YOU like.

Anyone that can brew can make wine! Sanitation isn't as important in winemaking, since wine must is more acidic than beer. Most of the equipment needed for winemaking is the same equipment used in brewing. There are several ways to get started. Most brew shops carry wine kits in a box. These are designed for the beginner, all ingredients and instructions are included. I was surprised that my first batch was so easy.

The kits in box reduce winemaking to boiling a cup of water in your microwave and mixing the ingredients in a primary fermentation container, be it a carboy or bucket. There is little control over the final product, so most winemakers quickly move on to more advanced methods. Most brew shops also carry cans of grape concentrate. These allow for a bit more experimentation in blending grape varietals and selecting your own additives, such as acid blends, ascorbic acid, grape tannins, potassium sorbate, and/or oak chips.

The advantage of both of these methods is year-round availability. For the more serious winemaker, grapes can be purchased in the fall for crushing your own must. I equate this with all-grain brewing. It is a bit more work, but your end product has a better chance of being a wine to share and savor in the years ahead.

The first wine Dwight shared with us was a Sangiovese, from a third run, fermented 10/15/98. He used 2 cans of Pinot Noir and 1 can of Cabernet Sauvignon concentrate over grapes and skins that were pressed for two earlier batches. The second wine we tasted was a Sangiovese from the same batch of grapes but fermented from the first or free run (the juice that comes from the first pressing). For our third taste, we tried a Cabernet Sauvignon from a free run that was fermented 10/5/95 and bottled 5/15/96. All three wines were excellent. Thanks go to Dwight, not just for sharing your wines, but providing an educational and fun-filled seminar.

Xanthippe Stevens


What Happened to June?
You may have noticed that you didn't receive a June newsletter. No, yours did not get eaten by the dog or lost in the mail. The sad truth is that I was unable to do a June newsletter (sob story time). I was out of town on business and then vacation during the production cycle, and Secretary Xan was moving during the same time, so was unable to get me the minutes, anyway. Plus, I had no articles from the rest of you to include. (Actually, I still don't, -hint hint.) Anyway, I apologize for the missing newsletter. Don't forget to send me items to include.

Ellen


BrewFest 2000
Well, another BrewFest has come and gone, with great success, I might add. The weather couldn't have been better, I'm thinking it was in the upper '70s or so and sunny. The festivities officially kicked of at noon, but guests didn't start trickling in 1 or so. We had a good crowd. I have not received official numbers yet as to how many tickets we sold and whether we came out in the red or black. It seemed we had a good turnout, but some said we had less than previous years. We had 55 gallons of homebrew to serve, and we about ran out. It was a good day for drinkin'. Jeff went to get the Boulevard pale ale reserve keg around 6:30 or 7.

Thanks to all those involved who helped make the party a fun reality:

Derek for handling the bar/homebrew again. You always do such a fabulous job. Thanks also to all those who tended bar -Jennifer, Jeff, Derek. I know there are others as well. Thanks.

Dwight for arranging the wonderful shelters and tables, and his friend George who supplies them. Also, the big orange coolers are always a help as well.

Barry for designing this year's artwork for the glasses. It's fun to add another year to the collection.

Sherry and Xan for arranging the sides/plates/condiments, and Xan for tending the gate a good portion of the afternoon.

A huge thanks to Dale for once again graciously preparing and tending the barbecue. It was scrumpdiliecious- mouthwatering pork and turkey and great beans.

And last but not least, all of the various members (and in some cases guests) who pitched in and helped make the BrewFest a success.

Site number 7 is definitely the best because it's close to the baseball field, as well as the playground. We had tons of kids this year, so both the playground as well as the sand in the volleyball court were hits, as well as the water spigot.

It was a great day for soaking up some sun and drinking good brew. Folks were gathered under the shelter in the shade at the picnic tables, but many others were scattered around on blankets taking naps, talking, drinking etc.

Bluestem was great yet again. The band played the wandering minstrels a little this year, moving around to different spots and playing for the various groups. They even did some requests, I believe. Dwight took some excellent pictures of the event, so check them out in the Gallery.

Label Contest Winner
For the third or fourth year in a row, Barry has placed in Brew Your Own's annual label competition. This year, he took home an honorable mention in the professional category for his Cat Hat Ale label. According the magazine's writeup, "Barry's distinctive entries have won an award every year since the competition [began]." For his efforts, Barry won two brew kits from Seven Bridges Organic Homebrewing, one of which he used last week for his organic red ale.

Congratulations, Barry!

Field Trip?
Dale, who has recently taken a position as head of operations at the Roasterie down on Southwest Boulevard (conveniently located near the Boulevard Brewery), would like to suggest a field trip. He would like to organize our group for a Saturday morning visit to The Roasterie, then Boulevard Brewery, finishing up with lunch at 75th St Brewery or some other brewery/beer-related place if there are other suggestions. He was thinking sometime in October. I think it's a fine idea. If you're interested, think about dates that might work, as well as possible lunch spots.


Homebrew Winners Announced
JUNE 26, 2000 - The Kansas City Bier Meisters were honored as Homebrew Club of the Year last week during the National Homebrew Conference in Livonia, MI.

More than 250 of the nation's most avid homebrewers gathered in Livonia from June 22-24 for the conference. The 22nd annual conference, presented by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), offered three days of hands-on educational seminars presented by the country's leading homebrewing experts, as well as nightly social events filled with opportunities to sample locally brewed beers.

Winners of the 2000 AHA National Homebrew Competition were announced Saturday. The National Homebrew Competition, the largest homebrewing competition in the world, awards gold, silver, and bronze medals in 29 categories. Homebrewer, Cidermaker, and Meadmaker of the year are awarded to the top amateur brewers in the nation. Winners were selected from more than 2,700 entries.

To claim a medal in the national competition, contestants first entered their beers in one of seven regional competitions held earlier in the year. After being scrutinized by a panel of regional judges, qualifying beers was advanced to the second round judging, which was conducted by a national panel of judges.

This year's conference was planned and run by AHA-registered club members from throughout Michigan and neighboring areas in coordination with the AHA staff and Board of Advisors. The Ann Arbor Brewers Guild, Downriver Brewers Guild, and F.O.R.D club spearheaded the local effort.

"An exciting spirit of camaraderie, enthusiasm, and learning filled the conference this year," said Paul Gatza, director of the AHA. "I believe we lived up proudly to the example of building a homebrewing community set by the late Bill Pfeiffer, who has been honored as the first-ever recipient of the AHA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. It was a great chance for the homebrewers to meet the 19 members of the Pfeiffer family and honor Bill. Bill's commemorative mead was another conference highlight. The AHA extends its deepest thanks to all of our local organizers and participating homebrewers for a job very well done."

From Real Beer News


KC Biermeisters Make Presence Known at AHA Nationals
Not only did the KC Biermeisters make Homebrew Club of the year at the AHA National Convention, but several of its members placed well in the homebrew competition. Jackie Rager won a silver medal in herb/spice/vegetable category and a bronze in the fruit mead category. Mike Porter, received a silver for his German amber lager; Marc Gaspard took the bronze in the Lambic & Belgian Sour Ale category; and Grant Manning captured the bronze for his fruit beer. There were also some medal winners from the Derby, KS, homebrew club.


Discount Days at Bacchus & Barleycorn
LBG members receive a 10% discount from Bacchus & Barleycorn, July 10-15. Please show membership card or bring newsletter. Bacchus & Barleycorn is located at 6633 Nieman Rd. in Shawnee (913-962-2501).