mba September 2004

mba@thebarn.com

39 participants
73 discussions

RE: Smoke and Wood-Aged Beer Club Only - Tomorrow 7pm! RSVP

by aboyce＠mn.rr.com

Tomorrow Night is the MHBA Club Run-off for the AHA Club-Only competition for "Smoked and Wood-Aged" beers. Meet at my place, 7pm. Bring beers if you want to enter them, or just show up and help us judge them. - Al Boyce 3208 Edgewood Ave So St. Louis Park, MN 55426 952-927-8968 PS - If you were in the Bourbon Barrel Club, bring your brew and let's compare! (They COUNT as "wood-aged!!) Original Message: ----------------- From: Crist, Jonathan cristj(a)bsci.com Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 16:43:39 -0400 To: mba(a)thebarn.com Subject: HOPPY HALLOWEEN is just around the corner and is both High PlainsBrewer and Midwest Brewer of the year competitions. Entries are being accepted today (September 20th) through October 1st for the Hoppy Halloween homebrew competition in Fargo, ND Halloween theme beers have an extended due date of October 21st but all other beers must be received by 5PM October 1st - no exceptions. 2 bottles, 10 - 16 oz, glass or plastic and any style, free of any labels. Brown long necked bottles are recommended but not required. Only 1 Entry per sub category will be allowed. Entry fees are $7.50 per entry for the 1st 4 entries and $5 for each additional entries over 4 from the same brewer. Last year we were lucky enough to have someone drive the entries up to Fargo, but that doesn't appear to be the case this year. Please contact me if you want entries shipped. I will be shipping the entries on Tuesday September 26th. Cheers Jonathan Crist The Prez -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

21 years, 2 months

HOPPY HALLOWEEN is just around the corner and is both High Plains Brewer and Midwest Brewer of the year competitions.

by Crist, Jonathan

Entries are being accepted today (September 20th) through October 1st for the Hoppy Halloween homebrew competition in Fargo, ND Halloween theme beers have an extended due date of October 21st but all other beers must be received by 5PM October 1st - no exceptions. 2 bottles, 10 - 16 oz, glass or plastic and any style, free of any labels. Brown long necked bottles are recommended but not required. Only 1 Entry per sub category will be allowed. Entry fees are $7.50 per entry for the 1st 4 entries and $5 for each additional entries over 4 from the same brewer. Last year we were lucky enough to have someone drive the entries up to Fargo, but that doesn't appear to be the case this year. Please contact me if you want entries shipped. I will be shipping the entries on Tuesday September 26th. Cheers Jonathan Crist The Prez

21 years, 2 months

Vikings Brunch

by brewmaster＠townhallbrewery.com

Football fans, Football is here and so is our Sunday brunch that we feature for home games. Come to the Town Hall Brewery (1430 Washington Ave south) and fuel up with our fine all-you-want to eat brunch buffet for just $8.95 from 9am-12pm. Also look for $1-off bloody mary and screwdriver drinks. Park in the ramp next door, fuel-up, and enjoy a 10 min walk to the game. Don't forget our regular Sunday special-Burger/Fries/Pint $4.95(starts at noon) Cheers, Mike Don't worry Packer fans are welcome too......

21 years, 2 months

next MHBA club meeting October 2nd and other events

by Jonathan Crist

The summer sure went quickly and fall is upon us. Our next club meeting is just around the corner. Let's gather at Barley John's Brewpub in New Brighton and enjoy their outdoor patio. Saturday October 2nd at 3 pm. Show up early and relax. At the meeting we will talk more about the future club events, including the Upper Mississippi Mashout now in January and the 1st round AHA Nationals to be hosted in April. Here is the calendar of events for the next few weeks: September 21st AHA Club Only Smoked Beers selection at Al Boyces house, 7PM 24-25 FOAM Cup Competition in Tulsa Oklahoma 27th Oct 2nd Hoppy Halloween entries are due October 3-23rd Hoppy Halloween Judging in Fargo, ND 2nd (Saturday) October meeting at Barley Johns TBD Annual cider pressing and cider buy 21st Deadline for Halloween Theme beers for Hoppy Halloween 23rd Hoppy Halloween Best of Show in Fargo ND 26th AHA Club Only IPA selection at Al Boyces house, 7PM November 6th Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day. John Longballa is organizing this event. 6th or 13th Tentative date for November Club meeting at HOPS in Eden Prairie I hope to see you at the next event! Jonathan Crist "the Prez" _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! hthttp://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

21 years, 2 months

Cider Digest #1164, 17 September 2004

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

Here's the email from the Cider Digest that I mentioned earlier today. Here's the subscription info: Use cider-request(a)talisman.com for subscribe/unsubscribe/admin requests. When subscribing, please include your name and a good address in the message body unless you're sure your mailer generates them. Archives of the Digest are available at www.talisman.com/cider - Al ----- Forwarded by Allan V Boyce/MN/USB on 09/17/2004 08:07 PM ----- cider-request@tal isman.com To: cider-list(a)talisman.com cc: 09/17/2004 04:11 Subject: Cider Digest #1164, 17 September 2004 PM Please respond to cider Cider Digest #1164 17 September 2004 Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor Contents: RE: Cider Digest #1161, 4 September 2004 ("J. K. Davis") Re: Any suggestions on these apple varieties? ("chris horn") a word on juicer for small cider production ("Diane Gagnon") Cider Making Classes ("Drew Zimmerman") Perry (fruit and beverage) questions ("McGonegal, Charles") Send ONLY articles for the digest to cider(a)talisman.com. Use cider-request(a)talisman.com for subscribe/unsubscribe/admin requests. When subscribing, please include your name and a good address in the message body unless you're sure your mailer generates them. Archives of the Digest are available at www.talisman.com/cider ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: RE: Cider Digest #1161, 4 September 2004 From: "J. K. Davis" <andiroba(a)hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 14:15:35 -0400 OK, I've been persuaded to try in-bottle fermentation to get the carbonation I want in my cider. Champagne yeast to dryness - and then? Sugar in the fermenter just before bottling, or in the bottle? A naive question, I suppose, but I made cyser last year, with honey added to each bottle at bottling time. I got a nice light carbonation, but it was very hard to control - some bottles were more carbonated than others. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for all your comments over the last several months. I've learned a lot about cider making! Jan Davis Weasel Hill Farm Amissville, VA ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Any suggestions on these apple varieties? From: "chris horn" <agent_strangelove(a)hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 13:39:55 -0700 I see that you have gotten good info on the rest of the cultivars except for Hidden Rose. I believe that this is the red fleshed one you are talking about. I don't know anything about it other than the fact that the local nursery had a bunch of them they were getting rid of them at half price earlier this summer. I was tempted to get a couple for the hell of it... Everyone of them had anthracnose bad.... I passed on that.... I don't know if Hidden Rose is more prone to get this but you may want to be aware.... There was a cider company in Quebec that was making pretty good cider out of a red fleshed apple. It had a nice pink hue to it.... I can't remember the brand but the cider place wasn't too far off the highway between Sherbrooke and Montreal.... Chris Horn Scappoose Oregon 'The great world powers have not yet found the weapon to destroy dreams' -Subcommandant Marcos ------------------------------ Subject: a word on juicer for small cider production From: "Diane Gagnon" <gagnond(a)endirect.qc.ca> Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:02:35 -0400 The " Breville " juicer is quite impressive as to quantity / time = output. My 2004 production ( 10-15 gallons) has begun with 140 lbs of = Geneva apples, yealding about 1/3 of pretty clear juice the whole = process taking about 3-4 hrs . Easy to clean up, and to handle the = pomace. Hope cider quality follows ....... ------------------------------ Subject: Cider Making Classes From: "Drew Zimmerman" <drewzimmer(a)comcast.net> Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:14:36 -0700 WSU Mount Vernon will again be offering two weeks of cider making classes this fall, November 8th through the 19th. The two classes are "Cider Making - Principles and Practice" and "Cider Making - Science, Technology and Quality Control" and will again be presented by Peter Michell, Worcestershire, UK. Detailed information in available at http://mtvernon.wsu.edu/frt_hort/fruit_horticulture.htm ------------------------------ Subject: Perry (fruit and beverage) questions From: "McGonegal, Charles" <Charles.McGonegal(a)uop.com> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 10:50:12 -0500 Good morning all, I recently acquired a small sample of 14 different perry pears. I have all of them growing in our orchard, but this year I finagled some real fruit to try. (In anticipation of that day when I will be able taste my own - if I still have tastebuds by then.) I made hardness, flavor, bouquet and Brix observations. I was not able to check pH, titrable acidity or tannins. I will be checking pH and TA on the combined juices. As I anticipated, many of them are essentially 'crab pears'. Hurray! Imagine something like a wonderfully balanced sweet/sharp (think Ashmeads, Margil, or Cox's) with tannins that grab your cheek linings and then fade back to let the fruity aftertaste through. Then go plant a few Thorn pears for your grand kids. But looking at the various states of ripeness that I received them in, I have some real questions about perry production. I believe that these pears were tree ripened. Not the best practice for dessert pears - but I didn't have any choice this time. Many of the pears were hard as rocks, even though they had dark brown seeds, no overt starchy taste and a Brix from 13-16. Other varieties had a mix of hard pears, and specimens that had turned brown from the core out. The brown fruit was soft and very juicy, but had a stong odor that was very unpleasant to me. Sort of like a bad Jolly Rancher candy. One cultivar was turning brown in spots througout the flesh, while still being rock hard by external observation. Cider apples are swept from the orchard floor in England. I can't imaging that they would treat pears differently. Does anyone know what traditional practice actually was/is? SO... If perry pears are hand picked early, and sweated/bletted (like medlars) off the tree - do they still turn brown and develop that sickly flavor and bouquet? Do perry pears tend to fall when still hard - and so the time to milling becomes critical? I've always assumed that the milling times in Luckwill & Pollard were general 'maximum storability' times, not 'wait this long, no less or more'. Is the brown, intensly flavored state what they mean by 'highly colored' - and it's just my youth, inexperience and American-chauvinism that makes me think the fruit is rotten? Lastly, I have high-res digital pics of all 14 cultivars, and will put them on my website if there is any interest. Let me know. Charles McGonegal AEppelTreow Winery ------------------------------ End of Cider Digest #1164 ************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

21 years, 2 months

Schells Brewery News

by Robert L. Carter/IT/Imation

This may be of interest. Cheers! Bob Carter From the New Ulm Journal Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004 Schell's Brewery announces expansion Rathskeller, deck to be added to visitor center By FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- General Custer was still at West Point Military Academy and Gettysburg, Pa. was known only as a quiet farm town when August Schell Brewing Co. began making beer in 1860. Bursting at the seams and still growing after 144 years at a picturesque location, in the woods near the Cottonwood River, Schell's announced plans Monday for a 9,000-square foot visitor center. The project, when complete, will look like other buildings on the brewery grounds made of New Ulm brick. Estimated to cost $1.6 to $1.8 million, it will include an outside deck overlooking the Cottonwood River valley, rathskeller for visitors on the brewery tour and a 2,000- square foot gift shop. A skylighted atrium will offer an open stairway to the new lower level. An elevator, 44-stall parking lot and future addition to the brewery's formal gardens are planned. Construction is expected to begin this fall. Although a completion date has not been set, it is anticipated by next August, in time for the brewery's 145th anniversary celebration. The news was announced at a Monday morning news conference in the brewery museum. Schell President Ted Marti held another news conference Monday afternoon at EXPLORE MINNESOTA, at the state tourism offices in Metro Square. With brewery administrative offices still in the living room of the original Schell family home, Marti said he doesn't know how his four office employees get their work done piled on top of each other. The company's main office will move across the road to the original workers' dormitory. The existing gift shop will be converted into administrative offices, which are expected to include more marketing people in the near future. "It's a very exciting day for us. It'll be fun," Marti said. Schell's sales have been increasing about 10 percent per year lately. With the recent acquisition of Grain Belt -- which is being marketed in eight states -- Marti sees an even brighter future. "We've got a very good problem and a solution," Marti added. "We won't just plunk buildings down anywhere." Project architect Graig Hinrichs said plans include answers for future production and traffic needs and space for employees and customers that want to tour the brewery, museum or rathskeller. The privately-held brewery employs 44. It produces 13 brands of its own labels in addition to Grain Belt brands and contract brewing. Bock Fest 2005 will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005 at the brewery. The annual medallion hunt and music fest draws thousands of people. Marti admitted holding Bock Fest at the brewery next year will be more challenging with the construction project under way. "It'll be a challenge, but Bock Fest goers are a hearty bunch," Marti said. He added that the expansion project will help New Ulm and the area tremendously. "The beer business is romantic," Marti said. "The site is reminiscent of an old European brewery. If we build it, people will come." He is the sixth generation of the second-oldest family owned brewery in America. The Brewery is the oldest, and has become the largest in Minnesota. Rob Brown of Rob Brown Communications of Minneapolis, said Schell's is a tourism magnate strong enough to get the attention of the Minnesota Department of Tourism. August Schell was born in 1828 in Durbach, Germany, in the heart of the Black Forest. Educated early to become a machinist/engineer, he became interested in overseas opportunities and left home in 1848. On Monday mornings long ago, brewery workers walked to work about two miles on a narrow horse. They'd sleep at the brewery for five nights, then walk back to town on Friday night. Nowadays, the former dormitory is used as a brewery gift shop, full of Schell's and Grain Belt clothing and related gift items. (Fritz Busch can be reached at fbusch(a)nujournal.com)

21 years, 2 months

River City Roundup Results (Nebraska)

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

Results are in from the River City Roundup homebrew competition in Nebraska. Twin City homebrewers took home 30 of 66 total medals! Curt Stock won the Best of Show with his Cream Ale, and Steve Fletty won the "Bullshooter's Cup" for garnering the most medals in the competition (TEN!!) With this contest, the fourth of 6 in the High Plains Brewer of the Year competition, Twin Cities brewers occupy the first five places: Points Brewer 67 Curt and Kathy Stock 55 Steve Fletty 34 Al Boyce 25 Steve Piatz 25 Paul Dienhart Congratulations to everyone! http://www.rivercityroundup.org/dcf/beer/2004_results.html - Al Place Club Brewer Subcategory 1 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 01C - Classic American Pilsner 2 SPHC Steve Fletty 02B - North German Pilsner 1 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 02D - Muenchner Helles 1 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 03C - Cream Ale 2 SPHC Steve Fletty 03C - Cream Ale 3 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 03C - Cream Ale 2 SPHC Steve Fletty 04A - Ordinary Bitter 1 MHBA Paul Dienhart 04B - Special or Best Bitter 1 SPHC Steve Fletty 06A - American Pale Ale 3 MHBA Al Boyce 06A - American Pale Ale 3 SPHC Steve Fletty 07 - India Pale Ale 2 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 08A - Koelsch-style Ale 3 MHBA Sean Hewitt 08C - Northern German Altbier 2 SPHC Steve Fletty 10A - Mild 2 MHBA Sean Hewitt 11A - Old Ale 2 MHBA Al Boyce 12A - English-style Barleywine 1 SPHC Steve Fletty 12C - Russian Imperial Stout 1 MHBA Sean Hewitt 14D - Eisbock 1 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 15A - Robust Porter 3 MHBA Paul Dienhart 15A - Robust Porter 3 MHBA Sean Hewitt 16B - Sweet Stout 1 MHBA Al Boyce 17A - Bavarian Weizen 3 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 17A - Bavarian Weizen 3 MHBA Sean Hewitt 18A - Dubble 3 MHBA Al Boyce 19B - Witbier 1 SPHC Curt and Kathy Stock 20C - Fruit Lambic-style Ale 1 SPHC Steve Fletty 21 - Fruit Beer 1 SPHC Steve Fletty 22 - Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer 1 SPHC Steve Fletty 25B - Varietal Honey Traditional Mead 2 MHBA Paul Dienhart 26C - Specialty Cider and Perry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

21 years, 2 months

Slightly OT: Today's Achewood Web Comic

by Jim Herrick

Today's edition from one of my favorite web comics: http://www.achewood.com/index.php?date=09152004 Plenty more at: http://www.achewood.com/ If you enjoy any of that, also read Ray's fake advice column at: http://www.achewood.com/raysplace.php Jim

21 years, 2 months

AHA Nationals explained/example of what to send me

by John Longballa

Thank you to those who have already stepped up and committed to brewing certain styles for the April/June national contest. For those who are still wondering, here's an example of what to send to me: John-- Great idea--I would love to see QUAFF get beat this year, so I'll brew and enter 2B--Bohemian Pilsner, 16A--Witbier, and 26B--Braggot. If you need more people to enter category 9--Scottish and Irish Ales, please let me know, as I might be able to commit to brewing one of those as well. I look forward to entering the beers under one MN club name, and thanks for putting this together. It helps me figure out my brewing schedule, now that I know that I need to get those ready for April. Some folks have questions about the nationals, so here's the gist of it-- In April, homebrewers from the U.S. and Canada send their entries to one of nine judging sites across North America, based on which region the brewer is in. This coming spring, one of the sites is in the Twin Cities. The categories this next year will most likely be the new BJCP styles, which were attached to the first message about this opportunity. There is also a category for brewers who have never entered the national contest before. At each site, any brewer who gets a gold medal also earns 6 points for the club that he/she lists as his/her main club. Each silver earns the club 4 points, and each bronze earns the club 2 points. These are added to any points that clubs have earned during the six club-only competitions that the AHA sponsors throughout the year, but most clubs won't have any points from those competitions, and those that do, won't have many. In June, all the medallist brewers from the first round send a beer from the same sub-style (it CAN be from a different batch!) to the national convention site, which will be Baltimore in 2005. Now, all the winning beers from each of the nine sites go against each other (in their respective style categories), and besides earning medals for the individual brewers, points are earned for the club each brewer lists, again on a 6-4-2 basis. They tally up the club points and the club with the most points gets a big trophy, the accolades of the 700 people at the awards dinner, and the admiration/ire of the clubs that didn't do as well. There's no money involved, and the reason that we want to beat QUAFF this year is simply because they're there, and because anytime one team four-peats, everyone else revs up to take their best shot at the dynasty-holders. Many brewers entered under the Saint Paul Homebrewers Club name last year, and the club finished an impressive fourth! If we can get more MN brewers to enter, and to enter under one club name, then the sky's the limit. So, please let me know which sub-styles you can commit to entering, adjust your brew calendar accordingly, then consider the fame for our fine state if we are AHA CLUB OF THE YEAR! Thanks for indulging me-- John

21 years, 2 months

Fw: New Beers

by Dave Cox

Sounds like some fall colors worth checking out... -----Forwarded Message----- From: brewery(a)brewhouse.net Sent: Sep 15, 2004 1:08 PM To: north-shore-brewer(a)earthlink.net Subject: New Beers Hello all, Just a quick note to alert you of our newest beer releases. Sunrise Golden Wheat 5.3% 50% barley 50% wheat a light and easy glass of unfiltered goodness. Adventurefest Ocktoberfest 5.9% Brewed for the Adventurefest race happening next weekend in Duluth this malty red lager will go nicely with the fall colors and the sweaters coming out of storage. Ole' RedBeard Barley Wine 10.9% The first Barleywine brewed at Fitgers in over 5 years. This strong ale has been aged for 1 year and will be released in stages. This being the first. Check our website at www.brewhouse.net for more info. See you at the Adventurefest Race Saturday Sept 25th Thanks for your support The Brewhouse Gang To UNSUBSCRIBE or MODIFY your profile: Click on or Copy & Paste the following link into your browser http://www.notjustemail.com/Change.php?provider_id=54&person_id=47178

21 years, 2 months

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mba September 2004