To: Minnesota Home Brewers Association Subject: 7th Annual Upper Mississippi Mash-Out We hope members of the Minnesota Home Brewers Association will visit the Mash-Out Web page http://www.mnbrewers.com/mashout for details on one of the top homebrew contests in the country. The Mash-Out offers fabulous prizes for every winner and hand-made wooden chalices for best-of-show winners in beer, mead and cider categories. This AHA/BJCP-sanctioned contest is organized by the St. Paul Homebrewers Club and the Minnesota Home Brewer's Association. The Mash-Out is the opening event in the High Plains Brewer of the Year Award 2008, the Midwest Brewer of the Year Award 2008 and the MCAB 2009. Key Dates: Jan. 1-12, entries accepted Jan. 25-26, judging at the Klub Haus in St. Paul Jan. 26, "Why Don't We Brew It In The Robe?" - BELGIUM! themed beer banquet and awards ceremony Judge! Outsiders are very welcome. Judges and volunteers are pampered with an in-door "Pub Crawl," a Brewpub Brewers Forum, commemorative pint glasses and the opportunity to pre-order growlers from Minnesota brewpubs. We also have Guest Speaker: Stan Hieronymous, author of "Brew Like A Monk". It's a lot of fun, and you can sign up now. Banquet in Belgium Chef Manfred Krug is going wild with a Belgian-themed menu this year. "Why Don't We Brew It In The Robe?" at the Belgian banquet on Jan. 26. The cost is $30. The complete menu will be posted in the near future. Special Events Back by popular demand: the Eis-Anything category. Put the cold weather to practical use by doing ice versions of your beer, mead or cider creations. Multiple entries allowed. New this year are TWO New Entrant categories - 1060+ and 1060- gravities. If you haven't entered a beer contest before, this one is for you. Everyone is sure to have a nICE time at the Mash-Out 2008. We hope to see you there! Please pass this along to other members of Minnesota Home Brewers Association Thanks!