FW: January e-Newsletter - NORTHERN ALE STARS

FYI -----Original Message----- From: Northern Ale Stars [mailto:northernalestars@hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:35 PM Subject: January e-Newsletter Well, the verdict is in, and here is the new board of directors of the Northern Ale Stars: President - Greg Gecas. This is Greg's second stint as President and he has a number of great ideas to lead the club. Vice President - Walt Pittack - This is Walt's first office since he mistakenly wandered into the club, but he is charged up to revive the Pub Crawl tradition. Treasurer - Don Hoag - Long time former club Secretary has returned to bring free spending back to the club. Brewmaster - John Judd - Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Excellent choice. Secretary - Steve Daiken - Yes, yours truly returns as the only re-elect to keep the rest of this motley crew in line. Club Social Director - Gus - This is a new position created especially for Gus, who is quickly climbing his way up the club political ladder. Gus won on a platform of 24/7 darts games at the Spring and Fall Hestons beer weekends. Well, there you have it, a few legacies and a few new bloods, should prove to be an interesting two years. DUES: Dues are now due for everyone. Please send a check for $20 (which will cover you for the next two years) made out to the Northern Ale Stars to Don Hoag, 5426 Beartrap Rd, Saginaw, MN 55779. FEBRUARY MEETING: The February NAS meeting will be Saturday, February 11 starting at the usual 2:00 PM ish time at the home of Mike Ganser and Julie Hillman. Their address is 4120 Schultz Road. Phone number 721-3814. Directions - go to the Sunset Bar on Highway 4, Rice Lake Road, go approx. 5 miles north and take a right on Schultz. Any questions? This will be a theme meeting..Bread and Beer. Bring bread that goes with your beer and be prepared to explain why they go together (in case we don't agree). Also, the highlight of the meeting (as far as I'm concerned) will be the beer Mike made with hops from my hop plants, harvested at the (now annual) Hop Harvest meeting. Be sure to bring some home brew, good commercial beer, or beverage of your choice as well as a snack to share with the group (your bread doesn't count as your snack). MARCH BEER WEEKEND & MEETING March 23rd to the 26th is the planned gala bash otherwise known as HESTONS!!!! If you haven't called and reserved your space yet, give Greg and Barb a call at 218-388-2243. I haven't heard of what the beer and whiskey tasting theme will be, but the Saturday group meal theme is ...Italian! However, there's a caviet. Greg said he does not want to see 40 pots of Spaghetti, so unless you have some insanely awesome spaghetti recipe, bring something else or face the wrath of the President. AROUND THE NORTHLAND: This weekend is the 2nd annual "Trust in the Land: An Evening of Local Fine Food & Drink" sponsored by Northern Waters Smokehaus and Whole Foods Coop. This food and beverage tasting event will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2006 from 6-9pm in the Great Hall of The Depot. Tickets cost $30 in advance , $35 at the door, $20 for students/low income folks & $10 for Land Trust homeowners. All proceeds will benefit the affordable housing work of Northern Communities Land Trust. The event will feature drinks, appetizers, entree's and desserts from some of the area's finest locally owned businesses including: Alekaf Coffee, Alotti Biscotti, Amazing Grace, The Boathouse, Chester Creek Cafe, Fitger's Brewhouse, India Palace, Lake Avenue Cafe, Lake Superior Brewing, New Scenic Cafe, Nokomis Restaurant & Bar, Northern Waters Smokehaus, Positively 3rd Street Bakery, Taj India, Twin Gables Cafe, Twin Ports Brewery, White Winter Winery, & Whole Foods Coop. Free childcare by Little Treasures (limited to 30) will be available at The Depot by reservation only - please call the Land Trust at 727-5372 to reserve a space. To purchase tickets in advance call (727-5372), email (heather(a)landtrustduluth.org) or stop by the Land Trust office (Room 112 in the Damiano Center). You can also buy tickets at Northern Waters Smokehaus in the Dewitt-Seitz Building, Whole Foods Coop front desk at 610 East 4th Street or The Green Mercantile at 206 East Superior Street. SHOW THEM THE DOOR.... Greg and Marcia (Hophead, Hopheadda) are actually retiring from their day jobs (over 70 combined years of working in the human services/mental health field). They're holding a retirement party to celebrate this event with friends and family. The Ale Stars, considered to be both family and friends, are invited to join them at the Northeastern Saloon and Grille in Cloquet on Friday, February 10 around 4:30 pm. Hors d'doevers are provided and there's probably going to be some kind of beer available on tap. The Northeastern is located on the island (kind of under the HYW 33 bridge over the river) and you get there by circling around by the old movie theater and straight onto the island from there. Good parking, good friends, what can go wrong? Pass the word along and we hope to see everyone! OTHER BUSINESS COVERED AT THE BUSINESS MEETING: - Dues has been lowered to $10 per year per family, but will be collected at the simi-annual business meeting (or the year of a business meeting) for that year and the following year. That means you will owe $20 every other year. - The club will look into the purchase of a used bourbon barrel to use for group brews. - The club will look into purchasing a large mash vessel and possible a boil kettle, possibly used dairy equipment. - The idea of the club purchasing large quantities of brewing ingredients and making them available to members was vetoed. HOMEBREW COMPETITIONS: The Upper Mississippi Mash Out was held in St. Paul January 19 - 21. Results can be viewed at: http://www.mnbrewers.com/events/mashout/2006mashout.htm The next homebrew competition in the Midwest Home Brewer of the Year competition is the Babble Brew Off. Information can be obtained at: http://babblehomebrewers.com/brewoff/ Midwest Home Brewer of the Year web site: http://sphbc.truthbrew.com/mwhboy/ Cheers!