Posts
The days are getting colder and nights longer and that can only mean one thing…it’s time to ferment some cider!
Once again the MHBA is having its annual cider buy. For only $5 per gallon, you can get some of the best, freshest, tastiest apple cider available.
If you have never made hard cider, it’s not hard. Check out our getting started guide. If you have the equipment for brewing beer, you likely have what you need for cider.
Cider is available in 5-gallon quantities and runs $25 for 5 gallons. The slight cost increase this year covers increased cider costs, credit card processing fees and reimbursing gas for the volunteers hauling the cider to the pickup.
- Once again, the cider purchase is limited to current club members to start with.
- You are responsible for bringing your own plastic buckets to bring the cider home in. Please DO NOT BRING GLASS.
- Cider must be picked up on Saturday, November 4th between 11am and 3pm at the Learn to Brew event at Barley Johns Brewpub.
- If you are new to cider making, take a look at our getting started making cider article from a few years ago.
If you have any questions, please contact Dave Matson.
Reserve your cider now!
Read More
It’s time again for our annual cider purchase at November’s Learn to Homebrew Event.
For those who haven’t experienced this in the past, the club is purchasing 500 gallons of fresh pressed, unpasteurized apple cider from a local orchard. They do this special for us and you can’t get this cider at the orchard. This cider is amazing and has helped numerous club members produce some amazing cider.
Cider is available in 5-gallon quantities and runs $25 for 5 gallons. The slight cost increase this year covers increased cider costs, credit card processing fees and reimbursing gas for the volunteers hauling the cider to the pickup.
- Once again, the cider purchase is limited to current club members to start with.
- You are responsible for bringing your own plastic buckets to bring the cider home in. Please DO NOT BRING GLASS.
- Cider must be picked up on Saturday, November 4th between 11am and 3pm at the Learn to Brew event at Barley Johns Brewpub.
- If you are new to cider making, take a look at our getting started making cider article from a few years ago.
If you have any questions, please contact Dave Matson.
Reserve your cider now!
2013 MHBA Cider Buy
Thanks to everyone who brought our their beer showcasing honey as an ingredient for our annual Iron Home Brewer competition at Midwest Supplies! We had an amazing collection of beverages to sample and it was fun trying everything!
Congratulations to this year’s people’s choice winner, Reggie Greene, who took home a Midwest Supplies Gift Certificate. Dave Matson was our runner-up for Iron Home Brewer this year. He also took home a Midwest Supplies Gift Certificate. This year’s overall Iron Home Brewer, taking home the coveted golden airlock was Jon Hunter! Congratulations everyone!
You have been waiting for it all summer. It’s time to bring your entries and your taste buds out this Sunday for our annual Iron Home Brewer Competition at Midwest Supplies!
Don’t have an entry with Honey, no problem. Bring yourself, bring your friends and family, bring some homebrew if you have it but either way, stop out and help us determine who will walk away with the coveted Iron Home Brewer Trophy!
2015 Best of Show: Scott Ode and Jim Bradburn for their Lime Pale Ale
Coming up on August 9th, the Minnesota Home Brewers Association has been invited to visit the brand new brewery Unmapped Brewing, in Minnetonka. Club member and BJCP Judge Derek Allmendinger is the head brewer. He will give us a tour and share his perspective on the professional brewing experience.
Bring your friends and family and come out and enjoy some of Derek’s beers, hang out and catch up with fellow club members and brag about how awesome your entry to the Iron Home Brewer Competition will be in September!
The event page has all the details but here’s the short version:
When: Wednesday, August 9th from 6:00pm until 9:00ish.
Where: Unmapped Brewing, Minnetonka, MN
A huge thanks goes out to Tim Johnson and all of Badger Hill for hosting us earlier in July for our social event! It was fun checking out the latest creations on tap!
A quick reminder that this Wednesday, July 12 we will be heading South of the river to visit our friends at Badger Hill Brewing. Stop out, try some Badger Hill beer, bring your brewing questions for club members and get a peek behind the glass with a tour!
We will be showing up around 6pm with a tour around 7pm or slightly thereafter.
Our president John recently shared the details about the upcoming All Club Campout happening in August! This is a super fun event that you should seriously consider attending.
Find all the details on the recent post from John! If you are interested, make sure to RSVP with him.
Read More- The all club camp-out is only a month away, so start planning now. Families are VERY welcome at this event!
When:
- Friday through Sunday August 4-6
Where:
- El Rancho Manana, 27302 Ranch Road, Richmond, MN 56368 – map
- Near Cold Spring, not far from St. Cloud
Keep reading for more camp-out details: Please let me know ahead of time of you’re coming. This will help us plan, especially for Saturday dinner. Please e-mail [email protected] to indicate your intentions to attend as soon as possible.
Camp Details:
- El Rancho Manana is a multi-use site. For the campout we have a large group space off by ourselves, primitive camping or small RVs, portable toilets, community water spigot, no electricity.
- If you want more luxury, they do have more developed sites; call the campground to find out more information and rates on those.
- El Rancho has a variety of other perks including a beach, shower house, water bike rentals, horseback riding etc., all on site, only a short walk or car ride from our group site.
- Our location is an open space, not a lot of shade, if you have a portable canopy, you may want to bring it.
Cost and Registration Information:
- Cost is $25 per adult for the two nights. If you wish to extend your stay before or after, you can do that at a cost of $10 per adult for the extra night.
- Please call El Rancho for reservations at 320.597.2740 and state you are with the Minnesota Homebrewers Camp-Out. The sooner the better.
- There will also be a minimal charge for those participating in Saturday’s dinner. Final costs will be determined on site, and will be about $10 per adult, no charge for children.
What to Expect:
- If you’ve been to the campout, you know it’s primarily a time to kick back and enjoy good beer and fun beer drinkers.
- Feel free to participate as you wish.
- Bring beer to share.
- Club jockey boxes will be available so kegs are welcome and encouraged.
- The campfires are always accompanied by the passing around of great beers for all to sample. Start thinking now about what delectable delights you’ll bring in your cooler.
- The host clubs cook dinner Saturday evening, but for all other meals you’ll want to make sure you bring food for yourself and/or family.
- Of course, bring your own camping gear and chairs.
- Well behaved dogs are welcome.
- Well-behaved acoustic instruments are welcome.
- Amplified music is generally unwelcome.
Over the years some traditions have developed and some new ones are added:
- NEW THIS YEAR -Tour at Third Street Brewhouse (about ten minutes away)
- 1:00 Saturday–no charge, but space is limited, so let me know if you’re interested.
- Group bike rides. Bring your bikes, and let’s hit the road! I might bike to the Third Street tour; I biked there once from El Rancho, and it’s not a long trip.
- Master of Malt
- This fun competition between clubs has been held at the campout since 1992 (yes, this will be year 26). Each club can enter up to four brews: one for ALES, one for LAGERS, one for BELGIANS, and one for MEAD/CIDERS. There will be awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in all categories and best of all, you will be competing for the coveted title of Master of Malt! The win is recorded forever in history for your club AND you get to spend a full year with the prestigious Master of Malt trophy. It is kind of like the Stanley Cup (but not really)!
- Sour Hour:
- A tart happy hour. Sometime in the lull between the Master of Malt competition and dinner we will get together and break out some sour beers. It is a very casual thing. Bring and share if you like sours.
- Bloody Mary Mornings
- (okay, maybe early afternoon for later risers): Some of us like to start the day with a good Bloody Mary (remember the old saying, “you can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.”) This is another low key event, if you would like to begin your day this way, bring your own mix and vodka to begin, but also bring one Bloody Mary Builder to share with the group (pickles, beef sticks, cheese, celery, the list is endless). Let’s see how creative we can get.
- Saturday Dinner:
- Saturday’s dinner will be prepared and hosted by The MN Home Brewers Association. There will be meat prepared on a huge grill trailer, and enough non-meat items that you can justify eating dessert. So we can plan for dinner pleased indicate your participation by e-mailing John Longballa.
If any of this sounds like fun, you’ll want to join us at the camp-out! See you there.
Read More
It’s almost time for Homebrew Con! The first question is, are YOU attending? Also, our club is serving club homebrew (beer, mead and cider) at two events and we are looking for a couple volunteers:
Club Night:
Friday, June 16, 7:30 pm – 11:30 pm, Hall D, Booth 1540
Social Club: Saturday, June 17th, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Hall E, Bar 1
We are looking for volunteers to serve beer and represent the MHBA during these events…if we can get enough people would be ½ hour to 1 hour stints. Email Dave Matson if you can help. Note, if possible you should wear either MHBA garb or something along our Night’s Watch theme (club night only). Dave has an extra MHBA shirt I can borrow you if needed.
Also, we will be setting up for club night some time Friday between 10am and 6pm…contact Dave to let him know if you can be available…shouldn’t be a major undertaking but the more the merrier.
Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Read More