News – Page 17 – Minnesota Home Brewers Association

2017 Save The Date

February 28, 2017

Save the date!

The 2017 Cider buy and Learn to Brew at Barley John’s will take place November 4th. Timing is not firm yet but traditionally has started around 10am.
Our annual holiday potluck and homebrew extravaganza with live music will take place December 10th from noon to 4pm at the CSPS Hall in Saint Paul.

2017 Big Brew for National Homebrew Day

February 28, 2017

Saturday, May 6th we celebrate the American Homebrewers Association’s annual Big Brew for National Homebrew Day. Many of us will gather and brew individually at Lift Bridge Brewing beginning at 11:00; any recipe is welcome, but please consider brewing one of the two suggested recipes found on the AHA site. Brewing will be outside, except for those who were the first twelve to sign up.

Homebrew is welcome, and Lift Bridge will have mash/sparge water available, as well as hoses for chillers. Please remember to purchase much of Lift Bridge’s delicious wares! At 4:00, Lift Bridge will be distributing Oktoberfest wort, but you must purchase your wort ahead of time for $5 at Eventbrite.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1267977476626506/

If you can’t make it to Lift Bridge, then please consider hosting a brewing open house on May 6th. Let us know that you’re doing so, and we can spread the word to club members; this is a great opportunity to meet other members, see other brewers’ set-ups, share techniques, and to participate in the national simultaneous noon toast. Please let us know your name and address, what time you are opening the doors, what people can bring, and whether they should bring a brewing set-up.

Let’s make this a day where club members are in personal contact with other members, regardless of location!

2017 Bowling and Homebrew

February 27, 2017

Bring the family (and the homebrew!) to St. Francis Bowling Center in Saint Paul on Sunday, March 26th, from 12:30-3:00. This family-friendly club event is free for all members in good standing; the only cost to you (besides possibly your pride) is $2/person for shoes. Children and homebrew are welcome! A lane or two will have bumper buddies (gutter guards) for anyone who needs them. There’s no need to be there right at 12:30; please bring some snacks, stop by when you’re able, roll a few balls, and quaff a few homebrews.

This is one of the last of the German-Catholic basement bowling alleys that were quite prevalent in the second half of the previous century. We have the entire place and all six lanes to ourselves during our rented time. There will be door prizes, and a prize for the best homebrew. The St. Francis Bowling Center is located in the St. Francis school building at 426 S. Osceola Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102, just one block north of the intersection of Randolph and West 7th.

Find more information about the location on their website.

See you there!

March Meeting Announcement

February 24, 2017

Our annual Chili Cookoff and Officer Elections are coming up on Saturday, March 18 from 12-4pm. Bring your best chili and favorite homebrew to share!

It’s time for the annual homebrew review

February 23, 2017

Our annual homebrew review is coming up April 1 at the Northern Brewer warehouse in Roseville. Bring your favorite homebrew to showcase your brewing!

MHBA Logo Update

February 7, 2017

For those of you with good memories, you may recall a contest in early 2015 that was to provide the club with a new logo. The old logo has been wonderful, but the design is a bit busy for some applications, especially small ones, such as drinking glasses. During the contest window, the club received many great logo contest entries (thank you to those who entered!), and many of the entries would have worked well, but the board decided that none of the entries was just exactly right, and the logo re-design languished.

Fast-forward to January 2017. The club desperately needs a new logo so that members can order logo shirts to proudly wear to the national convention and to other events. Audrey and Dave Royer come to the rescue, spending many recent hours providing the board with countless revisions of logo ideas. As the crumpled papers filled the design-room floor, the logo got better and better, and what finally emerged was the new club logo, which we hope you will agree simplifies (yet holds true to the style of) the club’s original logo.

Member Winners at 2017 Mash-Out

February 7, 2017

Congratulations to all those MHBA members who brought home medals from the recent Minnesota Mash-Out! Special accolades go to MHBA vice-president Matt Weide for winning Best of Show Mead, plus two other medals. Other members with award-winning beverages were Joel Ellingson, Al Boyce, Paul Dienhart, Dave Royer, Dave Matson (x2), Chris Smith (x4), Steve Piatz, Tim Cichon, and Sean Kampshoff (x3). Apologies to those member’s names we might have missed; it’s easier for us to spot your name on an awards list if you enter with the club name!

Check out the full list of winners on the Mashout website!

Barrel Project 2017

February 1, 2017

Barrel Project 2017!
Depending on interest and finding a home for the barrel, the club will be purchasing a Kentucky bourbon barrel to be filled by members in good standing. The barrel will be arriving in about a month, so you will need to make an imperial stout in the very near future. Up to fifteen club members may participate, and each will provide 3-5 gallons of beer. There is a $50 gift card available to the person who is willing to host the barrel. If your beer tastes the least bit infected or off at the barrel-filling party, then your beer will not go in the barrel. Participants agree to share at least a small portion of the final results at club events. Please contact me at jlongballa “at” netzero.net if interested. The barrel is coming soon, so don’t delay!

Sinning With the Saints in 2017

January 4, 2017

Photo courtesy of Courtney Ives

On Thursday, May 18th, club members will yet again invade the tailgating lot at the Saints still-kinda’-new stadium for grilling, chilling, and swilling. The lot opens for sinning at 4:00, and the game against the Gary RailCats begins at 7:00. Reserved seating tickets along the first base side must be purchased in advance through the club’s site; tickets are $18 each and include brats and buns courtesy of the club. Purchase your tickets on the club website.

You will receive your ticket in the lot just before the game, as we eat each other’s delectable potluck dishes and drink each other’s beverages. As mentioned, the club will be grilling copious sausages and providing eatware.

Last year’s game featured a walk-off home run by the Saints, and to the best of anyone’s recollection, the Saints have yet to lose while the club is in attendance, so come join us on a lovely spring evening for beer, buddies, and baseball!

Purchase your tickets now!

Upcoming Competitions

January 3, 2017

We are coming up to a fairly active homebrew competition time again. Here’s some local or near by competitions you should consider entering and helping out with!

Minnesota Mashout

Entries: NOW through January 13, or when space fills up
Judging and Awards: January 27th and 28th, 2017. Check the website for details.
Website: https://mashout.org/

Great Northern Brew Ha Ha

Entries: January 6th through January 27th, or when space fills up
Judging and Awards: February 9th, 10th and 11th. Check the website for details.
Website: http://greatnorthernbrewhaha.brewcomp.com/

Winter Dabler Homebrew Competition

Entries: February 4th at the Winter Dabbler event
Awards: February 4th at the end of the event.
Website: https://beerdabbler.com/pages/winter-dabbler-homebrew-contest