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We are now taking payment for the 2016 Cider Buy! Cost is $21 per 5 gallons. The extra $1 covers out credit card processing fees.
If you tried previously, try again. If you have questions, contact Dave Matson. Need some help getting started making cider? Check out our Getting Started Making Hard Cider article!
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It’s time for a social event! On Tuesday, October 25th we will head to Bald Man Brewing in Eagan. We will be having a tour around 6:30pm. Feel free to come early and try some of their offerings. We will plan on hanging out and catching up after the tour.
Reminder: As this is a production brewery, we will not be bringing homebrew to this event.
Read MoreComing up on November 5th is our annual Learn to Brew day at Barley John’s Brew Pub in New Brighton. We will start the activities at 10am with various brewing demos including partigyle brewing, prizes and lots of homebrew to share! Bring friends who have never brewed and they may walk away with a homebrew equipment setup!
Also at the learn to brew event is our annual Cider buy…we are purchasing up to 500 gallons of fresh pressed, un-pasteurized cider. This cider is fantastic for fermenting and club members have taken home LOTS of awards using it. The Cider will be $4 per gallon and must be reserved and paid for in advance. Contact Dave Matson for more information. Look for the separate announcement in the next couple of days to pay for and reserve your cider!
2013 MHBA Cider Buy
There will also be a presentation by Jason Dayton, who is a homebrewer and Founder of Lionheart Cider titled “Home Brewing to Distribution in Six Months for Less Than $50,000”. In his presentation, you will learn how Lionheart launched their first alcohol brand in under six months while still going in college and for less than $50,000. Jason will cover the origin of Lionheart but also specific steps if any home brewer / future entrepreneur wants to follow in their steps. Jason will also be around for the afternoon if you have questions about cider or the beer industry in general.
Look for more information on Learn To Brew Day coming soon in the upcoming weeks but make sure to block off your calendar now!
Read MoreA beautiful (if windy and waspy) Saturday afternoon allowed the club to congregate in the back parking area of Midwest Supplies on September 10th. The main point of the day was the club’s Iron Brewer Competition, which this year required the use of rye in the recipes. Congratulations to Kurt Smelser for taking home the judges’ trophy for the best rye beer–a roggenbier! Congratulations are also in order for Dave Matson, who took the people’s choice award for his rye IPA with honey. Thank you to Matt Weide for conceiving and executing this contest.
In what we hope will also become a traditional club contest, Jon Hunter won the award and prize for best beer made from this year’s AHA Big Brew recipes, with a delicious alt. Next May, brew one or both of the 2017 Big Brew recipes for a chance to win prizes and accolades. Many members went home with one-pound packages of Summit’s gifted Cascade hops.
We aren’t certain who enjoyed Pat and Hank McNeely’s mead demonstration and tasting more, the wasps or the humans, but all enjoyed it immensely! The duo brought myriad honeys, as well as mead made from each honey, and the samples included Tallow Tree, Brazilian Peppertree, Red Mangrove, Youpan Holly, Guajillo, Star Thistle, Tupelo, and Blackberry. There was even a peanut butter mead. It was a “sweet” thing that the McNeelys did, and the club offers them much appreciation.
(Left: Matt Weide presenting the Iron Brewer trophy to Kurt Smelser. Right: People’s Choice winner Dave Matson with Kurt Smelser.)
Read MoreByggvir’s Big Beer Cup is being judged this weekend at the MN Renaissance Festival. Stop by the Blue Lion Tent after noon on Saturday or Sunday if you are at the Fest.
Best of Show judging will be at Town Hall Brewery on October 11th starting at 6:30. People can pick up their scoresheets (and hopefully medals and prizes) after the winners are announced. We will also have a drawing for the contest volunteers (who have helped this year and a previous year) for a very cool 10 gallon kettle.
Read MoreOne final reminder that this Saturday is our 2nd annual Iron Home Brewer competition. The secret ingredient this year was Rye, so bring your best Rye offerings and come ready to taste away. The event is being held outside (weather permitting) at Midwest Supplies in St Louis Park from 12 to 3pm and everyone is welcome! Midwest gives us a large parking lot space, so kids, bring your scooters and balls.
There will be two prizes for rye beers–one awarded by a panel of judges, and the other awarded by people’s choice. If you brewed either or both of the AHA Big Brew recipes this year, then bring those beers to enter a contest for those–yes, there are prizes.
Thirty pounds of Cascade hops, donated by Summit Brewing, will be given away in one-pound increments.
Pat and Hank McNeely will be putting on a mead demonstration at 1:00, so bring your mead questions and your notebooks. (and your mead!)
All homebrew (as well as delicious commercial beer) is very welcome, and the club jockey box will be available. Anyone who brings at least 60 ounces of a particular beer will receive credit in the Brewers of Fame Program.
Read MoreHuzzah! The 10th Annual Byggvir’s Big Beer Cup is accepting entries through September 17th of your homebrewed Historic, English, and European beers, ciders, and meads. One of the Best of Show beers will be brewed by Mike Hoops at Town Hall and entered in ProAm for GABF. The Best of Show fruit or Spice/Herb/Veggie beers will be brewed by Tim Roets at Roets Jordan Brewery. Plus many other great prizes and custom wood medallions!
Experienced or newbie judges, we would love your help on October 1 & 2 at the MN Renaissance Festival. Less experienced judges will be paired with more experienced judges. You will have time to enjoy the Fest!
Registration for your entries and to volunteer at www.rennfestbeercup.com. Let the contest organizer, Gera Exire La Tour, know if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!
Read MoreIf you are interested in learning more in preparation for taking the BJCP tasting exam on December 11th, Gera Exire LaTour runs a prep course to get people ready for it. She has a few seats available for the prep class. It starts on September 15th and will be held on Thursdays in Minneapolis for 13 weeks. Please email Gera for details.
Read MoreHey everyone. Eric Paredes, the Chief Manager at Modist Brewing has invited us to take a tour of their brewery on Thursday, August 11th starting at 6 pm. Paige Latham will be giving us the tour of their very unique brewing system. Midnord Empanada food truck will be there and they also have menus of other restaurants nearby. Eric would like to know approximately how many people will be joining us, so please RSVP at [email protected], so I can let him know. Their address is 505 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
Read MoreDetails:
- This will be a club only contest that will utilize RYE as the secret ingredient in the brewing process.
- Brewers will have until our meeting on September 10th to brew any beer that they feel will work in harmony and exemplify the secret ingredient. You do not need to brew to a BJCP style. There is still time to brew a rye beer.
- Brewers should bring at minimum 6 – 12 oz bottles or 1 – 64oz growler. We will have the club jockey box available for kegs as well.
- Pat and Hank McNeely will be giving a talk / demonstration on how to make award winning mead. If you would like to learn more about the latest techniques, these two award winning mead makers will give you the scoop.
- We will be conducting the “Brewers of Fame.” So please bring any beer your would like to receive constructive feedback.
There are two ways to win:
- We will have a panel of 3 qualified judges to select the Iron Home Brewer. The winner will win an MHBA Iron Home Brewer trophy and a $50 gift certificate to Midwest Supplies.
- We will also have a people’s choice award will win a $25 to Midwest Supplies.