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Help us schedule the 2015 holiday party

February 10, 2015

The MHBA Club Leadership is finalizing the 2015 calendar and we could use your input regarding the holiday party.

In 2015 the cost of using the CSPS Hall is increasing quite a bit.  To hold the party there on the traditional Friday will cost $700 (the past few years it’s been $400), but the party could be held there on a Sunday afternoon for $400.  Additionally, some members have expressed an interest in having the holiday party on a day other than a Friday.

Please respond to the following poll so that the club leadership has some input to guide the scheduling decision.  The cost should not be a deciding factor, but if just as many people would attend on a Sunday as on a Friday, then we may as well save some money.  Likewise, if no one would attend on a Sunday, then we’ll likely just pay the extra money and go with the preferred day of the week.

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Sinning With The Saints in their new Heaven

February 10, 2015

Although the view out your window does not inspire you to ponder the sport of baseball, it’s actually been since late November that the club has been sitting on fifty tickets for the Saints’ Monday, June 8th game versus the Joplin Blasters.  Why in the world would we purchase tickets to a baseball game that at the time of sale was seven months away?–because the Saint Paul Saints baseball club is beginning a new era this summer, in that they’re moving to their new home in Lowertown Saint Paul.  Because of the higher level of interest in Saints baseball this coming summer, we bought tickets for our annual club outing the day that they became available.st-paul-saints-logo

Tickets will be $18 each, and include a reserved infield seat at the new stadium, plus some tailgating grub (to be determined).  Tailgating details are not yet fleshed out, given that no one is yet certain just how tailgating will play out in the new situation.  If there ends up being special group spots, we’ll get one.  If not, we’ll improvise.

You’ll want to purchase your tickets with a credit card, using the link below.  We probably cannot purchase extra tickets come April, so step forward now to give us an accurate head count, please.

Purchase your tickets now!

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Congratulations to the 2015 Great Northern Brew Ha Ha Winners

February 9, 2015

Congratulations to everyone who placed at the 2015 Great Northern Brew Ha Ha competition in Duluth this weekend! Find the complete results on the competition website. Thanks to everyone who entered and volunteered!2015 Great Northern Brew Ha Ha

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Congratulations to all 2015 Mashout Winners

January 27, 2015

This year’s Minnesota Mashout (formerly Upper Mississippi Mashout) has come to a close with a fantastic showing from MHBA members! Congratulations to all 2015 Minnesota Mashout winners! A huge thanks goes out to the organizers, volunteers, stewards and judges for a fantastic competition.

The complete list of all winners is available at the Mashout Website.

 Judging at Mashout

Judging at Mashout

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New member benefit – discount at Boom Island

January 15, 2015

There is a brand new benefit to being a member of the Minnesota Home Brewers Association! If you show your MHBA membership card at the Boom Island Boom Room (aka, taproom) you will get happy hour pricing all the time! Consider stopping by and saying hi next time you are in the area. A big thanks to Boom Island for extending us this discount. BoomLogoHorizontal

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Thanks for showing your Love of Beer!

January 14, 2015

MHBA At Casket CinemaThanks to everyone who came out January 8th to Casket Cinema for the screening of “For the Love of Beer”! We had a fantastic showing from the club and were able to introduce a number of Casket Cinema patrons to some great examples of homebrew.

The movie provided a great snapshot into the brewing industry, presented form a female perspective. It was very well produced, entertaining and informative. After the movie, the discussion with Gera, Tara, Rachel and Kathleen was likewise entertaining, fun and informative. Thanks ladies for sharing!

A special thanks goes out to Mark Wojahn and Wilbur Ince, co-founders of Casket Cinema for inviting and hosting us.

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Reminder – Meeting tonight at Casket Cinema

January 8, 2015

Another reminder about tonight’s meeting at Casket Cinema for the screening of “For the Love of Beer”. Details, address and timing are all on the event page on the club calendar.

We’ll also have an opportunity to discuss the homebrew you bring for the Brewers Hall of Fame. Bring at least a six-pack or keg or two-liter bottle. You may always bring a lesser amount to share informally, but it just won’t qualify for the Hall of Fame

We began this program at the November meeting, and here’s what happened there …
Quite a few folks gathered around a Barley John’s picnic table, and four brewers took turns introducing their beers and passing them around. Before we passed each beer, the brewer gave the audience a description of the recipe and process. While the group sampled the beer, questions and comments were shared.

  • Jon Hunter brought a California Common brewed with Northern Brewer hops that Jon’s friend had grown.
  • Heath Rhodes shared a Pliney clone. (don’t try to say that ten times quickly, and don’t confuse it with a pine cone)
  • Max Brummel, who had JUST joined the club, passed around some of his very first homebrew, a dark mild.
  • Chris Smith had us sample two of his creations; the first was a German Alt made with all Styrian Golding hops, and the second a wheat wine.

Each brewer will receive credit for the category of beer shared. Soon we will have a special page on the website where you can see who has received credit for which styles. There is no minimum quality requirement–just a minimum QUANTITY requirement, and that’s so that we have enough for everyone at the meeting to get a good-sized sample.

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2014 Holiday Party Recap

January 8, 2015

Thanks to everyone who came out to last month’s holiday party. We had a fantastic turn out with a great collection of food, beverages and people!

This year’s winners of the “Best Food” and “Best Beverage” awards went to Paul Illa and Tim Burman. Paul took best beverage with his triple IPA, brewed at Learn to Brew day at Barly John’s. Tim amazed us with “beer-amisu”, a beer version of tiramisu!Photo by Jennifer Cote

Thanks to everyone who made this past year’s party a huge success. Here is a collection of photos from the event.
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See you at the 2014 Holiday Party?

December 18, 2014

One final reminder that we hope to see each and every one of you at the holiday party coming up tomorrow, December 19 at the CSPS Hall in St Paul. The calendar event has the location details and suggestions on what to bring.

The short version is, you should bring some or all of the following:

  • A tasting glass
  • Friends & Family
  • Food
  • Homebrew

Hope to see you there!

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Get Ready for the 2014 Holiday Party!

December 11, 2014

As the end of the year comes barreling at us, it’s time again for the annual Club Holiday Party. This is one of the most highly attended events of the year and you don’t want to miss out.

Bring your homebrew to show off, bring a dish to share and bring your friends and family! The doors open at 5:30 for setup. and potluck food service starts around 7:00.

With a theme of “Beer” for the people’s choice awards for best food and beverage, you may be thinking you have to get super creative or be a gourmet chef. Do you have a great non-beer related recipe that you want to bring? Consider entering it as “pairing best with” a particular beverage you bring. Maybe you have a recipe that one of our gluten free members could enjoy that has a beer related side topping? Go for it! Whatever you want to bring will be enjoyed greatly! Bring the recipe to show off with your entry.

Please check the event page for all the details.

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