Meeting Recap: 5/1/12

Location: Jeans
Time: 7-9:30
Attendees: Jean, Mike P, Randi, Ivan, Lance, Eric M, Todd, Bryan, Mike T, Eric D, Doug, Mike F, Eric S, Dennis

Beers:
Mike T had a cream ale. Ivan brought an Amarillo IPA. Eric S had a Blackberry Wheat. Mike F had a Strawberry Wheat, Stout, and Pale Ale. Todd brought his Irish Red. Jean had a wheat ale. Doug brought a variety of commercials (XX IPA, Neverwinter ale, Two hearted and others). Mike P brought an ESB, Belgian Strong Dark, and American Red as well as a Summit Silver Anniversary Ale.


Business:

Big Brew Day
Big Brew Day is this Saturday. We'll start brewing at 10am at Lincoln Park (see map). So far we've got three brewers signed up. If you'd like to brew please fill out the registration form. Brewers will get a little gift and a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.
For those of you not familiar with Big Brew Day, AHA Big Brew is a celebration of National Homebrew Day (May 5). Each year homebrewers around the world invite family and friends to their brewing site on the first Saturday in May to celebrate the holiday. Everyone is encouraged to help out with the brew, enjoy the fun and join in on a world-wide toast at noon CDT. So spread the word! Send your friends to this page for directions and information on Big Brew Day.

BYO Magazine Subscription
You’ve got until May 10th to get the BYO subscription deal. Brew Your Own Magazine has once again offered us the great fundraising opportunity of selling their subscriptions. We've decided since you've been so helpful to the Masher fundraising opportunities that we were going to pass the savings to you. Until May 10th, you can sign up for a full year subscription of BYO Magazine for just $20! To subscribe, please fill out the form here: BYO Subscription

AHA Club Only Competition
We had one entry for the Scottish and Irish Club Competition. Todd's Irish Red will be going on to Texas. We look forward to seeing the results!

• Plan ahead. You can keep track of all upcoming AHA Club Only Competitions with the Club’s online calendar. This year’s lineup is: August-Porter, September – light hybrid beers, November – Olde Ales.

Beer Collection
Randi is taking beer donations to send to the designer of our logos as a sort of late thank you. For a little history of our logos check out the forum post here. If you have a beer you would like to send in appreciation of the MRM emblem and fish, please message Randi or bring them to Big Brew Day. Thank you!

Paddle
Todd took home the paddle for his Irish Red

This traveling trophy will be awarded monthly for the winner to take home and proudly display. At the end of each meeting we will look for nominations on outstanding homebrew of the night. This beer can be a new brew or a reworked recipe. Once a beer has taken home the paddle, it will no longer be eligible to win. When nominating a brew, look at flavor, style, and originality. A majority vote will declare the winner. If you win the paddle, make sure that you can have it back to an officer at the next meeting.

Reminders:

Blues and Brews
Blues and Brews will be on June 2nd. This event includes a homebrew contest with a $350 first place prize, a live band, a variety of beers, and food. For more information visit the Blues and Brews webpage.

Statewide Campout
The North Dakota Brewers Campout is scheduled for June 23rd-24th. The campout will be at the Cross Ranch State Park (just south of Washburn on the west side of the river). Brewers across the state are invited to camp, meet, and share homebrew. So far the attendance is 10+ brewers and their families. If you can’t camp, since we are so close, please feel free to stop by on Saturday and meet some of these folks. If you want to camp, visit NDBrewers.com and register your campsite soon. For more information and fliers please visit NDBrewers.com: Campout.




HopTea Series
Amarillo:
Amarillo is a relatively new American hop variety that has been described as "super cascade." The bitterness is between 5 and 11% AAU, making Amarillo a good hop for flavor and aroma additions.
The flavor profile is very citrusy, especially leaning toward a distinct orange flavor and aroma. I also find Amarillo to be somewhat sweet until it mellows out in a beer.
This hop was reportedly discovered and introduced by Virgil Gamache Farms Inc. and resulted as a mutation of another hop variety.

Citra:
Citra is a new moderately-high acid (10-12%) US hop variety releaset sometime in 2008. Citra is a cross between several hop varieties including Hallertau Mittelfreuh, U.s. Tettnanger, E.K. Goldings, and other unknown varieties.
The aroma is reported to be very fruity (citrus fruits especially.) Descriptors include: grapefruit, lime, melon, gooseberry, lychee fruit.

Simcoe:
Simcoe is best characterized as having a pronounced pine or woodsy aroma. It is a bittering hop ranging from 12 to 14% AAU that also imparts its characteristic aroma. The cultivar was bred by Yakima Chief in the USA. It is sometimes described as being "like cascade, but more bitter - and with pine."

If I forgot anyone or any beers, feel free to post it. Sometimes as the beer flows, the notes get sloppier and I get more forgetful. Cheers!