Greetings Brewers! Spring is in the air and my Bohemian Pilsner is in the primary fermenter! Tis the season for crisp brews, late afternoon hop-bombs, and lawn-mower ales.
This Month’s Meeting
This month’s meeting will be held at fellow club member Josh Paulson’s Family Business: Thering Sales and Service (aka The Junkyard Bakehaus) at 6187 Route 23 in Oneonta (just east of Otsego Auto Crushers) this Friday, April 20th @ 6:30pm. For a map, click HERE. The meeting is in the tan building with a green roof. Feel free to park along the side of the building. Don’t forget to bring
1. Homebrews if you got em (averaging 35+ people each meeting in attendance)
2. Tasting Glass
3. Chairs (camping or the like)
All Grain Discussion
In keeping in line with our meeting’s education component, I’ll be discussing the transition into All-Grain Brewing. As many of us know, the move from extract to all-grain can be confusing and equipment/cost-intensive. But those of us who have made the transition might also say that the control you have over your ingredients and process, as well as, cost-savings in bulk grain, are well worth the switch. I hope to be shedding a bit of light on a few cost-sensitive equipment upgrades, as well as, a condensed chart on grain specifics as they relate to recipe construction.
This Month’s Meeting
This month’s meeting will be held at fellow club member Josh Paulson’s Family Business: Thering Sales and Service (aka The Junkyard Bakehaus) at 6187 Route 23 in Oneonta (just east of Otsego Auto Crushers) this Friday, April 20th @ 6:30pm. For a map, click HERE. The meeting is in the tan building with a green roof. Feel free to park along the side of the building. Don’t forget to bring
1. Homebrews if you got em (averaging 35+ people each meeting in attendance)
2. Tasting Glass
3. Chairs (camping or the like)
All Grain Discussion
In keeping in line with our meeting’s education component, I’ll be discussing the transition into All-Grain Brewing. As many of us know, the move from extract to all-grain can be confusing and equipment/cost-intensive. But those of us who have made the transition might also say that the control you have over your ingredients and process, as well as, cost-savings in bulk grain, are well worth the switch. I hope to be shedding a bit of light on a few cost-sensitive equipment upgrades, as well as, a condensed chart on grain specifics as they relate to recipe construction.
Big Brew Day 3.0
Last Saturday’s BBD 3.0 was a blast. A dozen of us split a 60 gallon batch of German/Bohemian Pilsner, made from 110lbs. of German Pilsner Malt and 2.5 pounds of Czech Saaz Hops. Each of us selected a different yeast strain, from Bohemian Lager, to German Lager; Irish Ale to Wes’s infamous Funktastic Wild strain. Depending on the strain and type of conditioning, these beers will be ready to taste anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months (arg, the curse the of lager…). Also, several of the brewclub members popped down to see Roger’s new brewpub: Council Rock Brewery. With the goal of opening for business in the next few weeks, we all got to live vicariously through Roger’s tour as his exquisitely hand-crafted-rare-woods-bar, elaborately appropriate-to-style selection of fine glassware, and radiantly beaming brass-coated 10-Tap Perlick Faucet System are all crying out to be utilized.
A huge special thanks to Roger for allowing us to use his facilities, brew system, and hospitality for the entire day! Another special thanks to both Russ Scimeca, who took the reigns of the culinary situation, fired up his grill, and dished out some top-notch burgers and brats; as well as, Wes Nick, who converted us to his passion for Frisbee Golf by bringing his practice goal and leading the charge in a few scrimmage rounds!
Big Brew Day 3.5
Another big brew day? Yes, indeed!
In conjunction with our national organization (American Homebrewers Association) we will be participating in a National Big Brew Day on Saturday May 5th @ 9am in the large field behind My Father’s Place (MFP) on Rt. 7 just off I-88, exit 16. Bring your kettles & tuns, burners & chillers, propane & coolers, and brews to share! (But don’t forget your ingredients!) We will share wort chillers & burners, staggering brew times so that folks who don’t have this “next level” equipment can borrow from someone else. If you will need to borrow a burner, and have propane at home, please bring your tank.
More details, including the ingredient list/recipe to be discussed at the April Meeting.
