Greetings Homebrewers,
For this month’s President’s message, let’s talk turkey, or Big Turkey to be exact. The Big Turkey contest is an OVHA tradition that started way back in 2007 as a fun and friendly competition open to all OVHA members. This year for the 9th annual Big Turkey competition there will be 2 categories: 2008 BJCP Category 12 Porter, and Category 14 IPA. This includes subcategories: Brown Porter, Robust Porter, Baltic Porter, English IPA, American IPA, and Imperial IPA. The rules are brewers may only enter each subcategory once. Each entry will consist of 2 – 12 ounce capped bottles that are void of all identifying information, including labels and embossing. Printed caps are allowed, but must be blacked out completely. Completed entry forms must be submitted with all entries, and can be printed directly from the OVHA website. Entry forms should be attached to bottles with a rubber band only; glue and/or tape are unacceptable. The drop off deadline for entries will be the November 18th meeting and the awards ceremony will take place at the OVHA Christmas Party. Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Judges will be using the standard BJCP judging sheets used at all the AHA competitions and styles will each be judged within their own subcategory. The grand prize will be the opportunity to be “Pro-Brewer for a Day” at Carson’s Brewery. We will also have a club-wide tapping party when the beer is ready. Also, first place will get their name on the Big Turkey trophy, receive one year’s free OVHA membership, and get a Big Turkey ceramic stein. Other prizes to be announced. Should you have any questions or comments, Vice President Kenny Purcell is the event coordinator for the Big Turkey competition. I hope everyone is brewing for the big turkey, I know I am!
Next up let’s talk about the SWIRCA and More Brewfest on August 29. The event is 6:00-9:00, with VIP hour starting at 5:00 at Bosse Field. So far it’s looking to be another outstanding showing by the club. I counted around 29 beers committed and 18 servers volunteered! Just as a reminder, in order to serve at an OVHA sanctioned event, each server must have on their person a current server’s license and a copy of the certificate for completion of the Indiana Server Training Program. This will be checked before the event starts. And remember, while we are at SWIRCA we are all OVHA ambassadors so remember to have fun, be safe, and be on your best behavior (no streaking the ball field please)!
The next quarterly OVHA social night will be at the Gerst Haus 2100 W Franklin St on September 12th at 4pm. If you haven’t been to one of these the quarterly social nights are a really fun event and a nice opportunity to meet with club members, friends, and family in a non-club casual atmosphere. I have really enjoyed going to the social nights and seeing club members in a social setting away from the sometimes noisy club meetings and beer fests, and I hope they continue to be as popular as they have been in the future.
And lastly, the next brew fest event after SWIRCA will be the Evansville Museum Brew Ha-Ha September 26th, then Wesselman’s Woods Wandering Owl beer and wine trail on October 28th.
I hope to see you all at the Wednesday meeting, don’t forget to bring your canned good, and I promise not to forget the microphone this month!
Cheers
Sky Buttrum
