Fellow Homebrewers,
Earlier this month about a dozen OVHA members came together at Tin Man Brewing Company for the annual AHA Big Brew. Including the 10 gallons each of this year’s AHA-sanctioned recipes, around 70 gallons, or about two barrels, of beer was produced that day. My hat is off to all of you who braved the early sprinkles. Tin Man was a terrific host providing all the essentials – electric, water (including pre-heated brewing liquor), and curb-side wait service! Thanks Nick, Sarah, and the TM gang! Let’s hope we get invited back. If you weren’t able to join your OVHA brethren, no problem. Your next opportunity will be November 1, 2014. Our friends at Liquor Locker will again play host. So, please mark your calendar!
The May 28 OVHA meeting is just around the corner. The highlight of the meeting will be this year’s second calibration tasting as Kenny Purcell’s American Wheat will square off against Carson Brewery’s Eville Wheat. Your homework assignment is to study up on the BJCP style guidelines for category 6D. The guidelines are available online and free apps are available for all of the common mobile devices.
A couple members have asked when the club’s bourbon barrel-aged beer will be ready for kegging. In the next few days we will be preparing kegs for Zoo Brew and the National Homebrewers Conference. After Zoo Brew we should have a solid consensus on whether it’s ready. I’ll keep you posted.
Speaking of Zoo Brew, June 7th is fast approaching. As usual, our call for volunteers was well-heeded and the Orange Army will be in full force. I thank you for your help making this one of the premier beer festivals in southwest Indiana. I’d like to give a special shout out to those who have donated beer for the event. I recognize that this is really a contribution of your personal time and expense. At last tally members had committed over 20 beverages for the event, so the taps should be flowing. Just an FYI, as I write this, both general admission and VIP tickets are still available online at www.meskerparkzoo.com.
Yet again kudos go out to John Mills and Jason Carson. Carson’s Pagan Pale was covered in the current issue of Draft Magazine and received a “Very Good” rating of 86 out of 100. The evaluator’s comments were very favorable.
Finally, I’d like to wish good luck to Chris Norrick and Amelia and Cesar Gonzalez at next month’s final round of the National Homebrew Competition taking place during the National Homebrewers Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. How awesome would it be to see one of our own walking across the stage and picking up some hardware? Regardless how they fair in the finals, I hope their good showing to date will inspire more of our members to participate in next year’s competition.
Just Brew It!
Jeff
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” ― Ayn Rand
