Meeting Newsletters

2001 January Meeting

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Written by Gary Weston
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WHALES Newsletter and Minutes         January 18, 2001
Recording Secretary: Kenny Schrader

 

Hoppy Brew Year! WHALES held their first Club meeting of the new year at J.J. Bitting Brewpub, the 3rd Thursday of the month, 7:30 pm sharp. Attendance was OUTSTANDING! The 14 participants included professional Brewmaster Brad of WHALES' headquarters Bitting, as well as Special Guest Mike Sella, Brewmaster of Pizzeria Uno. We also had two other guests attend the meeting; John Lyons and Brian (2nd visit). The "regulars" were Master Prez Keith, semi-Pro brewer and Master Trez Tom, Master Event Coordinator Luke, Lager Master Mike M, Hop Master Paul, Spiced Ale Masters Mike T and Julianna, Wine Master Harry, Crazy Master John, and Record Master Kenny. The saying is as January goes, so goes the year. Well if there is any truth to that, 2001 looks like it's going to be one HELLUVA year for the Club! A year full of fun and education revolving around our most revered and esteemed beverage, BEER!
SHORT NOTICE: Our friends at Princeton's local homebrew club (P.A.L.E.A.L.E.S) have cordially invited the WHALES to their next meeting. It will be held at Harvest Moon Brewpub in New Brunswick at 8:00 pm, Monday January 21. You may bring your homebrews to sample and share but the word is "discretion" about how you bring them into the establishment. (ie: use a paper bag) It will be good for us to see how another homebrew club conducts their meetings so please make it a point to attend this special invitation!
Thanks go to Keith for passing out the meeting's monthly beer literature. Copies handed out contained "The Beer Basics; the simplest way to brew five gallons of beer", an article about the largest homebrew club competitions (Dixie and Bluebonnet), registration info for the 2001 National Homebrew Competition (due 04/04 --> 04/13), guidelines and entry requirements for War Of The Worts VI AHA sanctioned competition (due by 01/25). <--hurry, hurry
Speaking of homebrew competitions, you web-site guys (STEVE AND GEORGE) need to revise (or possibly delete) the info about WHALES 3rd Gold Medal Homebrew Competition. If there IS one, it sure won't be when the site says it is. May or June are remote possibilities, if someone wants to tackle the bull by the horns. Obtaining AHA sanctioned and certified judges seems to be the main obstacle and burden, among other things. Also, we need to put to sleep the grand prize of LAST year's comp. This has gone astray and MUST be resolved in one way or another, soon.
One competition you WON'T want to miss is NETWORT, the cyber internet competition! Prizes are the very best and WHALES has a good reputation for entering and supporting this one in years past. Results are INSTANT/real time and can also be E-mailed this year within seconds of the judges' decisions. The deadline to get entries to Cincinnati, Ohio is March 3rd so you will want to get your homebrews out towards the end of Febrewary. Details at www.cmg.net/belgium/clubhub/
Our Event Coordinator Luke is already making things happen so early in the (real) Millenium! Get ready for the WHALES excursion to LAMBERTVILLE on Sunday, February 4th. This is the Winterfest and tour of Riverhorse Brewery. We've heard nothing but good opinions about Hop Hazard ale. Can't wait to try! Chili cookoff is 1-4pm and includes many specialty chilis like turkey, venison, etc. KIDS WELCOME! This is a family affair so bring everyone (except your Mother-In-Law) ...kidding! MEET AT J.J. BITTING PARKING LOT FOR CAR POOL at 12 noon sharp.
Luke also has our Club's Annual picnic in line. Final details to follow of course but for the moment, MARK YOUR CALENDARS for Saturday, July 14th. One thing we've noticed about Luke's plans... He picks the PERFECT weather. Don't know how he does it but it works every time!
One other item our Coordinator will be coordinating is our "Club-Wear". We are in dire need of new WHALES T-shirts, as most of our existing T's have all worn out. Jackets too! We are going to look DYNOMITE, grab a pair of shades. Ooooh baby.
New Year's brings resolutions, and we try to keep them. Our Club's resolutions for 2001 are simple and we should be able to achieve our goals. Here are just a few:
  1. We will high-lite a homebrew each monthly meeting. The brewer will give a brief description of his procedure, ingredients, and comment on the style. The brewer will "have the floor" and command respect from the members. The beer may be a braggin' beer, or a problem beer. Either way, we are all sure to learn.
  2. In addition to the featured homebrewed beer, that same speaker, or a cooperative accomplice, will provide commercial examples of the same for comparison, if possible.
  3. Monthly meetings will also need a volunteer to speak of a homebrew topic, anything, that attracts interest. The volunteer will announce the subject one month in advance. The ideas are endless!
  4. If there are no volunteers, one will be appointed!
  5. Have fun and enjoy life, especially the joy of BEER and comradeship this Club has to offer. Life's too short. This Club contains some of the very finest people the world has to offer. No kidding.
FEBRUARY volunteer(s):
Paul and Kenny will bring samples of the Brewbash Imperial Stout for critism, tasting, and procedures. This beer was a 10 gallon batch split. We will compare the different yeasts used, fermentation temps and times, as well as try and bring samples of commercial Impy's to slurp up.

MARCH volunteer:
Mike M. Not sure what's on the agenda, but Mike is SURE to please and entertain! Thanks in advance, Mike. For those that don't know Mike, we consider him our Lager specialist.

Brad, Bitting's Brewmaster, is more than happy to supply yeast to Club members! Fresh 1056 is always available. A new strain of Bavarian lager yeast will be harvested soon as well. Sanitize your empty jar, and put it inside the door of the glass wrapped tank room you see in the main dining area. Be sure to put your name on the jar, and when you plan to pick it up. Brad is usually there between 7 and 3. Should you need to call, the best time is between 8-8:30am. J.J. Bitting is an excellent host for our Club!

Brewmaster Michael Sella of Pizzeria Uno generously offers our Club a similar yeast proposal. As does the brewer from Harvest Moon. Back to Uno for a sec, Mike will have some 3065 yeast cultivated shortly. And 1056 is a staple. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR FEBRUARY 26th! This eve is a beer dinner featuring 3 Uno beers and 3 of Heavyweight beers for $45 bucks, dinner included. Tom Baker of Heavyweight is a good friend of WHALES and man, can that guy produce some kick-ass beers! Thanks again Mike from Uno for dropping in on one of our meetings!

WELCOME to our homebrewing guests Brian and John! Brian has visited our meetings once before, and perhaps we can give him the inspiration to brew his second batch soon!

John Lyons, our other guest of the evening, asked to be put on our mailing list. You will see his address as This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Mr. Lyons has been brewing for 10 months, and has been going hot and heavy on the volume! At the moment he has 2 batches working. A lager and a "funky" ale.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
At 8:15pm, the "offficial" meeting adjourned, and it was time to knock off some stuff! Hot diggety!! This meeting had some of the VERY best beers you could sample anywhere on the planet. For instance: Tom's Pale Ale, Saint Pete's Honey Brown from UK, Mike's Pale Ale, Crazy John's Boiled Yeast Stout (superb!), Tom's BEE STING BROWN from our BREW-BASH, also from BREWBASH 2000 Keith shared his American Brown, Divorce Court Labs Brewery Scotch Ale, Luke's PISSOFF Bros. Christmas 2000 Ale, BREWBASH ----------->>>>
W e i z e n b o c k from Harry and Mike's secret stash. Oh baby, it was GOOD! PISSOFF Bros Winter Ale was a big hit! Some commercial brews hit the table such as Blueridge Snow Balls Chance, Fat Angel Magic Hat, BRUEGHEL Blonde from Krosse Ale Brewing in Vermont, get this........ we were blessed 1995 SAMICHLAUS! What a treat! Harry pulled one out, a Sangioves Italian Dinner Wine that tickled the palate for sure. Certainly there were a few others that escaped this writer's attention, but we did the best we could. What a night!
Perhaps we need a moment to interject one point. The first WHALES meeting of 2001 did not end with Paul and Tom closing the bar with Last Call! This can only mean good things... perhaps
FINALLY, history is in the making. What service! Not only do you get these "minutes" less than 24 hours after the meeting, you ALSO get some photographs! You will find them attached to an E-Mail soon.

Enough for now, Happy Brewing and may God Bless.
Kenny/Divorce Court Labs Brewery