Motor City Mashers News and Events – September 2015
Lots of stuff to pass along, Mashers… Let’s get to it!
Our last meeting at Brew Detroit was awesome! If you haven’t been there, GO THERE! Thanks to Erika and the staff at Brew Detroit for their hospitality! Meeting minutes from that night will be posted online soon.
Big reminder that the 6th Annual Bell’s Homebrew Competition Kick-off (read as: wort giveaway) and Expo will be held THIS SATURDAY (September 19th) at Bell’s Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo. Last year, we had a great turnout of Mashers for this event… will we have more this year? We have a few Mashers that want the wort to compete, but will be unable to attend. If you are attending or want to attend but do not want to compete in the homebrew competition or are bringing a friend who doesn’t brew, can you contact me () ASAP? We can arrange to get you a sanitized carboy or bucket so you can help a fellow Masher compete. As Bell’s says, “You can send someone else to pick up your wort. We aren’t concerned with who takes it, just who turns in bottles to be judged in October.” Get more details on this event here: http://bellsbeer.com/blog/346-Details_for_2015_Bell_s_Homebrew_Competition__wort_giveaway_and_Expo_now_available . Remember to get there early… the line to get registered and get your pickup time gets long fast!
RATFEST 2015-16! Thanks to Gail Milburn for attending the Ratfest orientation with me.
We are still looking for brewers! If you are interested in brewing, contact me ASAP () so we can discuss plans! We need 4 teams of two brewers! The first brewday will be based on a sour recipe (still looking for someone to come up with that recipe) and will be on Sunday, October 18th, but we need to turn in the sour recipe to the organizers for review by THIS SUNDAY, September 20th! We need to have all of our recipes turned in by October 31st, which is also our deadline to select the other 3 brew days. I am posting the ingredient list on our website (http://motorcitymashers.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Gmail-Ratfest-Ingredient-List.pdf) as well as the Orientation Information/Rules (http://motorcitymashers.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-16RatfestOrientation.pdf) for your review. Please look at them! They describe what should be brewed each brew session as well as other important information. The Ratfest event itself is on Saturday, February 20th. LET’S WORK TOGETHER AND WIN IT ALL!!!
On Saturday, October 10th, Adventures in Homebrewing is having a Customer Appreciation Day and Oktoberfest Biergarten/Celebration. They are inviting us to come and have a great time with them. We are invited to come in also to brew on that day starting at 9:30AM – contact Jeff Oliver at AIH () and me () and let us know that you are brewing. Note that we also have Learn to Homebrew Day on Saturday, November 7th… If you can only brew one of these two days, make it LTHD! Brewing is optional on October 10th. They are having food in the morning AND afternoon. They are also having a cornhole tournament starting at 12 noon. There will be a Best of Show competition for anyone who brings in a corny of their best brew! (Winner to be announced at 4PM – again, Let Jeff Oliver and I know that you are bringing something for the club bar!!!) Of course, we need judges (all of you) to help pick the Best of Show! Let’s all come down and have a great time!!!
On Sunday, October 11th, there will be an AHA Rally at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo. Enjoy Bell’s beer samples, take home a Rally-exclusive gift from the AHA, meet Bell’s brewers and staff, take a VIP brewery tour, mingle with local homebrewers and win great prizes from the AHA and Bell’s. AHA Rallies are free to current AHA members. Non-members can join now, or sign up onsite at a discounted member rate. Save time and fill out a membership form in advance to bring with you to the Rally. Don’t forget to RSVP to help them properly prepare for the event. RSVP here: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/aha-events/rallies/rally-rsvp/
The 7th Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival hosted by the Michigan Brewers Guild is on Friday, October 23rd and Saturday, October 24th. Adventures in Homebrewing is taking a busload of brewers to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival on Saturday. They will have pizza and beer on the bus—with a bathroom! $70 includes the Festival Ticket and Busride. First pickup is at 10am at the Ann Arbor Store, followed by a pickup in Taylor at 11am.They will stay until the end and leave at 6pm. Plans are to be back to the Ann Arbor store by 8pm. Follow this link for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/882263455201597/
As I mentioned earlier, Learn to Homebrew Day is Saturday, November 7th. Plan to have something to share on the club bar and plan to brew on that day! Let’s fill up that lot with all of us brewing!!
I’m sorry that this was so long, but as you can see, we have A LOT going on! As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Cheers, and I hope to see and hear from everyone soon!