“They” say all good things come to an end, and it certainly holds true this Thursday as we hold our last club meeting at our long-time home, Culver City HomeBrew Supply. So, let’s go out in style. If you have a special beer to share, please bring it along as we toast the good times and thank Greg, Kevin, Craig and Tim for their hospitality.

Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm

COMMERCIAL STYLE of the MONTH:   American Pale Ales

As always, we will have some interesting commercial examples.

HOMEBREW STYLE of the MONTH:   American Pale Ales

Kegs, bottles and growlers of the style of the month are encouraged, all homebrews are welcome.

 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOMEBREWERS FESTIVAL RECAP:

Another Homebrewers Fest is on the books, and it was a great. The 97-degree heat did not deter 36 PG and WASH (West Adams Society of Homebrewers) members, along with another thousand or so home brewers, from congregating at Vail Lake Resort and sampling the brews of 35 other clubs from around Southern and Central California. PG had 23 kegs available for sampling on The Wave and expansion module. WASH had quite a few at the next booth over, augmented by the annual Dan Hakes Invitational Mead Sampling. (Invitational, as in: “if you are in the festival grounds, you are invited to sample”.)

And, as always, besides the offerings at the fest site, there was an interesting variety of bottles shared at our campsite on Friday and Saturday nights.  Kudos to Dean Sussman for the inspirational Saturday morning stacking of the leftover bottles from Friday Night’s Bigfoot Vertical.

Additional campsite entertainment was provided by Joe Hogue, who demonstrated the mind boggling versatility of his homebuilt quadcopter.

2018 BIG BREW (5/26): THE  GRAINFATHER  MEETS  THE  THERMO-SIPHON  REBOILER

You won’t want to miss this year’s Big Brew, where you can watch some of our award winning homebrewers demonstrate the equipment that helps them make great beers. Are you an extract brewer thinking about moving to all-grain? Are you looking to upgrade the equipment that you currently have?

Parker will be there with The Grainfather, and Carl is going to fire up his reboiler that will have you ducking for cover as you look for the Santa Monica Airport-bound jet that missed its approach. Andrew, Michael, and Nathan are scheduled to be on hand with their brew rigs, and there is room for 1 more.  If you would like to show off your system, send an email to Carl (competitions @ pacificgravity . com) and reserve your spot. All-grain and extract brewers are welcome to brew.

Notes for Big-Brewers:

1. If possible, arrange with Carl (see email above) to drop off your equipment at on Thursday or Friday. Please do not show up at Carl’s at 7am.
2. Bring your own hose for chilling.
3. Plan your schedule to be finished (wort in the fermenter, equipment packed up) by 5pm.

Notes for Everyone:

1. Please bring beer. We will be setting up The Wave and the expansion module for kegs. Of course, growlers & bottles are always welcome.
2. Lunch: We will be firing up Carl’s iconic Weber and cooking up some burgers and hot dogs.
3. Sides, salads, snacks, and dessert will be welcomed. Please drop a note to the board (board @ pacificgravity .com) if you can bring something.

Date: Saturday, May 26.
Place: Carl’s Place, 3621 Redwood Avenue, Los Angeles, 90066
Time: All grain brewers should plan to start mash-in around 10am. Extract brewers can start later.

 

MAKE YOUR OWN JOCKEY-BOX DAY:

Using a jockey box is the perfect way to serve your homebrew at family outings, friends’ houses, or in your own backyard. And now, you can make your own. In addition to a cooler, (48-quart coolers are a popular size), you will need these pieces for each beer line (prices are approximate):

• Stainless Tubing ($35 for 10 feet)
• Vinyl Beer Line ($5)
• Ball Lock Disconnect with Flare Fitting ($12)
• Screw Clamps ($4 for Set of 4)
• Dispense equipment:
  • Option A: Cobra Head Picnic Tap ($5); or
  • Option B: Shank + Standard Faucet ($35)

Approximate cost per beer line (excludes cooler):

Dispensing with Cobra Head picnic tap:  $61
($35 + $5 + $12 + $4 + $5)

Dispensing with Standard Faucet:  $91
($35 + $5 + $12 + $4 + $35)

Preparation:

• Bend Stainless Tube to fit into your cooler (tube bender and measurements will be on hand at Jockey Box Day);
• Cut Vinyl Beer Line into 2 sections, beer-side and dispense-side;
• if using shank & faucet, drill hole in cooler for shank (drill and hole cutter will be on hand);

Assembly:

• screw Ball Lock Disconnect onto Flare Fitting;
• use Clamp#1 to attach the Flare Fitting to the beer-side Vinyl Beer Line;
• use Clamp#2 to attach the other end of the beer-side Vinyl Beer Line to the Stainless Tube inside the cooler;
• use Clamp#3 to attach the dispense-side Vinyl Beer Line to the other end of the Stainless Tube;
• use Clamp#4 to attach the other side of the dispense-side Vinyl Beer Line to the dispense fixture (Cobra-head picnic tap or faucet shank;
• (if using shank + faucet) attach faucet to shank fitting.

Date: Saturday, June 16.
Place: Casa Molloy Event Center (6738 W. 87th Place, Westchester, 90045)

A couple of Jockey Boxes will be on display at the Big Brew, and a sign-up sheet will be available. If you cannot be at the big brew, but wish to order the hardware (except for the cooler, which you provide), please send me an email (vice-president @ pacificgravity .com) and advise how many of each of these pieces you would like (prices approximate). If you already have some of the pieces (e.g. clamps, shank & faucet), you do not need order with us.

1. Stainless Tube (@ $35 ea):
2. Vinyl Beer Line (@ $5 ea):
3. Set of 4 clamps (@ $4 ea set):
4. Ball Lock + Flare Fitting (@ $12 ea set):
5. Cobra Head Picnic Tap (@ $5 ea) or
6. Shank + Basic Faucet (@ $35 per set):

 

SHARE YOUR HOMEBREW:

Please bring some of your homebrew to the meeting and events.

DUES are DUE.

Dues are $36 per individual, $54 for couples.  If you haven’t paid yet, please do it at the meeting.

NEEDED:  MEETING PLACE

Do you know of a local venue that would allow us to hold our monthly meeting and share our homebrew? Do you have a decent sized backyard that could host 30-50 fellow club members for a meeting? If so, please drop us a line at board @ pacificgravity .com), or talk to one of the board members at an upcoming event.

See you Thursday!