County Fair Judging at the Culver City Shop – Sunday 7/29 at 5:00 PM

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The Falcons have a record 300 beers to judge for the Los Angeles County Fair Homebrew Competition and they have asked us to help!  We will be doing a preliminary judging round on Sunday, July 29th at 5:00 PM.   Come on by and help out on what has always been a good competition for Pacific Gravity.  We need a couple of stewards too!  To sign up, please send me a note at [email protected] .  And, to make sure your points get recorded, please sign up here:

http://competitions.maltosefalcons.com/2012LACF/judgeform.php

Note that they also need many many judges at the main judging session which will be at the Woodland Hill shop on Sunday, August 5th, at 9:00 AM. Make sure you check the proper session boxes for “Preliminary session” or “day of the competition” to keep it all straight.

I guarantee there will be some great beer, so come on by!

Thanks
Carl Townsend
Competition Coordinator

 

FINAL REMINDER: The Summer Party is this Saturday, the 21st! Are you ready?

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Hello again.  I wanted to post one final reminder reiterating some important points and also introducing a couple of new topics to the mix:

  • If you haven’t already done so, please RSVP as soon as possible by replying to the separate email you should’ve already received.  You can also specify what volunteering you’d like to do, as well as noting your potluck contribution and / or the keg(s) you plan on bringing.
  • After much discussion and effort, we finally have new Pacific Gravity tasting glasses and more beer glass leashes!  The glasses are a different style / shape than we’ve had in the past, and they look great with the red and black oval PG logo.   If you’re interested in purchasing one (or more), we’ll have them on sale in a combo with a leash for $10, or you can buy them individually at $7 for a glass and $5 for a leash.  Bring cash for ease of transaction.
  • Remember also that we’ll be conducting our massive raffle for all manner of beer related prizes, such as bottles of fine ale, homebrewing equipment, and gift certificates for great local watering holes.  Raffle tickets can be purchased for $1 each.
  • We’ll be holding a silent auction for PG’s 3-tier club brewing system.  This is a “turnkey” 10-gallon system consisting of a brewstand with burners, 2 converted keg-kettles, and a “gott-style” mash tun.  You won’t need to fork over the cash on-the-spot for this; we’ll arrange for the winner of the auction to pay for and transport this large item during more sober circumstances.
  • Finally, there’s one thing that I’ve forgotten to mention along the way – take some pictures at the party!  Bring a camera and capture the moments…  I’ll collect photos from you afterwards and put together a recap / photo essay for all to enjoy.  Just don’t get all creepy with those zoom lenses, K?  You know who you are….

Alright kids – that’s all I’ve got.  I leave the rest to you.  Let’s make this year’s Summer Party one to remember!  See you all this Saturday.

There it is…it’s a July flyer…

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JULY TWENTY-TWELVE

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SUMMER PARTY @ NEIL’S: 12966 RUBENS AVE, MARINA DEL REY – SATURDAY, JULY 21ST, lPM TO 8PM
Oktoberfest in July?  You betcha!  Join us for the first of our big parties of the year and bring your best German Potato Salad – we’ll have an informal competition to find the best of the bunch.  Don’t forget to bring kegs of beer, too!  This is YOUR party, so do your part to make it awesome – please volunteer for anything from set-up, food prep, and cooking, to front gate duty and clean-up.  Please email [email protected] to let us know how you’ll help and to RSVP.

FIRST FRIDAY @ FOUR POINTS SHERATON LAX POOLSIDE: 9750 AIRPORT BLVD, AUGUST 3RD, 5PM TO 9PM
The Four Points always has many, many great beers on tap and in bottles, so what better than that, around the pool, on a warm summer night?  Just don’t fall in, K?

MEAD DAY @ THE CARRIAGE HOUSE: 2379 21ST STREET, LA – SATURDAY, AUGUST 11TH, lOAM TO 6PM
**NOTE DATE CHANGE** Mmmmm…mead.  I love it, don’t you?  This will be like a big brew, but instead of beer, we’ll be brewing multiple batches of that ancient and magical elixir.  Perhaps you’ll find the inspiration to join us!
Read more →

REMINDER: More Summer Party Setup @ Neil’s this Friday, RSVPing, & KEGS.

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I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the fine PG members that came out to help with the Summer Party setup this past Saturday – we had a great turnout and got a lot done.  We couldn’t have done it without you, so thanks!

We’ll be over at Neil’s again this Friday afternoon doing more setup, decorating, food prep, and last-minute stuff, so if you have yet to do your part, please come on by when you can and pitch in.

I also wanted to remind all of you to please RSVP for the Summer Party if you haven’t already done so.  Deadline for RSVPing is this Wednesday, the 18th.  Please RSVP via the separate email that you should’ve already received.

Finally, remember that you can drop your kegs off at Culver City Homebrewing Supply for convenient transportation to the party.  Please do so by 7pm this Thursday at the latest.  Please use the toe tags in the CLUB STUFF drawer at the shop to label your kegs with your name and what beer is contained therein.  Remember to email Carl and let him know what manner of beverage you’ll be bringing so that he can have a festive toe tag ready for you at the party.

We’re in the home stretch, kids, so let’s get it togetha and git ‘er done!  As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us.  Thanks!

 

P.S.  Almost forgot – there’s no monthly meeting at CCHBS in July – the Summer Party will be our July meeting!

REMINDERS: Summer Party setup at Neil’s this Saturday at noon & RSVPing.

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Hello again, all.  This is a friendly reminder to all PG members that we’ll be heading over to Neil’s Palatial Duplex at 12966 Rubens Avenue this Saturday, the 14th, at noon, to begin setting up for our much-anticipated Summer Party.  We need all the help we can get to pull off this most massive of soirées, so please email us at [email protected] and let us know you’ll be coming by to help.  We’ll have another pre-party setup afternoon / evening at Neil’s on Friday the 20th, so let us know if you can help then as well.  These setup sessions are also a great time to hang out with and get to know your fellow members, and as always, a bit of social lubricant never hurts, so bring along some beers to share, especially of the Oktoberfest variety – your empty could end up as part of the decor!

In addition, we need everyone to RSVP to the separate email you should’ve received by now.  Please RSVP no later than Wednesday, July 18th, and let us know:

  • if you’re coming to the party or not
  • how many guests you plan on bringing (current PG members get in for free, all guests of current PG members pay $10, no kids or pets this year)
  • what your food and / or beer contributions are, and
  • what volunteer shift(s) you’d like to work at the party

If you didn’t receive the RSVP email, it’s likely your dues have expired or we don’t have a current email address for you, so please let us know if either applies to you.  You can renew your dues of $35 at the front gate on Party Day.

Thanks again for your time and for stepping up and helping Pacific Gravity put on a great Summer Party!  See you there.

Competition Corner – July, 2012

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The next Club-Only competition is for Porter, BJCP category 12.  Because of the Summer Party schedule, note the special due date of Friday, July 13th at the Culver City shop.  If you have any one of these (or more than one) bring three 12 oz. bottles to the meeting and make sure you let Carl know they are here.  If possible, please also fill out an entry form, Read more →

The Summer Party’s right around the corner! Time to get crackin’…

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Greetings, all.  We’re on approach to one of the hallmark events of the Pacific Gravity calendar: the always-epic Summer Party on Saturday, July 21st, from 1pm to 8pm, at Neil’s palatial duplex!  This reminder is a call to all PG members to review our President Audrey’s previous post regarding this event, and also to ask you, our loyal membership, to step up and help to make this grand tradition of ours the best ever. Read more →

Reminder: First SATURDAY at City Tavern – July 7th.

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Hello again, all.  This is a friendly reminder that our upcoming “beer research” afternoon at City Tavern in Culver City is this Saturday, July 7th, beginning at 3:30pm.  Remember also that we’ll get happy hour pricing until 6pm!

The front patio area. Photo courtesy City Tavern website.

I just scoped out their current beer list and see that they have several of Monkish Brewing’s beers on – they’re a very new brewery down in Torrance and I’ve already heard good reviews of some of their Belgian-influenced ales.

For more info, please see my previous post.

Hope to see all of your smiling faces this Saturday!

July’s First Friday is…a Saturday! Join us at City Tavern.

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What’s up, y’alls?  Now that summer’s here and the weather’s warming up, we’re changing it up just a bit for July’s First Friday by making it a Saturday afternoon affair.  We’ll be meeting at one of Culver City’s best drinking establishments – City Tavern – on Saturday, July 7th, from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.  As a bonus, we’ll get happy hour prices until 6pm.  City Tavern’s beer selection is significant, so there’s sure to be something on for everyone’s tastes.

The bar. Photo courtesy of City Tavern website.

In addition to the 22 beers on tap behind the bar, City Tavern was the first California state-approved establishment to offer patrons the ability to…wait for it…pour their own beers!  They’ve installed three 6-person “Table Tap” booths complete with their own tap service – they swipe a card, you pour away!  These booths must be reserved, so if you’re interested, fill out the form on their site and await confirmation.

One of the Table Tap booths. Photo courtesy of City Tavern website.

So – to reiterate:

When:  Saturday, July 7th, from 3:30pm to 6:30pm (or later…)

Where:  City Tavern – 9739 Culver Blvd, Culver City

Parking:  2 hours free parking at the Watseka and Cardiff lots.

We hope to see you there!

Summer Party – Saturday July 21st!

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Our annual Summer Party is nearly here and for those of you who have never been to one, it is our largest and most entertaining event of the year.  We are doing things a little bit differently this year; our longtime host Dean Sussman is frolicking in Italy this summer, so our ever-gracious host, Neil Saund, has once again offered up his Duplex for our festivities.

When: Saturday, July 21st, 2012, from 1-8pm

Where: Neil Saund’s Duplex, 12966 Rubens Ave, LA,  90066

Admission: All current (dues paid-up to date) members are free, though you can pay your dues at the door or at the June club meeting with the $5 late fee.  Admission for guests of club members will be $10.

Theme: We will be celebrating “Oktoberfest In July” this year!

Kegs: We encourage and need a selection of beverages, including homebrew (any Oktoberfest selections are encouraged!), meads, ciders, and non-alcoholic beverages.  Awards will be given at the end of the party for the favorite alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverage.  Sign-up sheets will be available at the June club meeting or as we get closer to the party.  Please notify Carl @ [email protected] so he can plan ahead for your beers or other beverages to be served cold.  Kegs can be brought to Neil’s Duplex on either set-up day (7/14 or 7/20) or dropped off at CCHBS by close of business (9pm) on Thursday 7/19.  We need them prior to the day of the party in order to plan for enough taps, ice, and space so that everyone’s brews can be sampled by all. Read more →