Competition Corner – January 2013

/2 Comments/in /by

The first competition of the 2013 brewing year is upon us.  Entries are due Friday, February 1st for the America’s Finest City Homebrew competition organized the QUAFF.  You can drop off your entries at the Culver City shop.  Registration is up and running at
https://quaff.org/AFC-2013/ .  You need 2 bottles per entry and the entry fee is $7.00.  The competition uses the BJCP style guidelines and represents an excellent test bed for any entries you might have for the AHA Nationals.

Speaking of which, the entry window for the AHA Nationals opens on February 26th this year.  Last year, the entire competition was filled with entries after about 36 hours, so make sure you are ready to jump on-line when the window opens.  This year TWO bottles are needed for the first round of this competition.  You can drop off the physical entries assuming they are going to San Diego, by March 18th.  If you are entering bottles to any other location (which several people did last year), you must ship them off yourself. Read more →

First Friday at Steingarten – February 1st

/in /by

Our next first Friday event will be held at Steingarten LA on February 1st, starting at 7 PM.  If you have been with the club for a few years you will definitely remember the last time we went here.  Steingarten offers an extensive bottle list and a well curated tap selection   It also hosts a mixologist that has developed a menu of custom cocktails and even creates their own bitters.  I can personally vouch for the food, they offer a huge variety of standard, gourmet,  and game sausages and they do an excellent build your own burger.  There are salads and small plates for those who are so inclined.

Steingarten LA is extremely home brewer friendly.  They have given us dedicated space in the front room and I am certain that they will have appetizer and drink specials for us.  The last time we had a First Friday here we filled the front room to capacity and spilled out onto the benches in the main dining room.  I’ve never had trouble parking on Pico when I have visited, but be prepared to walk a block or two.  I certainly hope to see you there in February!

10543 W Pico Blvd  Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 441-0441

San Diego Trip – Get Out And Vote

/9 Comments/in /by

We will be having a club trip to San Diego in April, currently scheduled for the 20th.  We will be voting at the January meeting to see what spots we will be visiting.  Will it be Ale Smith and Green Flash?  Ballast Point and Mother Earth?  Iron Fist and Port?  Come to the January meeting and help me sort it out!

Club Meeting This Thursday – Belgian Ales

/in /by

Hi Pacific Gravity, due to the club only competition schedule our style tasting this month will be Belgian Ales.  If you been to the Belgian meeting in years past, you know that this is one you don’t want to miss.  Craig Corley will be hosting the commercial tasting, so prepared to be impressed with the selection.  But the showcase of every homebrew meeting is the beer that YOU bring.  Any Belgian ale is welcome at the event of course, from the modest Belgian Pale Ale to the monstrous Quadruple.  I’ll be bringing the Spiced Cherry Dubble featured at the Holiday party, so if you didn’t get a chance to try it there you can get another look at it.  If you are not kegging yet, or don’t have any Belgians in kegs, bring a few bottles to the meeting. Its a great way to get to know other brewers in the club.  And even if you don’t have a Belgian beer, bring what you have, from Mild to Impy Stout your fellow club members will appreciate it.

The meeting starts at 7:30 and we will be wrapped up with the put-away and raffle by 10:30.  I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

 

First Friday – Daily Pint

/in /by

Happy New Year, Pacific Gravity!  I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday and that you all are looking forward to some fun and excitement in 2013,  I’m still putting together the calendar of events for 2013, so we don’t have a formal First Friday for today.  That said, I’ll be at the Daily Pint tonight at 7 PM, so please join me there if you feel the desire to hoist a glass or two.

Competition Corner – December 2012 –> NOTE Special Deadline

/in /by

Hope all you folks are having a great set of holidays!  In all the flurry of activity, please don’t miss the deadline for the next Club-Only Competition.  Because of shipping logistics, we have a special deadline of Sunday, December 30th at the Culver City shop.   This time, we are doing the “Un-Session Beers” (OG>1.040).  This competition covers BJCP categories 1C-E, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6C, 7, 8C, 9D & E, 10, 12B & C, 13B-F, 14, 15, 16, 17B, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23.  Note that the low-gravity categories are excluded if the official lower end of the gravity range is 1.040 or below, even if your particular beer is over 1.040.   Seem like an odd rule, but hey, I don’t write these rules.

Since so many styles are eligible, we have a limit of ONE entry per person.  So, sort through your inventory and bring us your best shot.  We need one bottle for judging on the 30th, but you must be prepared to deliver two more to Carl if you win. (You can bring 3 bottles ahead of time if you like).  All entries must have the official rubber band label, which you can down load here:  http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/0325/bottleid.pdf  Read more →

First Friday – City Tavern

/in /by

Join me on December 7th at City Tavern in Culver City for our First Friday event.  City Tavern has a pretty big tap list and they turn them fast so there is always something on offer that I have never heard of before.  They also have a nice menu of burgers, sandwiches, and entrees as well as small plates if you want to eat tapas style   I spoke to Matt, the general manager, last night and they are looking forward to our attendance.  Park in one of the many parking structures in downtown Culver City for free and walk over.  Official start time is 7 PM but I will be there as soon as I get off work.

http://citytavernculvercity.com/

Thanks for a successful holiday party!

/in /by

I wanted to write a quick note to thank all of you who cooked food, brought beer, went shopping, setup, cleaned up, and generally behaved yourselves as guests at Dean’s house.  I’d like to especially thank the board and the volunteers who showed up early Saturday and Sunday to put in double duty.  And saving the best for last, a huge thank you to Dean for letting the hordes descend on his lovely home, and for the coffee, pancakes, and everything else.  Happy holidays to you and your family!

Last Call for Help – Holiday Party

/in /by

We’re making the final preparations for what is probably your first Holiday party of the season.  Please help us make your party great by:

Bringing your Home brew kegs to the Culver City Home Brewing Supply store by close of business today.

Showing up to help setup at Dean’s house tomorrow at 11 AM (1310 Amalfi Dr Pacific Palisades, C)

Let me know if you are bringing tables, patio heaters, C02 tanks, or easy ups. President@pacificgravity.com

Let Carl know what beer you are bringing CompetitionCoordinator@pacificgravity.com

Let Noelle know what food your bringing VicePresident@pacificgravity.com

Hope you are looking forward to the party, and I will see you tomorrow when the party starts at 5!

Holiday Party – Call for food and volunteers

/in /by

Hi Pacific Graviteers!

Our annual holiday party is this Saturday and we need your help to make it a success!  The party is being graciously hosted by Dean Sussman (address below).  We will get started at 5 PM and are schedule to complete the festivities at 10.  Members in good standing are invited and may bring a guest.  We’re all adults, so use you judgement when inviting people.

Chez Sussman
1310 Amalfi Drive
Pacific Palisades
Saturday Dec 1st @ 5:00 pm

Bring Food!

This is a potluck party, so we are depending on YOU to bring your favorite holiday dish to share.  Please know that there will be no cooking or prep area, so bring your offering ready to eat and hot (if appropriate) in a disposable container (every supermarket sells tons of different sized disposable aluminum pans).  If you must bring it in non-disposable dish, please be prepared to take that dish home with you at the end of the party.  We already have several volunteers to bring fried turkey, smoked pork, ham, and carbonade, but we need help rounding out our main courses.  Bring sides or holiday staples like stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, creamed corn, veggies, and salads.  Bring appetizers and finger food like shrimp, pig in a blanket, egg rolls, stuffed mushrooms.  Bring you family recipe or holiday traditions.  There will be no “service” but dinner should commence by 6:30.  Please email  President@pacificgravity.com with the dish you would like to bring so I can make a label for your food.

Bring Yourself!

We need volunteers to help pull off a 150+ person party!  Out of respect for Dean and his family’s schedule we are trying to minimize the setup and take down duration and so setup must begin on Saturday at 11 AM.  If you can volunteer for setup duty, please email VicePresident@pacificgravity.com and we will see you Saturday morning.  If you can’t be there to setup, please come to help with the cleanup.  We need to start cleanup at 9 AM on Sunday morning in order to be finished by noon.  Again, email VicePresident@pacificgravity.com to volunteer.

Bring Stuff!

We are renting some things, but we need the membership to help with much needed equipment.  Please email VicePresident@pacificgravity.com if you can bring any of the items listed below to the party:

  • Easy Ups (in case of inclimate weather)
  • Patio Heaters
  • Jockey Boxes
  • CO2 Tanks
  • serving tables

We already have things for the raffle, but if you have lightly used equipment, glassware, or other schwag to donate, please contact FundRaiser@pacificgravity.com

Bring Beer!

As I said yesterday, please have your kegs to the shop by 7 PM on Friday so that we can transport them to Dean’s and setup the Club Dispensing System.  Please email Carl at CompetitionCoordinator@pacificgravity.com with your beer’s name, style, ABV, and keg volume so that he can make labels. Feel free to bring home brew or special commercial beers in bottles to share with other guests as well.