So. Cal Homebrew Fest Art Contest – on NOW.

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Greetings, all.  Just got word from the CHA that they are now accepting entries for the artwork contest for the 2012 Brewfest.  Winner receives 2 free memberships (i.e. tickets) to the fest, as well as having their design on the Fest t-shirts and tasting glasses, among other cool stuff (like 3 crisp Benjamins).

Here are the details:

Official rules for the artwork contest for the 22nd Annual Southern California Homebrewers Festival.

1)  All members and their beer-drinking friends are invited to submit and are eligible to win!

2)  The winner will receive a $300.00 prize, two complimentary memberships and two t-shirts bearing their artwork.

3)  All entries become the property of the California Homebrewers Association.

4)  All entries must be received by January 28, 2012.  Entries can be sent via e-mail to brewchick@…  in PDF or JPG.

5)  All entries must be camera-ready.  Pencil drawings will not be deemed eligible.

6)  The decision of the CHA Board is final.

7)  The CHA Board reserves the right to use commercial art if none of the entries are considered to be of adequate quality.

8)  For examples of prior year’s winning artwork, visit www.calhomebrewers.org  and view the “History” section accessed from the left banner.

Thanks all.

— Victor Macias
SCHF Organizer, 2012

Pacific Gravity Holiday Party December 10

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Don’t forget, all you Graviteers-Tomorrow is our annual Holiday Party, hosted by Pacific Gravity and Neil Saund. Party begins at 6pm and ends when you go home. We’ll have lots of good food and beer, thanks to the club and all of you who will be bringing snacks, appetizers, side dishes, and desserts.

The weather promises to be good, but a bit cool. We have patio heaters, outdoor fire pit, and lots of warm bodies to go around, but bring a jacket.
Be sure to have enough money for a cab ride home, or a designated driver.

Most of all, be ready to have a great time.

See you all Saturday.

Michael Steinberg, President

PG Holiday Party: SATURDAY, December 10th!

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Our annual Holiday Party is this coming Saturday (Dec 10th)!!

Time: The party begins at 6pm.
Location: Neil Saund’s duplex,  12966 Rubens Ave. Los Angeles, CA
(It’s the house on the SE corner of Alla Rd. and Rubens Ave.)

WE NEED YOUR HELP to pull it all together.  As with all our parties, we count on club members to volunteer to help out.  There are a number of ways you can volunteer to help.  We need help with set-up and clean up, we need members to bring potluck dishes for our feast, we need members to donate beer and we need assorted equipment.

Potluck and Food
The menu should reflect past Holiday Parties featuring delicious meats including Carbonnades ala Flamande, roast & deep-fried turkeys, spiced ham, and much more!  As is customary with our holiday party, this is a potluck event; the club supplies some of the main dishes BUT we count on members to provide more main dishes, the side dishes, the salads, and the desserts.  So if you have a favorite family holiday recipe and want to share it with the rest of us, this is your time to shine! If you’d like to volunteer food for the party contact: Mimi & Audrey at [email protected].

Please, please bring your dishes in DISPOSABLE containers (not glass or plastic containers that need to be returned).   Inexpensive aluminum trays and containers come in many sizes and are available at any supermarket.

Also, there is no need to bring serving utensils as we will have plenty!

If you must bring your own containers, then please remember to label any dishes (tops and bottoms), utensils, etc. that you bring so that we can get them back to you.  Ideally, leave the lids at home and use aluminum foil as substitute lid.

Beer
Of course, we need beer for this event – lots of beer!  Or mead!  Or cider!  We’re counting on you to provide it. So pull out your kegs and dig deep in your closet for those old tasty bottled treasures and bring them along!  Please let us know what and how much homebrew you’re planning on bringing.  Loaner kegs are available for those who are not so equipped. And, bottles of beer are always welcome.

Any of you who have already volunteered kegs should drop them off at the shop by Thursday, Dec 8th or bring them to Neil’s Saturday (Dec 10th) afternoon before the party.

We’ll be dispensing a lot of beer and will need more taps, jockey boxes and dispensing equipment than we currently have.  If you can volunteer dispensing equipment or can bring your new club jockey box, please let Carl know.

Please remember to label any kegs or dispensing equipment that you bring so that we can get them back to you.

If you’d like to volunteer beer for the party, contact Carl Townsend at [email protected].

Equipment
We’re looking for some assorted equipment.  Please let us know if you can volunteer any of the following:

  • Jockey boxes/beer dispensing equipment
  • CO2 tanks
  • Firewood

Any of you who will be volunteering equipment should try to bring it to Neil’s on Sunday, Dec 10th in the afternoon before the party.

Again, please remember to label any equipment that you bring so that we can get your equipment back to you.

If you’d like to volunteer equipment contact: Carl at [email protected] or Mimi & Audrey at [email protected].

And finally, if you’re volunteering equipment, kegs or food, plan on picking up your items at the Sunday clean up. We really don’t have any capacity to store items that are not picked up.

Clean Up
On Sunday, Dec 11th at 11am, we’ll meet at Neil’s duplex to clean up after the party.  We always need lots of people to help with clean up and the more we get, the faster it goes.
If you’d like to volunteer for set up or clean up contact: Mimi & Audrey at [email protected].

December First SUNDAY & Holiday Party Set-up December 4th

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We’re mixing it up in December and moving First Friday to First Sunday as part of our pre-Holiday Party set-up.  We will be transforming Neil’s house with twinkling lights, furnishings, a Christmas tree and kegs a plenty.  Weekends may become busier as we get deeper into the holiday season, but please come join us for as long or as little as you like, sample some beer and lend a hand at decorating! 

 Beer: Our ever gracious host, Neil Saund, will undoubtedly have a sampling of his beers on tap for us, but please bring beer to share especially those of a holiday nature!  Since we will be in need of jockey boxes for the Holiday Party, please bring them along and any kegs to go with them.

 Food: Any munchies or holiday snacks are encouraged.  We may also order pizza for those interested in chipping in a few dollars.

 Bring: As part of our party set-up we will be decorating our annual PG Christmas tree, so any beer you can bring in cans that can then become ornaments are encouraged! Keep an eye on the pre-Holiday Party Announcements for any other decorations or supplies needed that day.

 Time: We’ll begin about 12pm on Sunday December 4th 

 Address: Neil Saund’s House @ 12966 Rubens Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066

 Come out and welcome in the holiday season with great beer and cheer!

********************************************************************
And, please help with contributions of food & beer at your holiday party on December 10th!

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR POTLUCK & BEER Donations to YOUR Holiday Party!

All Potluck dishes welcome:

  • Appetizers
  • Side Dishes
  • Mains
  • Desserts
  • Your homemade specialties & favorites!

** Suggestions for Potluck**

Mains/ Meats:

  • Turkey
  • Beef
  • Ham

* Sides / Holiday staples:

  • Stuffing
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Yams/Sweet Potatoes
  • Veggies
  • Salads

And, don’t forget the beer!  All beverages are welcome, including non-alcoholic beverages.

  • Kegs
  • CO2 tanks
  • Jockey Boxes
  • Your Bottled Treasures

 

Please contact: Mimi & Audrey at [email protected] for FOOD contributions.

************************
Please contact: Carl at  [email protected] 
for BEER & equipment contributions.

 

 

 
 

 

 

PG Meeting November 17

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Don’t forget this most important meeting of the year, this Thursday at 7:30pm behind Culver City Home Brew Supply. We will be conducting our annual elections for President, Vice President, and Treasurer, as well as PG Club Member of the Year.

Ballots will be made available for the Member of the Year-Vote for TWO.

The monthly beer styles are German Wheat and Rye  Beers(BJCP Cat #15).

There will be a judging of the Club Only Competition entries,  also German Wheat and Rye Beers (BJCP Cat. #15).

If you cannot be present to vote, you may e-mail your selections to [email protected]

For more detailed election information please see the previous postings on the PG website.

If you have beer, whether in style, or not bring some to share. Remember, all in-style beers are eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to CCHBS if yours is chosen as the evening’s favorite.

We will be holding the monthly raffle, so if you have any equipment you wish to donate, please bring it. The reward for donating raffle prizes is free beer at all  meetings and parties.

There will be sign up sheets available for the following:

Holiday Party Beer and  Food, Volunteer opportunities for the Holiday Party-you really don’t want to pass up an opportunity to help out at this once a year event! Unlike the Summer party, this one is much more of a pot luck.

Volunteers will be making the main courses, including prime Rib, Hams, Deep Fried Turkeys, and Carbonnades a la Flamande. We need you members and guests to bring  appetizers,  sides,  salads, and  desserts. More details will be given at the meeting by our Activities Directors, Mimi and Audrey.

Be sure to check out the next edition of the Pacific Gravity Gazette which will be published at the end of November. I am sure that all your questions regarding the PG Holiday party will be answered.

Michael Steinberg,

President of Pacific Gravity, the 2011 California Homebrew Club of the Year!

Election Update

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NOMINATIONS:

Don’t forget that there’s still time to nominate a P.G. member for the following elected Board offices:

President, Vice President, Treasurer.

You may also nominate someone for Club Member of the Year.

Nominations close on November 12 at midnight.

ON LINE VOTING: If you are unable to come to the November 17th, you may still vote on line by sending an E-mail to [email protected]

Here are the nominees:

President-Audrey Hill-Lindsay

Vice President-David Mauceli

Treasurer- Craig Corley

MEMBER OF THE YEAR (Alphabetically):

Audrey Hill-Lindsay

Tom Rierson

Neil Saund

Dean Sussman

Carl Townsend

If you come to the meeting the election will be conducted as follows:

If there are no other nominees for the elected Board Officer positions, we will conduct a voice vote. If there are additional nominees for any office we will have a ballot and each member present will vote for one (1) person per office.

The election will take place when announcements are made, approximately 7:45-8:00 pm. Each member present at the meeting will vote for two (2) people for Member of the Year. Ballots will be collected by Ian Fraser, 2010 Member of the Year. He will count them, along with a current Board member who is not running for office.

The election results will be announced at the Holiday Party after dinner.

Please see the November issue of the Pacific Gravity Gazette for more information on all of the nominees.

 

 

 

 

WE DID IT! P.G. NAMED CLUB OF THE YEAR!!!

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If you are one of the few who haven’t heard the good news, just look at the title of this article.  For the first time since 2006 we have been named  by a panel of judges at the Anchor Brewing as the 2011 California Homebrew Club of the Year.

For those who have joined PG since 2006, here’s what it takes to win:

First, have a dynamic club that has many diverse events, such as Club Brews, Road Trips, Competitions, and parties.

Second, have some of the hardest working members in the state, making sure that the events are successful.

Third, have members who brew on a regular basis, enter competitions, and take home ribbons.

Fourth, submit a really good presentation, and make sure it gets delivered with plenty of time to spare.

That being said, I’d like to thank Dave and Beth Mauceli for putting together the PowerPoint presentation which was sent to Anchor. Dave wrote the text, and Beth did the graphics. Kudos to you both. You two could be pros if you really tried hard.

Thanks to all those who entered competitions this year, and took home the ribbons which kept us in contention for the award. Stalwart brewers such as Carl, Craig, Neil, and many others, helped to make 2011 a banner year for P.G.

It must be noted that all those members on the Board of Directors, whether they be full or part timers, put in a lot of work in 2011. Kurt has planned and executed some fine Road Trips (are you going North on 11/12?).

Activities Directors, Audrey and Mimi have made sure that our monthly club meetings, Summer Party, and other happenings have been successes.

The generosity of other members also added to our success as a club. Included in that group are Neil, Dean,  Dan, and Carl, who have allowed us to use their homes for events.

Special Projects, led by Tom Rierson and Carl made improvements in the CDS, another accomplishment we were able to brag about.

We should all be proud to be members of Pacific Gravity, and hoist one tonight to honor ourselves.

Finally, for those who are unaware of when the Club of the Year Award  is given, it is on President’s Day Weekend, at Anchor Brewery. In past years, the good employees of that most famous brewery prepare a barbecue for the winning club, and open the taps in the tasting room. We will likely be renting a bus, and making hotel reservations for those who are going. So, save your money and be sure to attend.

 

Learn To Brew Day – where were you, ay? (with photos)

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In spite of the ever-so-slightly inclement weather the day before, Saturday morning greeted us with about as clear a sky as you’re likely to see in a metropolis such as our own.  Learn To Brew Day, hosted by the ever-generous Neil Saund at his palatial duplex , would go on.  Carl arrived just before I did and was unloading a stripped-down version of his all-grain system – sorry kids – no thermosiphon reboiler.  I followed suit and in no-time, water was on the fire.  Neil was already set up, and we were soon joined by the brewing trio of Dave, Kurt, and Anthony.  Rives Borland, our resident double-agent, arrived a bit later and got going right out.  It’s OK, Rives – only a matter of time – just ask Dan!  On tap was Neil’s “Norm-influenced” hoppy Amber ale, and a while later, our host’s amazingly-aged Imperial Stout with lots of residual nitro made its presence known – and boy, did it.

Carl brewed an all-grain Amber ale, Neil made a giant vat of “Teach Wheat”, I cranked out an extract Dunkelweizen, the 3 Brewsketeers suffered through a partial-mash-process Porter as a base for adding vanilla later, and Rives, if I’m not mistaken, brewed a low-gravity base beer which will grow up to be a Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere clone.  Audrey reprised her role as Grill-Mistress and satiated the brewing masses with sausages and hot dogs.

In the days leading up to the brew, Carl and I had discussed toasting LA “good beer bar” pioneer Dave Farnworth, co-founder of Lucky Baldwins.  So we gathered everyone up, silenced the boombox, and raised some fine Belgian beers high in his memory.  It bears repeating that without Dave, Los Angeles’ beer bars might’ve taken a lot longer to escape the post-prohibition dark ages, continuing to serve megaswill to the unenlightened and indifferent hordes.

Although “learner” turnout was low, from a “Big Brew” standpoint, the ratio of brewers to attendees was quite high, so chalk-up another successful PG multiple-brewer session.  Collectively, we brewed about 40 gallons, and some of those gallons will be enjoyed by the membership at our upcoming Holiday Party on December 10th.  Thanks again to Neil for hosting us and to Audrey for organizing the event.

Here are a few pics from the occasion (courtesy Audrey and yours truly):

Our gracious host Neil, in chill-mode.

Carl and his brewing rig.

Awaiting the inevitable Big-Brew-boilover with my imaginary squirt gun.

Kurt, Dave, and Anthony - the 3 Brewsketeers.

Some serious learnin' goin' on here.

Neil enjoys the breakfast of champions.

"What the heck is Mauceli doing?"

Ken and I are Wyeast's new spokesmen. You wanna buy some yeast?

Neil enjoys a good round of "peek-a-boo".

Some of the Belgians consumed in Dave Farnworth's honor. That's right - a '99 Chimay Blue. Again I say - where were you?

Tim assists Carl as he utilizes another of his mad scientist gadgets - the PVC Racking Tubery.

Rives brought a selection of Jolly Pumpkin 750s and the sour pours just kept comin'. Thanks Rives!

I'm Neil Saund, and I approve of this Learn To Brew Day!

RIP Dave Farnworth

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For those of us who have spent hours, or days, at Lucky Baldwin’s or the Delirium Cafe,  we all have our memories of  talking to Dave. He could be curt, at times appearing to be a bit annoyed by some of the questions we asked or requests we made. However, he could also be quite generous, as he once was when he gifted us with a 1.5 litre bottle of Belgian beer (I believe it was Chimay Reserve), at the end of one of our road trips. He ran one of the premier Belgian beer bars in SoCal, but also had time for IPA, and Barleywine Festivals, most of which we attended as a club, or on our own.

Dave came early to the local beer scene, and many of the local establishments we now patronize owe a debt of gratitude to him for paving the way. He will be sorely missed. Thanks for all the outstanding beer, Dave.

Michael Steinberg, President