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

 

President’s Message

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It’s November again, time for brewing those cool weather fermenters, draining the last of your October fests and Bocks, and getting ready for those malty and high powered Christmas Ales and  Winter Warmers.

As I write this, it looks like Fall outside with a bright sun shining in the heavens, and temperatures in the mid 70’s. Brrrrrrr.  Where’s that cold Kolsch when I need it?

November brings us to new events, as well as some old repeats. We’re going to Naja’s for First Friday on the 4th, brewing on the 5th at Neil Saund’s duplex, taking a road trip to the Northern Territories on the 12th, and holding elections at the club meeting on the 17th. That represents a lot of beer drinking in 3 weeks, doesn’t it? Luckily, you can partake of these activities with a great group of people-Pacific Gravity Members! Please read all of the other articles posted on the website, or in the newsletter for details.

At the next meeting, besides elections, we will be soliciting your help in setting up the Holiday Party, as well as asking for beer and food commitments. Sign-up sheets will be available. Please offer your help, and favorite party food. If you won’t be attending the November Club Meeting, you can send an E-mail to me, VP Reed Wilson, or Activities Directors, Audrey Hill-Lindsay and Mimi Bardet letting us know what you’d like to bring.

For those of you who have never been to the Holiday Party, here’s the deal: PG supplies the main courses-Ham, Turkey, Carbonnades, as well as a few other “large” foods. The membership brings snacks, appetizers, sides, salads, and desserts. This event is your chance to show off your culinary skills, and accept the adulation of your fellow beer drinkers.

That’s all for now.

See you soon.

 

Michael

PG Election Update

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Fellow members,

1. There is still time to nominate people for the following positions:
President, Vice President, and Treasurer.
So far we have only 1 candidate for each position.
President: Audrey Hill-Lindsay
Vice President-Dave Mauceli
Treasurer-Craig Corley

If you would like to run for office, just get someone to nominate you and write a short paragraph on your behalf.

2. Candidates for PG Club Member of the Year are the following:
Carl Townsend, Audrey Hill-Lindsay, Dean Sussman, Neil Saund, and Tom Rierson.
If you wish to add a nominee to the list, please send the name to me, along with a short statement of support.

Submit any nominations to President@PacificGravity.com

Please submit any new names by November 11th, earlier if possible.

ELECTIONS: Will be conducted at the November 17th meeting. Ballots will be available for Club Officers, and Member of the Year. Each voter is asked to choose 2 people in the MOY (aka Club Member of the Year-CMY) election.
If you cannot come to the meeting, you may vote by E-mail until Nov. 18th.

Election results will be announced at the Holiday Party on December 10th.

Send E-mail ballots to Elections@PacificGravity.com

 

Michael Steinberg, President

2 Upcoming PG Events: FIRST FRIDAY (NOV 4th) & LEARN TO BREW DAY (NOV 5th)

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First Friday November 4th at Naja’s Place

A local favorite and frequent watering hole of many PG members, Naja’s Place offers up 88 taps of beer right on the Redondo Pier.  If you have never been then this First Friday is a must!  Though cooler nights and shorter days will have set in by early November, join us for an amazing beer selection, great food and good company to keep you warm.  Our neighbors, The Strand Brewers Club will also be joining us for some friendly beer drinking & discussions.

Beer:  So many choices!  Happy hour is from 4-6pm with $2 off pints & large glasses and $3 off pitchers.  The constantly rotating taps are listed on giant white boards above the bar and an updated picture is featured on their website: www.najasplace.com

Food: There is a section of pub-type appetizers and burgers. 

Music: There is a house band, The Land Sharks, that play every Friday evening beginning at 9pm featuring covers of your favorite rock ’n roll songs.

Time: First Fridays begin between 6-7pm, but feel free to arrive early and enjoy happy hour at the pier!

Address: 154 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Parking: It is generally easiest to park in the structure at the end of N Pacific Ave.  Many club members also find it convenient to ride their bikes to Naja’s.  For more info about getting to Naja’s by public transportation or bike and for more info on parking near the pier see: http://www.redondopier.com/?link=mapsdirections

Join us at Naja’s for beer, food and good company with your fellow PG & Strand Brewers!

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LEARN TO BREW DAY – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th

Learn to Brew Day (formerly Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day), a nationwide AHA event will take place the first Saturday in November – so, come join us on Saturday, November 5th.  The event will be held at Neil Saund’s duplex. This is a great opportunity to brew outdoors, learn some new brewing techniques and to enjoy the company of your fellow brewers!

BREW INFO:

Neil Saund will be doing an all grain demo.

Victor Macias will be doing a extract batch.

Dave Mauceli & Kurt Periolat will be doing a partial mash demo

In addition to the demonstration brews, there is space for additional brewers, so bring your equipment and come brew. Please send an email to us ActivitiesDirector@PacificGravity.com, if you want to be added to the signup sheet.

BEER:
Bring some. Kegs, bottles, commercial beers are all welcome.

TIME:
Brew begins at 10am, and ends when the place is cleaned up, usually around 5 or 6.

ADDRESS:
The address is 12966 Rubens Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90066

PG Club Meeting – Thursday, October 20th @ 7:30pm

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Our club meeting is this Thursday! Our October meeting will feature Belgian Strong Ales!

PG Treasurer, Craig Corley, will be hosting the commercial tasting, and he’ll have some fine examples of the styles.  As usual, anyone who brings a keg of Belgian Strongs will be in the running for a $25 CCHBS gift certificate if his/her beer is chosen the Best of the Night.

El Rincon Criollo, our club’s local Cuban & Spanish restaurant, will be selling food at our meeting! Food service will begin at 7pm. They will be offering plates of rice, beans, plantains & a choice of 1 meat (chicken or pork) for a discounted price of $7.50. Sandwiches will also be available at a discounted price of $7.00.

You will want to make sure you have a good meal before our PG October meeting with many strong Belgian Strong Ales being served. So, come support CCHBS’s neighbor, El Rincon Criollo, and enjoy their delicious food while enjoying the October beer offerings.

Our October meeting will be a busy one. Here are some of the topics:

  • Pacific Brewer’s Cup awards will be given out at the meeting.
  • As is tradition, at the October meeting the membership of the Pacific Gravity Homebrew Club will nominate candidates for Club Member of the Year!  (Nominations can also be made by email to President@PacificGravity.com by 11/19/11. Also, see President’s article on PG website for more details or contact any PG Board member.)
  •  Also, as is tradition, at the October meeting the membership of the Pacific Gravity Homebrew Club will nominate candidates for Club Officer positions. The elected offices are President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Anyone who is interested in performing much needed service to the club is urged to run for office. (Nominations can also be made by email to President@PacificGravity.com by 11/19/11.  Also, see President’s article on PG website for more details or contact any PG Board member.)
  •  There will be announcements & sign up sheets for many upcoming PG events, such as: 

                   NOVEMBER 12th “Go North” Road Trip
                   NOVEMBER 5th: Learn to Brew Day
                   DECEMBER 4th: First Sunday & Holiday Party Setup
                   DECEMBER 10th: PG Holiday Party

  • Raffle tickets can be purchased from Terry Molloy, PG Raffle Guy & Fundraiser. We always need raffle prizes, so if you have any used equipment you want to donate, it is much appreciated. Glasses, “excess” commercial beers in the monthly style and gift certificates are always appreciated.
  •  PG merchandise will also be available for purchase.

 See you all at our meeting on Thursday!

California State Homebrew Competition Deadline is Oct 11th

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Entries are due for the California State Homebrew Competition on October 11th at the Culver City shop.  Luis DiStefano has graciously offered to transport our entries up to the Bay area, so for the first time in several years, you don’t have to box up your entries.  Although this competition uses the BJCP guidelines, they group the categories differently.  Complete details can be found at   http://nchfinfo.org/state-comp.html.

This competition is one of the 3 competitions used to determine the 2011 Anchor Brewing Homebrew Club of the Year, as well as Sierra Nevada Homebrewer of the Year.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE-OCTOBER

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The Pacific Brewers Cup is now in the history books, and I’d like to extend my congratulations to all the participants and ribbon winners. I’d also like to extend a special thank you to Competition Coordinator, Carl Townsend. Carl performed yeoman’s work this year, keeping the crew on track, and making sure that the PBC was a successful event. We had a great crew working with Carl, including Head Judge- Jeff Koehler, Cellarmaster-Tim Bardet, Database Coordinator- Terry Molloy, and Head Steward- Peigi Robinson. Activities Directors Audrey and Mimi worked hard to put food and coffee on the table, and unsung heroes Neil Saund and Tom Rierson worked all weekend helping with transportation and setup. Dave Stickel handled the Website, and Tomm Carroll and I gathered sponsors for the event.

Elections Are Coming!
As is tradition, at the October 20th meeting the membership of the Pacific Gravity Homebrew Club will nominate candidates for Club Officer positions, as well as Club Member of the Year. The elected offices are President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Anyone who is interested in performing much needed service to the club is urged to run for office. I have served for one year, and will be unable to run again, so the field is clear for a new PG President. If you think you are up to the job, and want to find out more about what the President does, just ask any of the current Board members.
Pacific Gravity Club Member of the Year recognizes the individual who has performed work for the club above and beyond that asked or expected of all club members. This is the most prestigious award that club members can grant to one of our own. The nominees don’t have to be great brewers, or sit on the PG Board of Directors. The criteria for nomination is being present, taking part in activities, helping out when needed, and generally helping to make Pacific Gravity a great club, one we can all feel proud to be members of.
As in past years, nominations will be made by voice, taking place during after announcements are made. Nominees must be members in good standing, meaning they must have paid their dues in full by the time the meeting commences. All nominations are seconded by a club member.
This year we will do something we have not done before. Anyone who nominates a candidate for one of the Board positions, or Member of the Year, will be asked to write a short paragraph stating why (s)he has nominated that person. The statement should be no more than 1 paragraph long. All of the paragraphs will appear in the November newsletter, and be available prior to the actual election.
The reason for having nomination statements available to the voters is to allow everyone to know what makes each nominee deserving of the Board position, or Member of the Year award. Many of our new members may not know who the “unsung heroes” are; those quiet people who, year in and year out, work hard to keep the club vital.
Please come to the October meeting in order to take part, and have your voice heard.

Michael Steinberg
President

First Friday October 7th at Venice Ale House

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After a fun First Friday last year at the newly opened Venice Alehouse, we’ll be returning this year for our October First Friday on the 7th!  It is located right on the Venice Boardwalk at the end of Rose Ave and provides wonderful people watching and beautiful sunsets over the ocean.  By October the summer crowds should be gone and we’ll be able to enjoy great beers on the patio!

Beer: Venice Ale House takes pride in offering beers from exclusively from the Western States, many from brewers with strong sustainability practices.  They have 18 taps of West Coast oriented customer favorites and 10 other rotating taps of seasonal & specialty brews.  Both pints and pitchers are available, as well as “Skates” of 4 or 6 beer tasters.  See their website for a sample of beers on tap: www.venicealehouse.com

Food: There is a simple but satisfying organic menu featuring tapas, tacos, salads, sandwiches & burgers or even brunch offerings that are served all day. 

Time: First Fridays begin between 6-7pm, but feel free to arrive early and take advantage of the late afternoon sun on the boardwalk!

Address: 2 Rose Avenue, Venice, CA 90291

 Parking: There is street parking available in the neighborhood or in the nearby parking lots next to the beach.  For those of you who are local enough or up for the ride, bikes and skateboards are also very welcome!

Come join us this Friday on the boardwalk in Venice for beer, food and good company with your fellow PGers!

-Audrey & Mimi

Activities Directors