Club Brew and Chili Cookoff Coming on September 26th

gravity-cookoffHey Graviteers,  it’s Chili Cookoff time again!! Get that meat, beans, onions, garlic and lots of chilis mixed up in your own unique way and see if you can be crowned this year’s  King or Queen of Chili.

Can you out-chili the Chili Master?

For the last two years Ian Fraser has been the holder of the title, Chili Master, and fully expects to keep the crown. This is your chance to prove that the Master’s chili is not all powerful, by breaking out your favorite recipe and defeating him in a winner take all competition.

In the past we have had as many as 10 chili entries. Two prizes are awarded, one for Best Chili, and the other for “Most Unique”. Veggie, Sea Food,  and All Meat have been represented in past competitions.

The Club supplies all sides and additions for the chili, as well as snacks and dessert. Attendees are encouraged to bring homebrew or commercial beer to the event.

What is a Club Brew?

This year the event will take place at the home of Eric Moreau in El Segundo. Eric will be using his brew system to brew 10 gallons for the club.

For those who are new to PG, a Club Brew is a 1 batch brew, belonging to the club. The host uses his equipment and skill, and the club gets the beer. Of course, there is the opportunity to help the chief brewer, learn to use the equipment, drink beer, and eat.

EVENT TIME: 10am-6pm.
COMPETITION: Begins around 12:30.
WHERE: 1225 East Maple St. (West of Sepulveda), El Segundo

August 2009 Club Meeting – Thursday, August 20th

After a month off for the summer party, we’re back to our regularly scheduled monthly club meetings.  The August club meeting will be this Thursday, August 20th from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Culver City Home Brewing Supply. Specialty Beverages (i.e. Meads, Ciders, Specialty Beers) will be our style of the month and as always we’ll have some homebrewed beers on tap to complement our monthly commercial style tasting (volunteer kegs welcome).  Nathalie Balandran will be guiding us on a tour of Specialty Beverages for our style tasting and is certain to provide some interesting examples.

Special guest, Dallas Byerley of New Belgium Brewing will be joining us to sample their new seasonal release, Hoptober.  Please remember to bring some of your homebrew to share with us.  While you’re at it, bring some of your friends and maybe some new members.  As always we’ll be giving away lots of club swag and beer/brewing related goodies in our monthly raffle.  Your donations to the raffle are always welcome and needed.

With several club events and competitions upcoming, including the Stone Anniversary Road Trip and the Pacific Brewers Cup, we’ll have a number of sign ups and details to finalize. Of course we’ll also have the latest info on all upcoming club events, plan on joining us…

Mead Day

Meadday-header

Did you know that Saturday August 1 is the American Homebrewer’s Association National Mead Day?  It is, and Pacific Gravity will be having a Mead Day Celebration at the home of Dan Hakes (that’s me!).  We will be brewing, tasting and talking about mead.  Last year Mead Day was held at my house and we put some black walnut and fresh apricot in two separate batches of two-year-old mead.  We will be sampling these on Saturday.  We can also sample the mead we made last year and see how it’s coming along.  I have a few others sitting around and you never know what I might find in the cellar.  If you have some mead to share, bring it along.

Michael Steinberg will be bringing snacks, and the Carriage House Taproom will be open.  Drop by, socialize, and watch how easy it is to make mead!

Also on mead day, we will be selecting the Club’s next entry for the AHA Club-only competition.   The next competition is for Amber Hybrid beers, BJCP category 7.  We will judge them at Dan Hakes’ place.   Please bring 3 bottles for each entry, and please fill out the entry forms which you can download from the AHA website at:http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/pdf/entry_recipe.pdf.  The club picks up the entry fees and shipping for this one, so it is free to you.

Saturday August 1st
12:00 noon

2379 W 21st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90018
323-730-1003