Competition Corner – September 2012

For all you folks looking for something different and interesting to brew, here are a couple of unique opportunities:  At the September club meeting on Sept 20th, we will be holding a special soda contest for the 2012 Beer, Art & Music Fest.    Sodas are quick to brew, so there is plenty of time this weekend to get one ready.  Winning entries get two free tickets to the fest, and get to have your soda featured at the fest itself on October 6th, at the 18th Street Art Center in Santa Monica.   Rules of the competition are simple:

1)      You need to bring a keg to the September meeting.
2)      Note that the entry can have NO alcohol.
3)      Club members will vote on the white board (just like the keg of the month contest).
4)      Winners must agree to bring soda to the fest.

This year 18th Street is teaming up with Pacific Gravity member and LA craft beer industry veteran Martin Svab (Stone Brewery & Naja’s Place) to help facilitate the beer side of the festival.  Participating craft breweries range from big to small, including the popular and larger Sierra Neveda Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing Companies, to the smaller but equally great Angel City, Golden Road and Surf Brewing.  Martin had hoped to offer Pacific Gravity Homebrew at the fest, but we were limited to non-alcohol offerings due to ATF/ABC restrictions.  But, we all know the club can make some great sodas, so bring out your best!

Also up for grabs are two soda slots for the LA Beer Week and the awesome LA Beer Week Festival at Union Station, which will be on Sunday, September 30th from Noon until 4PM.  Winners get free tickets, but must agree to serve soda and hand out PG flyers at the event.   Details about the event can be found at http://www.itsmyseat.com/LABeerWeek/ .

Also at the September meeting Read more

Pacific Brewers Cup Deadline is Thursday, Sept 6th

Pacific Brewers CupJust a quick reminder that the entry deadline for Pacific Brewers Cup is this Thursday, September 6th.   According to Strand Brewers, who are organizing the event this year there will be some “really spectacular prizes”!  The entry window is now open online at http://www.pacificbrewerscup.com/.  Your physical entries can be dropped off at the Culver City shop, or the Eagle Rock shop, as well as six other homebrew shops.   Pacific Gravity always has a great showing in this competition and we hope to keep it up.  Strand is also asking for help on judging day, Saturday, September 22, 2012, at the Four Points Sheraton by LAX, the Beer Hotel.  They will need every judge and steward we can supply, so please sign up now.   The hotel is located at 9750 Airport Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045, next to LAX. (Map).

Competition Corner – August, 2012

Pacific Brewers Cup 2012It’s that time of the year to get out your best bottles of homebrew for the 2012 Pacific Brewers Cup. The entry window is now open online at http://www.pacificbrewerscup.com/.  Strand Brewers are putting together what is going to be a great competition.  Entries are due by September 6th, and can be dropped off at the Culver City shop.  Pacific Gravity always has a great showing Read more

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

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

 

Competition Corner – July, 2012

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

Competition Corner – June 2012

June represents a slow spell for the competition season, except for those lucky enough to place in the AHA Finals competition.  Judging will be this Thursday at the AHA conference in Seattle.  Keep your finger crossed for the following first round winners: Read more

Brew For The Cure!

Hello Home Brewers!

The Brew for the Cure Homebrew Festival is happening May 13th. This is a call for entries. We need the great homebrewers of Southern California to jump into the fight against cancer and help us throw a kick ass party! It’s a chance to hang out with friends compete for prizes and get your beer out there to see what people think.  There will be music and food, and the home brew will be flowing. Prizes will be awarded to the winning beers chosen by the public.

Mayfaire Prelim Judging Sunday April 22 at the Culver City Shop

The 34th Annual Maltose Falcons Mayfaire Homebrew Competition has had a record number of 555 entries, beating their previous record by over a hundred!  They’ve asked us to pitch in, so we have scheduled a preliminary judging round for Sunday April 22nd at the Culver City Homebrew Supply Company.  We will be starting at 5:00 PM, and both judges and Stewards are needed.  If you have a spare afternoon and are interested in drinking some high-quality beer, please come on by.  Please send me an RSVP at [email protected] so we can figure out how many categories we can cover.   The Culver City shop is as 4358 1/2 Sepulveda Blvd Culver City, CA 90230. Read more

Competition Corner – April 2012

April is the thick part of the competition season and I hope your entries are ready.  We have two competitions due within the next week.

First up is Maltose Falcons Mayfaire.  Entries are due at the Culver City shop by Wednesday, April 11th.   In a change from previous competitions, only 2 bottles are needed.  On-line registration is now up at:   http://www.maltosefalcons.com/comps/2012Mayfaire/   As an added incentive this year, the Best of Show winner will have their beer brewed by the Ladyface Ale Company and entered in the Great American Beer Festival Pro/Am competition!  The style guidelines for this competition will be the 2012 Maltose Falcons Style Guidelines.  The Falcons can use a hand with judging this competition, which will be held on April 28th.   Sign up for judging at the above web link.

Also coming up in April is the entry deadline for the California State Fair.  Peter Moran has graciously offered to drive the entries up to Sacramento for us, so they will get personal care. Entries are due at the Culver City shop at the Club meeting on April 19thRead more

Competition Corner – March 2012

Well, I hope you all were quick to respond to the call for entries for the 2012 National Homebrew Competition.  On-line registration went live on March 1st and the entire competition was sold out by March 4th!   In addition to making good beer, you needed to be quick to win this competition.  Assuming you got your beers registered for the San Diego drop-off site, now is the time to get your beers ready.  Drop off your entries at the Culver City shop by the Club Meeting on March 15th, and we will hand carry them safely to their destination.  Note that if you are registered at any other site, Read more