All Pacific Gravity news.
Hey all,
Michael here with a super quick update for you. Our First Friday for July at Harajuku Taproom in Culver City has been rescheduled to Saturday July 7th (that’s THIS weekend) from 3pm to 6pm. Adam and team at Harajuku offer up happy hour pricing and are expecting a good crowd of us.
Hope you can make it! See you Saturday.
Michael
“They” say all good things come to an end, and it certainly holds true this Thursday as we hold our last club meeting at our long-time home, Culver City HomeBrew Supply. So, let’s go out in style. If you have a special beer to share, please bring it along as we toast the good times and thank Greg, Kevin, Craig and Tim for their hospitality.
Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm
COMMERCIAL STYLE of the MONTH: American Pale Ales
As always, we will have some interesting commercial examples.
HOMEBREW STYLE of the MONTH: American Pale Ales
Kegs, bottles and growlers of the style of the month are encouraged, all homebrews are welcome.
Another Homebrewers Fest is on the books, and it was a great. The 97-degree heat did not deter 36 PG and WASH (West Adams Society of Homebrewers) members, along with another thousand or so home brewers, from congregating at Vail Lake Resort and sampling the brews of 35 other clubs from around Southern and Central California. PG had 23 kegs available for sampling on The Wave and expansion module. WASH had quite a few at the next booth over, augmented by the annual Dan Hakes Invitational Mead Sampling. (Invitational, as in: “if you are in the festival grounds, you are invited to sample”.)
And, as always, besides the offerings at the fest site, there was an interesting variety of bottles shared at our campsite on Friday and Saturday nights. Kudos to Dean Sussman for the inspirational Saturday morning stacking of the leftover bottles from Friday Night’s Bigfoot Vertical.
Additional campsite entertainment was provided by Joe Hogue, who demonstrated the mind boggling versatility of his homebuilt quadcopter.
You won’t want to miss this year’s Big Brew, where you can watch some of our award winning homebrewers demonstrate the equipment that helps them make great beers. Are you an extract brewer thinking about moving to all-grain? Are you looking to upgrade the equipment that you currently have?
Parker will be there with The Grainfather, and Carl is going to fire up his reboiler that will have you ducking for cover as you look for the Santa Monica Airport-bound jet that missed its approach. Andrew, Michael, and Nathan are scheduled to be on hand with their brew rigs, and there is room for 1 more. If you would like to show off your system, send an email to Carl (competitions @ pacificgravity . com) and reserve your spot. All-grain and extract brewers are welcome to brew.
Notes for Big-Brewers:
Notes for Everyone:
Date: Saturday, May 26.
Place: Carl’s Place, 3621 Redwood Avenue, Los Angeles, 90066
Time: All grain brewers should plan to start mash-in around 10am. Extract brewers can start later.
Using a jockey box is the perfect way to serve your homebrew at family outings, friends’ houses, or in your own backyard. And now, you can make your own. In addition to a cooler, (48-quart coolers are a popular size), you will need these pieces for each beer line (prices are approximate):
Dispensing with Cobra Head picnic tap: $61
($35 + $5 + $12 + $4 + $5)
Dispensing with Standard Faucet: $91
($35 + $5 + $12 + $4 + $35)
Date: Saturday, June 16.
Place: Casa Molloy Event Center (6738 W. 87th Place, Westchester, 90045)
A couple of Jockey Boxes will be on display at the Big Brew, and a sign-up sheet will be available. If you cannot be at the big brew, but wish to order the hardware (except for the cooler, which you provide), please send me an email (vice-president @ pacificgravity .com) and advise how many of each of these pieces you would like (prices approximate). If you already have some of the pieces (e.g. clamps, shank & faucet), you do not need order with us.
Please bring some of your homebrew to the meeting and events.
Dues are $36 per individual, $54 for couples. If you haven’t paid yet, please do it at the meeting.
Do you know of a local venue that would allow us to hold our monthly meeting and share our homebrew? Do you have a decent sized backyard that could host 30-50 fellow club members for a meeting? If so, please drop us a line at board @ pacificgravity .com), or talk to one of the board members at an upcoming event.
See you Thursday!
This Friday (May 4) is First Friday! And It’s a Classic!
Where: Daily Pint, 2310 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA, 90245
Time: 7:30pm
April Meeting Kegs
We had quite the line-up of kegs at the April meeting. Thank you to the following members who donated legged home-brew:
Parker W: Dubbel
Carl T: Pale Ale
Parker W: Standard Bitter
Ken M: New England IPA
Carl T: Belgian Blonde
Parker W: Altbier
Tim J: Monster Lager
Andrew W: Double Chocolate Imperial Stout
Tim J: Dark Red
There were quite a few growlers and bottles floating around, too. Thanks to everyone who shared.
Southern California Homebrew Festival
We are less than a week away. It’s going to be a hot day! I will be sending out a final email on Monday or Tuesday.
Pacific Gravity Big Brew: Saturday, May 26
Still in town for Memorial Weekend? Come on over to the annual Big Brew and check out the brew rigs of your fellow PG members in action, including the system that Carl uses to brew his award winning beers.
Date: Saturday, May 26.
Place: Carl’s Place, 3621 Redwood Ave. Los Angeles, Ca. 90066
Time: 10:00 – 6:00
All Grain Brewers should plan to start mashing in around 10:00 am. Extract brewers can start later.
If you secured a spot to brew, arrange an equipment drop off time with Carl (competitions @ pacific gravity . com) on Friday. Please do NOT show up at 7am on Saturday and expect a warm greeting.
Craft Day: Make Your Own Jockey Box: Saturday, June 16
Where: Casa Molloy, 6738 W. 87th Place, Westchester
Time: 10:30a – 6:00p
You supply the cooler. We’ll order the supplies. You make your jockey box. Easy, eh? Starting from scratch, each beer line line requires:
1. a length of stainless tube ($30 per 10-foot length, you cut to size);
2. vinyl beer line ($5 per 10 feet);
3. 4 screw clamps for securing beer line ($4 per set of 4);
4. ball lock disconnect ($7);
5. swivel nut for ball lock ($3);
6. dispense hardware options, either:
(a) cobra head picnic tap ($5) OR
(b) shank ($30) + standard chrome faucet ($30)
If you haven’t signed up already, please respond to me at: vicepresident @ pacific gravity.com and advise how many of each item that you would like us to order.
For the shank & faucet option, advise how many shanks and how many faucets (e.g. if you want to purchase your own faucets).
Homebrewers Club In Need Of New Home
An era comes to an end: it’s been a great 20+ years, but our May meeting is the last one we will be holding at Culver City Homebrew Supply. Our June and July meeting places are already set (jockey box day and summer party, respectively), so we will need a meeting place for August. If you know of a meeting place on the Westside that has room for 30-50 people and will allow us to share homebrew on-site, please drop a line to: board @ pacific gravity.com.
HAPPY BREWING!
Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm
COMMERCIAL STYLE of the MONTH: Strong Belgian Ales
As always, we will have some interesting commercial examples.
HOMEBREW STYLE of the MONTH: All Belgian Beers
Kegs, bottles and growlers welcome.
If you are not going to the fest, but can donate a keg, please bring it to the meeting. We will return the keg after the fest.
If you would like to be part of the meal plan, please respond to the email I sent last week. Cost is $25 for Friday/Saturday dinner, Saterday/Sunday breakfast.
Meal responders so far:
Ian F
Tim B
Carl T
Michael & Tania M
Brian & Kate W
Eli & Haley B
Joe H
Larry P
Dean S
Ken M
Greg B.
Pack up your brewing system and head over to Carl’s place for our annual Big Brew. The first 6 responders to his email (competitions @ pacific gravity . com) are guaranteed a space to set up your rig. Other space will be allotted on an availability basis. All-grain and extract brewers welcome.
This is your opportunity to see the brew rigs of fellow PG members in action, including the system that Carl uses to brew his award winning beers.
Date: Saturday, May 26.
Place: Carl’s Place (Address to follow)
Time: Carl will start mashing in around 9:30am
If you secure a spot, it would be helpful if you could drop off your equipment the day before. Arrange a drop off time with Carl (competitions @ pacific gravity . com).
MAKE YOUR OWN JOCKEY-BOX DAY:
This is the event many of you have been waiting for! You, too, can have your own jockey box, perfect for serving your homebrew at family outings, friends’ houses, or in your own backyard.
Date: Saturday, June 16.
Place: Casa Molloy Event Center (Address to follow)
We will start taking orders for parts (excluding cooler) at the meeting. The parts cost per beer line (stainless steel tube, beer line, clamps, ball lock, tap) range from $47 for a picnic tap system, to $80 for a shank and basic faucet system (forward seal faucets are higher).
SHARE YOUR HOMEBREW:
Please bring some of your home-brew to the meeting.
DUES are DUE.
Dues are $36 per individual, $54 for couples. If you haven’t paid yet, please do it at the meeting.
NEEDED: MEETING PLACE
As you know, Culver City Homebrew Supply, our longtime club meeting place, will cease business by the end of May, 2018. We are looking for a place to hold our monthly club meetings. If you know of a local Westside establishment with a large meeting area where we can share our homebrew, or even if you would like to host meetings in your backyard, please email the board (board @ pacific gravity . com) or talk to one of the board members at Thursday’s meeting.
See you Thursday!
This Friday (April 6) is First Friday!
Where: El Segundo Brewing Company, 140 Main Street, El Segundo, CA, 90245
Time: 7:30pm
Southern California Homebrew Festival
WE NEED BEER! If you have a keg you can share with a thousand or so of your fellow brewers from around Central and Southern California, please email me at brewfest @ pacifgravity.com. Advise with style and keg size. You name will be prominently displayed on our tap list at the fest.
Craft Day: Make Your Own Jockey Box …
… on a yet-to-be-determined Saturday in June. We’ll be taking orders for supplies (stainless tubing, vinyl tubing, keg fittings, taps) at the next club meeting (April 19). You supply the cooler. More details to follow in the pre-meeting post in a couple of weeks.
DUES are DUE.
March is dues month: $36 per individual, $54 for couples.
HAPPY BREWING!
Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm
COMMERCIAL STYLE of the MONTH: Irish and Dark British Beers
As always, we will have some interesting commercial examples.
HOMEBREW STYLE of the MONTH: Irish and Dark British Beers
Kegs, bottles and growlers welcome.
OTHER NEWS:
We will be updating our plans for upcoming activities including:
FEBRUARY KEGS:
Thanks to the following members for bringing kegs to the February meeting:
SHINY KEG AWARD:
SHARE YOUR HOMEBREW:
Please bring some of your home-brew to the meeting.
DUES are DUE.
March is dues month: $36 per individual, $54 for couples. If you haven’t paid yet, please do it at the meeting.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HOMEBREW SUPPLY SHOP!
Culver City Homebrew Supply offers a discount to Pacific Gravity members, and an additional discount on meeting night? Getting ready for a brew day? Need some equipment? Save a couple of dollars and purchase your supplies and ingredients at Thursday’s meeting.
See you Thursday!
Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm
Homebrew Style of the Month: Browns, Ambers, Reds, and California Common.
We will be updating our plans for upcoming activities including:
AND … introducing, in our raffle, a Junior Beer Judge Testing Kit!
We will have some interesting commercial examples of our style of the month. Please bring some home-brew to share, too.
DUES are DUE.
March is dues month: $36 per individual, $54 for couples. Feel free to pay your fees early at the February meeting.
EXTRA HOMEBREW SUPPLY DISCOUNT!
Did you know that Culver City Homebrew Supply offers an additional discount on meeting night? Getting ready for a brew day? Need some equipment? Save a couple of dollars and purchase your supplies and ingredients at Thursday’s meeting.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HOMEBREW SUPPLY SHOP!
See you at the meeting!
Where: Culver City Homebrew Supply, 4234 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City.
Time: 7:30pm
Homebrew Style of the Month: Anything goes.
You don’t want to miss our preview of the exciting events we have in store for 2018 including:
AND … our first Super Raffle of the Year!!!!
See you there!
It is time for the Pacific Gravity and Culver City Homebrew Supply Shop annual holiday event. Mark your calendars! This year the party is happening on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at Neil Saund’s duplex – at: 12966 Rubens Ave, Los Angeles, CA. (at Alla Road)
The party will kick off about 5:00 P.M. If you have not attended one of the past holiday events, let us tell you this is one party not to be missed!
We really, really need your help with the following:
FOOD:
Although the club will be providing some of the main dishes, this is still a potluck party and YOUR favorite party dish will be greatly appreciated! The menu should mostly reflect past holiday parties featuring Carbonnades ala Flamandes, deep fried turkeys, spiced ham and much more! Suggestions of what to bring would include any kind of main dish but especially all side dishes, veggie dishes, salads, desserts and appetizers. So, if you have a favorite family holiday recipe and want to share it with the rest of us, this is your chance. Please let us know what you will bring. If you have any questions about what to bring, please contact Club Chef Ian at: masterchef@pacificgravity.com or Mimi at mbardet@verizon.net (Attached is a list of what members have signed up to bring to date.)
The dinner portion of the event will be ongoing beginning at approximately 7pm. Please note that there will be very little space available for reheating food, so please bring your food ready to serve, not ready to cook.
Crockpots and chafing dishes with sterno fuel would be a great idea of how to bring something and keep it hot.
Also, don’t forget to label your containers or anything you want back.
BEER:
Got beer? We need all types of beer, meads, cider and sodas for this event. Pull out your favorite holiday beverage, dust off the bottle or keg and bring it down! We’ll have the Wave of Beer set up to help dispense your holiday homebrews. If you plan to bring beer, soda or other seasonally festive beverage, please contact Carl at: Competitions@pacificgravity.com & let him know what you will bring. Everyone who signs up in advance will have a colorful tap tag.
VOLUNTEERS needed for setup & cleanup:
On Friday, December 8th, starting around 6pm, we need help with setup at Neil’s. (probably ending around 8-9pm) We will be setting up tables, E-Z ups, lighting, the beer wave and anything that can be done and left out overnight.
On Saturday, Dec 9th from approximately 10am to 12noon, we need help with final setup at Neil’s.
On Sunday, Dec 10th, starting at 10am, we need lots of people to help with clean up. The more we get the faster it goes. (probably ending around 12noon-1pm).
If you’d like to volunteer for set up or clean up contact us: PG Board at Board@pacificgravity.com
EQUIPMENT:
We need a few more heat lamps and fire pits so please donate them if you can.
We NEED lot & lots FIREWOOD! If you can bring wood please do so. December evenings can be cold so please help bring some wood so we can all stay warm.
We need more TABLES, e-z ups (canopies), and power strips.
We also need jockey boxes and CO2 cylinders and Sanke taps to help make sure all the beverages flow cold with perfect carbonation. We have more kegs than taps on the Wave, and the jockey boxes help out big time.
If at all possible, please bring your kegs and heavy stuff to setup on Friday evening or between 10am – 12noon on Saturday. This makes the last minute activities at party time go much more smoothly. The early kegs get the best slots on the Wave. Make sure all your kegs, coolers, tanks taps, and other equipment are well labeled so they all return to their rightful owners Sunday morning.
Note, if you can’t deliver beer kegs to the Neil’s house at setup on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon, then please email Carl Townsend at Competitions@pacificgravity.com to make arrangements to drop off your kegs at his house.
3rd Annual Holiday CLOTHING CHARITY DRIVE:
It’s time to clean out your closets…Pacific Gravity is having our 3rd annual Holiday CLOTHING DRIVE!
We will have boxes for any donations you can bring to the party.
For clothes & other items, please see the list below which will be donated to The People Concern (formerly, OPCC). They are mostly in need of men’s clothing in large sizes. Clothing can be “gently used” and should be clean. (Please see this link for all donations ideas: https://www.opcc.net/?nd=in_kind
Monetary donations will also be accepted – checks or cash. Special donation envelopes will be available at the party. Tax receipts for monetary donations will be sent to you by mail.
Below is a list of items that we can always use:
Clothing
Sweat socks – for men, women and children
Sweat shirts and pants for adults – all sizes especially larger sizes
New underwear – men’s, women and children
Flannel and long sleeve shirts for adults
Personal & Household items
Hygiene Items: toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, disposable razors, bar soap, hand & body lotion,etc.
Blankets (preferably wool)
Sleeping bags for adults
Please see OPCC.org website for more donation suggestions.
Final Party Details:
Dress warm for our winter party, bring food and bring beer!
Highlighting the evening will be the crowning of the Pacific Gravity Club Member of the Year, and awarding of the trophy for Brewer of the Year.
Santa is sure to make an appearance to give away lots of great door prizes (prize donations welcome).
All club members and their guests are welcome, so plan on joining us…Celebrate the season, good beer, good food and friends the Pacific Gravity way!
P.S. Also, don’t forget this month’s First Friday will be happening at Smog City Brewing in Torrance: Friday December 1st @ 7pm
Hey PG!
We are just ONE more night away from our annual Summer party tomorrow (Saturday)!
We’ve heard from a bunch of you with beer, food, and equipment volunteering and things are coming together nicely.
A few bits we can always use more of:
Power cords
Power strips
Tables & chairs
MORE FOOD AND MORE BEER!
And we’ve got our setup work to do tonight starting at 6pm as well, if you’re free c’mon up!
Also, don’t forget that a big part of what we do each year revolves around charity work. We’ll be collecting donations at this event and would love it if you each dug into a closet or stopped into a box store to grab a few items to donate. All donations will go on to our partners in charity at The People Connection (formerly Ocean Park Community Center.)
IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS
Clothing (all donations should be clean and, if used, in good condition.)
Sweat socks – for men, women and children
New underwear – men’s, women and children
Sweat shirts and tee-shirts for adults – all sizes especially larger sizes
Flannel and long sleeve shirts for adults
Pants and jeans for adults – all sizes especially larger sizes
Sneakers – men’s & women’s most needed
Shower shoes/thongs
Rain ponchos for adults & children
Personal & Household items
Hygiene Items (Travel or regular size)
toothpaste
• toothbrush
• deodorant
• shampoo
• disposable razors
• bar soap
• hand & body lotion
• sanitary napkins & tampons
Blankets (preferably wool)
Backpacks or duffel bags
Sleeping bags for adults
Diapers – all sizes
Bedding: Twin size sheets, comforters and pillows. Please note pillow must be new.
Welcome Home Packages
Kitchen Kits (dish towels, dish soap, utensils, plates and cups, pots and pans etc.)
Bathroom Necessities (shampoo and conditioner, body wash/soap, hand and body towels, shaving cream, razors, etc.)
Bedroom Essentials (comforter, sheets, pillows, pajamas, slippers, etc.)
Cleaning Supplies (dust pan, broom, Windex, counter spray, toilet bowl cleaner and brush, etc.).
Reply back to this message if you have any questions (or reach out on Facebook, that works too) and otherwise I’ll see you tomorrow at 2pm!
Michael
