The Brewsletter

January 2007

 

 

The Official Newsletter of the Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society (HRB & TS)

www.hrbts.org

 

 

The President’s Podium – Jason Kuller

 

Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone had a terrific Holiday, indulging in celebration as well as relaxation with family and friends.  Thank you to the club for supporting me and the rest of the new officers for the coming year.  We will be bringing some fresh ideas and hopefully with them, some renewed excitement and inspiration for that brewing art that we all love.  In addition to myself, your new officers for the year are: JP Messier, Vice President; Ron & Jeannine Jones, Secretary-Treasurer; Patti Messier, Competition Coordinator and Will Walker, Newsletter Editor.  Diane Catanzaro will remain in the position of our marvelous meeting coordinator and Victor Perrotti will be taking over the role of righteous webmaster for hrbts.org.  As president I would like to welcome any comments or suggestions of ideas for making our club even better.  Thanks to everyone for their involvement in and support of our club.

 

Thank You to CJ and Diane for graciously hosting our Belgian beer club meeting last month.  We had a bountiful array of Belgian beers, both homebrewed and commercial, as well as a Belgian theme to set the mood.  A good time was had by all at their lovely home, as always.

A big and very well deserved CONGRATULATIONS! to Chris Jones and Diane Catanzaro who have once again claimed the distinguished honor of HRB&TS Homebrewers of the year.  Congratulations also go out to JP Messier, who won second place after a neck and neck, down-to-the-wire competition.  Let’s make this year’s competition just as exciting and filled with terrific homebrew.

 

 

For anyone that is looking for a fun and or creative way to kill some of the downtime after the Holidays you should check out the latest issue of Zymurgy magazine.  There is an awesome article all about Do It Yourself Homebuilt Brew Tools, everything from turbo-charged immersion chiller to walk in beer coolers – Check It Out!

And………..

Hopefully everyone will be able to make it to the Hop Capital of the East coast on January 12th when we visit Dogfish Head craft brewery in Rehoboth Beach, DE.  In addition to an absolute beer extravaganza, there will be terrific food and live blues, you don’t want to miss this!

 

Finally, I would like to once again thank everyone for all their support and say “Cheers to a fabulous and beer filled 2007!”

 

 

 

January Meeting Location – Diane Catanzaro

Ok, the New Year of 2007 is upon us and my New Year’s Resolution was to find a restaurant in Chesapeake (the city, not the bay…) where the HRB&TS can meet.  Finally, I can scratch up one resolution achieved in 40++ years (so now it’s 1-847)!!!  Our meeting on Wednesday, January 3 will be at the venerable Lock’s Pointe Restaurant in the Great Bridge section of Chesapeake.  Meeting starts at 7:30, but if you want to join the “early-team” at 7 pm, it’s fun to get a head start on ordering something to eat and socializing.

 

We have a private meeting room and the best of both worlds….you can order off the casual ‘bar’ menu of Hodad’s, or off the ambitious fancy dinin’ restaurant menu.  Casual items on the Hodad’s menu includes nachos, bourbon BBQ spare ribs, chicken wings in many sauces, snow crab legs, drunken chicken liguini, burgers, and crabcake sandwiches.  The restaurant menu has cool-sounding stuff like beer battered grouper, thai sesame seared tuna, scallop lollypops, kona-rubbed NY strip with butter brandy glaze, and an array of creative pastas.  There are a full array of side dishes that could no doubt be a meal…for example the fried green tomatoes layered with goat cheese and crab, fried calamari tossed with banana peppers, and spinach salad with goat cheese and candied pecans, and baby soft shell crab atop fresh greens, goat cheese, with a ginger soy vinaigrette. Yum!!! So whether you want a full meal or a light bite there should be something to please your appetite.

 

I met with new owner Eric Stevens (his partner is Karl Dornemann who also owns Bardo in Norfolk) and he very kindly has waived the fee for us to use the meeting room and is allowing us to order off either menu.  This is a rare exception to their usual policy, so PLEASE come hungry and prepared to order something to eat!  The beer selection includes Harpoon IPA on tap, Hoegarden, Purple Haze, Carolina Blond, and Newcastle.

 

Don’t forget to bring homebrew!! Any style is welcomed…there were only four holiday spiced beers entered in the last contest (all quite tasty I might add), so we will definitely need more homebrew of any style from those who brew!  Since this is a restaurant meeting you may NOT bring any commercial beers whatsoever.

 

Lock’s Point is at 136 N. Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake, 757-547-9618.

 

 

Directions:

From Virginia Beach, the Peninsula, and Ocean View/northern Norfolk– Take I-64 East to the Battlefield Blvd North exit toward Great Bridge (exit 290-B). It is actually headed southbound on Battlefield Blvd North. Lock’s Point is down several miles, past Chesapeake General Hospital, on the right.

 

From downtown Norfolk and Ghent – Take I-464 from downtown (this is I-264 toward downtown tunnel, but you bear right before you get to the tunnel to get on I-464). Follow I-464 to I-64 Westbound (toward Virginia Beach). Then take the Battlefield Blvd North exit, toward Great Bridge. Lock’s Point is down several miles, past Chesapeake General Hospital, on the right.

 

From most of Chesapeake, Currituck, and points south – Take Rt 168 North (toll road) to Mount Pleasant Rd (Rt 165 South, toward Great Bridge). In a bit, bear right onto Rt 168 (local) which is Battlefield Blvd South. Lock’s Point is on the left in a bit.

 

Other parts of Chesapeake, Suffolk, etc. – Find Battlefield Blvd. and take it to Great Bridge!! Or check out Mapquest!!

 

 

 

Competition Corner, January 2007 – Patti Messier

Happy holidays to all!  I hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready to embark on a wonderful journey – the quest for the 2007 HRBTS Cup.

 

We had our first judging of the 2007 cup year on December 20 at the Byrnes residence.  Our five exceptional judges (Doug Boyd, Tom Byrnes, Diane Catanzaro, Paul McCune, and J.P. Messier) were ready and willing to try many varieties of Holiday Season beers.  However, we only had four brewers courageous enough to experiment with this genre.  These beers had to personify the holiday season and did they ever!  These adventurous brewers created delicious concoctions using gingerbread, bourbon, and vanilla.  What a treat!!

 

After the beers were judged and enjoyed, the results were tallied and here are the winners! 

 

First Place, C.J. and Diane Catanzaro, with their Christmas Ale, good for three HRBTS Cup points;

Second Place, J. P. Messier, with his DDG84 Christmas Ale, good for two HRBTS Cup points; and 

Third Place, Tom Byrnes, with his Bourbon Vanilla Porter, earning him one HRBTS Cup point.

 

The current HRBTS Cup standings are in the table, following this text.  The year’s competition is going to be an interesting one for sure, with many strong brewers who don’t hesitate to think outside the box.  With 11 more competitions to go, it’s time for YOU to step up and brew some amazing beers!

 

Please look for this year’s competition calendar, found below.  This year’s calendar includes some really different challenges, such as smoked or wood flavored beers, as well as some annual favorites, like extract and fruit beers.  Look and plan ahead so you too can enter these monthly challenges and join the competition!

 

2007 HRB & TS CUP STANDINGS (as of 31 December 2006)

 Name of Brewer(s)

Total Points Accumulated

 

Chris Jones and Diane Catanzaro

3

J. P. Messier

2

Tom Byrnes

1

This could easily be you ….

…. if you get brewing

 

 

 

2007 HRB & TS Beer of the Month Schedule – Patti Messier

 

 Month (2007 unless stated otherwise)

Beer style name (and 2004 BJCP beer style category number)

Beer judging date ; usually two weeks before Club meeting)

Winner goes to an AHA Club Only Contest?

January

Holiday Season beers (21B)

20 December 2006

 

February

 

Barleywines

(19B & C)

24 January 2007

 

March

Scottish Ale

(9A, B & C)

Feb 21st

Y

April

 

Extract

 (All)

Mar 21st

Y

May

 

India Pale Ale

(14A & B)

Apr 18th

 

June

 

German/American Wheat & Rye

(6D, 15)

 

May 16th

 

 

July

 

Meads

(24,25,26)

Jun 20th

Y

August

 

Fruit Beer

(20)

Jul 18th

 

September

 

Belgian Strong Ale

(18)

Aug 15th

 

October

 

European Amber & Dark Lager, Bock

(3, 4, 5)

 

Sep 19th

 

 

 

 

November

Smoke-Flavored & Wood Aged

(22)

 

Oct 24th

 

 

December

 

Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer

(21)

 

Nov 21st

 

 

January 2008

Stouts

13A, B & C)

Dec 19th

 

February 2008

 

Strong Ale & Russian Imperial Stout

(13F, 19)

 

Jan 23rd  2008

 

 

 

 

From the Editor

 

On the following page is a membership application for all HRBTS members.  Please print it out, sign it and bring it to the next meeting with your dues payment.  All HRBTS members will need to have a copy of this form on file with the club.  Jason Kuller will answer any questions you might have on this subject at the meeting.

 

 

 

About the HRB & TS

The Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society is dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of home brewing.  The annual dues are $20 per individual and $25 per family.  Members are encouraged to support the reasonable enjoyment of beer and observe the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Federal government, and the Golden Rule.  Persons attending HRB & TS meetings and events are solely liable for actions attendant to their participation.   HRB & TS maintains a NO SMOKING policy during all meetings so that members may better enjoy fine beers.  Visit the HRB & TS online at www.hrbts.org.

 

Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society (HRBTS)

Membership Application

 

NAME

 

 

STREET

 

 

CITY, STATE, ZIP

 

 

TELEPHONE

 

 

EMAIL ADDRESS

 

 

NOTE:  HRBTS publishes a monthly newsletter and periodic updates of all things beer; if you don’t give us your email address, you’ll get none of this.

 

 

ABOUT THE HRBTS:  The Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society is dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of home brewing.  The annual dues are $20 per individual and $25 per family per calendar year; dues for new members may be prorated after July 1 of each year.  Members are encouraged to support the reasonable enjoyment of beer and observe the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Federal government, and the Golden Rule.  Persons attending HRB & TS meetings and events are solely liable for actions attendant to their participation.   HRB & TS maintains a NO SMOKING policy during all meetings so that members may better enjoy fine beers. 

 

 

INDEMNIFICATION OF HRBTS, CLUB OFFICERS, AND ANYONE ELSE ASSOCIATED WITH A CLUB FUNCTION OR EVENT FROM YOUR PARTICIPATION:  HRBTS is a homebrewing club; there is beer, both commercial and home brewed, at meetings.  We do not condone the consumption of alcohol in excess; consumption in excess will affect your perceptions, your reaction time, and your ability to operate a motor vehicle.
 

Your participation in Club events is entirely voluntary.  By signing and dating this form, below, you accept responsibility for your conduct, behavior and actions and completely absolve HRBTS, Club Officers, and anyone else associated with a Club function or event of responsibility for your conduct, behavior and actions.

 

We reserve the right to cancel an individual’s membership if he or she does not abide by these guidelines.

NAME  (signed):                                                         DATE:

 

         (printed):