The Brewsletter
JANUARY 2010
The Official Newsletter of the Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society (HRB&TS)
President’s Podium – Chris “CJ” Jones
Well, January, new month, New Year, and new officers for HRBTS. Elections went smoothly last month, thanks to Jonna Walker’s fine orchestration, and I’m relatively safe in speaking for your 2010 slate – we will continue to foster and promote both beer in general and homebrewing in particular, one sip at a time.
We’ve cobbled together an interesting competition calendar for 2010 (see Eric Gold’s article elsewhere in this newsletter) that includes a first for HRBTS, a Gluten-Free Beer month. Lots of folks have gluten allergies, and the least we can do as a Club is help to make their lives more full, more complete, more beeer-riffic, by coming up with some recipes that they can duplicate at home. Molasses, sorghum, cane syrup, maple syrup, pretty much anything you can ferment that isn’t wheat, barley, oats, etc. is your launch pad for an adventure in making the best beer possible sans barley. Who knows, we might even get some ink out of our collective efforts (I know two folks that write a beer column for a local mag …). I’m sure J.P. will make some outrageously out-of-the-box offerings, so we should all meet the challenge, and make an outrageous ale minus malt.
We’re also aiming for some road trips in 2010. You know, it wouldn’t be January in HRBTS-ville without a trip up north, to Delaware, to the Houses that Sam Built, the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE and the Dogfish Head Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, DE. HRBTSers are encouraged to head to Milton on Saturday, 16th of January, and go on the 4:00 PM brewery tour. At press time, there were 16 seats left, so go to the Dogfish Head web site (www.dogfish.com) and sign up for that tour. It’ll be about an hour of touring, followed by some quality time in their tasting room, then a short drive to Rehoboth and dinner at the brewpub. A bunch of us usually stay at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth, a nice, semi-swanky Victorian hotel with a heated pool and a ravenous parrot in the lobby (the parrot loves women, and bites, fiercely, men). If you plan on playing in the pool, remember to bring canned beer or canned alternative beverages, because there is no glass allowed at poolside. Join the fun, who knows, it might snow!
Cheers, C.J.
President HRB&TS
Meeting Location – Diane Catanzaro
A fresh New Year brimming with possibilities. The HRB&TS has a new team of officers for 2010, a new brewing schedule (featuring the first gluten-only month in club history, and possibly the first in ANY club’s history), and a couple of road trips planned (to Dogfish in Milton/Rehoboth and Max’s in Baltimore). What I love about every New Year is the feeling of renewal, self-improvement, and possibility….you know, that optimistic delusion that lasts at least until January 2nd or 3rd.
On the other hand, there is at least one place where this renewal and self-improvement is actually REAL. I am talking about the German Pantry, our HRB&TS meeting location for Wednesday, January 6. It is no longer the hybrid store/restaurant many HRB&TS members remember from past meetings. The new owners have transformed the German Pantry into a bona fide restaurant with a major renovation. It just reopened in November 2009 and features the homey atmosphere of a German gasthaus, an attractive dark wood bar, and a well-chosen selection of American micros, Belgian, and German beers. On tap you are likely to find a German hefeweizen, Stone Pale Ale, LaChouffe, Delerium Tremens, and Aventinus. Bottled beers include all 3 Chimays, Duvel, Salvator, Allagash Wit, Old Rasputin, Liefman’s Kriek, and many others. The Old Rasputin and the Kriek are heavenly choices to pair with the German Black Forest cake or another chocolate dessert. One of the most special beers they offer is Aecht Schlenkerla rauchbier (smoked beer) from Bamberg. This an amazing beer to pair with any foods that have smoky flavors, like the German Pantry’s double-smoked pork chop, Black Forest and Westphalian hams, smoked turkey breast, sausages, smoked Gouda, and double-smoked bacon. You might think that smoked beer + smoked food would be overpowering when combined, but they meld symphonically into a harmonious flavor-duet that sings in a smoky beechwood baritone……and I ain’t just whistling Dixie!
So on Wednesday, January 6 “lassen Sie nicht Ihren Fleisch faulenzen” (don’t let your meat loaf!) and join the HRB&TS at 7 pm for our first meeting of the year. The German Pantry is closing early to their regular customers to host the HRB&TS!! Be sure to bring an appetite for something from the kitchen. There are sandwiches involving schnitzel (breaded and fried pork loin) like the schnitzel Reuben ($7.99). The grilled chicken breast sandwich should have wide mainstream appeal to those with all-American palates. You can build your own sandwich for $5.99 from a choice of 15 meats (including roast beef, smoked bacon, smoked turkey breast, pastrami, and salami), 4 cheeses, and various breads. An array of sausages (including bratwurst, knackwurst, etc.) can be paired with a long pretzel roll. Entrees include roast pork loin in beer sauce ($11.99), rouladen (stuffed beef roll; $14.99), beef goulash ($9.99), grilled chicken breast ($9.99) and more. Veggie options include vegan schnitzel, spaetzle noodles with cheese, onions, and mushrooms, and various veggie side dishes (baby green beans with a hefeweizen glaze!). Hungry yet? Good. Bring some homebrew to wash it all down and share with your fellow HRB&TS-ers. But, no commercial beers please. See you then!
The location is only a couple of minutes off I-64 and I-264, very close to Military Circle Mall and JANAF, so it is a convenient drive from anywhere in Hampton Roads or the Peninsula. However there are a few peculiarities so please read the info and directions below carefully.
Address: 5329 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, 461-5100. They have a bright yellow sign on the left end of a very small strip shopping center.
Important Info:
To get into the restaurant parking lot, you’ll actually need to get on the ‘feeder road’ that parallels Virginia Beach Blvd on the same side as the restaurant. You cannot get into the restaurant parking lot directly from the main part of Virginia Beach Boulevard, only from the parallel feeder road on the same side as the German Pantry. Try not to miss the entrance to the parking lot, as it comes up quickly and there is only one entrance.
Directions:
From the Peninsula: Take I-64 East to Military Highway South exit. Follow Military Highway about a mile or two. Turn right onto Route 58/VA Beach Blvd. Once on the Blvd, stay in the left-hand lane. When you see The German Pantry on the left in just a minute or two, there is a left turn cut-across that comes up quickly. When you take your left, you’ll need to cross all the way over to the ‘feeder road’ rather than doing a typical u-turn.
From Norfolk, VA Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake - Take I-264 toward Military Highway. (If you are heading westbound you have to be on the right side of the highway in way in advance to be able to take the Military Hwy exit). Take the exit for Military Highway North. About a mile down the road is the big intersection with Route 58/VA Beach Blvd. Take VA Beach Blvd westbound, toward Norfolk. The German Pantry is on the left in about a minute. When you see The German Pantry on the left, there is a left turn cut-across that comes up quickly. When you take your left, you’ll need to cross all the way over to the ‘feeder road’ rather than doing a typical u-turn.
Competition Corner – Eric Gold
We have an exciting 2010 HRBTS Brewing Competition Season ahead of us; I hope you are as excited about it as I am! To get off on the right foot, we are looking for members who would be willing to host a judging at their home. Now is the time to reserve the month matching one of your favorite styles! If you are willing to host a monthly judging competition, please email me at egold@vt.edu to reserve your month.
Our first judging session of the new season got off to a great start thanks to our host, Rob Camlin. Diane C., Rob Camlin, Tom Byrnes, Matt Murphy, and Will Walker tasted a variety of English Brown Ales. Despite some mild confusion in the number of entries, our judges tasted three English Brown Ales and reached consensus score with little difficulty. Their scores ranged from 25.2 to 31.3. Mark Johnson emerged as the winner taking first place with his tasty Northern English Brown (31.3). I took second place with an English Mild (29). JP placed third with a Southern English Brown (28.5). Congrats Mark!!
Brewing points are listed below:
|
2010 HRBTS CUP STANDINGS |
|
|
Name of Brewer |
Points Accumulated |
|
Mark Johnson |
3 |
|
Eric Gold |
2 |
|
JP Messier |
1 |
|
This could easily be you …… |
If you get brewing ……. |
The next competition will be American Ales will be held on Jan 21@ 7:30. The location will be determined
later.
Announcing the new Schedule!!
Below you will find our brewing schedule for 2010. I think you will find something for every type of brewer.
Please watch your emails for further details.
|
2010 HRB&TS CUP BREWING SCHEDULE |
|||
|
Month |
Style |
Category/Sub |
AHA Event - Deadline |
|
January 2010 (December 17) |
English Brown Ale |
11 A,B,C |
February 16, 2010 |
|
February 2010 (Jan 21) |
American Ales |
10 A,B |
March/April 2010 |
|
March 2010 (Feb 18) |
Braggot |
26B |
|
|
April 2010 (March) |
Extract |
ANY |
May 2010 |
|
May 2010 (April) |
Gluten free Beer |
ANY base style OR 23 |
|
|
June 2010 (May) |
Wheat |
15A/B/16A |
|
|
July 2010 (June) |
Mead |
24,25,26 |
August 2010 |
|
August 2010 (July) |
Sour |
17 |
Sept/Oct 2010 |
|
September 2010 (Aug) |
Fruit |
20 |
|
|
October 2010 (Sept.) |
Strong Ale |
19 |
Nov/Dec 2010 |
|
November 2010 (Oct.) |
Tupper's Hop Pocket Ale Clone |
10 A |
|
|
December 2010 (Nov ) |
Christmas Winter Spiced Beer |
21B |
|
|
January 2011 (Dec) |
Imperial Stout |
13F |
|
|
February 2011 (Jan) |
Belgian and French Ale |
16 A-D |
|
|
March 2011 (Feb) |
Bock |
5 |
March/April 2011 |
January Winners:
1st Place – HRBTS Cup January 2010, Northern English Brown Ale, Brewer: Mark Johnson
2nd Place – HRBTS Cup January 2010, English Mild Brown Ale, Brewer: Eric Gold
3rd Place – HRBTS Cup January 2010, Southern English Brown Ale, Brewer: JP Messier
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.