visit us on the worldwide web at http://www.beerbarons.org *** In This Issue.!!! Club News 2 Upcoming Events..2 Beer News.............3!"! # $! % " %% &% '()* *+ % "%" *+ & ", - %, %! &%" ", & "!!! "+ -. & #" & /012/* &%" * Sources: www.realbeer.com http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm MARCH S MEETING Bryan Wygert from Stevens Point Brewery will be joining us. He is a representative of the brewery. He was scheduled for last month, but unfortunately he could not make it. He will be here this month with the Spring Bock which was recently released. Words from the Prez..4 Treasurer s Report.......4 AHA Club Only Comp... 5 Officers Meeting 5 Beer Barons of Milwaukee Board President: Paul Tinsen Ph: 414.294.3983 e-mail: ptinsen@wi.rr.com Vice President: Richard Binkowski Ph: 414.281.3521 e-mail: palealehophead@juno.com Treasurer: Richard McKagan Ph: 262.363.3629 e-mail:mckagans@centurytel.net Newsletter Editor / Librarian: Nikki Passentino Ph: 414.962.4579 e-mail: passentinonikki@hotmail.com Member at Large: Karen Grade Ph: 414.462.3616 e-mail: Kgrade@oncofwis.com Member at Large: Kevin Moon Ph: 414.762.7913 e-mail: mok893@cs.com
: : May 01 2005 March 23: Stevens Point April: Homebrew Night BEER BARON ACCESSORIES At the last meeting I received multiple inquiries about ordering embroidered shirts again. So by popular request the masses will have what they want. At the March meeting I will bring the catalog for people to choose their shirts. This will be the only order for the year and payment upon ordering is preferable, so bring your checkbooks or cash. There will be denim, tee shirts and sweatshirts for sale in the color of your choice. The other option to decide is whether or not you want the "World of Beer Festival" printed under our logo. If you cannot attend the March meeting please contact me via email or at home 414-462-3616 to place your order. The order will be submitted to the printer shortly after the meeting so we can get them for our April meeting. Karen Grade Member at Large 2005 Wisconsin State Fair Homebrew Competition LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY Don t forget that the Beer Barons World of Beer Festival is approaching soon. This festival was a hit last year so let s make sure it goes smooth this year. If you are interested in helping it would be greatly appreciated. Contact an officer for further information BEFORE the festival. Ladies and Gentlemen, fire up your brew kettles, the 2005 Wisconsin State Fair Homebrew Competition is on the horizon. This year s competition will be on Saturday, May 21 st. If you ve entered in recent years, you should be receiving the Rules and Regulations and Entry Forms in the mail soon. Entry forms must be mailed to the State Fair by May 1 st. If you haven t entered before, you may download the forms at www.beerbarons.org. The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) has published a revised list of beer styles, so be sure to pay attention to the Entry Forms. You can also download the new style guidelines at www.bjcp.org. I think most of you will like the new guidelines- no longer are light-colored and dark beers grouped in the same category. Just like last year, the State Fair is giving out cash prizes. The Best of Show winner gets $30, 2 nd Best of Show winner gets $20, and each Best of Category winner (with six main categories) gets $10. The Best of Show winners and the Best of Category winners also receive plaques. Gold, silver and bronze ribbons are also awarded for the highest scoring beers of the competition. The competition is a great way to learn more about beer, either by entering and getting feedback, or by volunteering at the competition. As always, we will be asking for volunteers to help judge and steward. The day includes a potluck lunch that we share with the Wisconsin Vintner s Association, who hold their competition at the same time. And of course, there s the famous Beer Table. Ask someone who s been there before. So start figuring out which beers you are going to enter. If you have questions about entering or about volunteering, you can contact me at jeffenders@wi.rr.com or at 414-476-5575. The Wisconsin State Fair Homebrew Competition is one of the highlights of the Beer Barons brewing year- I hope to see you, or your beers, there. Cheers, Jeff Enders FUN ACTIVITIES AT THE WORLD OF BEER FESTIVAL New this year at the Milwaukee Beer Baron's World of Beer Festival is a series of seminars & lectures, sponsored by Cream City Suds - www.sudswineandspirits.com. Curent speaker & topic commitments include... -Todd Ashmann - "Touring Belgium for Great Beers" (Todd was formerly brewmaster of Flossmoor Station, and is now Technical Advisor with Brewers Supply Group division of Rahr Malting) -Jeff Sparrow - "Brewing Belgian Ales" (Jeff's book on Belgian Ales is out in June) -Brewin' Beagle & Steve Hamburg - "Cask-conditioned Ales" (Brewin' Beagle's Ray & Di setup beer bars and restaurants with Cask ale systems) -Pete Leuer of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board - "Cheese & Beer Pairing" -Randy Mosher - "Brewing Extremely (Randy's new book on "Radical Brewing," talking about historical brews & crazy homebrews, just came out.)" Jeff Platt Cream City Suds (414) 265-2337
MARCH 26-5 th Annual Riverwest Pub Crawl 12pm same day registration-$30 or $25 in advance -the Uptowner: 1032 E. Center St. APRIL Spielmannzug Bockbier Fest-6pm Hart Park Hall, Wauwatosa, WI 15- Beers around the World Brew Fest South Milwaukee Community Center South Milwaukee, WI 21- Bock Fest The Grand Event: Beer, Wine, and Spirits Tasting ($5)--275 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI MAY Hessicher Verein Manifest, Germantown, WI MACC Fund Beer & Wine Tasting: 6:30-9:30pm Lakefront Palm Garden, Milwaukee, WI 414-918-0626 1- MHTG Great Taste of Midwest tickets on sale 1-Beer Barons World of Beer Festival--$20 in advance American Serb Hall-5101 W. Oklahoma, Milwaukee 14- Worldwide Wine, Spirits, Dining & Brewing Event Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 19-19 de Mayo-- The Grand Event: Beer, Wine, and Spirits Tasting ($5)--275 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 22- Wisconsin Microbrewers Beer Fest Calumet County Fairgrounds, Chilton, WI CLUB FUN!!! Elephants quaff, stomp, flee Wild elephant herds have been terrorizing India s remote northwest, killing people, flattening houses and even guzzling local rice beer supplies, prompting villagers to retaliate against the pachyderms with firecrackers and bonfires. Rice Beer is an attraction. Workers in tea plantations in Assam make rice beer at home and store it in drums. There are many instances of wild elephants guzzling the brew and returning for more. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sign up for Chilton bus trip @ March meeting Event: May 22, Chilton, WI Tickets: $50 includes: bus, fest ticket, beer on bus (Yes!), and food at fest. Only 45 tickets. The Great Taste of the Midwest is quickly approaching. There will be a club bus trip. Sign up will be soon. Tickets on sale May 1. Event: Aug 13, Madison, WI State Fair Homebrew Competition Saturday May 21/register by Sunday May 1st Beer Barons Club Picnic Saturday September 17 2005 Root River Park Beer Baron s Library Just a friendly reminder that the Beer Barons has a library. Resources are available to be checked out at every meeting. Also, some of you have materials out and it has been awhile. Please bring them back next meeting for others to enjoy! REBE SYAET SHMNGAI YCBOAR
No News This Month from the President Bockfest 2005 Madison, WI I begin writing this article minutes after washing the last of the smoked chub juice from my glasses. I had the good fortune of standing behind the person who caught the first chub of Bockfest 2005 at Capital Brewery in Madison, Wisconsin. As this was my first trip to Bockfest, I obviously was not prepared for what awaited. Bockfest is a celebration of the release of Capital's wonderful Blonde Doppelbock, a 2004 USBTC Grand Champion beer. It is held annually, on the last Saturday of February, at Capital's backyard Bier Garten. The event officially starts at 12:30 with the Blessing of the Blonde. After that the first kegs of the year are tapped and served to the waiting crowds, along with many other prize-winning beers. This was followed shortly by a raffle. The main prize was a year's worth of beer. I never did find the definition of "a year's worth of beer". Daily, weekly, monthly? I think I might have a different definition of "a year's worth of beer" than they do. The other prize, and the one that in my impression had more people fired up, was the honor of throwing the first chub. At 3:30, after hours of pelting the crowd with Mardi Gras beads, brewmaster Kirby Nelson heads up to the roof and, along with this year's raffle winner, begins tossing smoked chubs into the crowd for the annual Fish Fly. When I think of smoked fish, I think of small, dried up things more akin to beef jerky. Not so. Picture, instead, a water balloon filled with pureed smoked fish. I should have had a clue when earlier in the day, a friend showed me his chub-catching gloves. Yet I was still unprepared for what occurred. As I mentioned earlier, the man in front of me (wearing gloves) was blessed with the first chub of the year. He is now the proud owner of a fish head, complete with skeleton. Those of us within a 10 foot radius were blessed with the rest of the fish. It was on my glasses, on my jacket, in my hair. You don't necessarily see it but you can smell it. Half an hour later I found a hefty chunk at the bottom of my beer. I'm here to announce that Blonde Doppelbock stands up to and actually goes well with smoked fish. On it went, chub after chub exploding on impact throughout the crowd. Supposedly, some of the fish contained pins which would net you other prizes, but what could be better than a fish head. Next year I'll try to get there earlier - the first 250 people get t-shirts and 32oz commemorative mugs. After a quick trip to the gift shop for a case of beer, a t-shirt (NOT free) and other stuff, we head home. Now if I can only figure out how to get rid of this fish smell. Mike Chaltry Blessing of the Bock The Blessing of the Bock took place Sunday March 13, 2005. Thank you all who participated whether it was contributing time, beer, or just showing up for the event. A special thanks to the Beer Barons who helped at the club table at the event. Plus thanks John Zutz for all your hard work and for putting this wonderful tasting together. If you are ever wondering where your money is going or what is happening with all the funds then feel free to get in touch with the club Treasurer, Richard McKagan. All treasury information is available at each meeting. Reinheits-kaput Feb 25, 2005 - A German brewer has won his battle against Reinheitsgebot, the country's 1516 beer purity law that limits beer ingredients to malted grain, hops, yeast and water. A court has ruled that the Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle brewery can continue to add sugar syrup to its beer and call the product a beer. Helmut Fritsche has been fighting 10 years for the right to dose his Schwarzer Abt with sugar. Source: www.realbeer.com The Grand Ave Event: Beer, Wine, & Spirit Tasting April 21: Bock Fest May 19: 19 de Mayo June 16: Belgian Beer July 21: All American Aug 18: Toast of Wisconsin Sept 15: Octoberfest Oct 20: Halloween Nov 17: Thanksgiving Dec 15: Island Holiday Party ONLY $5 The Grand Avenue 275 W. Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 414-224-0655
On the Competition Front BUY/SELL/TRADE THIS SECTION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL THE BEER BARONS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING, SELLING, OR TRADING BEER EQUIPMENT OR SUPPLIES 2005 Schedule (IF INTERESTED EMAIL THE EDITOR WITH YOUR INFORMATION) passentinonikki@hotmail.com Competition Style and Date March/April 2005 Sour Beers (Category 17* Sour Beers) May 2005 Extract Beers All BJCP beer styles (Caregories 1-23)* Extract must make up more than 50% of fermentables August 2005 Belgian and French Ale (Category 16* Belgian and French Ale) September/October 2005 European Amber Lager (Category 3* European Amber Lager) November/December 2005 Baltic Porter (Category 12C* Baltic Porter) Club Member Entry Due Dates (to the Beer Baron s Meeting) February 23rd April 27th July 27th August 24th October 26 th AMERICAN HOMEBREW ASSOCIATION This year is the 27 th annual National Homebrew Competition. It is the world s largest international competition that recognizes the most outstanding homebrewed beer, mead, and cider. Beer Barons should enter this competition. It is a good way to generate points for the club. Entry Deadline: April 4-15 Judging: April 22-May 1 Entry Fee: $8-members $12-non-members Enter under the Beer Barons JUMBLE ANSWERS BEER YEAST MASHING CARBOY FOR YOUR ARTICLE! Officer s Meeting: Wednesday April 04 2005 @ 7:30pm @ Landmark Lanes 2220 N. Farwell Ave We Need your help please. Articles for the newsletter are always are encouraged. Any length, typed or hand written is fine. Everyone s voice needs to be heard.
This Month s Meeting The Wednesday, March 23 rd 2005 meeting will be held at Clifford's, 10448 W. Forest Home Ave., Hales Corners. The meeting will start promptly at 7:30pm. Admission to this meeting is $5.00. This month we are pleased to have as guest speaker, Brian Wygert from Stevens Point Brewery. Please Support Clifford's Supper Club With Your Patronage Clifford's!!"# allows $ us to use %#& their banquet room ##' at (')(( no charge to the Milwaukee $ ($ Beer Barons. Our #(('#) support will help show our appreciation. Famous For Their Friday Fish Fry Membership Information The Beer Barons of Milwaukee is open to anyone 21 years of age or older. Annual dues, which cover the cost of producing this newsletter, are $15.00. In addition, we normally charge a $5.00 fee for each meeting attended to cover the cost of the featured beer style we taste that evening. However, additional fees may be required to cover the cost of special events such as the annual party in December. Annual dues may be paid at the monthly meeting, or a check may be sent to: Treasurer, Beer Barons of Milwaukee P.O. Box 270012 Milwaukee, WI 53227 This newsletter will be sent free of charge to prospective members for 3 months. The date that appears on the address label of your newsletter is the date that your membership expires. We do not send out reminders, so be sure to check the date on the label to see when it is time to renew. BARON MIND is published monthly by the Beer Barons of Milwaukee, a non-profit organization. If you have an article or information that you would like to contribute to the newsletter, you can e-mail it to the newsletter editor or mail it to the clubs mailing address at: Beer Barons of Milwaukee, P.O. Box 270012, Milwaukee, WI 53227.