Silicon Valley Sudzers Homebrew Club

Sudzers COO Derek W’s latest monthly column for the Town Crier features Cleophus Quealy Brewing in San Leandro. Cheers!

Unique Cleophus Quealy brews pair well with diverse local cuisine

For those attending the Northern California Homebrewers Festival the weekend of September 18, please join the Google Group for communications about the festival. Add your contact information, as well as beers, food, and gear you plan to bring to the Google Doc so that we can plan the booth and make sure we have enough taps available. The theme this year is Prohibition, and a small planning group headed by Steve Hutzler (NCHF chair) and Mike Conant (Chief Events Officer) have been working on a theme for the club presence.

The hospitality of the staff of Stein’s was fantastic, and we hope to meet there again in September. We were in a large private back room near the kitchen for August, but are looking at the smaller private room for September – less capacity but also less ambient noise. We’re planning on continuing meetings on the first Sunday of each month at 4, but are tentatively planning on meeting September 13 (2nd Sunday) to avoid the Labor Day weekend. More information forthcoming once confirmed.

Club members who attended the North Bay Bus Trip reported having an excellent time, some great beers at some lesser-known breweries, and a lot of face to face time with brewers and owners.

Thirsty Third Thursdays:
August 20 meetup will be at the newly remodeled Campbell Brewing Company (formerly Sonoma Chicken Coop in downtown Campbell). They have tasty bbq and a solid guest tap list, and their first house-brewed beers just went on tap this week. September 17 meetup will be at East Coast Alice, a new upscale diner with, as you might imagine, some east coast food specialties. They have about 10 taps of interesting craft brews and a nice patio in Downtown Saratoga.

Homebrew tastings:

Steve Hutzler brought a brett Gravenstein apple cider from a local
producer called Rider Ranch
Adam C’s Hefeweizen
Rich’s Perfect Kolsch
Derek W’s Tasty Waves Hoppy Blonde Ale
Derek W’s Kottbusser (alt with honey, molasses,and oats)
Rob C’s El Dorado & Motueka Pale Ale
Jim W’s Ron Mexico Pale Ale
Jim W’s Smokin’ Chipotle Robust Porter
Paul’s Simcoe & Columbus IIPA

The July Sudzers meeting is this COMING Sunday at Steins Beer Garden at 4:00PM.

Agenda:

– North Bay bus trip
– NCHF
– Future meeting location(s)
– Beer evaluations

Sudzers!

The North Bay Brewery Tour is around the corner and we are now taking sign-ups!

Date: July 25, 2014, 7am – ~8pm (this is an all day trip!)

Breweries include:

Bear Republic, Healdsburg — Tour of facility starting at 10am, before they open

Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma

St. Florian’s, Windsor

Baeltan or 101 North, Novato

Travel: Bus will pick us up and drop us off at the Mountain View Caltrain parking lot

Sign-up Limit:  25 people (we have to manage our impact on the breweries we visit), priority will be given to paying Sudzers members.

Cost: $65 per person

Signup Online

Dark Beer competition was a success! Congratulations to the winners.

Dark Beer < 9%

1st Place – Robust Porter by Adam

2nd Place – American Stout by Nick

3rd Place – Oak Aged Milk Stout by Derek

Dark Beer > 9%

1st Place – Bourbon Oak Aged RIS by Nick

2nd Place – Barley Wine  by Adam

3rd Place – Russian Imperial Stout by Duncan

Other great entries in the competition were,

Porter by Matt, Black Lager by Tyler, Baltik Porter by Tim and Russian Imperial Stout by Chris.

Annoucements:

July 16: Thirsty 3rd Thursday at Santa Clara Valley Brewing

July 18, 10 am: NCHF ticket sales open

July 25: North Bay Bus Trip

July 30, 6:30 pm: NCHF Planning meeting at Harry’s Hofbrau San Jose

August meeting is confirmed for 8/2 at Steins. Time TBD

At least 9 new Sudzers BJCP judges, possibly more, from recent exam (Derek H and Steve C were already judges). Congrats to Certified judges Duncan and Derek W, and Recognized judges Tyler, Jim W, Elan, Steve H, Adam C, Charles, and Doug H.

The July Sudzers meeting is this COMING Saturday at Tim Tople’s house at 4:00PM. Email Tim <ttopole@yahoo.com> for address. The focus of this meeting will be on the Dark Beer competition.

Agenda:

4:00-4:30PM => Register beers for competition.

Members can enter one beer in the below 9% ABV category and one in the above 9% ABV category.

4:15PM => Discuss August meeting location.

4:30PM => Discuss North Bay brewery bus trip.

4:45PM => Competition begins.

Please bring your own chair and tasting glass, and dress for sitting outside.

Sudzers CCO Derek W’s monthly column for the Los Altos Town Crier. Note: Mission Creek brewmaster Guy Cameron is a long time Sudzers member and former club homebrewer of the year!

California pale ales showcase America’s homegrown hops

 

June 18 Thirsty Third Thursday meetup will be at Mission Creek
Brewing, 777 The Alameda, San Jose

July monthly meeting will be the club dark beer competition judging –
no other agenda. Meeting will be held Saturday, July 11, 4 pm at Tim
Topole’s house. Email Tim <ttopole@yahoo.com> for address. Members can
enter one beer in the below 9% ABV category and one in the above 9%
ABV category. Bring your own chair and tasting glass, and dress for
sitting outside.

August meeting will tentatively be held at Steins. Date & time TBD.

A North Bay brewery bus trip is in the works for late July. Stay tuned
for details.

Gary announced that the MoreBeer summer 15% off sale is July 11. Club
members can shop beginning at 9 am.

In honor of the last Sudzers meeting at Nick’s house, he was presented
with a one-of-a-kind commemorative tap handle

Thanks again to Nick for 12+ years of Sudzers memories!

Homebrew tasting: (*indicates a beer that will be served at National
Homebrewers Conference Club Night in San Diego)

*Jim W’s Perfect Kolsch
Jared’s Caucawatie Common
*Adam C’s El Dorado Pale Ale
*Steve H & Derek H’s Vanilla Coconut Porter
*Derek W’s Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced Oak Aged Milk Stout
*Charles’ Oaked Arrogant Bastard Clone
*Charles’ Modern Times Blazing World Clone
*Derek W’s Zombie The Elder DIPA
Tim’s Muscat Love with muscat grape
*Derek W’s ‘O ‘O Hawaiian Honey Mead
Mike C’s Dark Matter Russian Imperial Stout (2014 club brew day)

Once in a lifetime not to be missed special limited event!

Ok Sudzers, this is it! As previously reported, the June Sudzers meeting is this COMING Saturday at Nick’s house at the usual time of 7:00. Brewers bring your best beer. Chefs bring your best treats. This may very well be the last Sudzers happening at Nicks mancave.

This will be the social event of the year! In addition to the normal agenda, we’re going to experience a piece of National Home Brewing Convention by requesting all Sudzers taking beer to NHC to bring a growler of their very special beer so everyone can appreciate our club’s representation at Club Night in San Diego. If for some unforeseen and inexplicable reason you cannot participate this Saturday and you have an NHC beer, it would be great if you can get a growler to another member to show off your totally awesome brewing skills.

Agenda:

7:00    ==> Club Brew Day report

7:15    ==> July & August meeting details

7:30    ==> Dark Beer Competition

7:40    ==> June TTT location

7:45    ==> NHC preview & Homebrew evaluations.

Cheers,

Pranab.