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We’re pleased to announce the inaugural SABC Real Ale Fest! It will be on Satuday, June 5. This means the BeerBQ event in the calendar is being replaced with this new event idea.

The theme for this event will be classic British beer styles that have been cask-conditioned and served using traditional methods such as hand-pumps or gravity fed.

Real ale is a tricky beer to have available at home given the unusual equipment, methods and fast staling due to oxygen intake. An event like this is an excellent opportunity for the club to get together and enjoy the cask ale experience.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Events like this can’t happen without member support. We need five members to put there hand up and brew a batch specifically for this event.

The club will cover the cost of the ingredients and we’ll work with you to ensure a diverse range of styles. We can help arrange kegging equipment if you don’t have any.

If you would like to put you hand up to brew please let us know – info@sabrew.com

Real Ale Fest Cask Bar
We still need a dedicated bar due to covid restrictions, but this is a cask bar so we need some specialist equipment. The types of things we need are:
Beer engines
Casks
Cask breathers
Beer bags
Corny kegs with a straight dip tube

If you have anything that you think would help, please reach out – info@sabrew.com

Note: we’ll only be serving the 5 member beers brewed specifically for this event – there won’t be any BYO kegs. We won’t have any ice or co2 for them anyway because.. Real Ale!

Venue
We haven’t settled on a venue just yet. If you know of one that allows BYO alcohol, please reach out.

Event details:

Date: Saturday, June 5th
Venue: TBD
Catering: Food will not be provided at this event, however you will be welcome to BYO or order in.
Homebrew: You’re welcome to bring bottles to share.

To see a video of how corny keg cask work – watch this: https://beerandbrewing.com/using-a-cornelius-keg-for-cask-ale/

The Barrel Project is now ready for collection

ATTENTION BARREL PROJECT BREWERS

It’s time to ready your kegs and cubes as our barrel project beer is ready to take home.
The filling day will be Saturday 17th April from 10am to 12pm at Gavin Pennell’s home where the barrel has been housed.

Please bring a keg or cube to fill. We will not be bottle filling at the venue.
Contact Gavin on 0412107107 if you’ve forgotten the address.

I have noted that the following brewers were involved:
Jason Armfield
Ossie Herbert
Gavin Pennell
Leon V
James T/ B Trenwith
Nick McAuley
Luke O’Brien
Sam / Luke Beard
Craig Blesing
Gerard Flynn
Andrew Dane Mevius

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SABC Winter Competition

Everything you need to know about the competition and rules are on the club’s website competition page https://sabrew.com/competitions/

It will focus on all things Lager. No other beer styles are being judged.

The winning beer, along with coveted “brewer of the year” points, will also get a special limited edition version of their winning beer released exclusively on tap at The Suburban Brew later in the year.

Of course, the winning brewer will be invited to help brew their beer at Suburban.

Dates:

3 – 10 July – Bottle drop off (strictly) at The Suburban Brew.

14 July – Judging. closed event with accredited judges only.

Wednesday 21 July – Winners announced and prizes, at the club meeting being held at The Suburban Brew.

BJCP styles and more on the comps page.

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We’ve made a few tweaks to our 2021 calendar. The winter competition bottle drop now has a window of 3-10 July. Judging is on 14 July and the winners annoucned at the meeting on 21 July.

We are also unsure if there will be a National Homebrew Conference in October 2021.

Download it as a PDF to stick on your dunny door.

Thanks to all the members and families who came to our BeerBQ yesterday at the Prospect Petanque Club. We had perfect weather for excellent members’ home brew beers, slow cooked pulled pork in crusty rolls with homemade slaw and some Petanque to work it off. 

If you missed out, make sure you put the evening of May 1 in your diary for BeerBQ2. That’s only six weeks away, best get Brewing. (TBC). 

As we had a get together yesterday, this week’s scheduled monthly club meeting at the Wheaty won’t be on. Also because it is a Fringe venue. 
Instead we are catching up for casual beers at Sparkke on Whitmore Square, City. You’d remember their brewer Carla who was a member of the brewers panel at Suburban Brew at our January meeting. 

We’ve never been to their brewery/ bar so it’s a great opportunity to check it out. 

Meet there from 7pm.

We’re excited for our first club BeerBQ for fifteen months this Sunday, March 14 from 1 pm – 5 pm at the Prospect Petanque Club, 14 – 32 Buchanan Street, Nailsworth. The weather is looking cool but fine.

We need RSVPs in ASAP so we can plan for numbers. Register here.

This is one of the two club events for financial members of the club (renew here now if you’re not). It’s also our one for families, partners and kids.

If you’re new to the club, it’s a simple concept. We put on the food and you bring your beer in kegs with serving equipment or in bottles.

It’s a great opportunity to meet other brewers and try lots of homebrew.

We’ll be setting up a two beer serving system bar and rotating through a couple of beers at a time. Brewers pour their own beers.

You don’t need to bring any serving taps or gas. We’re supplying it all. As long as you’re using corny keg/ ball lock connectors. If you’re got something different, let us know. Bottles are fine.

For food we’re serving a simple pulled pork and coleslaw roll to keep COVID safe. If you’re kids are picky, bring something along to keep their sugar levels up.

We need RSVPs in ASAP so we can plan for numbers. Register here.

There’s wine and soft drinks available at the bar and the club accepts card and cash. No BYO wine, only beer. Our ‘full winter version’ BeerBQ to invite your mates to is on Saturday, May 1.

You and the kids can also have a go at Petanque with instructions from the club members. They love showing it off so have a go.

Forward dates Calendar

The committee locked in a stack of dates and events for 2021 and they’re in our website calendar and printable calendar poster here (v1.2)

• March 14 – BeerBQ
• March 17 No meeting. Casual meet at Sparkke Whitmore Square
• April 21 – BJCP explained
• May 1 – BeerBQ
• May 19 – Tasting night (Belgian Barrel Beer)
• June 16 – Brewing Zero ABV beer at Pirate Life
• July 17 – Winter comp
• July 21 – Meeting AGM

The competition entry portal is open for our summer comp and we’re judging at our meeting on Wednesday night where’s it’s on like Donkey Kong.

Here’s a quick list of the key points;

• Entries close at 6pm sharp Tuesday. Get them in, get them paid online and get the labels printed. You need to register a new account.
• We’re at the Wheaty from 6pm all entries in by 7pm, judging starts around 7.30 when it’s all sorted.
• There are no drop off locations.
• Prizes are for financial club members only (so make sure your membership is up to date) and for the BJCP category of low abv beers.
• Vouchers are $100, $30, $20 and points towards brewer of the year.
• Hazy beers are a ‘loose’ category and ‘we’re not in it for sheep stations’. Again, club members only and $50, $30, $20.
• Everyone who comes is expected to join in judging or stewarding. You’ll be grouped to tables with experienced judges. Great experience and fun.
• Yes, we need help. Thanks for offering.
• Pay before portal closes and print your bottle labels. Do not put your name on them! We really don’t need it. Trust us.
• The competition rules are on our website.

This recent article from Crafty Pint about blind tasting hazy beers has a lot of good points. Many we’ll follow. Have a read and you’ll get where we’re coming from. Getting Blind with Crafty. How we judge

Club BeerBQ, Sunday, March 14

Sunday, March 14 from 1 pm – 5 pm at the Prospect Petanque Club, 14 – 32 Buchanan Street, Nailsworth.

How does it work? It’s simple. We put on the food and you bring your beer in kegs with serving equipment or in bottles. It’s a great opportunity to meet other brewers and try lots of homebrew.

We’ll be setting up a bar and rotating through three beers at a time.

We need RSVPs in ASAP so we can plan for numbers. Register here.

Note, this is an event for financial members of the club who are up to date with their $60 membership. It’s also for families, partners and kids. If you’re not a member you are not able to come. You can join of course here.

It’s not an open invite for anyone and not for your mate who likes beer. We’ll offer that in winter on Saturday, May 1 for BeerBQ ‘full winter version’ on our regular scheduled date too.

Forward dates Calendar

The committee locked in a stack of dates and events for 2021 and they’re in our website calendar and printable calendar poster here (v1.2)

• March 14 – BeerBQ
• March 17 No meeting. Casual meet at Sparkke Whitmore Square
• April 21 – BJCP explained
• May 1 – BeerBQ
• May 19 – Tasting night (Belgian Barrel Beer)
• June 16 – Brewing Zero ABV beer at Pirate Life
• July 17 – Winter comp
• July 21 – Meeting AGM

The committee locked in a stack of dates and events for 2021 and they’re in our website calendar and printable calendar poster here (v1.2_

First event! We are not going to promise it will happen but we are strongly confident that this time, we will have our thrice postponed BeerBQ Summer Lite.

Lock in Sunday, March 14 from 1 pm – 5 pm at the Prospect Petanque Club, 14 – 32 Buchanan Street, Nailsworth. It’s a fantastic little place under shady trees in the middle of a park between Main North Rd and Galway Ave.

If you’re new to the event, it’s simple. We put on the food and you bring your beer in kegs with serving equipment or in bottles. It’s a great opportunity to meet other brewers and try lots of homebrews.

But that’ not all! Lock in Saturday, May 1 for BeerBQ ‘full winter version’ on our regular scheduled date too.

February club meeting/ Summer comp judging

At our meeting on Wednesday, Feb 17 at the Wheaty we’ll judge the summer competition. To get it underway we’ll be there from 6 and hope to start judging by 7.30.

The entry portal is open on the Competitions page. $5 per entry, max per person. New registration required.

Prizes are vouchers $100, $30 $20 for BJCP low alcohol categories and $50, $30, $20 for the interpretation of hazy beers.

There is no drop off location. You need to bring your beer to The Wheatsheaf from 6pm. Read the other instructions in the entry portal.

Winter Competition

Heads up for keen readers. All things lager is the theme. Judged on July 17.

Support food trucks at The Wheatsheaf

For some unknown and crazy reason, the City of Charles Sturt is banning The Wheaty from having food trucks. If you’ve ever eaten there (or even not), please sign the petition at the pub. Better still, put your feelings in an email and send it to the councillors. 

The Wheatsheaf has a template of an email to start you off. 

Dear Mayor Coxon and Councilors,

(explain who you are)

I request that the Council amend the ‘City of West Torrens Council Policy – Mobile food vendors’ to allow food trucks to continue to operate at The Wheatsheaf Hotel into the future, as they have done for the past 8 years.

(any other thoughts about the benefits of food trucks in our community and specifically at The Wheaty)

Yours faithfully,

(name)

mayorcoxon@wtcc.sa.gov.au, jwood@wtcc.sa.gov.au,

kmckay@wtcc.sa.gov.au, amckay@wtcc.sa.gov.au, stsiaparis@wtcc.sa.gov.au, epapanikolaou@wtcc.sa.gov.au, gvlahos@wtcc.sa.gov.au, jwoodward@wtcc.sa.gov.au, dwilton@wtcc.sa.gov.au, dhuggett@wtcc.sa.gov.au, spal@wtcc.sa.gov.au

breynolds@wtcc.sa.gov.au, corielley@wtcc.sa.gov.au

Our two Thebarton Ward Councilors, Graham Nitschke and Dominic Mugavin, have been fully supportive of us and our trucks from the beginning, and have been working hard to help us get this change through Council. Feel free to give them a hoy to let them know we appreciate their hard work on behalf of their constituents!

gnitschke@wtcc.sa.gov.au

dmugavin@wtcc.sa.gov.au

Membership reminder

You can renew your membership online easily yourself. If it has lapsed or about to lapse, you won’t be able to RSVP to events. https://sabrew.com/join-sabc/

Forward dates Calendar

March 14 – BeerBQ

March 17 No meeting. Casual meet at Sparkke Whitmore Square

April 21 – BJCP explained

May 1 – BeerBQ

May 19 – Tasting night (Belgian Barrel Beer)

June 16 – Brewing Zero ABV beer at Pirate Life

July 17 – Winter comp

July 21 – Meeting AGM

This is an end of year message to say merry Christmas and have a safe, fun new year. On behalf of the committee, thank you for your membership and support in this less than ideal year.

The postponed bus tour is on Saturday, January 16. The tickets that are available can be bought from now (Monday evening) from the shop (members only – requires log in).

The itinerary is The Uraidla pub and brewery and then on to Left Barrel. That brewery run by SABC alumni Brad Bown is closing so we’ll be checking in there to support its last hurrah.

See the plan.

Buy a ticket.

See you in 2021.

SABC postponed Hills bus brewery tour rescheduled for January 16.

Not only was our BeerBQ cancelled twice, but we also had to cancel our brewery tour way back in March. We’ve got it locked in for January 16 (and holding our breath!). The tour isn’t the same epic voyage we had planned because of venue availability but we think we’ve just got to do it and move on. 

The proposed schedule is:

10:00 Wheaty
11:00 Uraidla Hotel (Café + brewery viewing)
11:30 Uraidla Hotel (Bar opens)
13:30 Depart
13:45 Left Barrel (Brewery + lunch)
17:00 Depart
17:45 Drop off Little Bang
18:00 Drop off Wheaty

Everyone who signed up and paid in March all have valid tickets. If the new date doesn’t suit, we’ll refund you. When the new numbers are established we’ll offer more tickets. It’s a 23 seat bus. Of course, everyone can join us at the venues by their own transport or carpool. 

Please watch for more info and let us know ASAP if you cannot use your ticket.

December Christmas meeting

We’re at the Wheaty for our usual Christmas meeting on Wednesday 16 from 7pm.

We’ll put on some pizzas. As is tradition, please bring a bottle of homebrew for secret Santa swapping. Wrap it fancy and pretty or we’ll wrap it in a brown paper bag.

Summer competition

If you missed the news, the Summer Competition was announced a couple of weeks ago. All the details are here. 

The focus is low ABV or Hazy beers (or both together). 

Judging will be on February 17 at the monthly meeting at the Wheaty at 7pm. Bring your entries on the day or drop off locations will be published later. 

Strictly two entries per brewer in a glass or plastic bottle equal or greater than 500ml. $5 per entry for paid club members only. Online entry will close Friday 12th February.

January meeting

January 20 club meeting – we are going to Suburban Brew‘s new taproom at 96 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood. It’s a great opportunity to support Tony and his team as we’ve done all along their journey.

Well, that sucked. Just when we were all set for the twice-postponed BeerBQ, it’s shut down again. We will get to it sometime. Maybe in the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out for updates.

Summer competition 2021

How low can you go!

Summer competition is soon upon us and as in tradition with the summer comp, we will be judging at a Wednesday meeting among members and will have some fun with it along with a main category. 

Main category: How low can you go,

Brew your best low alcohol beer from the following BJCP categories: 
1A: American light lager, 3A: Czech pale lager, 5A: German lightbier, 11A: Ordinary Bitter, 13A: Dark Mild, 23A: Berliner Weisse, 28: American Wild ale (as long as sub 4%.)

Sub-category (just for fun) Hazy beer

Any type of pale hazy beer you like, the hazier the better. Entrants to give a rough style description as well as list any special ingredients or allergins.

Judging will take place on February 17 at the monthly meeting at the Wheaty at 7pm. Bring your entries on the day or drop off locations will be published later. 

Strictly two entries per brewer in a glass or plastic bottle equal or greater than 500ml.$5 per entry for paid club members only.  Online entry will close Friday 12th February.

Virtual meet up

Lachlan provides the minutes from our vitual meeting last night. Watch out for notices alerting to them.

We had a smaller turnout for last nights zoom meet, but there was some good discussion and no recording so I’ll post the highlights here.

• BeerBQ update – we’re in a holding pattern on this until restrictions ease. Keep up the good work SA 
• Raf gave a really informative talk about how to brew mead. His mead won’t best of show at this year’s AABC judged last month. Congratulations Raf!!!
• Brendon has figured out how to add wireless charging to the iSpindles he’s building. Genius! – http://www.ispindel.de/
• Gus performed the worlds longest kveik ferment – 14 days whilst he was away. Seriously it was probably finished before his flight left the tarmac…
• BJ has some seriously disturbing elves 
• I brewed a diacetyl bomb and I think it was due to hop creep. Check this presentation I found on the topic: https://youtu.be/dN3m-TMfeI8
• Someone should brew a Swanky beer – BYO magazine, Dec 2019 issue has a description and recipes (and so does Beer Advocate not behind paywall).

At this point my laptop overheated and died so I missed the rest. Attendees – is there anything to add? We expect to be back at the Wheaty for the December meeting. No set topic, just the traditional pizza and secret Santa.

Barrel be brewed

Thanks Gavin for storing our barrel project and brewing up an extra batch to fill it. The Flanders red was brewed at Left Barrel Brewing a few weeks ago and fermented by individual members was brought together to the club barrel. Sweet dreams… see you next year.

Looking forwards

December 16 – Beers and pizza at the Wheaty

January – Club meeting at a brewery venue TBC

February – Summer Comp judging at the Wheaty.

Our Left Barrel brewday is going ahead this weekend. It’s being managed by Clinton and we still have a few places left.

If you’re just catching up, we’re brewing a Flanders Red that will go in a barrel for 4-6 months. You take home a 20L wort to ferment and bring back fo the barrel in a couple of weeks. So the only catch is you need fermentor space for that time.

We also need you to source a Belgian base yeast to ferment and get it now so it’s ready to go on Sunday or early next week.

We also need somewhere to keep the barrel for this time. If you’ve got some space were we could store it, that’d be excellent. Let us know.

So it’s this Saturday, October 17 at Left Barrel Balhannah from 9am.

If you want to be a part of it, please email info@sabrew.com and watch your emails for more to come. We’ll also set up a discussion on Facebook to fine-tune the recipe and plan.

Everyone is welcome to go to the brewery in the day as well. The bar is open and lunch is available.

Next meeting
We will be at Pirate Life Brewery, Port Adelaide on Wednesday 21 for a special tasting session and a bit of a focus on gose and sours.