SABC AGM and Committee Elections

Julien Gibson

We are not far from holding this year’s AGM, at which all committee positions are declared vacant.  To continue to thrive and offer good value to our members, the club relies on an active, motivated committee.  If you have a bit of room in your life and think you have something to offer the club, then you are encouraged to nominate for a position.  Please have a read of the linked document below to get an idea of what the various roles entail.  The committee meets about six times a year on average (always involving beer and food!) with the remainder of discussion happening via email.

Whilst in the past we have run with the main officers’ roles and three or four general positions, this year we are moving to more defined roles for all committee members,  with the aim to more evenly distribute the load across the committee.

If you would like to nominate for a position, please email the club to let us know.  If you can’t make it to the AGM, and wish to stand for a position, that’s no problem at all.

Note that to vote at the AGM, you must be a financial member of the club.  Our membership period coincides with the financial year, which means that renewals are due pretty much now.  Please head over to the Join SABC page, where you can renew and pay via PayPal or bank transfer.  The fees are unchanged from last year.

SABC Committee roles

Winter Competition Entry Portal Is Open

Julien Gibson

The Winter Competition web portal is now open for business.  You can check it out here.

If you registered on the site for the last competition then all your details should still be there, but if this is your first time using the portal then you will need to sign up.  As this competition is open judging, we do not need you to register as a judge, but we will need a few stewards, so if you are keen (and don’t want to judge), then please indicate this on you profile.

Please email competitions@sabrew.com if you have any difficulties with the portal.

Get your pucker up!

Julien Gibson

June’s meeting is going to be all about sours!

Love them or hate them, we’re aiming to have a good range to taste and discuss.  We’re not planning a formal presentation as such, but we would like to get a range of beers to taste, and to drive a discussion on the methods relevant to each style.

So if you have a sour (whether intentional or, ahem, otherwise) on tap or in the bottle, please let us know and bring it along. You will need about three long necks or equivalent, and ideally have your recipe and brew day notes.

Cheers!

 

May Meeting Update

Julien Gibson

Due to the Pint of Science sessions running in the back room at The Wheaty, this week’s meeting will be held in the dining room.

We have a few NEIPAs to try, with a presentation and a bit of discussion on this relatively new style.  There will also be a raffle this month, with an unusual but interesting prize, so bring your spare change…

We will kick off somewhere between 7.00 and 7.30 pm.  See you there!

NEIPA brewers needed!

Julien Gibson

We’re still looking for a couple more brewers to brew a New England IPA for the May meeting.  There’s still time (this style is most definitely a fresh style), so if you can manage to crank one out, please let us know by emailing the club. You don’t need to have brewed the style before, just to be willing to have a crack at something new.  See the original post here for more details.

It’s Good Beer Wheaty Time!

Julien Gibson

The program for this year’s Good Beer Wheaty has been released, see below for the program and links to the ticketing site.  Once again the team at the Wheaty have put together an interesting program, backed up no doubt with some cracking beers.  In what is becoming a (very welcome) tradition, Jade has very kindly offered a free pint to SABC members who purchase a ticket to one of the paid events.  To take advantage of this offer, you must email the club not less than 24 hours before the event.  We will then email the Wheaty with a list of attending members, which will be behind the bar on the day.  Note that this offer is only available to financial members.

Good Beer Wheaty Program

Tickets – Beer Provenance – Wired does it Napar?

Tickets – What’s Malt Got To Do With It?

April Meeting

Julien Gibson

The April meeting is just around the corner (next week, Wednesday 19th, 7.00pm at the Wheaty).  We will be looking at a comparison brew of four beers brewed with cultured Coopers yeast, presented by Kieren.  May contain traces of hops…

In addition, if any members have beers they wish to present to the meeting, please email us.  You will need to be prepared to talk about your beer, preferably with recipe in hand and any specifics from the brew day.  Please note, that beers with faults are always welcome (probably more than those without), as they help us all to learn to recognise faults and the discussion on how to remedy them is always positive and helpful.

See you next week!

Winter Competition Announcement

Julien Gibson

SABC are pleased to invite all members to enter the upcoming Winter Competition.  This year we are brewing some good old English ales, befitting of the season, and also because you have to have a break from hops occasionally (some say).  Once again we will be running judging day in conjunction with the AGM, which will be announced soon, and all present will be encouraged to have a go at judging.  This is a way of giving those new to judging or with little experience a chance to sit alongside our more experienced judges and learn the process.

All the usual rules apply:

  1. Entrants agree to be bound by the conditions of entry and competition rules.
  2. Maximum of two entries per entrant per category.
  3. Each entry is to be provided in single, clean bottle, not less than 500mL in capacity, or two, clean bottles each not less than 330mL in capacity.
  4. Each entry is to be accompanied by an entry form attached to the bottle with a rubber band.
  5. Entry fees are non-refundable.
  6. Entries will not be returned to entrants.
  7. Entries must have been brewed by the entrant.
  8. Entries must not have been brewed on equipment that brews beer for commercial purposes.
  9. Organisers shall not be held responsible for loss or damage to any entry, entry form, entry fee or other materials.
  10. The top three places in each main category will be awarded points towards the SABC Brewer of the Year.
  11. The major prize of a brew day at Little Bang Brewing will be awarded to the Beer of Show.
  12. Closing dates for entries will be available on the entry website, which will go live not less than four weeks before the judging date.

So, without further delay, here are the categories for the competition (BJCP 2015).

  1. British Bitter: Categories 11A, 11B, 11C
  2. Pale Commonwealth Beer: Categories 12A, 12C (Note: 12B is excluded)
  3. Brown British Beer: Categories 13A, 13B, 13C
  4. Strong British Ales: Categories 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D

There’s plenty to choose from, so get brewing!

SABC is getting Juicy this May!

Julien Gibson

With the New England IPA style all the rage at the moment, we wondered if a tasting of the Juicy variety was in order.

We’re calling on 3 members to brew their best NEIPA for this May’s monthly meeting for a comparison and discussion session.

You don’t need to have brewed this style before, and if you haven’t, here’s some useful info on the style:

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/tips-brewing-new-england-ipa/

http://aleofatime.com/2016/08/hazy-days-neipa/

Brewers will be asked to be prepared to present on their recipe and processes.

If you’re ready and able to brew for the meeting, please email the club at info@sabrew.com

First come first serve, please register your interest to participate by Friday 21st of April.

A short presentation on the style will also be presented on the night.

BeerBQ – That’s it for another year!

Julien Gibson

Well, the BeerBQ has been and gone, and what a great night.  Fabulous food, not a dud beer (of course) and good company.  Thanks to all those who helped get it off the ground, and also to everyone who came along.  The beer of the night was Darren Billett’s “Pity the Fool” APA, with equal runners up Clint Fisher and Brendan Hennessy.  These brewers will get points towards Brewer of the Year.

Here are a few happy snaps from the night.