2015 LAF’s redesigned 12 Beers of Christmas

We have given the original 12 Beers of Christmas a Fresh Taste.  For the past 3 years we have held true to Randy Mosher’s ideas from his book, Radical Brewing.

In order to provide our club with inspiration, we have made our own list for the club.  Our 12 Beers for 2015 will be:

Back in Black IPA

Spiced Cherry Dubbel

Holiday Prowler (Spiced Old Ale)

Star Anise Stout

Saint Arnold Christmas Ale clone

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

Christmas Gruit

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Clone

Breckenridge Christmas Ale clone

Bad Santa (Strong Scotch Ale)

Spiced Bourbon Stout

Abbey Weizen

For the recipes, check here!

May 2015 Meeting Minutes
Happy Brewing to All!
Just an update on Lebanon Area Fermenters:
Homebrew Night at the Gin Mill on June 2nd (this Tuesday):  Jim Bourneman and Eric Stoffer are pouring!  Should be awesome!
Other Homebrew Nights at the Gin Mill are:
  • July 7 – Kevin Smith & Mike Foster
  • August 4 – Mike Via & Patrick Mullen
  • Sept 1 – Tom Palancia & ??
If interested in pouring, please contact me for Sept or a later month.
At the last meeting we started are collection of donations for a club “Jockey Box.”  We collected donations of equipment (picnic tap, facet, CO2 tank) as well as $144 in cash for the project.  We hope to get more donations at the June meeting and have a build day in July.  Ultimately having the Jockey Box ready for our Homebrew Club Family Picnic in July.  If you have some equipment or wish to contribute monetarily, please contact Brad Kleinfelter.
Iron Brewer Round 1 is complete.  Shroom’s all around.  We appreciated the martini glass and cocktail waitress from team Keller/Rostad.  Alot of trash talk from K. Smith.  Here are the results of Round 1:
  • Brad Kleinfelter demolished Kevin Smith
  • Jim Keller/Dave Rostad crushed Mike Via
  • Jim Bournman/Mike Cox squeezed passed Lee Umberger
  • Tom Palancia scratched a win over 3 Amigo’s (plus or minus 1)
All the beers were good!  Round 2 ingredients were drawn:
  • Malt = Crystal 120 L
  • Hops = Columbus
  • Special Ingredient = Chili Pepper
Round 2 of the double elimination Iron Brewer is set!
  • Brad Kleinfelter faces off against Jim Keller/Dave Rostad
  • Jim Bournman/Mike Cox challenge Tom Palancia
  • Kevin Smith will redeem himself against Mike Via
  • Lee Umberger duals against the 3 Amigo’s (all 3 of them?)
Round 2 will take place at our July Meeting.
Mark your calendar:  next meeting is June 17 @ 7PM with another sensory tasting exhibition on diacetyl and acetaldehyde led by Kevin Smith.
Have a great brewing week!
Cheers!
Lee Umberger

April 2015 Meeting Minutes
We missed some of you last night at our April meeting!  We had a good meeting and wanted to share some items that need to be attended to in the future as well as our next month of activities.  Please mark your calendars with these dates.
  • The brewery trip for Saturday, April 18 has been cancelled.  We will organize one for the fall and try again.
  • May 2nd is Big Brew Day @ Brad Kleinfelter’s house.  Attached is a pdf with details.  Please RSVP to Brad by  email at: brad.focusfitness@comcast.net  We hope to have a great turn out of brewers!  If you are interested, the AHA has 3 recipes for “Big Brew Day”
  • May 5 is Homebrew night at the Gin Mill.  Jim Bornemann and Mike Cox will be pouring starting at 6PM.
  • Homebrew Nights for June & July at the Gin Mill are still open.  June 2 & July 7:  Looking for 2 people to share their homebrews on each night.  If interested, email me!  LUmberger@comcast.net
  • Our next meeting is May 20 at 7 PM.  Please mark your calendars!
  • At the May 20th meeting will be the first round of Iron Brewer.  Ingredients are:  Flaked Corn, Citra Hops, and mushroom.  You can still make an entry.  If you need more details, email me! LUmberger@comcast.net
Hope to see you on May 2 at Big Brew Day!
CHEERS!
Lee Umberger

August 2014 Meeting Minutes

August 13, 2014

Meeting Attendance
Lee Umberger Brad Kleinfelter
Jim Keller Mike Foster
Mike Via Devon Via
Kevin Smith Holly Smith
Eric Stoffer Patrick Mullen
Mark Brandt Jim Borneman
Tom Palancia Adam
Ed Miller Liz Miller
Dan Speraw

September Meeting
September 17 @ The Union Beer House

Meeting Topic for September
Yeast washing – led by Mark Brandt

Upcoming Club Events
1. Music Fest
Date: September 27 Time: 2-8 Location: Parking lot by Timeless Cafe
(8th Street)

Still looking for donations and volunteers to work at the club table at the Music Fest from 2-8pm. So far, we have the following volunteers:

Workers Donations Brewing Demonstration
Lee Devon – Porter Brad/Lee
Brad Patrick – Coffee Porter ? (unless someone else
Devon Mike F – IPA volunteers)
Mike V Jim B
Kevin Lee – Kolsh
Tom Eric – Pumpkin
Jim B Kevin – Dry Hopped Cider
Jim K Mike V – Saison/ Coffee Stout
Patrick ? Tom – Blonde
Jim K

2. Mount Gretna Oktoberfest
Date: October 3 Time: 6-8 Location: Gretna Art Walk

Looking for 3-4 donations to serve during the first Friday art walk in Mount Gretna.
Contact Brad Kleinfelter if you are interested in helping out with this event.
brad.focusfitness@comcast.net

3. Learn to Homebrew Day
Date: November 1 Time: 9:30-2 Location: Wet your Whistle

We would like to plan an event as a club. Suggestions are welcome. If you are interested in demonstrating, we are hoping to have someone show all grain, partial mash, and extract brewing methods.

The schedule for the day is as follows:
9:30 All Grain
10:30 Partial Mash
11:30 Extract
12:30 Cider
1:30 Wine

Please contact Kevin Smith if you are interested in helping with this event. poorboy3000@gmail.com

If you have ideas for flyer design to promote the event, please contact Mike Via. jmikevia@gmail.com

4. The Twelve Beers of Christmas
Sign up now and start brewing one of the recipes for the 12 beers of Christmas!
Like last year, we would like to share beers with each other at the December meeting. If you brew for the event, you will leave the meeting with a case of beer!

Below is a list of beer recipes available. If you are interested in brewing, please contact Devon Via. If you’re not sure which recipe, but you’re sure you’d like to participate, please just let Devon know what style you plan to prepare. Expect to bottle a case of beer to share. Feel free to choose a style that has already been claimed.

1. Caramel Quadrupel (Mike Foster)
2. Spiced Cherry Dubbel (John & Jen Cramer)
3. Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock (Patrick Mullen)
4. Juniper Rye Bock (Mike Via)
5. Fruitcake Old Ale (Jim Borneman)
6. Saffron Tripel
7. Christmas Gruit (Ed Miller)
8. Honey Ginger IPA (Kevin and Holly Smith)
9. Crabapple Lambicky Ale (Ed Miller)
10. Gingerbread Ale (Devon Via)
11. Spiced Bourbon Stout (Jim Keller)
12. Abbey Weizen
13. Amazing Daze American Wheat Ale (Tom Palancia)

Upcoming Local Events
1. Bottles & Corks (Beer & Wine Sampling)
Date: August 23 Time: 4-7 Location: Lebanon Fairgrounds Cost:$40
Benefits the Lebanon Humane Society. Dog friendly event.
http://www.lebanonhumane.org/events.php

2. Lititz Craft Beer Festival
Date: September 28 Time 2 – 5 Location: Main Street Lititz Cost: $40
http://www.lititzcraftbeerfest.com/

Congratulations to Eric Stoffer and Mike Foster whose entries made it to the final round of the homebrew competition!

3. Autos & Ales
Date: November 7 Time: 6-10 Location: Hershey Auto Museum Cost: $45
http://www.aacamuseum.org/autos-ales/

June 2014 Meeting Minutes

June 18, 2014

Meeting Attendance
Brad Kleinfelter Ed Miller
Jim Keller Tom Palanica
Mike Via Devon Via
Kevin Smith Holly Smith
Eric Stoffer Patrick Mullen
John Cramer Jen Cramer

Newcomers – John Brady, Mike Foster

Old Business
Lawn Mower Challenge – June Meeting – Qualifying beers should have SRM under 10 and ABV under 5%. Winner will be decided by popular vote at the meeting.

Local Brewery Suggestions
Slyfox
Locations in Pottstown and Phoenixville
Hours vary by location
http://www.slyfoxbeer.com/

Victory Brewing Company
420 Acorn Lane
Downingtown, PA 19335
Restaurant : 610-873-0881
Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:30AM – Midnight
Sunday 11:30AM – 10:00PM
http://www.victorybeer.com/brewpub

Weyerbacher
905 Line Street
Easton, PA 18042
Hours: Monday – Saturday 12:00PM – 7:00PM
Sunday 12:00PM – 5:00PM
http://weyerbacher.com/visitors-center/

New Business
Committee Chairs – Mike Via was appointed chair of the Web/Club Promotion Committee, and Kevin Smith was appointed chair of the Activities Committee.

Meeting Topic for July
John Cramer will be discussing BJCP judging, including how to become a judge.

Potential Topic for August
Benefits of membership for the American Homebrewer’s Association

Future Events
1. Music Fest (September 8)
We will have a club table, and we will be able to pour homebrew provided by club members. Brad has also offered to let us use his jockey box for pouring. Thanks, Brad!

2. Learn to Homebrew Day (November 1)
We would like to plan an event as a club. Suggestions are welcome.

Lawnmower Challenge Results!!

First Place: Kevin Smith’s Dry-Hopped Cider
Second Place: Lee Umberger’s Berliner weiss
Third Place: Mike Via’s Chipotle Pilsner

May 2014 Meeting Minutes

Hello fellow brewers!

The following are the May 2014 Meeting Minutes:

 

Old Business

Big Brew Day – Members in attendance on May 3 felt the event was successful. There seems to be interest in continuing to hold similar events in the future.

 

Brew Fest at Mount Hope – Members who attended enjoyed the event. Holly Smith had entered a strawberry cider that was a second place finisher in its category. Other members who entered beers into the homebrew competition noticed inconsistencies in judge feedback.

 

Lawn Mower Challenge – June Meeting – Qualifying beers should have SRM under 10 and ABV under 5%. Winner will be decided by popular vote at the meeting.

 

Local Brewery Suggestions

The Vineyard at Hershey

598 Schoolhouse Rd.

Middletown, PA 17057

(717) 944-1569

info@VineyardAtHershey.com

Hours: Wednesday thru Sunday from 11AM to 6PM

Brewery Hours: Saturday and Sundy from 11AM to 6PM

What’s on tap? https://vineyardathershey.com/beer-selections/

 

Bullfrog Brewery

229 West Fourth Street

Williamsport, PA 17701

(570) 326-4700

Hours: Monday – Saturday :  11AM – 2AM Sunday :  9AM – 2AM

What’s on tap? http://www.bullfrogbrewery.com/beer.html

 

Nomination/Election of Officers

President – Kevin Smith nominated Lee Umberger as president, and Lee accepted the nomination. No other nominations were made. Members who were in attendance agreed to accept Lee as president.

 

Vice President – Eric Stoffer or Patrick Mullen nominated Brad Kleinfelter as vice president, and Brad accepted the nomination. No other nominations were made. Members who were in attendance agreed to accept Brad as vice president.

 

Secretary/Treasurer – Kevin Smith nominated Devon Via as secretary/treasurer, and Devon accepted the nomination. No other nominations were made. Members who were in attendance agreed to accept Devon as secretary/treasurer

 

New Business

Local News – Lee informed members that Brad Rhen of the Lebanon Daily News approached him with questions about club demographics. The information will be used in Brad’s contribution to the Lebanon Historical Society’s publication about the history of brewing in Lebanon County. Publication is expected in July of 2014 and will be available for purchase from the Lebanon Historical Society.

 

Brewing Techniques – Lee brought literature on how to make a yeast starter. The group discussed various methods for making yeast starters, and Lee brought samples of two types. Brad and Mike discussed the use of Erlenmeyer flasks with a stir plate. Discussion opened up regarding reusing yeast, yeast washing, etc.

 

Future Topic Ideas

1. How to become a BJCP judge

2. Milling grain

3. How to enter AHA competitions – correctly categorize your homebrew

 

Future Event Ideas

1. Music Fest (September)

2. Bologna Fest (January)

3. Homebrew festival for fundraising

 

Project Ideas/Club Goals

1. Acquire or build a jockey box for club use at festivals

2. Register the club through AHA

 

Beer Sharing

Patrick shared an IPA and a hefe

Eric shared a Delirium clone and a black lager

Justin shared a kitchen sink beer made with juniper berries

Mike shared a coffee stout

Lee shared a maibock

Jim shared a pale ale

 

 

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 18th at 7:00 pm.  The location will be at Wet Your Whistle Beverage on the corner of Cumberland and 12th st in Lebanon.  

March 2014 Meeting Minutes
Hello Lebanon Area Fermenters!
We had a great meeting in March and Thanks to Snitz Creek Brewery for the tour!  Some great beers were sampled as well!
Some notes from the meeting:
We discussed the draft “bylaws”  and will vote on them at our April Meeting.  Also discussed “Big Brew Day” and a lawnmower beer challenge.  Attached is a pdf outlining our May and June events.
In case you have not visited the website, check it out at:
The next meeting, it will be Wednesday, April 16th at 7:00 PM.  We will be meeting at Wet Your Whistle Beverage (1136 Federal Street, Lebanon, PA).  

 
Agenda will be:
  • Vote on bylaws
  • Discuss “Big Brew Day” and solidify details
  • Answer questions on lawnmower beer challenge
  • We will do a show and tell on mash tuns.  If you “all grain brew” and can bring your mash tun, please do so and we can discuss the variety of set ups.
  • As always, bring a lawn chair just in case when we meet at “The Whistle!”
  • Bring a sample to share!
Be Great and Brew Like a Champion!

Cheers!


Lee Umberger

February 2014 Meeting Minutes
Hello Lebanon Area Fermenters!
We had a great meeting in February and celebrated our 1 year anniversary!  Some great beers were sampled including a tripel, Hazelnut chocolate porter, saison and an IPA to name a few.
Some notes from the meeting:
We discussed the homebrew contest and all that we learned from running it as well as the club being stewards.  It was quite the learning experience.  I encourage everyone to be a steward at a homebrew contest.  The judges were great at sharing not only their thoughts but some samples as well.
A discussion occurred on setting up a more formal structure with some bylaws and setting a direction for the club.  Brad Kleinfelter is drafting a document based on discussions at the meeting.  We will hone and refine in future meetings!
Speaking of the next meeting, it will be Wednesday, March 19th at 7:00 PM.  We will be meeting at Snitz Creek Brewery (7 North 9th Street, Lebanon, PA).  Adam Szjada will give us a tour.
The club is also looking to do a group brew known as “BIG BREW” on May 3, 2014 to celebrate National Homebrew Day.  In 1988, May 7 was announced before Congress as National Homebrew Day. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) created AHA Big Brew as an annual event to celebrate National Homebrew Day around the world. AHA Big Brew is held each year on the first Saturday in May.  We are looking at locations and making it a great day for all!
Competition News:

Brew Competition

Got good homebrew? Enter it in the 5th Annual Mt. Hope Brewfest competition.

Entries are being accepted now.  http://www.parenfaire.com/brewfest/rules.php

Homebrewfest & Competition

AT THE BREWERY AT HERSHEY
SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH

Be a part of the Brewery at Hershey’s Homebrewfest & Competition benefiting Relay for Life/American Cancer Society.

Entry fee for the competition is ten bucks for unlimited entries.

For entry form and more info, email: macsmixednuts@verizon.net

Cheers!

Lee Umberger

Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary LAF!  We made it one year with a group of great brewers!

LAF (Lebanon Area Fermenters) will meet on Wednesday, February 19th at 7:00 PM.  We will meet at Union Beer House.  1600 Cumberland Street, Lebanon, PA

The meeting will  focus on growing the membership and setting up a more formalized organization for the group.  Bring a beverage to share and join us!

We hope to see you and a friend on Wednesday the 19th.

Cheers!

 

Lee Umberger

January Homebrew Competition

The Lebanon Area Fermenters are excited about supporting the second annual homebrew competition taking place in conjunction with the Lebanon Bologna Fest on January 25, 2014. Our group will help to sort, organize and run to beer to our judges!

Last year, this event was not an American Homebrew Association registered competition and it garnered 104 entries! We can’t wait to see how we’ll do now that we’ve officially registered our event and have had some experience creating a fantastic competition.

The entry fee for this event is $5.00 for a maximum of three entries. If you wish to submit additional entries, $5.00 will be charged for each entry greater than the original three. All proceeds will go toward the cost and support of this competition.

Entries may be dropped off or mailed to Wet Your Whistle Beverage 1136 Federal St., Lebanon, PA 17042. Entry deadline is Monday, January 20th.

As the time gets closer we’ll be posting entry forms and more information.

Cheers!

LAF