The BrewsLeader July 2004 Vol. 21 No. 7 UPCOMING EVENTS Jul 14 Club Meeting - Brewing History – James River Steam Brewery Jul 21 Board Meeting Aug 11 Club Meeting - Tour of Legend Brew House AHA Club Only – Wheat Beer (Cat. 17) Aug 14 Summer Party @ Dan Mouer’s Aug 20 – 22 BURP Mashout Sep 8 Club Meeting - Style Discussion – IPA AHA Club Only – Smoked Beer (Cat. 23) Sep 11 Club Brew @ WeekEnd Brewer Sep 15 Board Meeting Sep 25 River City Beer & Seafood Festival Oct 13 Club Meeting Oct 30 Hallo-Fest Party @ Stasi & Jeff York’s Nov 10 Club Meeting - AHA Club Only - IPA (Cat. 7) Nov 13 AHA Club Only - IPA Nationals – hosted by James River Homebrewers Nov 17 Board Meeting Dec 8 Club Meeting - Election of Officers Style Discussion – Winter Warmers Dec 11 Holiday Party @ Steve Jarrett’s ***************************** May Meeting President Tedd Smith welcomed members and guests, and thanked Tom Martin and the rest of the Legend staff for their gracious hospitality. Feature: Tedd – the man with the most Pacific Gravity – discussed Summer Coolers. These are the drinks we drink when it’s just too damn hot! We sampled a wide range of brews and other so-called potables. We tasted some Mexicans (beers that is) – Corona and Pacifico, the “malternative” Smirnoff Ice (tastes like Wink soda), and some wheat beers – Widmer Bros., Pyramid, and Legend’s White Ale. We also had some St. Arnold’s “Lawnmower Beer.” Tedd had arranged to have a case specially imported from Texas, the lone state where this beer is brewed and distributed. This is the beer we will be trying to brew for the Club’s Summer Party. Club Brews: Brewing sessions at Ted Warrens to brew a Fest-style beer for the Hallowfest Party this fall and at Richbrau to commercially brew a pilsner based on Steve Severtson’s Classic Pre-Prohibition Pilsner went very well. Raffle: Another great one! Prizes included cool glasses, growlers, Dan’s award-winning wine, coasters, hats and buttons. Art Miranian won the Mystery Prize– a new James River Homebrewers glass and other miscellaneous beer stuff. Club Survey We are conducting a survey of the membership to get a better handle on who we are and how we can make the James River Homebrewers an even better organization. Blank surveys were included in the March issue of the BrewsLeader. If more than one member of a household is a member of the Club, each member should complete a survey. Please return surveys to Jeff Hewit, or mail them to Club’s PO Box. If you need another copy of the survey, see Jeff, or go the Club’s website. ***************************** T-Shirts and Glasses We still have some available. The T's are $15 (new style) and $10 (old style). Old-style glasses are $2.50, with a special deal for Club members only - two for $5.00. New-style glasses, with a fancy etched logo - are one for $4.00, two for $7.00, and three for $10.00 ***************************** AHA Club-Only Competitions From time to time, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) sponsors competitions based on a particular style. These competitions are open only to AHA-affiliated homebrew clubs. Each club holds a competition on the particular style. The winner’s brew is sent off to the AHA to be judged with the winners from other homebrew clubs around the country. Bring in five bottles – two for the local competition and three to send off if you win. Competition schedule: > Aug - Wheat Beer (Cat. 17 ) > Sep - Smoked Beer (Cat. 23) > Nov - IPA (Cat. 7) - Hosted by James River Homebrewers When the entry dates are set, we will include the competitions in the Upcoming Events listing. Winners earn Homebrew Club of the Year points for their club. ***************************** Elections We're looking for a few good men…and women! In the fall, we elect Officers and Directors for terms beginning January 1, 2005. The offices of Vice President, Secretary, and Member at Large will begin two-year terms; the Assistant Competition Coordinator and all six director positions will begin one-year terms. The current Board of Directors will nominate a slate of candidates at the November meeting. (With Board approval, the current Assistant Competition Coordinator will assume the position of Competition Coordinator.) The elections will take place during the December meeting. (Additional nominations may be made at that time.) If you’re interested in serving the Club, let any Officer or Director know. Following are the duties of the positions, as set forth in the Club’s By-Laws: > Vice President: The Vice President shall assist the President as needed and perform the duties of the President in his/her absence, and solicit items for and conduct the monthly raffle. > Secretary: The Secretary shall record the minutes of regular Club and Board meetings, edit and publish the Club newsletter and maintain the Club’s active member list. > Competition Coordinator: The Competition Coordinator shall be in charge of all beer competitions held by the Club, including those open to Club members only and those open to the homebrewing public. > Assistant Competition Coordinator: The Assistant Competition Coordinator shall assist the Competition Coordinator. > Member at Large: The Member at Large shall maintain Club history and memorabilia and take charge of special projects as approved by the Board. ***************************** RUSSIANS MAY FINALLY LABEL BEER 'ALCOHOL' Because beer in Russia is considered a "light alcoholic" drink it is sold alongside milk and orange juice, and anybody may buy or sell it - even teenagers. Russian legislators are considering changing that. At the urging of the City of Moscow, the legislature is considering labeling beer a full-fledged alcoholic beverage, a change that would restrict where beer can be sold and how it can be advertised. Most dramatically, to buy a beer you would have to be at least 18 years old. "Young people think beer is not alcohol, so they've been drinking it all their lives," said Vladislav Kiselyev, a spokesman for the Moscow City Duma, which forwarded to parliament a bill to declare beer alcoholic. "You see children drinking beer on their way to school." HOMEBREWER MAKES BEER WITH CICADAS Steve Marler, an Arlington, Va., homebrewer has made a 10-gallon batch of beer that includes smoked cicadas as an ingredient, and he plans to spend the next 17 years enjoying the beer. "The hops will probably hide any cicada flavor," he told the Washington Post before brewing the beer. "Totally hysterical ... you have to assume the determined brewer will follow through with any brewing threat, no matter how outrageous," was the reaction of Randy Mosher, author of the newly released "Radical Brewing," which is packed with offbeat recipes. This was one he missed. Marler's recipe is something of a tribute to the Brood X 17-year cicada that emerged in May. The base beer is a barley wine and targeted it to 21 Plato (thus the final beer will be about 10.3% alcohol by volume) because the cicada Brood X will emerge again in 2021. CACTUS EXTRACT HELPS PREVENT HANGOVERS Prickly pear cactus helps prevent hangover symptoms, according to a study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine. And, no, you don't have to worry about the spines - doctors used extract of prickly pear in the study, and it's available in some health-supplement stores. Some homebrewers use prickly pear in making mead (a honey wine) and even beer. Perhaps a commercial operation will begin producing them as "hangover free" products. Unlike remedies such as raw egg concoctions used to relieve a hangover after a night of drinking, taken hours in advance the extract can alleviate symptoms such as dry mouth and nausea. However, it does not appear to ease other woes, such as headaches and dizziness. ANTI-HANGOVER PILL IGNITES CONTROVERSY An anti-hangover pill being marketed in the United Kingdom as a dietary supplement has sparked new concerns about binge drinking. RU-21 was launched in June, less than a month after Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was determined binge drinking should not become a "new British disease." A box of 20 costs £4.99 with one pill taken with every drink and the company behind the product claims it regulates alcohol metabolism and will even protect organs against alcohol damage. The pill, said to have been developed by the Soviet KGB so its spies could out-drink enemy agents, works by inhibiting the body's production of the poison acetaldehyde. Critics say that by masking the after-effects, RU-21 could prevent heavy drinkers from recognizing their problem with alcohol abuse. OOPS - 'NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER' PACKS PUNCH Japanese officials have discovered that an occasional bottle of "non-alcoholic" Buckler beer may have contained more punch than advertised. Heineken Japan and Kirin Brewery, who produce the beer that is supposed to have less than 0.5% alcohol by volume, recalled more than 1 million bottles. During the production process, insufficient heating reportedly led to beers fermenting in bottles, boosting the alcohol content. In Japan, drinks are taxable if they have 1% or more of alcohol. QUOTE OF THE MONTH Pete Coors isn't sure whether the busty, blond Coors Light Twins are a liability or an asset in his race for the U.S. Senate. If voters want an explanation of why a conservative Republican is involved with sexually explicit advertising, he offers this: "We don't sell marshmallows or Popsicles. We're in the beer business." CELEBRATE AMERICAN BEER MONTH - AND WIN BEER GEAR America's breweries are giving away a variety of beer-related items during American Beer Month. All it takes to win is an email address. http://www.americanbeermonth.com A-B FAILS FOR BLANKET TRADEMARK WITH BUDWEISER The European Union has rejected an attempt by Anheuser-Busch to register its Budweiser name as a single trademark in all 25 EU countries. In rejecting the St. Louis-based company's 1996 "community trademark" application, the E.U.'s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market said the Budweiser name is identical to one already registered by Czech rival Budejovicky Budvar NP in France and Austria. Anheuser-Busch must instead rely on previously held national trademarks. Anheuser-Busch will have to apply for trademark registration in five of the E.U. nations where it doesn't already have protection for the Bud or Budweiser names, including the Czech Republic, home of Budejovicky Budvar. ***************************** River City Cellars Beer, Wine and Gourmet Foods 2931 West Cary Street Richmond, VA 23221 (804) 355-1375 www.rivercitycellars.com 10% Discount to Members of James River Homebrewers ***************************** The WeekEnd Brewer Homebrew & Wine Supplies 4205 West Hundred Road Chester, VA 23831 (804) 796-9760 www.weekendbrewer.com Please Note: Closed July 24th, 25th & 26th - Reopen Tues July 27th - Join us at the Powhatan Wine Festival. New Two Pound and Five Pound Size for One Step- Cleaner - 2 Lb. Bag $ 7.10 ( $3.55 per Lb.), 5 Lb. Tub & 17.60 ( $3.52 per Lb.) NEW 52 pH STABILIZER From Five Star Chemical - Being able to repeat the brewing process is the key to producing consistent, high quality beer. Of all the ingredients in beer, water is the most misunderstood component. The quality, hardness and pH of the water affect enzymatic activity, solubility of salts, proteins and sugars, as well as hop usage. Now you have the ability to control the pH of your brewing water with this new product from Five Star Chemical. 52 pH Stabilizer™ is a proprietary blend of food-grade phosphate buffers that locks in your mash and kettle water at a pH of 5.2, regardless of the starting pH. In addition, it also reduces scaling and mineral deposits on all your equipment. Brewers are going to love this product, so be sure to include it on your next order! One Pound for $13.50 Soda Making Equipment Kit includes: ingredients package, 22 ounce bottles, Caps, Bottle capper, sanitizer, Mixing and bottling container. This is great fun for the Kids too. Lots of fruit flavors. The V-Vessel System comes in one size. Its FULL capacity is 6 US gallon /23 liters. The unit is marked in Imperial and US Gallon levels. Ideal for most all 6 gallon wines & 5 gallon batch of Beer. The System comes in a Boxed kit consisting of the unit itself with the collection capsule, bracket and mounting accessories, rubber bung and airlock, an extra female coupler with a tubing adapter, and six feet of clear tubing for bottling or filtering. Hard time lifting? The V-Vessel is used by those that can not lift the heavy carboy. Call or write for more information. Barons Premium Beer Kits offer you 7.5 liters of high quality concentrated wort to get you underway to creating a natural beer of outstanding flavor, ready to brew with conventional brewing equipment, with no need for boiling! Barons is defined by superior ingredients, state-of-the-art processing and unique user-friendly packaging which preserves product freshness. With Barons, we handle the preparation of premium malt, hops and water. We even throw in a special add pack of finishing hop pellets, allowing dry-hopping for extra aroma and a further hint of flavor. You handle the rest – and it couldn’t be simpler. Barons offers a range of popular North American styles in addition to a selection of premium microbrew styles that offer full aromas and flavors for the discerning beer maker. See how easy it is to brew a high quality, deliciously refreshing beer with Barons Premium Beer Kits! HEADING LIQUID is a solution of propylene glycol alginate and distilled water added at the time of bottling to improve the head retention of homemade beer. The 1/3 fl. oz. pouch is good for six gallons and sells for $2.00. Glass Prices are on the rise. Glass Beer & Wine Bottles have had a price increase in the last three month. Carboy prices from Italy and Mexico have also been on the rise. New 6 Gallon PET Carboy as advertised in Both Beer and Wine Magazines. The New Food/Alcohol Grade Carboy is here. The Carboy is MUCH lighter, taste and odor free and impervious to gases. The Cloudy white plastic blocks light better than glass. Looks just like a 6 Gallon glass carboy and takes a # 8 stopper. Only $16.40 ea. The BrewsLeader is the official publication of James River Homebrewers PO Box 486 Richmond, Virginia 23218-0486 Monthly Meetings All meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at The Legend Brewery, 321 West 7th Street, Richmond, Virginia. Homebrew tasting at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. We are grateful to Tom Martin and the rest of the Legend staff for their gracious hospitality. Officers and Board of Directors President: Tedd Smith xxx-xxxx Vice President: Dan Mouer xxx-xxxx Treasurer: Bobby Yenney xxx-xxxx Secretary: Jeff Hewit xxx-xxxx Member @ Large: Denise Pierce xxx-xxxx Competition Coordinator: Stasi York xxx-xxxx Asst. Competition Coordinator: Steve Severtson xxx-xxxx Web Master: Ronnie Anderson xxx-xxxx Directors Woody Elliot xxx-xxxx Jack Jackson xxx-xxxx Steve Jarrett xxx-xxxx Joel Trojnar xxx-xxxx Ted Warren xxx-xxxx Jeff York xxx-xxxx Web Site www.jrhomebrewers.org Submit Articles Articles or other items of interest from the membership are welcome and should be submitted to the Secretary. Email to xxx@xxx.xxx. Dues The date after your name on the address label is the due date for your dues renewal. To renew your membership, just bring your dues - only $20 - to the next meeting, and give them to the Treasurer (or another officer if he isn’t there). If you wish, you may mail your dues to the Club at PO Box 486, Richmond, VA 23218-0486 Inclement Weather Policy If the Richmond city Schools are closed due to inclement weather on the day of a regularly scheduled Club meeting, the meeting will be cancelled, and re-scheduled for the following Wednesday – this will be confirmed by e-mail. Remember Drink Responsibly - Don’t Drink and Drive! Members and guests at James River Homebrewers meetings and events are individually and solely liable for any and all actions attendant to or resulting from their participation. James River Homebrewers PO Box 486 Richmond, VA 23218-0486 Don't take it too seriously, it's only beer!