May 2019 Meeting

• May Meeting Minutes:

  Every meeting is special to us SOB’s, but there’s nothing quite like the experience of sharing the same beer brewed by 15-some people. At the May meeting the SOB’s gathered at Bare Bones

  Brewery to share the beer that was produced from the wort share back in early April. It was hard to imagine that so many flavors could come from a single base beer.

  New Faces:

  We had the privilege of welcoming two new faces to the club this month. Tom Kontos discovered beer while in Germany serving the U.S. military. Although he has attended Casks and

  Caskets in the past, he has not yet brewed his own beer. Jeff Duhacek first started brewing when he lived in Jersey, although the hobby didn’t follow him to Wisconsin. Instead, Jeff’s love of beer led him to help at Emprize Brew Mill in Menasha and co-purchasing the Cellar in Oshkosh.  We welcome both to the club and hope to see you again soon.

  Treasurer’s Report:

  As a reminder, dues are coming up next month. Club fees are $20.00 for a single membership of $30.00 for a couple. We assure you that $20 will get you ample beer, fun, and companionship.

  Please pay Kurt at the next meeting.

  Big Brew Day Review:

  How can we get so lucky? Sitting under the warm spring sun, brewing beer, and munching on BBQ from DD’s BBQ adds up to the perfect day for the SOB’s. About 10 brewers stopped out to

  the event and many more community and club members attended. We even filled a spot in the Oshkosh Herald. Way to go SOB’s on an awesome Big Brew Day!

  Annual Competition:

  July is staged as the SOB’s 3rd

  annual club competition. We’re switching it up a little this year, so pay close attention. There is no cost to enter the competition and any BJCP style is allowed.  Simply sign up and have your beer scored. This year the July meeting and competition will be held at Fox River Brewing Company in Oshkosh. Additionally, we are limiting entries to beer only, as wines, ciders, and meads will be judged at the September meeting at Rushford. On top of that, BJCP judges will score beer with the winning beer being brewed by the Fox River crew.

  Brewing Law Changes:

  In an attempt to raise more money at Casks and Caskets this year, we are trying to update brewing laws to allow for charity-based home brew events to charge admission. To do this we

  are formulating letters which anyone can sign and send to their local representatives. Moreover, we are creating a petition for all club and community members to sign. Help us change laws to benefit the community!

  June Meeting:
• We’ve been meeting at many venues this year, but the June meeting will once again be held at O’Marros. At this meeting expect a discussion on grains and a visit by beers from Knuth Brewing Company out of Ripon. With so many events happening this year, please keep on eye on the SOB website calendar.

  Fellowship of The Barrel:

  Many of our favorite beers are aged in whisky, bourbon, or wine barrels, which can be hard to come by for the average homebrewer. Luckily the Fellowship of The Barrel is forming anew to deliver some barrel aged goodness to the club. A meeting will be help on June 12th

  at Oblio’s to discuss the logistics of the brew. Look for an email soon for more information.

  Casks and Caskets Update:

  The Hilton Garden Inn locate in Oshkosh is more eager than ever to host the SOB event. However, this year we will be pushing the fest a few weeks earlier on October 19th. A committee

  is currently forming to plan for the event. See Mike Engel if you’re interested in planning.

  Proximity Maltster:

  Proximity is a malting company out of Milwaukee that is on the cutting edge of malt. They are interested in hosting a group of SOB’s in the future for a tour of their facility in Milwaukee. Perhaps this would be a good time to tour more breweries from the Brew City. Stay tuned for more information.

  Bare Bone’s Beer Sampling:

  We can’t thank Jody and the Bare Bone’s crew enough for allowing us to bring home wort and ferment it into so many wonderful beer renditions. The club sampled 13 beers made from the

  same wort, but not even one tasted alike. There were additions of pecans and coffee, pitches of Belgian and Norwegian yeasts, and of course Jody’s tried and true Nemesis Brown Ale. During the tasting ample notes were taken of comments for flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel. See the June

  newsletter for the results

April 2019 Meeting

April Meeting Minutes:

The SOB’s found ourselves back at O’marro’s this month for an evening of informative sipping and laughter. We welcomed several new faces and enjoyed a wide variety of beverages.

New Member Welcome:

This month you SOB’s did a great job of spreading the word and inviting guests. Colin and Rodney are two fine fellas who are just getting into brewing. So far, they’re doing a great job; they’re extract brewers who brought in a few bottles of beer to share. More on those later. Jonathan and Micah were introduced next. Jonathan has a few years of brewing experience and is starting to get into all grain brewing. Micah, on the other hand,has a year’s worth of brewing experience and is utilizing an extract set up. Last but not least, Stafford and Tom are a brewing pair sent over by our friends at Barebones. Tom has a long history of brewing but now sticks mostly to wines and helping Stafford in his brewing explorations. Stafford began brewing a few months ago with IPAs, only recently finding the decadence and excitement of brewing darker style beers. Thanks to all of you for inviting such fun groups of people. We hope to see allthe new faces at upcoming events and meetings.

Treasurer’s Report:

That time of year is once again approaching – membership renewals. See Kurt to renew your membership by June. The cost is still $20 for the year. New members can also see Kurt to officially register. If you have been waiting for membership cards, they’re hot off the press. Again, see our esteemed treasurer for your proof of membership.

Survey Results:

We got the survey results in and are using them to improve the SOB experience. Moreover, the club gave away a brewing clock to one lucky survey participant. Congratulations Matt Saunders and thank you for helping us!

Barebones Wort Share:

Earlier this month the SOB’s were at Barebones to help Jody brew and English Brown Ale. The wort produced during the day was shared amongst the group to be fermented and flavored however they see fit. Some brewers are adding strange yeast strains, some are adding sugars, while others are adding funky adjuncts. These beers will be shared at the May meeting which will be held at Barebones. Stay tuned for more on that!

Big Brew Day:

This year national Big Brew day is held on Saturday May 4th. We’re hosting a big brew at the Cellar to celebrate. We’ll begin brewing at 9AM. Feel free to brew or just stop in for some samples and company. The AHA has announced that blonde ales and NEIPA’s are this year’s “official’ styles (no need to brew either.) Sign up HERE if you are planning to stop by. So, get ready for the big day and spread the word far and wide!

Bus Trips:

The bus trips have been planned! This Spring we’re taking a bus tour to the Wausau/Waupaca region. On the itinerary are stops at Red Eye for lunch, Bull Falls, 22 Lakes, and HH Hinder. The bus will depart May 11th at 9:30 AM from the old JCP parking lot in Oshkosh. We will return the same day at approximately 7:30 PM. Anticipated cost is $35 which includes bus fares and a tour at Red Eye (pay at the bus). If you’re interested, sign up HERE. Additionally, the SOB’s are offering a bus ride to the Chilton beer fest on May 19th. The cost is $10 for the bus ride; there are still (2) tickets available for the event at a cost of $40 (contact Jeff Eaton). The bus will depart the old JCP parking lot at 11:30 AM on the 19th and return at 7:00 PM. To get on the bus sign up HERE. Remember to pay Jeff and Becky for event and bus ride tickets.

SOB Club Competition:

Every July the SOB’s host a club competition for members. We’re changing things up this year. First, the competition (and July meeting) will be held at Fox River Brewing Co. in Oshkosh; the winning beer will then be brewed at Fox River. Second, the July competition will only accept beer entries. We will be hosting an additional competition at our September meeting at Rushford for all mead, wine, and cider entries. You heard that right, two competitions this year! We are investigating the possibilities of having BJCP judges for the events, making this a great opportunity to receive feedback on your brews. More information will be coming soon. Until then, whip up some grade-A beverages, set aside (4) 12-oz bottles (or the equivalent), and prep for the 3rd annual club competition!

Lake Arrowhead Beer Camp:

We have once again been invited to the beer camp/walk at Lake Arrowhead campground. This year the event takes place on the weekend of August 23rd-25th. Three campsites will be set aside for SOB’s to occupy during the event at no cost; all you need to do is bring beer to serve during the walk. Last year three groups camped during the event, two brewed, and more stopped down to serve. A sign-up sheet will be available at future meetings.

Contacting Representatives:

The SOB’s are on a mission to update homebrew laws that would allow us to charge admission at events where homebrew is served. This will help us to raise more money for charity at events like Casks and Caskets. To aid in this effort, the SOB’s are drafting a letter that you can sign and send to your local representatives. This letter will be available at future meetings and events (particularly Big Brew Day.)

Member Beers:

Ty Shippee brought in two versions of “quick” lagered beers. His bohemian rye lager took only 10 days to lager utilizing gelatin for clarity, a kegerator to maintain temperatures, and a diacetyl rest that raises the beer slowly raised the temperature to 65℉ for a few days (until it stops stinking.) Both of Ty’s rye and vienna lagers are fine examples of the style, with only a slight diacetyl character. Not bad for a short lagering period. New member Rodney and Colin brought in some of their first brews, which are recipes available at the Cellar. Rodney’s Irish red and Colin’s Blonde are both excellent interpretations of Dave’s original recipe. They’re clean, easy drinking, and true to style. Keep up the good work, fellas! Chuck shared a few bottles of cinnamon cider that he’s been aging since 2014. It smelled like fall and the 19 (ish) ABV was easily disguised behind a dry, enjoyable drink.

Lion’s Tail Beers:

This month we focused on beers from Lion’s Tail Brewing in Neenah. Head brewer Alex Wenzel is a chemical engineer by trade with an obsession for water. Each beer he brews is carefully treated with the appropriate water adjustments to create the perfect water profile for that style. Alex brews a wide range of styles, including traditional styles like Rock the Block Bock (which donates 50% of the profits to Habitat for Humanity) and Too Caught Up IPA which is a tried and true centennial IPA recipe. More adventurous beers like Pineapple Milkshake Pale Ale and the upcoming Golden Stout Collaboration can also be found on tap. Thank you to Alex and the crew at Lion’s Tail for sending us delicious samples of your amazing beers!

March 2019 Meeting

March Meeting Minutes:
This was a hectic month for the SOB’s. Besides our usual imbibing, we were leaderless, which almost lead to mass hysteria and chaos. Thankfully, Scott, stepped in to save the day. With a commanding voice, our previous secretary quickly ushered us through the night’s agenda.

New Member Welcome:
Three new members. You read that right. Three brave souls officially joined the SOB’s on
March 20th – are they up for the fun, drinking, and comradery? It certainly seems so! Justin
Hammer was the first to be introduced. He is an avid brewer with 3 years of experience,
pumping out a whopping 25(ish) brews annually. Holy Toledo, way to go Justin! Brian Hickey was our next new member. Brian is new to the area and new to the brewing world. Although he hasn’t yet brewed a beer, he’s a craft beer fanatic (hopefully we can help develop him into full-fledged brewer.) Finally, owner and head brewer of Barrel 41 Nate Sharpless joined the SOB’s. Welcome to all our new members; we’re honored to be a part of your brewing journey!

Treasurer’s Report:
Kurt gave us our monthly financial update to assure us that we aren’t broke. Thanks, Kurt, for keeping track of our money!

Newsletter/Email/Survey:
Are you receiving the bimonthly emails? If not, contact us to ensure that you are added to the
email list. Why? Because of the exciting information we’re sharing via email. Like the monthly newsletter which contains tidbits of brewing knowledge, club events, and local beer activities.
Also, in the email blast was a 10-question survey which will help the board to develop club events and activities for your enjoyment.

Cask and Caskets Update:
Tentatively, we are planning to host Casks and Caskets for a third year at the Hilton Garden Inn in Oshkosh. To improve attendance, we are planning to host the event the weekend after
Halloween. Hopefully more people will be free and ready to party that weekend as opposed to the weekend before. On a side note, are you looking to be more involved in the club? You can easily help by joining the Cask and Caskets board. You will meet once monthly to discuss and plan for the event.

Bus Trips:
A spring brewery tour trip is in the planning stages. At this point Travis and Jeff are anticipating a tour date of May 11th. We will be heading west this year to explore the breweries of the Stevens Point, Wausau, and Waupaca areas. More information and a sign-up sheet will be released as plans are solidified. Stay tuned.

Member Brew Days:

Are you interested in hosting a “mini” Big Brew day at your house? Call it a medium brew day,
if you will. Simply contact a board member with the date, location, and attendance limit for your brew day. We’ll create a sign-up sheet and organize the details for your brew day.
Upcoming Club Events:
The SOB’s are always on the move. Maybe we’re brewing together, maybe we’re drinking
together, often we’re doing both! Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
April 6th
 – Lee’s book signing at Fox River Brewing Company in Oshkosh from 1-3 pm.
It’s not everyday that one of our members is recognized for a achieving a goal as
momentous as having a book published. Let’s get out there to support the hard work and
dedication Lee has put into Winnebago County Beer.
April 7th: Barebones Wort Share to visit Jody at Bare Bones Brewery to collect some wort out of a professional mash tun. Brewers are allowed a maximum of five gallons of wort to hop, spice, ferment, to their liking. At the following May meeting brewers are invited to bring their finished beer back to the club so we can sample each interpretation of the beer. A few spots will be available at the brewery for brewers to set up their systems and carry their brew out with Jody at Bare Bones (first come first serve.)
April 17th – Our monthly meeting will be back at O’marro’s where Dave from the Cellar
will be teaching us about grains. On a side note, who wants to buy the Cellar?
May 4th- Big Brew Day: A time proven classic, Big Brew Day is returning for another
year. SOB’s will gather at the Cellar to brew together and enjoy the merriment of
learning each other’s brewing techniques and systems.
May 19th- Chilton Beer Bus: We will once again be offering a beer bus up to the Chilton
Beer fest. Why not spend a day drinking with some of your favorite SOB’s?
Barrel 41 Tour:
The second installment in our Breweries of the Cheese State adventure brought us to Barrel 41 in Neenah. Owner and Head Brewer (and now club member) Nate Sharpless welcomed us with open arms and great beers. Barrel 41 has been opened for a little under 6 months, making it one of the most recent additions to the areas thriving beer scene. The microbrewery utilizes a 7-barrel electric brew system. On an average week Nate is brewing one to two batches to keep the 5 fermenters full and beer flowing from the taps. Speaking of the beer, a wide range of styles are
offered on tap, ranging from imperial stouts to saisons. We highly encourage everyone to take advantage of the warm, log cabin ambiance of Barrel 41 to sip down some grade-A beers. A special thanks to Nate and the crew at Barrel 41 for hosting this rowdy bunch of SOBs