CALL TO ORDER

3D"Text

Minutes

August 09, 2006<= /b>

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Vice-President Bill= Payne at 8:05 PM. Twenty-one member= s and one visitor were present. The meeting was held at the Kansas Secured Title location at 901 River Road in the Jetz Building.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the previo= us meeting were approved.

MEETING LOCATION FOR SEPTEMBER

Dave Scott notified the club that the facility at Kansas Secured Title WILL be available= for the August meeting. It will b= e the 901 River Road location, the same location we used for the August meeting.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Treasurer Chris Hedquist was unavailable and no report was made.

TOPICS ON THE ART OF BREWING

DRY YEAST

John Dean presented infor= mation on dry yeast and led a discussion on the changes made in the manufacturing = and marketing of dry yeast.

In early days, many brewe= rs relied upon Red Star Bread Yeast to produce beer. While the beer was considered drin= kable, many experimented with the yeast to produce new strains that would improve = the clarity of the beer and to reduce the flavor of the yeast in the beer so as= to enhance the flavors of the malt and hops.&= nbsp; Bringing the flavors of the malts and hops to the forefront allowed brewers to create more types of beer even with the limited equipment typica= l of home-brewers.

For quite some time, the = drying process has allowed the introduction of foreign yeasts or bacteria to contaminate the dry yeast. Th= ese contaminants affected the flavor of the finished beer adding flavors that frequently were unwanted, or which ruined the batch of beer. Thus, liquid yeast has been the fa= vorite of brewers.

Liquid yeast can be trans= ferred from brew to brew, helping ensure that each new batch of brewed beer is consistent with the batch brewed before it.   It can also be stored in san= itized air-tight containers and shipped anywhere.= While some of these packages required that the yeast package be open= ed and “stepped-up” prior to use, others could be mixed with purif= ied base while still in the original package, preventing any contaminants from entering the mix prior to the opening of the package. This use of liquid yeast has been = one of the greatest improvements available to home-brewers, allowing them to produ= ce consistent products from batch to batch without having to save yeast from a prior batch.

Liquid yeast has it own drawbacks. The active yeast h= as a limited shelf life, so it can’t be purchased for a brew that may not = be made for several months. In o= ther words, home-brewers can’t find a good deal and buy up a number of packages, then use them over an extended period of time. Liquid yeast is also much more exp= ensive than dry yeast. Obviously, the shorter shelf life means unsold packages must be destroyed and the shelves = must be restocked. Manufacturers h= ave for quite some time been trying to find a product that can provide brewers = with product that can provide consistent results, over a longer shelf life, and = at a lower cost.

John presented examples o= f a dried yeast product that is now becoming available to the home-brew market. Although the product = has been available to the commercial brewing market for several years, it is now being produced in small packets, each designed for a five-gallon batch. The product is called SAFALE and is produced by the French Lesaffre Group. The company argues that it has cre= ated a product that is free of contaminants, has an extended shelf-life, and can be acquired for about one-third the cost of liquid yeast.

Lesa= ffre Yeast Corporation is one of the largest corporations in the world dedicated= to fermentation. They have sever= al specialties, including commercial yeast products for baking, wine fermentat= ion, and brewing. They are also he= avily invested in commercial bio-diesel and ethanol plants making products for fuels. L= esaffre indicates that they have produced yeasts pure enough to please the most discriminating taste.

Lloyd Becker has used thi= s new dry yeast in a brew that he created about one month ago. He challenged the club to a taste = test. He brought two growlers, one with = beer made with a liquid 1056 yeast and one with the d= ry SAFALE US-56. Both beers were= made from the same wort. He poured out one glass of each br= ew for each member at the meeting. M= embers were asked to identify differences. While the clarity of the brews were defin= itely different, one being much more clear, the taste seemed to be identical. Doug Salsbury= did note that there was a different mouth-feel between the brews, with the A beer being thinner and smoother. Many club members agreed, although felt that difference to be a minor consideration in that the taste between the two was the same. Jim Madl indicated that with the cost savings and the longer shelf-life, and with ne= arly identical taste, he would be extremely interested in keeping some of this y= east on hand.

This yeast can be found at numerous home-brew companies, such as Midwest Supplies, Homebrew USA, Oz= Craftbrewing, and Realbeer. It may be available soon at Ale &a= mp; Vino. <= span class=3DSpellE>Realbeer indicates they charge $2.99 for a package of= Safale US-56.

The club thanked John Dea= n and Lloyd Becker for coordinating on this effort and for making such an excelle= nt presentation.

OLD BUSINESS

HALL OF FOAMERS BUFFALO BOB DEAN’S MEMORIAL PARTY

Discussion was held regar= ding the fall party. It was decided th= at participants to the party would be required to participate in the cost. Each Hall of = Foamer’s member would be “On-Their-Honor” to ensure that they and all th= eir guests were “paid” attendees.&= nbsp;

NOTE: MEMBERS ARE ASK= ED TO BRING MONEY TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING TO PAY FOR ALL PERSONS THAT WILL BE ATTENDING THE FALL PARTY. THE= COST IS $10 PER PERSON. ONE WRIST = BAND WILL BE PROVIDED FOR EACH $10 PAID BY THE MEMBER. THE WRIST BANDS MUST BE WORN DURIN= G THE PARTY. ADDITIONAL WRIST BANDS= WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT THE PARTY.

Each participant is asked to bring the following items= to the party:

Beer        &= nbsp;        Side Dish to share     =             &nb= sp; Own Table Service     =

= ;

The $10 cost will provide for the $200 campground fee = and the estimated $150 cost for the whole hog that John Long has volunteered to roast.

LAWRENCE BREW CLUB 11^th ANNIVERSARY PARTY

The Lawrence Brew Club is= having its annual anniversary celebration at Clinton Lake on September 22/23. A limited number of tickets are available. President Don Josling requested that interested persons p= rovide cash or check during the August meeting as he needed to make payment on the following day in Lawrence.

NEW BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION = OF VISITORS

Keith Hogan was introduced and welcomed as a visitor t= o the meeting. Keith noted that he = had recently acquired some beer making equipment and had brewed 125 gallons of beer. However, he has been disappointed with the lack of quality that some of the brews have provided = and is interested in learning more about the brewing process so that he can imp= rove his product.

NEW MEMBERS

Keith Hogan joined the club on this night and paid the= $20 membership fee in cash to Secretary Walt Darling.

BREW MAGAZINE=

John Dean noted that Brew Magazine is available at a r= educed cost if at least ten persons agree to subscribe to the magazine at the same time. A sign-up sheet was sent around and accumulated eight signatures.&n= bsp; Each interested person is asked to bring $15 for payment of the subscription to the September meeting.&nbs= p; It is believed that we will be able to meet the minimum of ten perso= ns and submit the list to the company immediately after that meeting.

BREWING CLINI= C

The need for beer for the Buffalo Bob Dean’s Memorial Party and the interest in goi= ng through an instructional clinic has created the need for a clinic to be held soon. John Dean has volunteer= ed to conduct the clinic along with Doug Salsbury, cl= ub Master Brewer. The clinic wil= l be held at the Blind Tiger Brewery on Sunday August 13^th at 9:00 AM= . You will be able to enter through t= he lower door located under the stairway to the main entrance.

Since the above paragraph was written, the clinic was held. Several new brewers wer= e able to make it. Local professional brewer, John Dean, Brewer for the Blind Tiger Brewery in Topeka, lead the clinic. Topics included cleanliness, optio= nal grains and hops to use in brewing, and methods for anticipating the amount = of bittering in the beer. The clinic was a great success.&nbs= p; Several of the home-brewers that were there to participate did not p= lan on the amount of time needed and had to leave prior to the end. However, the amount of information presented was truly eye-opening and worthwhile for all that attended.

NEW PUB AND RESTAURANT

Vice-President Bill Payne informed the club that a new= pub has opened. It is called The = Yard House and is located near Legends in the I-435/I-29 shopping center. It is known for its 130 beers on t= ap from around the world, and, its half-price appetizers from 3:00 – 6:00 Monday through Friday.

MUNCHIES FOR SEPTEMBER

            <= /span>        &= nbsp;   Doug Salsbury &= nbsp;                  &= nbsp;   Kevin Adams      &n= bsp;       Bill Payne

ADJOURNMENT

            <= /span>Noting that there was no further business to come before the club, the meeting was adjourned. The President decl= ared the motion to adjourn for social tasting passed at 9:20 PM.

Hall of Foamers=

September Meeting Agenda

7:30              Call = to Order / Approval of the Agenda

7:35              Appro= val of the Minutes

7:40              Offic= er Reports

               &= nbsp;     President Don Josling

            &n= bsp;            = ; Introduction and Welcome of Visitors

               &= nbsp;     Vice-President Bill Payne

               &= nbsp;     Treasurer Chris Hedquist

               &= nbsp;     Master Brewer Doug Salsbury

7:50              Discu= ssion of Brewing Arts and Techniques

8:10           &nbs= p; Old Business

            &n= bsp;        Collection of monies for Oct party

            &n= bsp;        Collection of monies for “Brew Your Own”

8:15           &nbs= p; New Business

            &n= bsp; Club Discussion of Upcoming Events in Region

            &n= bsp; Munchies for Next Month

8:20           &nbs= p; Adjourn for Social Tasting

Important note from David Scott= :

&nbs= p;      My landlord has no problem with the= Hall of Foamers using the River Road office. So, the g= ate and the front door (at least one of the doors) will be open around 7:15= and then I will lock the door and shut the gate around 7:45. I hope = that gives everybody enough time to get to the meeting. If later than= that, then call my cell at 633-3851 and I will let you in. The first= person that needs to leave, just let me know and I will open the gate and = leave it open until we all leave.
   &nb= sp;    I am glad you all like it better down on the r= iver. This place is much easier and more comfortable for me. It= feels more like home.
   &nb= sp;    So, I see no reason why we can't meet at 901 NE River Road on our September meeting and to continue meeting thereafter. A= ttached is a mapquest showing the location. Please feel free to call me anytime during the day at 232-9349, = ext. 120 if you need detailed directions.

   &nb= sp;        Thanks and see you in September if not earlier.    David Scott=

Important note from= Kevin Adams:

I have a refrigera= tor for sale.

It is a Frigidaire, white, 20.7 CF, freezer on top (not side by side), ice maker, removeable shelves, excellent condition, works fine. = Will hold two and possibly three Cornelius kegs.

$200 or best offer. Home phone: 478-4343. Cell phone: 640-5807.

Important note from= John Dean:

“A= le & Vino” has dry yeast available, the type we tested here at Blind Tiger, for only $1.49 per package.

&nb= sp;

Important note from= Bert Wilson:

I have a couple of questions on our fun stuff (brewing).

Wort Chillers.
A co= uple of meetings ago, when we were talking about wort chillers, somebody said they had one for sale.&n= bsp; Is that still available? If so, please let me know how much you want for it.

Mini-Kegs
=
Has any member of the club had experience with mini kegs? If so, can you help me understand the a= dvantages?

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MEETING LOCATION FOR SEPTEMBER

TREASURER’S REPORT

TOPICS ON THE ART OF BREWING

OLD BUSINESS

HALL OF FOAMERS BUFFALO BOB DEAN’S MEMORIAL PARTY

LAWRENCE BREW CLUB 11th ANNIVERSARY PARTY

NEW BUSINESS

MUNCHIES FOR SEPTEMBER

ADJOURNMENT

LAWRENCE BREW CLUB 11^th ANNIVERSARY PARTY