Welcome to the homepage of the Heart River Homebrewers! We are an informal group that began as an organized club back in January of 2004.
We usually meet on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30PM at the world headquarters of Custom Data.
The next meeting is planned for July 23, 2009 at 6:30PM at Custom Data World Headquarters, 677 10th Street East, Dickinson, ND.
Town & Country Liquors on 1218 W Villard St in Dickinson (701-483-9463) along with Jerome Distributing & Braun Distributing sponsor a beer tasting and evaluation by providing a six-pack of a different beer each month for the club to sample and evaluate.
Click on Evaluations under Pages from the menu at right to view our assessment of each beer sampled.
“Give a man a pint of beer and he will drink it.
But teach a man to brew, and he will rule the world”
Present: Rocky Stoltz, Ryan Jilek, Todd Solem, Dale Sattler and Jon Stika.
Ryan reported on logos for the beer glasses.He said the stencils were cut such that they would not sit square on the pint glasses so he is going to re-cut them.Ryan gave each member present the current stencil to use as they saw fit.Ryan suggested that blue painters tape be applied to the stencil, then the stencil backing removed and the stencil firmly applied to the desired surface, then the blue tape removed to leave the stencil on the desired surface for etching and subsequent removal of the stencil.
Rocky brought the certificate of incorporation issued by the state of ND to the Heart River Homebrewers, issued on the 4th of May, 2009.The certificate was framed and posted on the wall of the board room of Custom Data world headquarters.Rocky also presented the Treasurer’s report with an ending balance of $170.50 of which $5.00 is in a savings account and $165.50 in a checking account at Western Cooperative Credit Union.Todd moved to submit the Treasurer’s report for audit, seconded by Jon.Motion passed.
Discussed potential dates for the summer picnic.Ryan offered to host the picnic again this year at his place near Dickinson.Two dates were proposed; August 29th or September 12th, 2009.There was also some discussion of inviting members from another ND home brewers club to attend the HRHB picnic.
Beer of the month from Town & Country Liquors was Honey Moon Seasonal from Blue Moon Brewing Co.Honey Moon is a light wheat ale with a subtle orange-zest and honey flavors.The beer was slightly sweet and very similar to Blue Moon less the coriander flavors.
Todd brought some Pandora’s Bock from Breckenridge Brewery, CO.It was a very good malty bock beer with alcohol evident in the finish.Rocky brought a home-brewed wheat ale with pronounced clove spiciness and very light color and flavor… a good summer beer.Dale brought pear wine and home-made Red Eye with anise.Both were very good.Jon brought some mead he made for Austin’s wedding/honeymoon.The mead was slightly sparkling with good aroma and balanced flavor.
Rocky also brought an old wooden beer case that held 36 bottles from the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co. of Minnesota. The case had a wooden lid with metal hinges and latch and it was estimated the case dated from the turn of the century.
Present: Paul Ellerkamp, Ryan Jilek, Todd Solem, Dennis Froemke, Rocky Stoltz and Jon Stika.
Dennis paid his dues of $25 for 2009. Jon brought some ale that he and his son-in-law Moe, made in February. The group judged it to be good and closest to the Kolsch style of ale. The beer of the month from Town and Country Liquors was Breckenridge’s Small Batch 471 Double IPA (India Pale Ale). The group described 471 as very hoppy from start to finish with each of the four hop varieties (Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe and Fuggles) expressed throughout. The hoppiness was balanced with good malt sweetness. Fruit-flavored esters from the yeast, citrusy (grapefruit-like) flavors from the hops, and 9.2% alcohol rounded out the flavor profile.
The group reviewed the Articles of Incorporation for the club and affixed the necessary signatures to prepare it for submission to the state of North Dakota with the $30 fee. The Consent to Serve form was also completed naming Rocky Stoltz as the club officer to serve ($10 fee).
Dennis brought some 60 Shilling Ale that he brewed from an extract kit. The ale was good for the style, but a bit thin in the middle of the flavor profile. Ryan brought some Cave Creek Chili beer which was a pilsner lager style beer with a Serrano pepper in each bottle… the pepper dominated the flavor profile.
The group decided on the landscape format of the club logo to be used on the beer glasses Ryan purchased earlier. Ryan will have the stencil produced to apply to the glasses and etch them with an acid solution.
Present: Paul Ellerkamp, Todd Solem, Rocky Stoltz and Jon Stika.
The meeting was held at Jon Stika’s home, as Custom Data World Headquarters was unavailable.
The group assisted Treasurer Stoltz complete the application of non-profit articles of incorporation for the club with the secretary of state of North Dakota. When filed, the incorporation status will allow the club to open a bank account for the Treasurer to manage club funds.
Beer of the month from Town and Country Liquors was Michelob Irish Red. The Irish Red had an excellent color for the style and was malty, crisp, with a good hop flavor profile and dry caramel malt finish. A nice beer that fit the style well.
Rocky brought some of his ESB which fit the style well with good fruity esters in the middle of the flavor profile. Paul brought some Michelob Hop Hound wheat beer. This beer was neither hoppy nor representative of a wheat beer flavor profile and was drinkable, but unimpressive. Jon provided a beer that he and his son-in-law Maurice brewed back in February. The beer had a malt bill based on an English Mild Ale, was fermented with Windsor Ale yeast and hopped exclusively with home-grown Tettnang hops. Group comments included; “good summer ale”, “light and subtle” and “balanced”. Based on past experience, Jon assumed an alpha acid content of his home-grown hops at 2% and felt that was an accurate assumption for this beer.
Present: Todd Solem, Ryan Jilek, Rocky Stoltz, Paul Ellerkamp, Dale Sattler, Mike Anderson and Jon Stika.
Beer of the Month from Town & Country Liquors was Leinenkugels 1888 Bock. The Bock had a deep brown color, malty aroma, somewhat malty flavor profile with a caramel finish and enough hop bitterness to leave some sweetness in the finish. Not as malty as traditional German Bock beer. 1888 Bock would be a good introductory beer for those who have not yet tried a dark beer.
Jon read a report from his son, Tanner; regarding a tasting session of New Belgium Brewing Company’s beers that Tanner participated in at the Blue Moose in East Grand Forks, MN.
Rocky moved that the club apply for tax identification with the state of North Dakota. Ryan seconded. A tax identification number would allow the club to establish a checking account as a separate entity. Motion passed.
Jon Stika nominated Ryan Jilek to serve another term as Vice President. Ryan Jilek nominated Dale Sattler for Member at Large. Rocky Stoltz nominated Todd Solem for Member at Large. Ryan moved that nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for those nominated. Motion passed. Ryan Jilek will serve another term as Vice President and Dale Sattler and Todd Solem will serve a term as Members at Large.
Rocky collected $25 dues from each member present at the meeting.
Jon presented information from Brew Your Own that would give club members a year subscription to BYO for $14 if the club could accumulate 10 subscribers by June 2009. Rocky passed the form around for those interested and retained the form to allow others to subscribe at the next meeting. Discussed including a subscription to BYO to be provided to the Dickinson Public Library.
It was agreed that Maurice “Moe” Lloyd be accepted to the club as an honorary member as he has brewed a batch of beer earlier this month that Jon will bring to the March 2009 meeting for evaluation by the membership. As an honorary member, Moe will not be subject to dues, nor have voting rights.
Discussed the production of beer glasses for each member. Ryan purchased a case of glasses and had them at the meeting. Ryan showed an example of what could be applied to the glasses, specifically, the club logo and members name and year they became a member. Ryan will proceed with procuring the vinyl transfers that will be applied to each glass to serve as a stencil for applying a permanent frost to each glass.
Rocky brought a home-brewed ESB. Paul brought a home-brewed English Bitter and home-made Lemoncello, and some Boddington’s Pub Ale. Jon brought some Hazed and Infused from the Boulder Beer Co. Todd brought some home-made Chokecherry wine. Dale brought some home-brewed Pilsner Urquell and some home-made Lemoncello. Ryan brought some home-made cheeses. Mike brought some pizza.
Ryan distributed the Michelob sampler cases and Horny Goat beers that he acquired at cost from Town & Country Liquors.
My son-in-law, Moe, brewed his first batch of beer on February 4, 2009. I supplied the ingredients, equipment and expertise and Moe supplied the manpower. -Jon
Present: Ryan Jilek, Mike Anderson, Rocky Stoltz, Paul Ellerkamp and Jon Stika.
Beer of the month from Town & Country Liquors was Dundee Oktoberfest. Dundee Oktoberfest has a light amber color and very pronounced caramel flavor. It is both sweeter and lacking in the biscuity/bready flavors of a traditional Oktoberfest, but is clean and smooth with a malty finish.
Rocky brought a Maple Ale, Paul brought a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone, Ryan brought some of his barleywine and IPA from the brewing session last fall, Mike brought some hard cider and lemon “snap”, and Jon brought some Brown Ale. The Maple Ale was good, but lacking in noticeable maple aroma or flavor. Rocky said he added the maple syrup near the end of the boil. Jon suggested the maple syrup might be added to the secondary fermenter to limit the maple flavor and aroma being lost during the boil or carbon dioxide evolution during primary fermentation. The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone was brewed from a kit purchased from Midwest Brewing. The malt bill was entirely dry malt extract. The beer was very good, with a good malt flavor and lots of Cascade hop aroma and flavor. The Barleywine was very good and balanced with alcohol evident in the flavor profile. All agreed the Barleywine was very young yet and would improve with age. The IPA was very true to style and very good overall. The hard Cider was very good with a slight sweetness and nice apple flavor. The Lemon Snap was very lemony and easy to drink. The Brown Ale was well balanced with some fruity esters, but lacked the malt character desired in that style of ale.
Ryan moved to charge $20 as annual club dues, seconded by Jon. After further discussion, the motion was amended to $25 per year. Discussion included that the money could be used to purchase pint glasses on which Ryan offered to etch the club name. The glasses could be used by each member at regular meetings as a tasting glass. Each member would be responsible for bringing their glass to each meeting. Dues could also be used to sponsor a subscription at the Dickinson Public Library for ‘Brew Your Own’ and ‘Zymurgy’ magazines and for other expenses for supplies consumed at meetings. Motion passed.
Ryan moved to split the current position of Secretary/Treasurer into separate positions of Secretary and Treasurer with the President and Treasurer as signatories on any payments made by the club, seconded by Rocky. Motion passed. Ryan moved that Rocky be elected as Treasurer by unanimous ballot and all other nominations cease, seconded by Mike. Motion passed. Rocky is now the club Treasurer and Jon the club Secretary.
Ryan moved that we file as a non-profit organization with the state of North Dakota to give the club a legally recognized identity, seconded by Jon. Motion passed.
Other discussion centered around the need to hold elections for the positions of vice president and members at large at the February 2009 meeting. The current Vice President and members at large are eligible for re-election. Other members are eligible to be elected to these positions except Paul as President and Jon as Secretary. It was noted that Jon brought his own tasting glass to the meeting to save a disposable plastic cup from the trash.
Present: Rocky Stoltz, Paul Ellerkamp, Jeremy Jahner, Todd Solem, Dale Sattler, Ryan Jilek, Dennis Froemke, Jon Stika, Mike Anderson and Todd Dorval.
Welcome to new members Mike Anderson and Todd Dorval!
The beer of the month supplied by Town & Country Liquors was Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown lager. Fireside is a deep amber colored lager with prominent maple sweetness, hazelnut and chocolate flavors and a clean crisp finish. Fireside is likely the most flavorful beer available of the many varieties brewed by Leinenkugel’s.
Dennis brought a sample of his first beer that he brewed, an Irish Red Ale, which was now fully carbonated. Paul brought some of his Scottish 60+/- Ale. Ryan brought some Oktoberfest that was fermented with a California Common (Steam Beer) yeast. Rocky brought some ESB. Jon brought some Espresso Porter. Todd S. brought some wine that is now a year old that was feremented from Concord grapes locally grown by Guy Harper. Dale brought Elderberry wine from locally grown Elderberries. Todd D. and Paul each brought Apple Pie liquor.
Discussed production of brewing shows for Channel 18 (Consolidated Communications local access). Jon will script some outlines and questions that could be used in shows. Topics suggested were: types of beer, ingredients, equipment, process for extract brewing vs. all grain, and the steps in making wine.
Jon updated the website to include the link to CafePress for those interested in purchasing items with the club logo on them. The link to CafePress is on the About Us page.
Heart River Homebrewers is a club based in Dickinson, North Dakota dedicated to the art and science of beer and wine making and their enjoyment in moderation to promote health and happiness.
