The next meeting of the Heart River Home Brewers (AHA Club Number: 000163851) is scheduled for Thursday, December 26, 2013 at Custom Data World Headquarters 677 10th Street  Dickinson, North Dakota at 7:30 PM.

Present: Ryan Jilek, Rocky Stoltz, Jerry Ford, Alan Church, Paul Ellerkamp, Jeremiah Thorpe, Paul Ellerkamp and Jon Stika.

Transferred Brown Ale out of barrel #1 into members kegs, buckets and carboys.  Jilek reported that barrel cleaning supplies have been delivered to him by member Bruhschwein.  Date will need to be set to transfer Scotch Strong Ale out of barrel #2 (currently at Stoltz’) and to clean both barrels.  This date will most likely be in December.  Jon will poll members for dates.  Members wishing to contribute to the next barrel beer are encouraged to brew an Old Ale to put into one of the club barrels in January 2014. 

Discussed having shirts made with an embroidered Heart River Home Brewers logo.  Jon will check to see if Mrs. Barros will provide the digital file of the club logo used to embroider Jon’s shirt to the club and at what cost (if any).  This would allow shirts to be embroidered locally.  To date; Rocky Stoltz, Joel Empter, Jeremiah Thorpe, Ryan Jilek, Jerry Ford, Glen Bruhschwein and Chip Ford have expressed interest in purchasing a shirt with the club logo. 

Jon shared the judging results of beers he entered into Hoppy Halloween last month.  The beers included the club barrel-aged Imperial Stout and the homemade malt/homegrown hops/wild yeast beer co-brewed by Jerry, Alan and Jon.  None of Jon’s beers won awards, but a Barley Wine entered by Ryan took a third place.  Ryan has a copy of Stan Hieronymus’ presentation on wheat beers and hopping from Hoppy Halloween that he could share with those interested.

Motion by Rocky, seconded by Jeremiah for the club to reimburse Paul Ellerkamp for pizza purchased for the November meeting/barrel beer transfer.  Motion passed.

Beers brought for sampling: New Belgium Lips of Faith Pluot – Ryan, home-brewed Chokecherry Wheat – Rocky, Wychwood Hobgoblin – Jerry and home-brewed Biere de Garde aged in a wine barrel in cooperation with the Muddy River Mashers of Mandan– Jon.   

Jon Stika Secretary

Present: Jerry Ford, Rocky Stoltz, Ryan Jilek, Glen Bruhschwein, Joel Empter and Jon Stika.

Discussed embroidered “Heart River Home Brewers” shirts.  Jon will send a message out to members to get a count on shirts desired then an order will be consolidated.  It was decided that the club will supply shirts to be delivered to the embroiderer in Bismarck.

Jon will send out a poll to determine dates to remove Brown Ale from barrel 1.  Motion by Jilek, seconded by Bruhschwein that the club would purchase the necessary chemicals to clean and sanitize the club barrels before the next beers are placed in them.  Motion passed.  Jilek will determine necessary chemicals and quantities and notify Bruhschwein, so the chemicals can be picked up in Minneapolis in the next couple weeks.  Old Ale will be placed in barrel 1 after the Brown ale is removed and the barrel sanitized.  It is anticipated that the Old Ale will be placed in Barrel 1 in late December.

Stika reported that he is scheduled to judge at the Hoppy Halloween homebrew competition in Fargo October 25 & 26.  Jilek is scheduled to steward at same competition October 26.

Jon Stika
Secretary

Ryan, Rocky and Jon transported the batches of Scotch Strong Ale (Wee Heavy) to Rocky’s, sanitized the second club barrel, hauled everything down into Rocky’s cellar and racked each batch into the barrel for aging.

Present: Ryan Jilek, Jerry Ford, Chip Ford, Rocky Stoltz, Michael Kreitinger, Joel Empter, Paul Ellerkamp, Matt Ellerkamp, Alan Church and Jon Stika.

Ryan shared a Spruce-tip seasoned Cream Ale from the Corvallis, OR homebrew club and his own Double IPA.  Jon shared a bottle of Rogue Voodoo maple bacon ale and his own Classic American Pilsner.  Rocky shared his own Scottish 60 Shilling Ale.  Mike shared his own IPA.  Joel shared his own Hot Chocolate Stout.  Alan shared his own Pale Ale.  Ryan moved, seconded by Paul to tentatively set the date for the club potluck picnic for September 21st.  Motion passed.  Jon will poll the members to see if that date or another date would work best.  Mike shared a poster for the K of C Knight’s Brew scheduled for September 12th at 6PM at the Dickinson Recreation Center.  The majority of the Scotch Strong Ale (Wee Heavy) has been assembled at Custom Data to be transferred into the second club barrel in the near future.  Sampled the Brown Ale currently aging in the first club barrel and discussed timing of withdrawing the beer into contributors shares for bottling.  No date was agreed upon to withdraw the beer from the barrel at this time.

Jon Stika
Secretary

Present: Rocky Stoltz, Jerry Ford, Ryan Jilek, Chip Ford and Jon Stika.

Rocky reported on the ND Brewers campout at Sully Creek State Park.  Rocky provided a Treasurer’s report.  Sampled Brown Ale from the barrel.  The sourness has mellowed, a slight vanilla/oak flavor is present, malt flavor medium/low and body is a bit thin.  Overall the beer is taking on the characteristics of an Oud Bruin or Flanders Red.  It was decided to allow the beer to age further.  The K of C Beer Taste is scheduled for September 12th as a  BJCP sanctioned competition.  Also discussed production and logistics for filling second wine barrel with Scotch Strong Ale.

Jon Stika
Secretary

Present: Rocky Stoltz, Glen Bruhschwein, Chip Ford, Michael Kreitinger, Ryan Jilek, Dale Sattler, Marya Skaare and Jon Stika.

Discussed barrel beers.  Sampled Brown Ale from the barrel and found it had a microbial pellicule and a slightly earthy/sour aroma and flavor.  The group decided to let the beer remain in the barrel and perhaps develop into a beer similar to an Oud Bruin.  Tallied pledged contributions to Scotch Strong Ale (Wee Heavy) to be interred in the second, yet unused, wine barrel.  50 gallons have been pledged, so Ryan may communicate with the Muddy River Mashers club in Mandan, ND to see if any members would like to contribute 10 gallons to top up the barrel at 60 gallons. Ryan reported that the 15 gallons of Biere de Garde brewed by him, Jon and Rocky has been delivered to Philleos in Mandan to be barrel-aged with Biere de Garde brewed by the Muddy River Mashers club members.  Marya reported on the upcoming Blues & Brews event at the Biesiot Activity Center, June 1st.  Those serving beer at the event may arrive after 3PM to get set up.  Members were reminded of the ND Brewers campout at Sully Creek State park, June 21-23.

Jon Stika
Secretary

Brewing at Hawk’s Point 2013

Brewing Biere de Garde on Cinco de Mayo.

Present: Ryan Jilek, Joel Empter, Dale Sattler, Rocky Stoltz, Glen Bruhschwein, Jerry Ford, Alan Church, Jeremiah Thorpe, Paul Ellerkamp, Chip Ford and Jon Stika.

Discussed sharing hop rhizomes among members.  Jon reported that the Imperial Stout entry in the Eight Seconds of Froth competition would not be entered because of pickup issues.  Alan moved, seconded by Jeremiah that Jon contact the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) regarding the failure by the High Plains Drafters of Cheyenne, WY to uphold their commitment to collect entries in the 8 seconds of Froth competition as originally stated in the competition rules.  Motion passed.  Alan reported on the Outlaw Alcohol presentation made by members Jilek and Stika at the Albers Humanitites Festival at Dickinson State University on April 12th.  Discussed the next collective brew to age in the club’s wine barrel.  Jerry moved, seconded by Ryan that the next style to be brewed for the barrel be a Scotch Strong Ale (Wee Heavy) with any deficit made up by the club (brewed by volunteer members) or a member of the Muddy River Mashers of Mandan if necessary.  Motion passed.  Five-gallon batches of the beer will be brewed by Ryan, Jon, Jeremiah, Jerry, Glen, Alan, Rocky, Paul, Joel and Chip and be ready to transfer to the barrel by the July club meeting.  Discussed the upcoming Blues and Brews scheduled for June 1st at the Biesiot Activity Center.  Rocky, Dale, Ryan, Jeremiah, Paul and Jon plan to attend and serve their homemade beer/wine.  Discussed brewing a beer using second runnings from a big mash.  Jon reported that the beers brewed at Hawk’s Point for Blues and Brews have been kegged and connected to carbon dioxide for carbonation/maturation.

Present: Alan Church, Joel Empter, Ryan Jilek, Rocky Stoltz, Jerry Ford, Marcus Jackson and Jon Stika.

Discussed Albers Humanities Festival and the “Outlaw Alcohol: Chemistry and the Unintended Consequences of Prohibition” in which Ryan and Jon will be participating.  Discussed the 8 Seconds of Froth homebrew competition in Cheyenne, WY on May 11th.  Jon has entered several beers in the competition including the clubs’ barrel-aged Imperial Stout.  Discussed hops that could be grown at the Dickinson Research and Experiment Station.  Ryan, Rocky, Jerry and Jon plan to brew three beer kits at Hawks Point on April 5th.

Jon Stika
Secretary