Presidents report. 

Happy New Year everybody, hopefully everyone enjoyed Christmas, and those that were fortunate enough to take holidays have come back rejuvenated.

The Christmas Party at Moonah Links was a success once again for those that could make it along. The food was a highlight and thanks again to Brendan Cheeseman, Roger’s son who cooked the brisket and pulled pork to perfection on his smoker.

Also, a thank you to the committee who provided salads and sweets for the night.

2020 should be another terrific year for the Melbourne Brewers Club. The committee have plans to make it as enjoyable as possible with activities to keep everyone interested and to help further enhance the individuals brewing.

Hopefully you get as much out of the club as you put into it.

Beerfest is fast approaching being held on 22 February 2020, this time at a new venue, at Keg King 40 Smith Road Springvale. Their new function room is at our disposal for this competition.

Judges no matter what past experience you may have, and stewards are required so if you can be available that would assist the club greatly.

Entries close on the 8^th February.

We would like to see as many members as possible submit an entry or two to enable you to see how your beer stacks up in competition. Feedback is a great tool for improvement.

March 20th – 22^nd is the date for STEINBREW.

It will be held Nagambie where we have held it for the past few years. This is a great weekend away camping, brewing, and relaxing with a beer so lock it in your diary. This weekend is very much a family event so get along and enjoy the time.

Throughout the year there will be opportunities for brewers to represent The Melbourne Brewers at other competitions and at Good Beer Week so don’t miss the opportunities as they present.

I wish our member all the best throughout 2020 and look forward to our club being successful and relevant.

Cheers,

Ian Bennett.

 

The next meeting, 29th January. 

To be held at Petes warehouse, Unit 11/12 Edina Road, Ferntree Gully 3156 at 7:30pm. We will be starting the year off with a sausage sizzle.

 

Steinbrew.

Back at Nagambie.

March 20th-22nd, save the date!

Beerfest 2020.

Will be held this year at Keg King. 

 

HOW TO ENTER

Entries Close: 8th February 2019

Entry Instructions: Register your entries online at beerfest.melbournebrewers.org Affix the label you are given after payment to the flat side of your bottle (covering the entire label with clear tape) Deliver your bottle to your nearest drop off point. 

Drop-off Details: Entries may be delivered to the following participating Victorian Home Brew Shops: Grain & Grape, 5/280 Whitehall St., Yarraville 3013 Greensborough Home Brewing Supplies, 29 Beewar St. Greensborough 3088 The Brewer’s Den, 253 Dorset Road Boronia 3155 Brewers Choice, 1389 Healesville Road, Woori Yallock, VIC. 3139 Keg King, Warehouse 48 Smith Rd, Springvale VIC 3171 Home Make It: 4/158 Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3168 Home Make It. 265 Spring St, Reservoir VIC 3073

Postal entries are to be sent to The Brewers Den Entry restrictions: Two Entries are permitted per major category, one entry per style. Entries must be at least 500ml and in a single bottle, multi bottle will be disqualified from judging.

 

 

Our sponsors  put up some fantastic prizes this year in support of the Home Brewing Community. Lets show them some love back and get   behind them when you next do your shopping or recommend a store to a new brewer. It's these sponsors that keep our competitions running so lets return the favour and support them any way you can!

Major Sponsors.

 Category Sponsors.

Club News.

The Club is planning a case swap in Easter, register your interest.

Steinbrew is coming around again March 20th - 22nd.

The Old Dick.

Since 1999, the Club Brewer of the Year trophy has been an unusual mechanical device, affectionately known as “The Old Dick”.

The trophy was built about 22 years ago by former Member Dick Seville who was a popular and eccentric Member of the Melbourne Brewers and the ABAV which preceded it. “The Old Dick” is designed to hold a 750ml bottle of beer and to gradually tilt it in order to pour the contents without disturbing the sediment, thereby obtaining a crystal clear beer.

Dick an engineer by trade would regularly take the device with him when dining at BYO restaurants and drinking his own beers, mostly bottle conditioned brown ales.

Longstanding Members will remember Dick as the quietly spoken gentleman who would bring a large plate of cheese and onion sandwiches to every club meeting which would be unveiled late at each meeting after the standard Club nibbles had been consumed. These would rapidly be devoured and were a traditional part of Club meetings for many years.

Dick was an inventive guy having a hand in building one of the first commercial washing machines ever built in Australia. Unfortunately, Dick passed away several years ago but much of his brewing equipment was donated and subsequently auctioned by the Club so many current Members have equipment designed and built by Dick and his legacy lives on.

The Old Dick was donated by Dick’s family and Colin Penrose. So next time you see “The Old Dick” remember that it, like our Club, has a rich history built on the efforts of eccentric good blokes like Dick Seville.

The Old Dick is a prestigious award given to the Club Brewer of the Year, based on all the members points tallied from all competitions entered. First, Second and Third all generate points to determine who gets to be this years Brewer of the Year.

Membership.

The club's preferred method of payment is online. http://13.211.143.4/register/melbourne-brewers-membership-2018-2019/ New members: If you believe you are not on the club mailing list, send the committee an email or bring it up with someone at a meeting to make sure we add you in.

Your membership comes with these great benefits plus many others so support the club and help keep it going.BYO Magazine  All members receive the BYO magazine as part of their yearly subscription.

(This is a great saving over an individual subscription)

Monthly Meetings

Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month at different locations. They are a great place to socialise, listen to talks, participate in Club competitions, BBQ's and of course taste lots of beer plus many other things.

Communications

A monthly newsletter outlining upcoming Club events and competitions as well as general Melbourne Brewers information and photos.  This gets distributed by email a few days before Club meetings.

Members are also advised of upcoming events by email. Our member email distribution is also used as a forum to discuss topics of interest and to provide brewing information amongst members.

Brew Days Periodically, Members volunteer to have a Brew Day at their brewery and invite Club Members or guys who may be interested in brewing to have a look at how they brew, equipment used etc. Brew Days are a good way for novice brewers to learn how to make all-grain beer.

Activity Days Every so often, days are organised for a group of members to build or assemble equipment e.g. convert kegs to boilers, make immersion chillers, yeast stir-plates, counter pressure bottle fillers, temperature controllers.

Events & Excursions Periodically the Club organises events/trips e.g. trip to Maltings, Melbourne microbreweries, weekends away at country pubs, fishing trip.

Annual Club events include the Annual Dinner, Xmas party, Steinbeer weekend and Beerfest weekend (Club run comp).

Club Buys Club buys (Bulk buys) of equipment offer significant savings to members.

Club Library There is a large range of brewing books and equipment available for loan by members.

Things to keep you busy.

Go to our Calendar and sync it with your own so you never miss an event.

Get some reading done after you buy some books through our book depository link.

Last but far from least, help keep the Club alive and don't forget to pay your membership fees for this financial year.