Presidents report. 

Welcome to the New Year and for most of us thank goodness that 2020 has been and gone. Maybe some normality will return this year and that life can continue without the restraints that Government inflicted on us due to COVID.

Looking back, after months of Zoom meetings The Melbourne Brewers were able to meet face to face in November. The agenda for that night was just to catch up with each other and talk all things beer and brewing and to conduct the long-awaited SMASH brew internal competition. COVID certainly gave us all time to brew, and the number of entries for the comp was staggering. It was fantastic to see so many involved in the competition and to be able to taste so many great beers.

Not long after that November meeting was the Christmas Party at Warrien Road Reserve Croydon. Numbers in attendance were most heartening and it was especially gratifying to see so many family members attend. A great time was had with plenty of good food and beer to enjoy.

This months meeting will be a get together to again enjoy the social aspect of The Melbourne Brewers at Pete’s warehouse.  The BBQ will be fired up and there will be tasting of some beers brewed from grain of a small Ballarat maltster. Late last year ‘Keg King” generously donated some Toasted Malt from The House of Malt in Ballarat for some of our members to brew with, so it is those beers that will be on tasting.

Also, at the meeting some organisation preparation for BeerFest, which will be conducted at Beach Hut Brewery located at 4 Rocco Drive Scoresby (which is off Nyadale Drive very close to Ferntree Gully Road exit off East Link) on Saturday 28^th February

It is a wonderful opportunity to submit an entry or entries to obtain some feed back on your beers and maybe pick up a prize along the way.

We will need as many of our members help on the day, judging, stewarding or part of the organisation on the day. Your assistance will be appreciated.

BEERFEST sets us apart as a club, our prizes and sponsorships are second to none, so please get involved to support our club and our sponsors.

The committee are looking forward to and have planned a productive and energising year with plenty of variety so that members find benefit in coming along and being part of THE MELBOURNE BREWERS.

Ian Bennett

President.

 

The next meeting, 27th of January. 

Januarys meeting will be back at Pete's warehouse with a 7:30pm start. The address is Unit 11/12 Edina Rd, Ferntree Gully VIC 3156. BBQ will be going and we will be tasting some beers made with grain from a victorian maltster.

Steinbrew 2021.

19th-21st of March.

Major Creek Riverside Camp.

 

 

 

 

Beerfest 2021.

Located for 2021 at Beach Hut Brewery at 4 Rocco Drive, Scoresby.

Entries Close February 13th.

Judges and Stewards needed. Register your help here.

 

 

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.

Christmas Party 2020.

Was held on Saturday the 5th of December for a  BBQ lunch in the park. It was at Warrien Reserve on Warrien Road in Croydon North, 3136.  

 

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.

Get Brewing for Beerfest!

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.