Greetings Members! Just a reminder about the upcoming BIG BREW on Saturday, and a bunch of other stuff...
BIG BREW: KLOB is celebrating our Big Brew event this Saturday May 2nd, 10am. If you're planning on brewing, please let us know. We're looking for 6-8 brew rigs to be brewing. Bell's Brewery is kind enough to host our Big Brew this year. Find us in the courtyard between the General store and the brewery. Bring all your own brewing equipment you need to brew. Water and electric are provided, but bring hoses, cords, etc... If you're doing all-grain, please be ready to go right at 10am, so we can get out of Bell's hair at a reasonable hour.
2015 Big Brew recipes can be found here: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/aha-events/national-homebrew-day/
Also, please respect our hosts, no outside alcohol is allowed on the property. They do have plenty of beer at the bar you can drink :) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BUS TRIP UPDATE: So far, we are about half filled for our bus trip to Grand Rapids breweries on June 13th. Don't wait too long to make your reservation. KLOB members are allowed to invite non-member guests as well. Cost is $25/member, $30/non-member guest. You may purchase your seats at the next club meeting or anytime at Tempo Vino Winery, downtown at 260 E. Michigan ave.
This is an all day event, plan on leaving at 10am from Kalamazoo and getting home around 9pm. We will be stopping by a few breweries & having lunch on the way to Grand Rapids, spending a few hours exploring downtown GR & getting dinner, then heading back south to another brewery or two, then heading home. We will have more details and a complete itinerary soon.
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MALT HOUSE VISIT: Reminder our Pilot Malt House visit is May 23rd, 12-2pm.
Pilot Malt House is located at 1000 100th St SW, Suite E/F, Byron Center, MI 49315
Carpool: Although we have been assured there is ample parking, if anyone wants to carpool, please meet at Boatyard Brewery at 11am. Plan to leave by 11:20am to make it on time to Pilot Malt House by 12pm. Old Mill Brewery: On the way back home to Kalamazoo, Old Mill Brewery has invited us to stop in for a pint or seven. We're planning on arriving at Old Mill between 2:30-3pm if you would to join.
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GREAT TASTE OF THE MIDWEST: Ticket Raffle @ the May Meeting.
The Great Taste of the Midwest is one of the premier beer festivals in the United States. The Great Taste features over one hundred fifty of the Midwest’s finest craft brewers at beautiful Olin Park overlooking Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. Event is August 8th. http://greattaste.org/
The organizers of the GTMW graciously allow our club an allotment of 25 tickets to give to our members. The cost is $60/ticket. We usually have more members wanting tickets than we have tickets. To make it fair, we hold a raffle if there are more than 25 people interested in going. If you would like to be entered in for a ticket, you must: 1- Be a member in good standing (paid for 2015). 2- Be present at the May Meeting. 3- Pay for your ticket at that time. If we have fewer than 25 people interested, additional tickets may be purchased by members.
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SMaSH BREW EXCHANGE: The exchange will take place at our May Meeting, May 18th. For more info, and a sample SMaSH recipe, visit: http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/09/05/what-is-smash-brewing/ This is a good time to try out some of the new hops that are on the market, or maybe try a more unique base malt like Vienna. Don't forget, have your bottles ready for our May Meeting, bring 6 to 12 12oz bottles.