February 2017 Meeting Minutes

[karl]

Cedar Rapids Beer Nuts
General Meeting MInutes
2017 February 16

Meeting was called to order at 8:33 pm. Membership in attendance was 18.

Reports

Treasurer’s report: Membership dues have been paid for 24 members for 2017. Typically, there are between 40 and 44 dues-paying members in a given year.

Old Business

Club Competitions:
January: style 11A Ordinary Bitter: turn-in completed at January general meeting. Judging to be completed on February 09. Results will be announced at the February meeting. There were seven entries judged by a panel of three judges. Results are:
3rd place: Randy Carris
2nd place: Chris Zubock
1st place: Tony Browning
February: “Bunged” Breakfast Cereal Beer (the cabinet had discussed a March turn-in but this was corrected to reflect the original announcement date of February)
April: style 24A Belgian Wit
July: style 20C Imperial Stout
October: 6A Marzen

Member-sponsored competitions: Pat McCusker is sponsoring “Mad McCusker’s Mead Melee” including putting up a prize of one gallon of excellent Basswood honey. Turn-in is approximately one year from now. You need aging time so get busy!

Benz Festival
Date is May 13
We were the most popular tent last year and want to make a good showing again this year! We’re planning on having 18 taps this year. So, make beer!
A sign up for volunteers and beer supply is pending

Beer Nuts Homebrew Festival Planning
Date: Third Saturday in August: August 19
Location: Benz Beverage Depot has confirmed acceptance of this date.
Advertising cards advertising the event were made available to members to distribute to the public. Magnets will be available soon.
Call for beer!

National Homebrew Conference
Individual attendee registration will open March 07 at 11:00 AM CST. Be watching the NHC website for registration details and hotel bookings. Beware of scammers that will contact you requesting a credit card number to reserve hotel rooms.
Club transportation, likely involving carpooling, is anticipated by the cabinet. Details are TBD.
Plan on traveling up to Minneapolis on Wednesday, June 14. (The Brewers Network party that night is definitely worth attending.) And, plan on travelling home on Sunday, June 18.
Hospitality suite & Beer supply: We are guaranteed (refrigerated) space for only 20 (⅙-barrel) kegs which are managed by the convention staff. More might be possible, but not guaranteed. However, we need to encourage members to provide beer.
Our theme was deemed too edgy and potentially offensive to some. Since we wish to be hospitable to all, we are looking for a new theme for our participation in club night and the hospitality room. Please contact the cabinet with suggestions.

Beer Nuts Happy Hour
Last Sunday of the month (January through October) at Lion Bridge Brewing
Sign up for February (“Bunged” entries featured)

New Business

General meeting dates and locations
March: Another Road Taproom (Marion). This will be one of their “bottle share” nights and we are allowed to bring commercial beer to share with all there.
April: Tentatively Iowa Brewing

Club Trips/Tours
Iowa Brewery Tour (late spring?): Will likely require a deposit and a minimum number of commitments before the logistics are completed.
Great Taste of the Midwest: TBD.

Wort rally: Lion Bridge Brewing is willing to collaborate with the club for another wort rally. Timing is yet to be determined, but we are aiming at an April pickup with turn-in and judging in June.

Grain buy: TBD. With Turner Alley being defunct we are searching for a new partner brewery.

Big Brew Day: This could be conducted in conjunction with the New Bo market on May 6th. This would provide both a publicity opportunity for the club and interest to the market.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:01 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Karl Hoech, Secretary