October Hops-over fest

[loftybush]

What date did ye settle on for this?

[johnrm]

Looking like the 19th Oct

[brettdundee]

Yep. Definitely 19th.  Everyone's available 19th and I'm limping along with a head cold and just drilled a hole through my finger today - not too big (4mm).

[johnrm]

I haven't heard of that brewery mod before.
Hydrometer holder?

[brettdundee]

Maybe a vampire ale for Halloween ? (100ml Blood with aroma hops ?)

Hopefully I should have two functional thumbs for Saturdays hops picking - its healing well and I want assure everyone that there is no blood in my Halloween beer.

[brenmurph]

really sorry not to be making this one....Limerick ( Birdhill county tipp near Kilalloe ) is only down the motorway....unfortunatly we have tickets for the harvest fest in athy and on sun we have the summer comp  and the twisted pepper cup.

Have a great day and great to see good numbers aiming to be there for their free fresh hops

John RM told me bout it last week at the BJCP.  So thanks for the offer and for organising the event

regards Bren ( south Kildare NHC)

[brettdundee]

A busy weekend in Kildare so.  I didn't realize we were clashing with a real harvest Octoberfest http://harvestfleadh.com/more-info.
Ours is more of a backyard BBQ to meet a few like minded brewing friends.

Bono wanted to sing a few tunes but I told him it would just get in the way of a good conversation 

[johnrm]

Do you see the way the NHC calendar has trumped this event in Athy?!

[brenmurph]

Great event. Dey even had a press launch with free beer few weeks back. I won two tix on beoir web.

[DEMPSEY]

So what's the difference between Jesus and Bono, Jesus know's he's not Bono.

[brettdundee]

So what's the difference between Jesus and Bono, Jesus know's he's not Bono

Jesus Dempsey,
Ever since I saw the arctic pull up in your drive and cover your front lawn in cheap kegs and drive off.. I thought you were Jesus !

[Bzfeale80]

If anyone going to Bretts event from Abbeyfeale / Newcastle West / Adare area would like to share the spin up I will be driving from Rockchapel Co. Cork via Newcastle West and on to Birdhill

[brettdundee]

We are all set for tomorrow Hops picking & BBQ.

I think we are at about 15 eager starters so should be a great afternoon.  Hops and BBQ are indoors so rain isn't an issue.

Final organisations have been distributed by email so if you are interested please PM me, because I'm not keen to post location on the forum.

[johnrm]

Another fun day followed by a late night!
It was great to meet up and share some tasty brews.
Many thanks to Brett and Maria for the hospitality.

[brettdundee]

No prob.  I nearly didn't bother this year but glad I did as it was great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

We started with a small delay positioning and plumbing up for a bar I didn't use for a few years. Imagine first 10 lads arrived, carried the bar for a few laps around the yard before realizing it didn't fit through any doors. Then, after settling on a position outside, staring at 6 kegs of beer but no chiller and taps operational.   It didn't take too long to get three taps operational - including johnrm's lovely pump action joby that the cat later took a liking to.

After refreshments and introductions we started on the hop picking - we were concerned that last year we didn't finish picking until midnight, although I was reminded that it was more like 11:39pm


We had several more hands this year and I guess it was about 7pm we finished. BBQ was timed to coincide.  The rest of the evening drifted into the wee hours.




This morning the 4 stayers woke with clear heads (oh the joys of natural beer) and a big thanks to those who helped clean up. Twas a joy to be finding boxes and bags of random home brew donations that I'll be sampling over next few weeks.  For breakfast, we tucked into left over BBQ and demolished 1/2 a cake of gorgeous fresh spent mash grain bread (I believe from Galway lads - thanks)

Anyway - Even after everyone left with hops for a few brews, I still found a leftover garbage bag with 800 grams of Cascade so if Chris, sammy7p, loftybush or Eoink (who weren't present for the weighing and distribution) want some just PM me and we can organize pickup.