National Homebrew Club Ireland

June's a pretty hectic month for some of us but trying to gauge if there's sufficient interest for a Hudson meet.

Cast your vote, folks!

Cheers,

-Barry

No particularly strong feelings on when this month

Frig sake, Clicked the wrong one! :-[

21st is the only night I am free, so take one off 28th and put it onto 21st!

Can we edit votes? Where's George DubYa when you need him?

That was political satire, that was.

-Barry

How do you become a 'Full Member', Bazz-Meister?

Here you go
http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2541.0.html
Can believe you Belfast Boys are becoming the biggest club in the NHC well done!

I can do the 7th, 14th or 21st, unfortunately i'm away for work on the 28th.

BrewBilly

Might have to flip a coin for this one!

lol. barry is overseeing this one so we'll leave it with him!

I think that technically the 21st is winning since Iain voted for 28th while actually meaning to select the 21st. We can keep that in mind if we have a tie-breaker situation.

Christ this is tense!


-Barry

How many votes till you decide, this is like eurovision, lets hope all the votes get counted  ;D

Hasn't been anyone that's said they CAN'T do the 21st...and the others have at least one person who can't. (I actually can't do the 7th as it turns out)

i can only do the 14th, but its clear that 21st is the best- go with that

matthew

Oops! Me 'n' my big mouth

TWEN-TY FIRST! TWEN-TY FIRST! TWEN-TY FIRST! TWEN-TY FIRST!  :P

I'll see if there're any more votes/comments by the end of today and then I'll work tirelessly through the night counting the votes.

I wonder is it worth doing a headcount for people who can make it once the date is decided. The exit poll suggests we'll have at least 3 for the 21st  ???

Sure let me know what you think.

-Barry

We may need a recount, but probably best crossing that particular bridge when we come to it.

Finally hoping to make it to a meet up. 21st or 28th is good for me. Voted for 28th but only because it's payday! Either is good. Last two meet ups I've been working late.

21st is good for me

Did you vote for 21st BrewBilly?

Okay, so I've been burning the midnight oil collating, checking and re-checking the votes. Every time I close my eyes now I see hoards of random numbers flying around in the air against a soundtrack of that distorted sinister carnival music you see in films. Scary stuff, I'm sure you'll agree.

From what I can see, if we take the vote Iain accidentally cast for the 28th and put it to the 21st instead, it would appear that the 21st wins it by a single vote from the 28th and 14th.

Unless there're any late entries can we agree on the 21st? If there're no strong objections I can contact the Hudson later today (assuming this is the normal procedure, Matthew).


Cheers,

-Barry

Hi barry- lets pencil in 21st.

Michael wanted me to call him tomorrow about some things- including out meet this month. So I'll confirm the 21st with him

Matthew

Nice one Matthew. 21st it is then! I'll let my people know...


Got loads more wine I need help drinking - enough for everyone!

Quote from: iain_todd on June 05, 2013, 08:42:13 AM
Did you vote for 21st BrewBilly?

Iain I did indeedy  ;D

QuoteMichael wanted me to call him tomorrow about some things- including out meet this month. So I'll confirm the 21st with him

Cheers, Matthew.

I know we like to keep the thing as informal as possible i.e. try out some samples, have a few drinks from the bar, watch the conversation slowly descend into toilet humour and double-entendres, but if there's anything you'd really like to discuss or get some advice on, or want to deliver a Powerpoint presentation on, now's the time to get thinking.

Possible topics:
- Temperature control i.e. brew fridges, atc/stc controllers, etc
- Sanitation tips
- Appealing to a wider audience i.e. pimping kits for the beginner / keeping cost & labour down.
- General tips / short cuts you've discovered.
- How come no comedian of first name 'Russell' is funny?
- Yeast washing/recycling
- Can someone have a look at this rash?
- Other

Anyway, just a thought.

-Barry

just an update- no answer form michael yday- left a msg and waiting to hear back

will confirm the 21st asap

I may be able to drop into this. Do you guys bring homebrew or just turn up and chat?

Hi IPA,

No real pre-requisites. If you have a couple of samples, bring them along, but there's no obligation.

Cheers,

-Barry

Cool - what time are you guys meeting at?

QuoteCool - what time are you guys meeting at?

7:30 or 8:00.

..PM, that is.

Anyone have any preferences?

-Barry

Barry

Why not call it 1930 for 2000 then both camps are happy, the early arrivers just get to drink more BEER

QuoteCan someone have a look at this rash?

lol Barry!

So is this on for the 21st? I got lost in a sea of voting

still waiting to hear back confirmation

Quote from: matthewdick23 on June 11, 2013, 11:51:12 AM
still waiting to hear back confirmation

Any news yet???

nope- tried calling and no answer. left more messages. worst case, I'd say just go. if we cant offically confirm it, maybe we just dont bring homebrews that night. or maybe we do, but be prepared to explain when we get there

Hi Folks,

Sorry I've been a little unresponsive of late. Heavy weekend followed by a few days' complete disinterest (revulsion?) in anything beer-related. 40 years old and still haven't learned  :-\

Anyway, I agree with Matthew. Put the 21st, 7:30 for 8:00, in your calendars and assume it's going ahead i.e. don't go booking a night at the theatre or the ballet. I'll try and get confirmation from Michael or Michael in the meantime.

Officially back on the horse today. Have to be; those 40 pints of London Pride won't keg themselves.


-Barry

Excellent. Looks like ill finally be able to make it. Looking forward to it

And the good news is that Matthew's since gotten confirmation from the Hudson that the 21st is on  :)

This time it'll be in the Heel Bar, ground floor at the back.

-Barry

730 on

I realise Im being a bit cheeky here but I was wondering if I could bring a couple of mates - one of them is a kit brewer and the other is someone Im trying to convert. Both the lads are based in Belfast and would have a fair knowledge of craft beer. 

The very more the merrier.

We definitely don't operate of "Ain't got a sample, you don't get in" policy. More of a social get together to discuss beer and the making thereof

Grand stuff - see you there so! I'll be bringing my stout and ale anyways  :)

You reckon Barrack will still be in town? Could bring along some of that Honey Ale they do

lol, my friend was getting to meet him this morning and ask one question- i was trying to persuade him to ask about the homebrew

I wonder if he did

looks like I'll be able to come along for a bit on Fri. Got a bday party which happens to be in the hudson first, so will be able to pop into the heel bar too

cant wait

"are you happy that your unmanned drones blow up civilian children?" would've been a good one too.


Cool, I should be there around eight, lads. I'll bring some more wine and hopefully some cider.

Liberated a few bottles of my black IPA from their conditioning prison! Shall have a decent sample  ;D

Ah - we can't make it and was looking forward to trying your black IPA! We attempted one but it turned out way too burnt!

What was the grain bill for yours?

We may have just got lucky with the black malt we chose, stayed pretty even

We used around 2% black malt so the wrong type and probably too much - more of an experiment really!

AG #3 (http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,49.0.html)

chris, think u needa steep the darker grain in cold water and add it to boil- not mash it in with the rest of the bill

I think we used carafa III directly into the mash. I've heard, like Matthew said, that you shouldn't mash when using the blacker malts

Cool - yeah definitely back to the drawing board!

How long would you steep? Overnight?

We've Carafa II Special - is that similar?

Think it's just a bit lighter/less toasty.

Can't see it destroying anything.

I think you just steep it for the length of time for your mash, maybe a little longer. Because it's cold water you don't get the same transfer and it's mostly colour

the recipes I've seen do an overnight steep in cold water. idea is that it just changes the colour and adds no flavour

Yeah...those recipes left me wondering what the point was at all TBH if it doesn't change the flavour...Sure a bit of black food dye would do the same job

Quoteidea is that it just changes the colour and adds no flavour

Are we still talking purely for IPAs and lagers here?

For ales and stouts you add the grains to the mash, right? Or has the world as I know it been turned right around?

Which begs the question, why do a black ipa at all if all the 'black' contributes is colour? I'm probably just being an old fuddy-duddy. You kids with your disco music and your casual sex.


-Barry

Quote from: Bazza on June 20, 2013, 04:56:34 PM

Quoteidea is that it just changes the colour and adds no flavour

why do a black ipa at all if all the 'black' contributes is colour?

I thought that was the point of an IPA? It is black, but tastes like an IPA. Any black IPA's I've tried just taste like a hoppy porter, which makes me wonder where the 'Black IPA' is coming from.

i had one sent over frm england for winning fantasy football league on another forum (we should do that nxt season btw for football fans). it was awesome- a really good ipa except it was black

my understanding was that its an ipa but with a different colour. the idea being that the colour throws you off , not being wot u expected

Really enjoyed the Kernel Scanner Darkly Black IPA - really hoppy and loads of flavour but yeah also roasty.

I agree with Matt. I thought a black IPA was supposed to be like a hoppier version of a Schwarzlager, like Koestrizer.

In my opinion, the moment it begins to have that chocolatey, malty, liquorice flavour, it becomes a porter. I could only really believe I was drinking a black IPA if it had clear flavour and was hoppy, otherwise I just get the impression I'm drinking a hoppy porter with a fancy name.

Perhaps we should have a whole day dedicated to this - Matt and I can brew our definition of a black IPA, and Barry and Chris can brew theirs?

Iain- that sounds like a plan- maybe for the Sept meet?

I guess it depends on what you use as your defining factor for an IPA and a Porter....any I have tasted very definitely have the IBUs of an IPA, but not necessarily the toast levels sufficient to be a Porter.

Anyway, carting one down tonight, you can see what you think

I agree with Iain. The whole 'IPA' tag seems to be loosely applied at anything with a few hops in it these days. If it tastes like a porter it's a porter.

How Greene King can refer to their tasteless arsewater as 'IPA' is beyond me. In fact, I've a good mind to report them to the police.

-Barry

Ah, I thought you were differing from me and Matt? there goes the Black IPA battle then!


Well sure we could do one anyway - we'll discuss it tonight. I think it'd be good to do one BIPA using the dark malts in the mash, and another just using the water, a' la Matt.


Nice one BrewBilly - looking forward to trying it!

Quotewe'll discuss it tonight

Ah right Iain. I thought you weren't making it tonight. Nice one!

-Barry

Have fun tonight lads - will be thinking about yous!  ;)

Here, if I take a few photos tonight, is there a space on the website for photo albums, like on Facebook, or do they just have to accompany the write up?

Ahhh, as of about 5 minutes ago I am hangover free. Back on the horse!

See you all down there!

-Barry

Quote from: iain_todd on June 21, 2013, 05:00:33 PM
Here, if I take a few photos tonight, is there a space on the website for photo albums, like on Facebook, or do they just have to accompany the write up?

could do both- if you start a thread in here wit pics, then use some for the writeup too

Coolio. Might be a good idea for the site - if each branch has a photo album and we could take photos of outings etc.

Missed this again last night. I WILL make it to one of these at some point

Well, all the samples went down pretty damned well! Nice meet a few new people :-)

That dandelion wine was awesome!

Loved that dandelion wine too..  Is this going to be a monthly thing?????

Can't believe how well that dandelion wine went down! Everyone seems to enjoy my wines more than I do. I suppose that's to be expected. I brought some milk wine round for my friends, expecting them to hate it, but they loved it and asked for another bottle!

Maybe I'll bring that next time - some yummy milk wine!  8)

Great to meet you guys, swap samples and have a chat. Really liked the Dandelion wine, and remember the Black IPA fondly. There were other nice beers but I ended up sampling quite a lot later in the night so am a bit hazy on details! Someone asked me what the nickname was for Co Down, and I did not know the answer (or remember who asked me) - heres a link  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_county_nicknames)  if you're still interested!