It has been a busy summer including the NBA field trip, so your faithful NBA blogger has not been able to make time to get the post up until now. Check out where we have been and where we are going!
Recent Activities
Eductation – Extract vs. Brew-in-a-Bag Triangle Test: Green, red, or purple? Two samples of an extract beer and one sample of a BIAB version of the same recipe were provided blind to club members at this months meeting to see if we could identify which stood out. Overall, 13 of 15 members identified the odd beer out and just over half thought it was extract, despite actually being the BIAB brew. As we finished the experiment, it was clear that one stood out by color, which is often the case with extract.
Mighty Axe Field Trip: This month we were able to head up to Foley, MN, to visit our favorite farm — Mighty Axe Hops. Eric was kind enough to share his insight on this wonderful plant and the industry as a whole, walk through the entire plant-to-pellet process, and take us out into the field to spend time among the Comet plants just weeks away from being harvested. On the way back home, we stopped by Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake, MN, and were able to get a tour of the 10-barrel and 30-barrel brewhouses. It was a great day for a road trip to learn about our neighbors up north!
State Fair Competition: Congratulations to everyone who entered and placed with the annual Minnesota State Fair homebrew competition, especially to club vice president Matt Johnson for his NEIPA taking first place in the Specialty IPA category!
NBA Competition Committee: The NBA competition committee kicked off this year’s event this month as well to start planning. Look for more detail on this in the next weeks and months for the competition to take place around early December.
Upcoming Activities
Taproom Takeover – Wooden Hill Brewing Co. in Edina: Social hour this month is heading south to grab some beers at Wooden Hill. Come grab a pint and chat with the club for a casual night out. All are welcome!
Education – Sour Beer Blending: The monthly meeting for September will include a hands-on experiment and education topic rolled into one for blending sour beer. All current and prospective members are welcome to join (no RSVP required) and sample some finished beers prior to packaging. Pipettes included!
Big River Brew Fest – Saturday, October 5 @ ESNS: Tickets are available for one of the best brew fests around. Grab your ticket now as a fundraiser for East Side Neighborhood Services — the monthly home for NBA meetings — and come grab some great beers. The event moved up a couple weeks compared to previous years. The NBA has some big plans to help support this great event!
For announcements of the monthly Taproom Takeover, monthly recap of recent events, and announcements for upcoming events, keep an eye on this space, our club calendar, and our social media sites on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Come join us and chat about beer and brewing!
Cheers!