January 16, 2025
Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville, AR
- Attendance: 13
- Homebrews: 20
Meeting started at 7:12 PM with a toast by Kevin Elsken to Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024. Jimmy Carter legalized home brewing by signing HR 1337 in 1978.
Last Month
- Brewer of the Month: Keith Linn (absent)
- Beer of the Month: Keith Linn’s 11-year-old mead
- Ass of the Month: Ken Gill
Guests
- Amanda McWhirt, leads the hop program at the U of A
- Daniel, has been to FLOPS before but it has been a long time
Amanda McWhirt gave a presentation on the U of A hop research program.
Beers were introduced and an intermission taken to sample the beers.
Old Business
Frost Fest 2025
- February 1, 2025, 1–6 PM
- There are four members interested in participating. Daniel Stubblefield interested as a backup fourth person in case someone drops out.
- Kevin Elsken is bringing the club jockey box with 5 taps, and Ben Farhner can bring 4 more taps.
- There will be a group text to coordinate among the participants.
Iron Brewer Competition
- Q3 2024 Bière de Garde (24C) results:
- 1st place: Keith Linn
- 2nd place: Randy Germann
- 3rd place: Matt Daniels
- Honorable mention: Ric Bailey, only 0.6 points away from 3rd place
- Q1 2025: Irish Stout (15B), due April 17, 2025 at FLOPS
- Q2 2025: Kentucky Common (27), due July 1, 2025 at OZ
- David Johnson will present on the Kentucky Common style at the February meeting.
- Q3 2025: Doppelbock (9A), due October 7, 2025 at FLOPS
- Q4 2025: Belgian Dark Strong (26D), due January 15, 2026 at OZ
New Province King for a Day
- Brew day is February 8, 2025, starting around 9 AM. Wort should be ready around noon.
- Participants can bring a kettle and boil on site, or may bring a vessel to take wort home to boil.
- Judging day is March 15, 2025, where the beers will be served.
- James Harvey made a motion for this to be the club social event for March. The motion was seconded and members approved it with a vote.
Club Memberships
- Memberships need to be renewed for 2025. Members should see Chris Abel, Treasurer, to pay dues.
AHA Membership
- Kevin Elsken encouraged members to join the AHA for its club benefits.
- The club received a $80.96 insurance rebate for 2025 from the AHA.
New Business
Sensory Evaluation Session
- The first session is Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 10 AM at Black Howler.
- Seating is limited to 12 slots, with 2 reserved for Black Howler employees, so members are encouraged to sign up soon.
Flopswear
- Keith Linn set up a site to purchase FLOPS merchandise.
Podcast with Black Howler
- Patrick Bohannan was interviewed on 103.7 The Buzz’s podcast Tap Time in their January 3 episode.
Hop Schedule
- National Homebrew Competition
- Final round is in Kansas City, MO on June 26–27
- Registration opened on January 28, 2025
- $29 per entry
- More info here
- Kansas City Bier Meisters
- February 22, 2025 in Kansas City, MO
- Registration is closed with 774 entries
- More info here
- Bluebonnet
- March 21–22, 2025 in Fort Worth, TX
- Registration closed on January 25, 2025
- More info here
- 2024 Red Earth Brewers Spring Brew Off
- April 12, 2025 in Oklahoma City, OK
- Registration opens February 1, 2025
- Entries due March 21, 2025
- $12 per entry
- More info here
The Future of Homebrewing
- The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette had an article about the closing of New York City’s last home-brew supply store, Bitter & Esters, and the future of homebrewing as a hobby.
Miscellaneous
- Social event for February
- Chris Abel made a motion for Frost Fest to be the club social event for February, James Harvey seconded the motion, and members passed it with a vote.
Meeting closed at 8:24 PM, opening up to GODS, the Greater Ozark Drinking Society.
Brewer of the Month
- Tom Maddock
- Daniel Stubblefield
- Kevin Elsken
Beer of the Month
- Tom Maddock’s Chocolate Stout
Ass of the Month
- Kevin Elsken for giving members a hard time for bringing too many beers.
Meeting concluded at 8:49 PM.
