FLOPS Meeting Minutes – February 19th, 2015
Opening Toast – Tony Canova
Here’s to beer o’clock, the best time of the day.
Primary Fermenter, Ash Goodwin presiding.
Officer Reports
Primary – Ash Goodwin
Secretary – Chris Abel
January meeting minutes are up on flopsclub.com.
Treasurer – Shaun Servoss
We have money. Dues are due.
Hop Scheduler – Brad Schmidt
Details on these notable upcoming competitions can be found on the AHA website,
KC Brewmeisters in Kansas City, MO will be this upcoming weekend.
The National AHA Conference is going to be held in San Diego this June.
Blue Bonnet Brewoff in Dallas, TX
Regional AHA National Brewing competitions. Austin, Nashville, St. Louis, and Denver will host.
New competition in Kansas City, MO, ZZ Hops homebrew club in Lee’s Summit MO is hosting.
We need to start hosting brew-ins again. If you are willing please let an officer know.
Brew Master – Tim Keltner
The loaner equipment list is located under the Learn To Brew link on the home page of flopsclub.com. A list of the equipment needed to complete our loaner brewing kit is now up at the same location. Fermenters, fermentation locks, auto syphons, a bottle capper, a burner, thermometer, hydrometer, various cleaning brushes, etc.. We are a 503c non profit organization if you know of any individuals or businesses that are willing to make a tax deductible donation of any kind to the club. If you have equipment to donate you can drop it off at the Home Brewery where the club stores its collection. As always if you borrow please be kind and return them in good order and promptly so others can utilize them.
Secondary – Kathryn McGraw
Joseph Knoble, who emigrated from Wittenberg Germany, opened the first brewery in Arkansas in the city of Ft Smith in 1848. Knoble built the brewery out of native stone and it is the only example of a mid-nineteenth century brewery in Arkansas. The brewery remained viable until Knoble’s death in 1881. The original building still exists in Ft Smith and notably served as a brewpub from 1992-97 as Weidman’s Old Fort Brewery. If you wish to visit the site it is now the location of Doe’s Eat Place. Knoble is buried at the Catholic Cemetery on Lexington Avenue in Fort Smith.
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5001
http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.aspx?id=491
In honor of Joseph Knoble’s German heritage several commercial examples of common German beer styles were provided for sampling.
Ambassador at Large – Keith Besonen
Keith noted that the club had made the pilgrimage to the location of the Joseph Knoble Brewery when it was operating as Weidman’s Old Fort Brewery. He also recently visited the newly opened location of the Bricktown Brewery in Ft Smith, which originated in Oklahoma City. Bricktown has six locations in the region and its beers are brewed off site and trucked in. They do have several guest beers on tap which makes it worth a visit if you find yourself in Ft. Smith.
Education – Kathryn McGraw
See Secondary Fermenter officer report above.
BJCP Style Guide – Suspended but several common German beer styles were presented.
Old Business
May 3rd is the AHA’s Big Brew Day and the Home Brewery would like to host our club’s brewin. Volunteers are needed to brew using the three common methods currently used by today’s home brewers. If you are interested please contact Andy or Bruce at the shop. Things will start that Saturday around 9 a.m.
It has been suggested that the club’s Iron Brewer competition needs to be modified to get more club participation. One suggestion was to reduce the frequency of the competition to quarterly or every other month. Another suggestion was to create a Brewer of the Year competition which would give points to club members based on their participation in club activities and competitions. A committee was formed to look into these concepts and at least propose a basic structure for said suggestions. The point system is still under development. Please talk with Keith Linn if you have ideas regarding the concept of a Brewer of the Year system. More to come next meeting.
Club Social. A smattering of our members met at Core Brewing Co. in Springdale to sample the recent offerings at their original location. Some members went on to watch the Arkansas Ice Hogs play a game at the Jones Center nearby. The Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Dallas Baptist 7 – 0. Those that attended indicated a desire to repeat this outing next season when the team goes Division I.
Brewery Reports
Apple Blossom – Has announced a pro-am club only competition the winner of which will be allowed to brew a commercial sized batch on the in house equipment. Sammy indicated that the winner would also get a sixth keg of the beer to take home and an Apple Blossom shirt. Lesser second and third place prizes will be available. If the competition is successful the event might even become an annual or bi-annual club event. April 25th will be the date of the judging. Please look for details on flopsclub.com.
Bentonville Brewing – Equipment is going in. 7 barrel system with two 7 barrel fermenters and two 14 barrel fermenters. Almost ready to brew. Hoping to have a soft open at the beginning of April.
Bike Rack Brewing – Adding larger fermenters.
Core Brewing –
Fossil Cove – The Sour Red is delicious. Go try it if you haven’t.
Foster’s Pint and Plate – Still trying to work the kinks out of the restraint portion of the pub. Limited
Ozark Beer Company – Their new canning line is in full swing. Go by if you can during the day and check it out.
Saddlebock –
West Mountain –
Opening Soon?
Columbus House – Moving forward slowly.
New Business
Jason and Kat presented t-shirt options, samples and pricing. Jason brought samples for us to vote on. We will look for a consensus and pre-orders at the March meeting. Single color shirts ranges from 8 – 12. Three to four color range from 12 – 16. The vote at the end of the night was for a short sleeve soft poly blend shirt. It was grey in color but I do not believe that is particularly the color we will end up with. More to come at the next meeting.
Club Social – February’s social will be held at Foster’s Pint and Plate in Rogers on March 7th at 3 p.m.
Alex Thaley has been added to the website team.
Ken Gillespie is moving back out to the east coast to open a homebrew store with his son. We wish him well and hope he keeps in touch. Good luck.
Home Brewer Reports
None this month.
Iron Brewer
January’s ingredient is smoke. No entries.
February’s ingredient will be chocolate and cherry.
Awards
Brewer of the Month – Tim Keltner
Ass of the Month – Kort Castleberry
Iron Brewer – Committee to meet do discuss new format.
February’s Beer Board
Please let us know what you brought.
