August 2003

Editors Note: [Please submit any beer related information or articles to the newsletter editor at m@ttjarvis.com or call me at 342-2203. The ‘deadline’ is the 3^rd Sunday of the month.]

Last Meeting: Please see Robin’s comments below…

Next Meeting: September 13th (Saturday) 6:30 PM - Annual Chili Cook Off !!

Well, the peppers and tomatoes in the garden are starting to ripen, the nights are starting to cool, the smell of stew meat and chili powder is in the air. Must mean one thing. Yes, that’s right. Polish up those recipes and get out the crock pot; the annual Cascade Brewers Chili Cook-Off is just around the corner! We’ve moved the date so we don’t have a conflict with the Eugene Celebration. Mark and Rose Smith will be hosting the annual event again this year -- and the competition just gets better each time. If you want to take a run at the Grand Coc, you’ll need to knock the socks off the judges (and bribes are welcome ;->).

Here’s the deal. Judging chili is based on five things: aroma, red color, (yes, chili should be red), consistency, taste and aftertaste. Debate about modern chili all you want, but traditional chili is not supposed to have beans. And don’t worry -- if it’s good, the judges will know it. So come on out, bring your very best chili, and don’t forget some good beer to wash it down with.

Mark and Rose Smith

1232 Dalton Dr.

461-6779

From River Road go west onto Horn Lane ( about half way between Beltline and the Chambers interchange), then go about 1 mile on Horn and turn right onto Dalton; we’re the 3rd house on the left.

Upcoming Meetings and Events:

September 6^th - 7^th: Hop Madness Festival - Willamette Mission State Park, near Salem - Stay tuned for more details!!! (Check out www.hopmadness.com) See below for more info!

Bus Trip See Robin’s comments below….

And Now a Word from President Robin Chitwood:

If you thought our club was just about brewing beer you’re wrong. Cascade brewers do it all. The August tech meeting was an opportunity for brewers to demonstrate some of their more diverse fermentation skills. There were meads, spiced mead and melomel (fruit flavored mead). The wines sampled were professionally crafted. Thanks to Russ and Ivan for informative discussions.

The season for brewing lagers is once again upon us. Brewing lager early enough in the year to produce an Oktoberfest beer by Halloween means you have to beat the heat. If you have an old refrigerator to ferment and lager in you’ve got it made. Some other cooling ideas I’ve seen are recirculating water baths and homemade ice boxes for the fermenters. Maximum fermentation temperatures for lager should be no greater than 60 degrees F and ideally between 47 and 52 degrees. If you’re chilling with tap water this time of year it can be around 65 degrees coming out of the pipe. So you have to use ice to cool it the rest of the way. Or if all this sounds like too much trouble, just wait for cooler weather. When cooler weather sets in you can move your fermenters around the house or garage to regulate the temperature. The little extra trouble it takes to produce a lager beer is well worth the effort.

For those interested in the Oregon Coast bus tour the date has been set for October 4^th departure and arrival back in Eugene on Sunday the 5^th. Chip Hardy is setting up brewery tours. There will be more info later on exact departure time. I’ll be making calls to those present at the last planning meeting. There may be a limited number of seats still available. Call me at 342-2397 if you didn’t sign up originally but want to get on a stand-by list.

The date of the chili cook – off at Mark and Rose Smith’s has been moved by popular demand to 9/13. Mark has more information on the time and the official contest rules. Cheers, RC

Other News:

Don’t forget about Hop Madness - see last months newsletter for all the details!

Denny Conn and Kevin McGraw won a Blue ribbon at the Oregon State Fair for Old Stoner, an American style barleywine.

The BJCP exam is scheduled for Oct. 12 at 9 AM. If you want to take the exam, contact Denny Conn before Sept. 28. Call 998.8580 or email denny@projectoneaudio.com.

Club Information: For over 20 years, Cascade Brewers Society is a sometimes formal, but mostly informal club devoted to the appreciation and art of creating fine alcoholic beverages (you know; beer, mead, cider, and wine). For more information regarding the Cascade Brewers Society, please contact Kent Macdonald at 935-5711 or Robin Chitwood at 342-2397.