Beer News

Given that there is so much going on right now in Washington homebrewing, we figured we send out a quick summary of the major happenings.  We've got information about the upcoming educational speaker, a NHC entry drop in Seattle, the 2009 Exbeerience, the legislative effort, the NHC, the next BJCP exam, and this year's current WHOTY qualifying competition. 

The Washington Homebrewers Association would like to invite all homebrewers and beer lovers to hear the third speaker of the WAHA's Educational Speaker Program - Brian Perkey of Wyeast Laboratories.

Come to Big Al Brewing on March 27th to hear Brian speak about your yeast and how best to make it work for you.  Come ready to get to know your yeast and get all of your yeast questions answered.

The dialogue will be focused on how yeast and different yeast management processes affect your beers.  Topics will include:

 - Fundamentals of yeast
- Yeast growth
- Pitching rates
- Yeast propagation / starter creation
- Yeast quality control
- Yeast washing/reusing
- Oxygenation
- Advanced topics
- Open Q&A

This event will qualify for BJCP CEP points so judges, come on down!!!

Admission is free and the event is open to all homebrewers and beer lovers.  We ask that people RSVP in advance at http://tinyurl.com/waha-wyeast.

In order to help promote Washngton's participation in the 2009 National Homebrewers Competition, the Washington Homebrewers Association and several local homebrewers have helped organize a local drop location and transportation for entries down for the first round of the NHC in Portland.

All you need to do is drop your packaged entries off down at Larry's Brewing Supply before 7:00 pm on April 3rd (please note that this is not the mail-in deadline for the NHC - April 8th).  Once you've registered your entries using the online entry system (make sure to follow all of the NHC Rules), package up your entries for the trip (they still will be jostled around a bit so make sure to package them well).  Then just drop them off at Larry's Brewing Supply.  To help cover food and gas costs for the drivers, we ask that you attach an envelope to your box of entries (on the outside) with about $0.50 or so per entry. 

There may be a chance to also drop off some entries at the Exbeerience on April 4th.  Check back to this website for updates.

Let's bring home some metal for Washington!

The 2009 Exbeerience will be held at Redhook Brewery (14300 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA) from 1-6 pm with awards being announced throughout the day as well as the first set of WAHA Awards. Admission is $15 and gets you 6 tastes from local breweries (local homebrew clubs, WABL, and Ratebeer members get an extra pour) and more tastes are available for purchase ($2 or 3 for $5). There will be a judging workshop and a pro's versus Joe's of homebrew versus a pro brewery recipe.  Tickets and more details can be found at Brown Paper Tickets. Those who have participated in it the past you know it is a great celebration of excellent beers and the homebrewing community.  Best of luck in the competition and we hope to see you at the Exbeerience!

Congrats to everyone who took the BJCP exam on February 28th.  We are anxiously looking forward to everyone getting their scores and growing our judging pool in Washington.  Welcome to the BJCP family and we look forward to seeing you soon at upcoming competitions to start building your points!

We are scheduling another exam for November 14th for another round of new judges and a retake opportunity for current judges!  Talk to your club members about organizing a study group.

The Washington Homebrewers Association is working to change our homemade beer and wine transportation laws in Washington.  As it is right now, you can't take homebrew outside of your house except for competitions!  We have drafted legislation to allow more communal celebration of the hobby and support the future professional beer and wine makers in Washington.  We are proud to announce that Senator Ken Jacobsen has agreed to sponsor our bill (Senate Bill 5060). 

We need you to get involved and contact your legislators asking them to support Senate Bill 5060.  It is easy and will greatly increase our chances of getting the bill passed.  For more information on how you can help, please check our legislative section at www.wahomebrewers.org/legal  

UPDATE: Senate Bill 5060 was passed unanimously by the Senate.  We have worked an amendment to the bill in the House Commerce and Labor Committee.  The bill is scheduled for executive action on Wednesday, March 25th.  Please call or write them asking for their support of Senate Bill 5060 through committee.   Check the Legal Section for the list of Representatives!  The contacts have been working incredibly well!  Keep them coming!

We are putting together the list of the 2009 WHOTY Qualifying Competitions.  Here is the current list:

Cascade Brewers Cup
Puget Sound Pro-Am
Evergreen State Fair
Novembeerfest

Make sure to enter these and all other competitions in Washington!

For people planning to attend the 2009 National Homebrewers Conference in Oakland, California this June, a Yahoo Group of Washington homebrewers has been formed to prepare for the conference.  The WAHA will have a table at the Homebrewer's Night event so we'll be putting together a booth and bar, organizing transporation of beers, and figuring out other details like themes and beer styles.  If you are going to be attending the conference, please go get registered on our Yahoo Group site (WAHAAHAConf2009) at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WAHAAHAConf2009/

On behalf of BEWBC, the Impaling Alers, and WAHA, we are happy to announce the kick-off of the 2009 Puget Sound Pro-Am!  This is the country's largest GABF Pro-Am qualifying competition with 10+ breweries selecting homebrew recipes to scale up (more breweries still being added!)  Last year the PSPA sent 11 of the country's 58 entries into the GABF Pro-Am and brought home the gold medal!  We are hoping for a repeat!

This is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition aimed at providing award winning homebrew recipes to be brewed by Puget Sound breweries with the goal of capturing a medal from the Great American Beer Festival's Pro-Am Competition.  The Puget Sound Pro-Am is unique in that it will have at least a dozen breweries selecting their favorite homebrew beers from the best of show round to scale up and brew on their systems.  Winning beers of AHA members may be sent on to the GABF for a shot at national glory!  Non-AHA members can still enter the competition and win other awards and prizes (the Powerhouse Brewery will not be submitting to the GABF and will be free to pick any entry).  Go to http://www.bewbc.org/pro-am for the complete competition overview.  This is a 2009 Washington Homebrewer of the Year Qualifying Competition so get your entries in!

Cheers!

Mark Emiley

WAHA Publicity Chair

http://www.wahomebrewers.org