What’s New
Welcome to our second e-blast update. Responses were positive to the last one, so I thought I would try my hand at another – which could be dangerous!!
The warm weather came, left, came back, and may leave again. Otherwise, it is the time of the year we call February. We will be having our Spring Party at Rotary Park in Suntree on Saturday March 21. As usual, bring a covered dish or desert, some ice, and of course, beer is welcome! Festivities start around noon, but help in setting up is welcome earlier.
Sponsor’s Update
Sunseed Co-op
Thanks to everyone who showed up at the brewing demonstration at Sunseed in Port Canaveral. Turnout was very good and I believe we now have a few new brewing members. After some small complications with the grain mill, Matt brewed an all-grain English bitter. Glenn and Dani brewed two meads, one no-boil. I brewed an all extract Belgian Wit. I believe Matt will be bottling the bitter soon, so hopefully we can get him to share some with us at the Spring Party. I got bored the other night and decided to dump in two cans of cherry puree into the wit. I hope it to be ready for the spring party.
I spoke with one of the Sunseed board members, Sean, and we are planning on holding the AHA Big Brew Day in May there as well. Since Sunseed is organic and earth friendly oriented, we spoke about holding an event the weekend before Earth Day. That is still in the work, but watch for more details in the near future.
Matt has been doing a great job at getting in new and limited-release beers. Some of the limited-release beers are Brooklyn Local 2, Terrapin Side Project Dos Cocoas, and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2009 edition. I had a bottle of the Dos Cocoas over this weekend and really enjoyed it. Some of the new beers: Sierra Nevada ESB and Torpedo (IPA), Weyerbacher Fireside, Coney Island Human Blockhead, Ommegang Bier De Mars, and Struise Black Albert (a 13% Belgian Imperial Stout).
Florida Wine & Spirits
First, some sad news. FW&S closed their store in Titusville earlier this year. However, the Viera and Palm Bay stores are open and kicking! Also, we have decided to hold our March Board meeting at FW&S in Viera.
Now, the good news! Some of the new beers there are carrying: Dixie Brewing, Unibroue Chambly Noir, Leinenkugels 1888 Bock, Kwak, and Blue Moon Sampler packs. FW&S is still one of the only places I have seen Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner, and I believe they are down to their last two or three cases. This beer is definitely a hop explosion! They are now discounting their selection of “Winter Seasonals” (aka Christmas beers) 20%. This includes Dogfish Punkin’, Ridgeway Brewing’s Bad Elf Series, and Corsendonk Christmas Ale and many others.
An interesting side note I found on Shelton Bros (they import Ridgeway as well as many other great beers) Website: Seriously Bad Elf has been banned in Connecticut! That little red speck you see in the background of the label? Why, that’s none other than Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, who, according to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, cannot appear on a beer label. By the way, you can buy Seriously Bad Elf in Massachusetts. And New York. And Rhode Island. But please do not carry the offending bottles across state lines.
Coconut Cup Update
Glenn and Dani went down to Miami for the Coconut Cup. Turnout was good and the results are available on the MASH website. SAAZ did very well, with our own Apiarist, Dave Webb, taking Best of Show for Mead. Overall, SAAZ finished third in overall points. Big thanks to Dani and Glenn for all of their help. Look for results early next week from the Tampa/Dunedin Best Florida Beer Championship as well.
