A homebrew club in Kitsap County, Washington with members from Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Kingston, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor and even Tacoma and Seattle. We are committed to promoting the hobby and advancing the craft of brewing beer at home. New members are always welcome whether they are active homebrewers, interested in breaking into the hobby, or simply looking to share great beer with like-minded people.

First Annual Yard City Cask Fest a Resounding Success

beer enginesThe first annual Yard City Cask Fest, graciously hosted by Leah and Matt Riggs last Saturday, has been declared a resounding success.  At least 52 beer lovers (of legal drinking age) and several children attended the festivities under a cloudless early March sky where the mercury topped 59°F.  Approximately 113 Imperial Pints of cask conditioned, hand-pumped, eminently sessionable Bitter and Mild were enjoyed by those beer lovers, as well as dozens of beer-boiled bangers and many other delectable treats. The Union Jack waved proudly in the gentle late winter breeze.

It was great to see a few new faces at the event who will hopefully be inspired to become active in the club, as well as a few seasoned veterans who haven't made it to a meeting in a while. We are already anticipating that next year the event will outgrow the venue on S. Yantic (meaning we might need a bigger location), and we will try to recruit a few more brewers to supply beer. So start drawing up plans for your beer engine and start thinking about what you want to brew from BJCP Categories 8 and 11.

Here is a summary of the beers we had:

Brad's Best Bitter

  • BJCP Style 8B Special/Best/Premium Bitter
  • 4% ABV
  • Brewed by Brad Ginn

Major Tom Mild

  • BJCP Style 11A Mild
  • 3.5% ABV
  • Brewed by Matt Riggs

Captain Hastings Bitter

  • BJCP Style 8B Special/Best/Premium Bitter
  • 4.4% ABV
  • Brewed by Matt Riggs

Brad Pulling a Pint Matt Looking Lost Union Jack Matt & Zach Pulling Pints

Submitted by WSB on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 5:52pm
in

WAHA Educational Speaker - Wyeast - March 26th

Date: 
03/26/2010 - 7:00pm

WAHAWashington homebrewers (club reps please disseminate),

The Washington Homebrewers Association would like to invite all homebrewers and beer lovers to hear the fourth speaker of the WAHA's Educational Speaker Program - Jess Caudill of Wyeast Laboratories.  Last year's talk was a great success and Wyeast has agreed to come back and talk some more.

Come to Big Al Brewing on March 26th to hear Jess speak about wild microbes and answer all of your yeast questions and answers.  Come ready to learn more about your yeast and get all of your yeast questions answered.

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/wyeasttalk.

We encourage people to come early, grab a few pints and support our host. All throughout the night you will be able to buy Big Al's great beers at the bar.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, March 26th, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Big Al Brewery
9832 14th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106
(206) 453-4487

RSVP HERE!

* We do realize that this is the same day as the McChord Brewfest celebration.  Unfortunately due to event timing this was the only day we could work with.  We encourage anyone interested in going to the McChord Brewfest to head down for the festival!  We'll record the speech and post it on the website.

Submitted by WSB on Fri, 02/26/2010 - 10:42am
in

March Meeting

Date: 
03/06/2010 - 1:45pm

Yard City Cask Fest

The Yard City Beer Brewery, in absolutely no conjunction with CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) or the town of Wigan (having the Wigan Beer Festival the very same date!), presents to you a one and only event of monumentis proportions: The Yard City Cask Beer & Real Ale Festival/Party 2010!  (YCCBRAF/P10)  Reserve please! Saturday, the 6th of March.  This in celebration of the great British contribution of the spectacular workings of Real Ale.  That is, beer receiving it's condition in the vessel from which it is dispensed.  We hope you join us for the tapping of no less than 3 English styled beers of modest gravity and full flavoured to the delight of your taste(s).  To this we say... now be on with it! When:  First tapping to commence at 1:49 pm.  Where:  517 S. Yantic Ave. Yard City, Bremerton, Wash.

Submitted by WSB on Mon, 02/15/2010 - 10:22am
in

Call for Entries - 14th Annual Cascade Brewers Cup

This one's coming up pretty quick, but if you have something in the bottle ready to go, entries are being accepted February 23-March 3:
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 10:13 PM
Subject: Call for Entries - 14th Annual Cascade Brewers Cup
 
On behalf of the Cascade Brewers Guild, I am happy to announce the 14th annual Cascade Brewers Cup!
 
The CBC is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition and the first Washington Homebrewer of the Year competition qualifier for 2010.
  
Check the competition website at www.cascadebrewersclub.org for the latest details.  Entries (three 10-12 oz brown bottles) are due March 3rd with an entry fee of $6 per beer, mead or cider submitted (several drop-off locations accepting entries beginning February 23rd).  Judging of individual flights will be held on March 6th at McKinstry Corporation in the Georgetown district of Seattle, WA.  If you are interested in judging, stewarding, or helping with event execution, contact Mike Brown at brewmanator@gmail.com .  The Best of Show round will take place on March 13th at the ExBEERience Festival held at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, WA.  At the festival you will be able to witness live announcements of the winners plus all the 2009 Washington Homebrewers Association awards (Bert Grant, Golden Mash Paddle and Washington Homebrewer of the Year).
 
If you have any questions send me an email.
 
Cheers,
Mike Brown - CBC Competition Organizer

Submitted by WSB on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 7:54am
in

2010 Puget Sound Pro-Am Announcement - Best Chance to Get in GABF Pro-Am!

Here is the announcement about the Puget Sound Pro-Am:
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:23 AM
Subject: 2010 Puget Sound Pro-Am Announcement - Best Chance to Get in GABF Pro-Am!
On behalf of BEWBC, the Impaling Alers, and WAHA, we are happy to announce the kick-off of the 2010 Puget Sound Pro-Am!  This is the country's largest GABF Pro-Am qualifying competition with 14+ breweries selecting homebrew recipes to scale up (more breweries still being added!)  Last year the PSPA sent 12 of the country's entries into the GABF Pro-Am and brought home the gold medal in 2008!
 
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 FOURTEEN 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!  Not from the Puget Sound area?  Out of state entries are more than welcome (the 2008 GABF gold medal winning entry was from a Colorado brewer).  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).
 
Start dreaming and brewing up your entries today!  We want you to have plenty of time to brew up that perfect beer!  The brewers are not just looking for stylistically accurate beers, but they will be looking for damn tasty beers.  This is a perfect shot for that hybrid beer you make.  You've got plenty of time to brew up entries specifically for one of the slots!
 
Check the competition website at http://www.bewbc.org/pro-am for the latest details including participating breweries, desired styles, contest rules, and links to online registration.  Entries (three 10-12 oz brown bottles) are due April 20th with an entry fee of $6 per beer submitted online (several drop-off locations accepting entries beginning in early April).  Judging will be held on April 24th at Larry's Brewing Supply in Kent (if you are interested in judging, stewarding, or helping with event execution, contact Mark Emiley at markemiley@earthlink.net or register online).  Winners will be selected in the weeks following.  Check the website frequently for updates on participating breweries and contest details as the competition grows.  If you are receiving Tech Talk, you already have met the AHA membership requirement for having your beer sent to the GABF so get your entries ready!  Invite your friends to join the AHA and submit beers as well (all beers will be judged and ranked regardless of AHA membership).  Good luck, and may your wildest brewing dreams come true!
 
Mark Emiley
PSPA Competition Organizer

Submitted by WSB on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 7:48am
in

National Homebrew Competition Coming Up

If you don't have beer in the bottle ready to ship off to the National Homebrew Competition there is still time to brew something up before the April deadline. Entries for the first round will be accepted March 22 through April 1. First round judging for our region is taking place in Seattle this year on April 9th & 10th. The main drop-off and judging location will be Pyramid and there may be other drop-off locations around the state (likely organized by local clubs). If you are interested judging, stewarding, or helping out in some other way contact Tim Hayner at tim@bigalbrewing.com.

Here are the important dates to keep in mind. I'll get more info out as it becomes available:

  • Entry Deadline: Monday, March 22 - 5 p.m. Thursday, April 1, 2010
  • Online Registration: Available mid-February 2010
  • First Round Competitions: April 3 - April 25, 2010
  • Final Round Entries Due: Monday, May 24 - 5 p.m. Monday, June 7, 2010
  • Final Round Competition: Thursday, June 17, 2010
  • Awards Ceremony: Saturday, June 19, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN
Submitted by WSB on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 7:23am
in

February Meeting

Date: 
02/20/2010 - 4:00pm

The February meeting - the "WSB Presidents' Birthday Bash" will be Saturday February 20th starting at 4pm, at Ernie and Marti Gwaltney's house. Co-President Mark Hood turns 50 and the other Co-President, Marti, turns 49. The theme will be anniversary, birthday or special occassion beers. Bring your homebrews and snacks.

Contact Us for directions.

Submitted by WSB on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 9:01am

Barleywine Meeting Recap

Once again we sampled a ridiculous number of barleywines (and a few other beers) at the annual Barleywine Meeting, which was held on Sunday, January 17th.  Here is a nearly complete list of what we tried. If anyone who was there remembers anything else, let us know:

01. '94 Pyramid 10th Anniv.
02. '99? Pyramid 5,000 Year Ale
03. '99 Bridgeport Old Knucklehead (Alfa Zinkus)
04. '07 Aldergrove Auld Persnickety
05. '93 Rogue Old Crustacean
06. '97 Rogue Old Crustacean
07. '98 Rogue Old Crustacean
08. '99 Rogue Old Crustacean
09. '00 Rogue Old Crustacean
10. '01 Whitbread Gold Label
11. '02 Rogue Old Crustacean
12. '03 Rogue Old Crustacean
13. '04 Rogue Old Crustacean
14. Eggenberg Urbock 23 (nearly 10 years old)
15. Eggenberg Dunkel Eisbock (6-8 years old)
16. Alan Moum's 14% (circa '95) Barleywine
17. Mark Hood's '94 Barleywine
18. Brad Ginn's '07 I.H.A.D. Barleywine
19. Matt Riggs' Biere de Garde (bottled 10/23/09)
20. '78 Rainier Centennial Release
21. Todd Pulalie's '09
22. '10 Widmer W'10
23. John Altman's Big Balls Billy
24. '08 Ice Harbor
25. '10 Rainier Ale
26. '08 or '09?? Elysian Cyclops
27. '99 Hair of the Dog Fred #23
28. '00? Hair of the Dog Fred From the Wood #2
29. WSBBBBW WSB collaborative barrel BW '07?
30. WSBBBIS WSB collaborative barrel imperial stout '06?
31. '09 Dick's
32. '95 Samuel Adams Triple Bock
33. '08 Alaskan Barleywine
34. '09 Moylan's Old Blarney
35. '07 Firestone Walker 11th Anniversary
36. '99 Heads Up Millenium
37. '05 Midnight Sun Arctic Devil
38. '99 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
39. '05 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
40. Steve Moga's Old Ale
41. '06 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
42. '90 Eldridge & Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale
43. '09? Southern Tier Backburner
44. '90 Eldridge & Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale (some confusion here on the list, as we only had one bottle)
45. '92 Eldridge & Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale
46. '93 Eldridge & Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale
47. '94 Eldridge & Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale
48. '04 O'Hanlon's Thomas Hardy's Ale
49. '98 Silver City Old Scrooge
50. '99 Silver City Old Scrooge
51. '09 Silver City Old Scrooge
52. '08 Big Sky Old Blue Hair (barrel aged)
53. '06 Rogue Old Crustacean
54. '08 Rogue Old Crustacean
55. '07 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
56. '09 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
57. '09 Avery Hog Heaven
58. '07 Avery Collaboration Not Litigation
59. '01 Hale's Rudyard's Rare
60. '05 Hale's Rudyard's Rare
61. '07 Hale's Rudyard's Rare
62. '09? Deschutes Mirror Mirror

Submitted by WSB on Tue, 01/19/2010 - 5:26pm
in

January Newsletter Sent

The January newsletter has been emailed out. This is the first newsletter since Alan turned over the responsibilities, so it came from a different email address. If you are on our mailing list and did not receive the newsletter on the 1st or 2nd of Jan, please check your spam or junk mail box. If you can't find it, drop me a line using the contact form here on the site or by sending an email to info@westsoundbrewers.org.

Submitted by WSB on Sun, 01/03/2010 - 9:34am
in

January 2010 Meeting

Date: 
01/17/2010 - 12:00pm - 6:00pm

This month's meeting will be our annual Barleywine Meeting. Once again it will be held at Mary Earl's house on the Sunday of Martin Luther King Day weekend, which makes it the 17th this year. The meeting will go from Noon to 6 pm.

Bring any barleywines or strong/old ale type beers you'd like to share. As always home brewed beer of any style (but especially barleywines) are welcome.

Feel free to bring potluck type dishes that require minimal preparation/cleanup, and I'm sure Vic will be slaving away in the kitchen like he always does. At least I hope he will be.

If we are lucky, it will be 60° and sunny like last year and most of the meeting will be held outside. Remember that? Crazy.

Contact Us for directions

Submitted by WSB on Sun, 01/03/2010 - 9:29am
Syndicate content