California Homebrewers Association (Powered by CubeCart)

California Homebrewers Association

JOIN CHA!
	Unfortunately 2009 CHA membership is now closed. Please join us next year. Please click the link at the left titled Become a Member before purchasing your membership.
Membership is $50. Members get free entry to the Southern California Homebrewers Fest, which is a members-only event. Memberships are not sold at the fest. Email Vin Ludwig or call (714) 771-1174 if you have questions about membership.
Never been to the SCHF? Check out this video!
FEST RETURNS TO LAKE CASITAS The 2009 Southern California Homebrew Festival will be held May 1 & 2 at Lake Casitas Recreation Area just outside Ojai, California. Come drink the finest and freshest handcrafted beer in California! Talk beer with fellow brewers; check out what our guest speakers have to say; and enjoy a diverse line-up of great music. Porter is the style for the Friday night Homebrew Competition. This is an informal contest for bragging rights only, and we ask the winner to serve his or her beer on Saturday. Click here or the link on the left for the Competition Rules. Once again, a superb B3 brewing sculpture, 15-gallon fermenter, and Brewin' with Herb Las Vegas beer tour will be top prizes in our opportunity drawing.
2009 SCHF BY GEORGE ELDRIDGE George Eldridge wrote this article for the Brews-Telegram, the Long Beach Homebrewers Club newsletter, in which he provides pictures of the booths and gives a brief overview of the fest participants.

DONALD ACKERMAN WINS PORTER COMPETITION
The winner of the 2009 Porter Homebrew Competition was Donald Ackerman of San Louis Obispo Brewers (SLOBS) who entered his all grain Robust Porter. He had some stiff competition with 17 entries. During the competition, one of the judges stated they had eight first place winners so they had to whittle it down to one. Donald has been brewing for about 18 years, so that experience paid off. Although we had a last minute change of judges, we were fortunate to have a rather illustrious group of judges that we would like to thank. They were Jim Larson from Gold Country Brewer's Association, who is a National Judge; Bruce Brode of the Maltose Falcons, who is a Master Judge; and Ron Gordon, member of Inland Empire Brewers, who is also a professional brewer, presently at Big Cheese Pizza in Riverside. Thank you to all our entrants this year. Stay tuned for information for next year's competition.
CONGRATULATIONS, GLEN SAWADA!
	We had 15 wonderful fest artwork submissions this year, and all were worthy of winning. As winner, Glenn will receive a check for $250, two complimentary memberships, and two shirts bearing his winning design. Thanks to all of you who submitted designs.

DON'T MISS A THING

Check the Schedule of Events to see what's happening and when at the fest.

Shuttles will circulate between the fest site and campgrounds on Friday evening and all day Saturday. The shuttle will also pick up and deliver at two designated hotels in the Ojai area.

Check the Shuttle Schedule and the Shuttle Map for complete information. We suggest you print this information and bring it with you to fest.

The hotel prices and hotel shuttle schedule have been updated. Check the Camping & Hotel Info link.

If you are new to CHA, check out what's brewing on our Brew Event Calendar, and be sure to check back here occasionally for fest updates.

GREAT BANDS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Blue Dice will be performing Hot Soulful Rockin' Blues on Friday evening. Check them out at bluedicemusic . On Saturday CHA is proud to present three different bands for your entertainment. Johnson McCue will start things off around 1:30. More info is available at johnsonmccue.com . Roman Alexander and the Robbery will play at 4:30. Give a listen on their myspace page .

The fabulous Maltose Falcons Brews Band returns Saturday evening to close things down. (See previous article below.)
FEST CHECK-IN You must have a wristband and official tasting glass to be served at fest. You will receive these when you check in, which will begin Friday evening.

LAKESIDE TENT SITES AVAILABLE
Like last year, CHA is making available some great tent sites, which are located lakeside along the palms before the fest site and in the Teacup 1 & 2 areas just past the fest site.
These are undesignated and unimproved sites in a common area, although the Teacup sites have a few tables and grills that can be shared. If you don't mind roughing it, these sites are very convenient and have great views. Each tent site is $50 for the weekend (Friday and Saturday nights), and includes parking for one car. Sites are purchased from CHA rather than Lake Casitas (just like you purchase a membership). Fifty tent sites are being sold; tent site selection is on a first-come basis. When you check in at the gate you should receive a tent site ID card and parking pass. Camping or parking are not allowed in the area designated for fest day-parking.

SAKE FRIDAY NIGHT
	This year the Friday night tasting will focus on something a bit different. Rather than being distilled like spirits, sake is brewed like beer, but the process is far different than the one homebrewers are familiar with. Trayce Holliday of Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa will explain what sake is and give us a tasting tour of a variety of sakes.

Trayce is recognized as a Certified Sake Specialist by the Sake Education Council in Japan. Participants will receive a commemorative tasting glass and tasting notes.

Seating is limited and the event is expected to sell out. The tasting will begin promptly Friday night at 7:00 in the main tent at the fest area. Please arrive early to allow time for check-in and seating. Participants must present a photo ID at check-in. Tickets for the tasting are $20.
WELCOME HAZE We're pleased to welcome David Brattstrom, Michael Frenn and others from the Hangtown Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts (HAZE) of Placerville. (Placerville was formerly known as Hangtown). Just look for Michael's Ale Camino bar. Click this link if you would like to know more about the Northern California Homebrewers Festival , which will be held September 18 & 19, 2009.

MITCH STEELE & PETER ZIEN SPEAK

As always, we've got two great speakers to share their knowledge of beer and brewing with us.

AleSmith Brewing's Peter Zien, will talk about making the transition from homebrewer to commercial brewer. Peter is an accomplished and highly decorated homebrewer who "always wanted to own a brewery." Since he began brewing in 1995, his beers have earned over 400 medals and honors. Peter is also San Diego's only BJCP "Grand Master" Level One Beer Judge, one of their highest ratings.

Mitch Steele, the Head Brewer at Stone Brewing, will talk about hop/malt balance in beers with a big hop profile. Although Mitch spent ten years with Anheuser-Busch, where he was New Products Brewmaster for the American Originals and Michelob Specialty beer lines, he got his start at the San Andreas Brewing Co. in Hollister, CA and is an avid homebrewer.

THE INCOMPARABLE
MALTOSE FALCONS BREWS BAND!

The Maltose Falcons Brews Band first played together in February, 1990 at the Anchor Brewery in San Francisco, during the party to recognize the Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society as the California Homebrew Club of the Year for 1989.

The band played at the first several Southern California Homebrewers Festivals and continues to perform at selected beer-related events in Southern California.

There are no ringers in this band! All members have been homebrewers in their careers and all are active members of the Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society. Current band members are:

David Anderson:	Founding member. Lead and rhythm guitar.
Bruce Brode:	Founding member. Keyboards, lead and backing vocals, wind instruments.
Doug Harlan:	Band member since 1994. Lead and rhythm guitar.
Tom Rowland:	Band member since 1992. Electric bass, acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals.
Joe Sheppard:	Band member since 1994. Trombone and percussion.
Peter Sheppard:	Band member since 1994. Trumpet, trombone, percussion, lead and backing vocals.
Brian Vessa:	Founding member. Drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals.

Music samples: Mustang Sally (64k mp3)
Playing at Topanga Days (MPEG Video)

Contact the band via email at brewsband@maltosefalcons.com.