Three New Tastings!

The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts (CBE) have come out of hiding to schedule three upcoming tastings. As always, participants are asked to show up with a beer or two that fit the tasting's theme to share. Typically, two 12 oz. bottles or one bomber (22 oz. or 750 mL) do the trick. If you don't have beer to share, you can join in by paying $5, but where's the fun in that?

The three tastings are as follows...

On Sunday, July 22nd at Sycamore, the CBE will hold an "Off the Vine" tasting. Beer enthusiasts are to bring lambics, sours, and fruit beers to share. A nice list of lambicscan be found on Beer Advocate's site. Technically, lambics fall under the category of sour ales, but sour beers include many more styles such as Berliner Weisse, Flanders red and brown ales, and gueuze. Of course, one could also peruse BA's list of fruit beers for more choices.

The Best of Summer tasting on August 25th will celebrate the beers of summer. This event will happen at 4PM on 1839 Taphouse's patio. What defines a "summer beer" is left up to interpretation, but the club suggests summer seasonals, cream ales, golden ales, and blondes as possible styles to enjoy.

Finally, 44 Stone is hosting the "Aged to Perfection" tasting. For this tasting, participants are asked to unearth beers they have been saving for a year or more. Verticals where several vintages of the same beer are tasted in chronological order are encouraged. The tasting will start around 3PM. Then, hang around for dinner afterward. If you don't have any beers that are over a year old, you can always search local shelves and coolers for older vintages or beers that we can use in a vertical tasting. 

For more on these events and all-things-beer-related in CoMo, join the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts on Facebook. Also, be sure to RSVP to these events and participate in the discussion so that members can coordinate beers to share. Also, homebrews are welcome. There's no better place to get feedback on your homemade brew than a CBE meeting.

CBE Update: Spring & Summer

Right before the Stone festivities kicked off Saturday night, the CBE officers met up to plan the next few months of events. Below is what we have so far. Suggestions are always welcome.

• The Kansas City/Parkville field trip roster is set, but you are more than welcome to join us this Saturday, April 29. We plan to leave Saturday morning at 8:30 from the Schnuck's parking lot. You'll have to come up with your own transportation at this point, but you can carpool with us to Boulevard where we have a tour scheduled. There's more information concerning the Parkville Microfest here.
• National Homebrew Day is Saturday, May 7. Several folks are planning to host demos and/or brewing sessions on this day. An official event will be has been posted on Facebook, but if anyone is interested in participating or hosting a brew event on the 7th, leave a comment here or on the Facebook group.
• After the brewing is done, Hellbender is planning to host its latest party. Stay tuned to their blog and/or Facebook page for details and start times. Typically, the boys at Hellbender limit their party to friends and CBE members, but if you're new, befriend them now and sneak in.
• On a Monday in May, we will hold a Rye/Black IPA tasting at Sycamore. So, round up your favorite rye beers and/or Cascadian Dark Ales/Black IPA's for this official CBE tasting. All regular fees apply. $30 will get you a year's membership. $5 will get you in if you bring beer, $10 without beer.
• In June, we're looking at cheese and beer pairing at a location to be determined. Unlike the last time, at this tasting we will be asking for folks to bring cheese. The CBE will purchase 4-5 styles of beer for the pairing. There will be no membership fees due at this event. More details to come.
• The official CBE event for June will be a "Wild Night" hosted by the Elwess household. We will allow folks to decide just what "wild" means. Does it have to do with fermentation? Strange ingredients? High ABV? You decide.
• July (which is a long way off) will feature two events. There will be the annual picnic which is an open event for anyone interested in meeting other beer nerds and homebrewers. We only ask that folks bring some beer to share and a covered dish. A date and location will be announced as soon as we have more information to share.
• The other July event will be a West Coast tasting. So, any beer brewed in California, Oregon, Washington, or Alaska is welcomed. This will be an official CBE tasting where all applicable fees apply.
• Last, but certainly not least, we are planning to bring back the Members Only Tasting. This was a popular event last year and we don't want to not have one again this year. The Members Only tasting will happen in August. Before we can plan any further, there will be a survey put out that will help us identify the beers you'd like to try. Again, this tasting will have the applicable fees attached.

So, that's one official CBE tasting a month for the next four that you should attend. Also, feel free to join us for any of the other events or invite non-members so that we may infect them with our "illness." Watch the Facebook page, the website, and this blog for details on all the events described above.

January and February Events

Inspired by Jade's initiative to post on this blog, I figured you all would like to know what's going on...

January has nearly passed us by without so much as one tasting. Luckily for you, the CBE has one event before February. Additionally, there are two more events planned for next month.

On Monday, January 31st, Broadway Brewery will be hosting our cellared beer/barley wine tasting. So, dust off those bottles in the back of your cellar and bring them in for this tasting. If you are not one to save beers for more than a year, there are plenty of options in the stores. Besides finding newer versions of some of the proposed beers on hand, a careful inspection of labels will reveal there are many already-cellared beers waiting for you. I've personally noticed several vintages of Schlafly's barley wines and imperial stouts from previous years still occupying shelf space all around Columbia.

To RSVP, go to either the Facebook group or the CBE Groups site. Be sure to list the beer(s) you plan to bring. The tasting will get underway around 8:00 PM. We'll conduct the tasting differently as we'll ask that you give your beers to a CBE officer so that we can pace and sequence the beers. As usual, the tasting fees apply if you are not a CBE member. $5 with beer, $10 without.

The following Sunday, February 6th, is the Super Bowl party, hosted by members Kate and David. Although the pregame show starts sometime this week, our hosts ask that you show up around 5:00 PM. Kids and family members are welcome. This is a free CBE event. There will be food, but contributing to the effort (both food and beer) is encouraged. RSVP here and/or here and list any beer and food you plan to bring.

From 4-7 PM on Sunday, February 27th, Flat Branch will host our porter/stout tasting. Again, tasting fees apply to non-CBE members. RSVP here and/or here.

Also, in February, we are tying to organize a homebrew-only tasting. If you have any interest in participating and/or hosting, please let a CBE officer know or leave a comment on this blog.

We are still working on a road trip to Kansas City in April. There will be more word on that as information is gathered. CBE members will get first dibs on spots in the van. So, it behooves one to join ASAP.

As always, keep up with CBE happenings on Facebook, Groups, Twitter, and through our Google Calendar.

2011 Schedule of Events

Recently, using some of the survey results, the CBE officers got together and mapped out the year's events. None of the dates nor sequence is set in stone, but this schedule should allow CBE members and potential members to stock their cellars and beer fridges with beers to share at future tastings. Also, this schedule should help in planning out your calendars for the year.

More details as far as specific times, dates, and locations are still to be determined. We are looking to schedule events at a variety of times and locations so that we can include as many members and interested parties as possible. In the meantime, look through the lists below and leave suggestions in the comments. There are at least two events planned per month.

Tasting Schedule:
January: (Look for these dates and locations to be determined in the coming weeks.)

• Cellared Beer/Barley Wine
• CBE BowlingNight*

February:

• Stout/Porter
• Super Bowl Party - February 20, 2011*

March:

• Out of Market Beers Only (beers only available outside of Missouri)
• Chocolate & Beer Pairing (featuring Patric Chocolate)

April:

• Blind Tasting (Belgians vs. Non-Belgians)
• KC Field Trip**

May:

• Rye/Black IPA
• Introduction to Beer Tasting*

June:

• Wild Night
• Cheese & Beer Pairing

July:

• West Coast Beers
• Picnic*

August:

• Summer Beers
• Members Only

September:

• Bring Whatever
• Cooking w/Beer Potluck

October:

• Beers from Michigan
• High Gravity Beers

November:

• Fall Seasonal
• CBE Bonfire*

December:

• Holiday Seasonal
• Yankee Swap 

* Open to anyone. No membership fees required.
** Open first to members. Non-members will have an opportunity if there are empty slots.

The homebrew events will be open to anyone who is interested. We're even more flexible with these events so as to meet the needs of the homebrewers in the group.

Homebrewing Schedule:
Feb. - Homebrew Only Tasting
April -  Homebrewing w/John Cannon
June -  Homebrew Demo
Aug. -  Mini-Hoembrew Contest
Oct. - Homebrew night to discuss what different hops can add to a

beer

Dec. - Homebrew night to discuss what different grains can add to a
beer (or yeast)

What are you thoughts on this tasting schedule? Are we missing something? Which events would you attend?

If you can provide space for any events, either leave a comment or contact a CBE officer.

Survey Says...

If you remember, we here at the CBE asked you all to complete a survey covering some demographics, social media usage, and ideas for future events. The results of the survey can be found here for the most part. I've taken the liberty to compile the write-in answers below since the results link won't do that for me.

Read through the results. Tell us what you think they mean. Is there something we missed with this survey?

In the meantime, be sure to come out for the Colorado beer tasting tonight at Sycamore at 9PM. A list of beers had will be posted here. Also, keep your calendars open for the December 11th Yankee Swap.

CBE Notes - 11/04/2010

The CBE officers met last night for our monthly meeting. There was plenty to cover as we have a couple of busy months ahead of us. First of all, we did not receive a treasurer's report, but Jason assures us that there is money in the bank...


Anyway, the first order of business was the charity beer dinner at Sycamore in January. Tickets go on sale November 9th. The dinner will start at 6PM and will cost $60 per person. There is a limit of 60 people. So, be sure to order your tickets right away. We'll be unveiling more details regarding the charity and incentives for the dinner as they come. Check the Sycamore website for more details.

Speaking of the charity beer dinner, we are in need of some volunteers. At a minimum, we will need 5-6 CBE members to volunteer. Sycamore is providing some volunteers of their own and career center's culinary arts program is also chipping in. Just contact the CBE officers if you're interested in helping.

Our next tasting will take place on November 15 at 9PM at Sycamore. The focus will be on beers brewed in Colorado. So, dig out your favorite beers from Oscar Blues, Avery, Great Divide, Ska, etc. for this state-themed tasting. Here's a list from RateBeer of Colorado breweries.

On November 20th, some CBE members will be getting together for a tasting of spiked beers. What this means is that we're getting our hands on some spikes that can be added to beers in order to demonstrate what an irregularity might taste like. Although this event would be particularly interesting to homebrewers, even the casual beer enthusiast might get something out of it.

In December, we are starting a new tradition with the first ever CBE Yankee Swap. Members and guests will be expected to bring a beer-related gift (or just beer) worth no more than $15 for an exchange. Names will be drawn from a hat and the first person chosen will have his or her choice of the loot. However, the second person may choose to steal the first person's choice or pick something new. This carries on until all the gifts are exchanged. People should bring beer as well for this event.

For the Yankee Swap, we are still looking for a location. If you would like to provide space for this get-together, let a CBE officer know. The person who volunteers space will determine whether we have the swap on December 11th or 18th.

There will be more to announce and share in the coming months. In order to keep track of beer events in and around Columbia, you can check out the calendar below. If you have a Google Calendar yourself, you may also subscribe to the CBE calendar or simply return to the blog.

CBE Notes - 10/06/2010

Here's what's been going on with you CBE and what lays on the horizon...

The British Isles tasting was a success, judging from our poll numbers. Members scored the tasting a 3.7 (on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest), despite their overall impression of British beers rating a 3 average. Members cited IPA's, stouts, and scotch ales as their favorite styles of the evening. Jason's Bitter Beer Face IPA was the favorite beer sampled. Our host Flat Branch rated a 4, no doubt thanks to Jarrett's hospitality (read: Scotch).

The group is considering charities for an upcoming beer dinner. So far, Pints for Prostates, American Liver Foundation, and the local slow foods movement were mentioned as possible benefactors. The Columbia food pantry has also been mentioned as a charity to support. The officers are currently looking into charities and would welcome any suggestions.

Speaking of the charity dinner, former president, Jamie, is organizing a brew day for the CBE to provide its own beer. Here's what Jamie has to say about this brew session on the CBE website:

On January 9th, Sycamore and the CBE will be co-hosting a charity beer dinner that features beers from different Missouri breweries. The CBE has also decided to donate it's own beer (as brewed by CBE members) to this event. The brewday will be at my house and is tentatively set for October 17th and will probably be a night brew session (i.e., it will start around 5pm).

A few of us met last week to discuss the beers that we will be brewing and came to the decision to brew two 8-9% imperial stouts. The base recipes will be nearly identical but one of the beers will be secondaried with oak /bourbon (this beer will also have some coffee malt) and the other beer will be infused with maple/vanilla beans. For those interested in participating (brewers and/or non-brewers), just RSVP or post a note below. If you would like to help out with drafting the recipes just let me know and I'll send what Matt E. and I have worked on thus far.

We would really appreciate any and all CBE members or those interested in contributing to this special brew to step up and volunteer. Donations of time and/or money would be appreciated. Simply RSVP at the CBE event site and plan to show up ready to help on October 17.

Speaking of brewing, Phil is organizing an off-tasting event. Here's what Phil has to say:

As you might have read in the blog, Jarret and I are trying to get some people to join us in an Off-Flavors Tasting. This would consist of flavor "spikes" that you add to a beer to help recognize certain flaws in a beer.

The following flavors spikes will be in this tastings:

• DMS

• Diacetyl

• Oxidized

• Iso-amyl Acetate

• Acetlaldehyde

• Infection

One kit of spikes is enough for 20 people and cost $180 so if we find 20 people who are interested it will only be $9 each (some of which might be covered by CBE, still discussing that)

I need to get a feel of how many people would be interested in attending, so please post below if you are interested.

Again, to let Phil know of your interest, visit the CBE site. While this event seems brewer-centric, all interested parties are encouraged to come. The most important thing is that people RSVP and stick to their commitment as the spikes are not free.

This post is getting long, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention our two main events for October. On Monday, the 23rd, the CBE will be meeting at a member's home for some fall seasonals. That means, bring your favorite stouts, porters, Oktoberfests, pumpkin ales, whatever you consider to be a fall seasonal beer. There is a limit of 25 people, so be sure to RSVP.

Finally, our own John Cannon is presenting "The Science of Brewing" for the University of Missouri's Saturday Science series. John throws down the science at 10:30 AM in the Monsanto Auditorium. Details can be found at the CBE site.

CBE Notes - 9/24/2010

The new CBE officers met for the first time last weekend at Jason and Jade's house to hash out some business, old and new. Below you'll find the topics we discussed.


Treasurer's Report:

No, seriously, we are doing fine.


Fundraiser Dinner: We are looking at December of January. It seems that there are open dates in December, but the officers are pushing for January so as to give the homebrewers some time to whip up something good. Former CBE president, Jamie, is heading the effort to get this brew ready for the dinner. Check the CBE Groups site for more details. In the meantime, we are actively searching for worthy charities. If you know any, be sure to mention them in the comments below.


Next Tasting: On Monday, September 27th at 8:00, we will meet at Flat Branch for our first "British Isles" tasting. Members and nonmembers are encouraged to bring beers that represent styles from England, Scotland, Ireland, and even Whales. These can be imports or American versions of British ales. 


Future Tastings: We are looking at a tasting sometime in October, probably 2-3 weeks after the British Isles tasting. We'll know the date as soon as a location is determined. October's tasting will feature fall seasonals (Oktoberfest, pumpkin ale, porters, etc.).


In November, we're focusing on the great breweries of Colorado. (No, that does not include Coors.) So, bring out your Avery, Great Divide, and New Belgium brews for this one. Hopefully, we will do tastings in the future that feature other great beer-brewing states.


Also, for November, we are looking into an "off tasting" for homebrewers (and really anyone else who's interested). Depending on the number of interested parties, we'll contribute to the $30 per person pricetag for "spikes" that are added to normal beers to help us identify off tastes in beer. Be on the lookout for more information on the CBE discussion board.


December's tasting promises to be a fun, if not interesting event. We're going with the season and holding the first ever CBE White Elephant Gift Exchange! Each attendee will be asked to bring a beer or beer-related gift (as well as beer to drink). We'll draw numbers and the first person will get their choice of a gift. Once the gift is opened, the second person has a choice between stealing the gift or picking a new one. The process continues from there. Keep the gifts $15 and under. As opposed to most White Elephants, try to bring something people might  actually want.


Spring Field Trip: The officers are looking into organizing a field trip to Kansas City in the early spring/late winter. Among other stops, we're considering Boulevard, Flying Saucer, and 75th Street Brewery. Members' input on possible stops are welcome.


There are other things in the works for the CBE. Stay informed by visiting our website and subscribing to this blog.