Welcome to Small Craft Brewing Co!

• Thank you to Greg and Gerard Sims for hosting tonight! Small Craft Brewing Co., opened earlier this year and is another great addition to the Long Island Craft Beer scene.

Since we last met….

• • Saturday, April 21st – Blue Point Cask Fest – 13 Firkins were offered, with several casks kicked by the end of the festival! Awesome Time by all! Thank you to everyone who participated in this wonderful event!

NHC First Round Results – Congratulations to the following club members who have entries moving onto the Final Round of the 2018 National Homebrew Competition in Portland, OR.

• • • Amber/Brown, Chris Bonacorsa
    • Imperial Stout, Mike Murphy
    • German Witbier, Alex Lemp
    • American IPA, Bernard Ramchatesingh & Claudia Chavez

Spring Craft Beer Fest at Belmont Park, Saturday, April 28th –  Special Thanks to AJ D’Amico, Alex Lemp, Chris and Kim Bonacorsa for representing the club! Four beers were offered for tasting on the mezzanine overlooking live races at the legendary Belmont Park. Attendees were able to sample craft beer and food while watching live races in progress.

Saturday, May 5th – Big Brew Day st GSB! The Grenade Brigade participated in the AHA Big Brew Day, hosted for the second year in a row by Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore, NY. The event was open to the public and onlookers were able to observe and discuss the homebrew process and various styles while Club Members brewed on their makeshift portable systems. Eleven Batches of Beer were created. AHA and HHCBC Members who brewed at this event have an opportunity to return two bottles to GSB in 4-6 weeks, to be judged by the Head Brewer, Greg Maisch and his assistant brewers, in a chance than there may be a qualified GABF Pro Am Entry. GSB has submitted and won multiple Pro-Am awards at past GABF Competitions and are seeking the next best candidate. Good luck to all!

May 11-12th: B.E.E.R. 22nd Annual Brew Off –  One of our AssLIHC Affiliate Clubs, Brewer’s East End Revival, celebrated their 22nd Annual Homebrew Competition “BREW-OFF”, hosted once again by Great South Bay Brewery. Some of the Long Island Association of Homebrew Club Members took home awards and prizes for the following:

• • • 3rd Place, Mead, Cider, Gregg and Jenn Kelley
    • 2nd, Masons Apple Juice, Cider, Peter Tripp
    • 3rd, Spice/Herb, Nick Cimorelli
    • 3rd, American IPA, John Trowbridge
    • 3rd, Belgian/French Ale, John Dispirito
    • HM BOS, Gregg Kelley, for his English Brown
    • 2nd BOS and many other awards, Mark William’s and Justin Hansen, Lichtenhainer

Upcoming Events

• Saturday, May 19th Bay Fest at Great South Bay, Bay Shore, NY

• Saturday, May 26th Bottle Swap at Mike Murphys, Floral Park, NY

• Saturday, June 16th, Last Swap at the Shop – The Closing of Homebrews & Handgrenades Supply Shop 

• Sunday. July 8th, Social Brew Day in East Meadow, NY

• July TBD., Author and Homebrew Legend, John Palmer, will be visiting Long Island, Details to Follow.

• Saturday, July 21st, Club BBQ, Seaford, NY 

• Saturday, August 11, LI Craft Classic, Heckscher State Park, East Islip, NY

Stay on the Facebook Group Page for upcoming events!

Club Competition. Three Rounds in 2018.

Deadlines in June, September.

Last Competition: March 20th – Winner has a Chance to Brew at 1940’s Brewery.  Congrats to John Smith as his English Brown is being brewed at 1940s Brewery, as a chance at an entry to the GABF Pro-Am!

June Meeting Deadline One Month Away!

THE IRON BREWER Competition

Entries are being samples and judged today in a bracket challenge for the first ever HHCBC Iron Brewers. Teams of Homebrewers were assigned a mystery ingredient, to be brewed in any style of beer. All beers must also have chocolate as an ingredient.

Teams:

1. Hazelnut – Nick Cimorelli, Sam Schuster, Mike Gallagher
2. Orange – Mike Murphy, Chris Parrinello, Alex Lemp
3. Chiles – Peter Tripp, Paul Johnson, Jason Simmons (WINNER!)
4. Mint – Danielle Malone, Gregory Wright, Russell Malone
5. Coffee – John DiSpirito, Eric Sowa, Kevin McKenna
6. Coconut – Steven Rubano, Gabe Tovar, Kristin Elmore
7. Cinnamon – Christopher Cerney, Bernard Ramchatesingh, Claudia Chavez
8. Raspberries – Andrew Shumway, AJ D’Amico, Ken Dalton
9. Cherries – Brendan Byrne, David Cristelot

Upcoming BJCP Judges are starting their training for the upcoming BJCP Tasting Exam in August. HHCBC Education Coordinator, John DiSpirito, and a team of Long Island BJCP Judges are hosting a weekly class for the rest of the summer. Sign up with John if you’re interested. For everyone else, any donated bottles of homebrew for practice and research purposes would be greatly appreciated!

A sad announcement…Peter Tripp is closing Homebrews & Handgrenades Supply Shop by June 16th.

Travel Planning for HomeBrewCon

• Chris Bonacorsa has agreed to head up the committee for planning related to HomeBrewCon this June in Portland, OR. He’s been in touch with the AHA, and has posted a form to sign up if you’re interested in going. Please see Chris if you’re interested.

Next Meeting will be Tuesday, June 19th, Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside, NY! The ‘home base’ brewery will be the site of a farewell to Homebrews and Handgrenades Supply Shop, which will be closing it’s doors for good, just three days before the next meeting. BRING A FRIEND!

Thanks to Small Craft!