Each month we have an informal competition, where everyone is encouraged to brew the same style. The March Competition is Honey (Challenge Ingredient). For a full list of past and future competitions, or other general club info, check out The Keystone Hops Website.

Thursday, March 22 Next Step Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Friday, March 23 Introduction to Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Tuesday, March 27 Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Meeting, Bethlehem 7:30 P.M.

Wednesday, March 28 Seminar with Urbain Coutteau – Brewer from De Struise, Montgomeryville 7 P.M.

Sunday, April 8 Both Stores Closed – Happy Easter!

Thursday, April 12 Intro to Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Thursday, April 12 Making Great Wine from Kits, Bethlehem 6:30 P.M.

Friday, April 13 Free Wine Tasting, Bethlehem 5 to 8 P.M.

Sunday, April 15 Free Wine Tasting, Montgomeryville 1 to 4 P.M.

Tuesday, April 17 Wine and Must Analysis Services Begin in Montgomeryville

Thursday, April 19 Keystone Hops Homebrew Club Meeting and AHA club Scottish and Irish ale contest, Montgomeryville 7 P.M.

Thursday, April 19 Free Wyeast Seminar, Montgomeryville 7 P.M.

Sunday, April 22 Mozzarella & Soft Cheeses, Montgomeryville 11 A.M.

Monday, April 23 Wine Appreciation: Basics & Beyond , Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Tuesday, April 24 The Next Step in Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Tuesday, April 24 Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Meeting, Bethlehem 7:30 P.M.

Friday, April 27 Making Great Wine from Kits, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Tuesday, May 1 Intro to Brewing, Bethlehem 6:30 P.M.

Saturday, May 5 Barrel Brew, Montgomeryville (National Homebrew Day)

Sunday, May 6 Free Wine Tasting, Bethlehem 2 to 5 P.M.

Thursday, May 10 Intro to Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Friday, May 11 Free Wine Tasting, Montgomeryville 5:30 to 8:30 P.M.

Saturday, May 12 All-Grain Brewing, Montgomeryville 10 A.M.

Saturday, May 12 Barrel Brew, Bethlehem (at Chris Becker’s Farm)

Tuesday, May 15 Intro to Brewing, Bethlehem 6:30 P.M.

Wednesday, May 16 Intro to Winemaking from Grapes, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Thursday, May 17 Keystone Hops Homebrew Club Meeting and Honey (Challenge Ingredient) Contest, 7 P.M.

Saturday, May 19 BUZZ Off Entry Deadline

Sunday, May 20 Mozzarella & Soft Cheeses, Montgomeryville 11 A.M.

Tuesday, May 22 Philly Beer Scene Awards

Wednesday, May 23 Wine & Must Analysis Class, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Wednesday, May 23 Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals

Thursday, May 24 Wine Appreciation: South American Wines, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Monday, May 28 Both Stores Closed in Observance of Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 29 Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Meeting, Bethlehem 7:30 P.M.

Friday, June 1 Opening Tap, the Start of Philly Beer Week

Saturday, June 2 BUZZ Off Homebrew Competition

Sunday, June 3 Sour Power Brewing Class, Montgomeryville 1 P.M.

Tuesday, June 5 The Next Step in Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Wednesday, June 6 Intro to Brewing, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Thursday, June 7 Philly Beer Geek Finals

Thursday, June 14 Wine Appreciation: Wines of Summer, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

Friday, June 15 Free Wine Tasting, Bethlehem 5:30 to 8:30 P.M.

Saturday, June 16 Free Wine Tasting, Montgomeryville 1 to 4 P.M.

Thursday, June 21 Keystone Hops Homebrew Club Meeting and Pre-Hopped Kits Competition, Montgomeryville 7 P.M.

Thursday June 21 Round 1 of Brewers Brawl, Montgomeryville

Saturday, June 23 Round 2 of Brewers Brawl, Lansdale Beer Fest

Tuesday, June 26 Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Meeting, 7:30 P.M.

Wednesday, June 27 Wine Finishing Class, Montgomeryville 6:30 P.M.

The following guidelines apply to the Montgomeryville Barrel Brew. Bethlehem brewers: if you would like to participate in brewing a Bourbon Barrel Wheat Wine, please send an email to info@lvhb.org ASAP to sign up or to find out more about the event.

1. We supply the recipes; you buy the ingredients and bring your own equipment, including a propane burner. This year in Montgomeryville, we will be brewing a Belgian Dark Strong Ale in Bourbon Barrels and a Belgian Golden Strong Ale in Apple Brandy Barrels. Both recipes were given to us by Urbain Coutteau of De Struise.

2. Plan to pick up their ingredients at least a day before the brew, or place an online order by clicking one of the links below:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale: Extract Version / All-Grain Version
Belgian Golden Strong Ale: Extract Version / All-Grain Version

3. Montgomeryville brewers: you can start brewing as early as you like (the store will open at 9AM); all-grain brewers must mash in by 11AM.

4. There is a barrel participation fee of $2.50 per gallon.

5. Expect a 10 percent loss of volume from sediment.

6. Be prepared to drop off your sanitized and volume-calibrated fermentors at our Montgomeryville store between Friday, May 25 and Monday, May 28. Your beer will be ready for pick-up on Saturday, June 6. Please plan to retrieve your beer within 5 days.

Montgomeryville brewers: please fill out the form below (the form is not to order ingredients; it is just to give us a headcount). Thanks!

Statistics
Original Gravity   1.082
Final Gravity   1.017
Alcohol Content   8.1%

Ingredients
7 lb. Briess Golden Light DME
2 lb. Belgian Dark Candi Sugar
¼ lb. Briess 120°L Crystal
¼ lb. Dingemans Special B

2 oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Bittering) with 60 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Flavoring) with 10 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Aroma) with 1 minute left in the boil.
ALL-GRAIN BREWERS: Substitute 13lbs. of Dingemans Pale Malt in place of the Golden Light DME. Mash at 152F.

Wyeast # 1388 Belgian Strong Ale Yeast

5 Muslin Bags
5 oz Priming Sugar if bottling (NOT INCLUDED)

* The malted grains are crushed together in the clear plastic bag.

PROCEDURE

A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.

1. Heat 1 gallon of water in your brew kettle to between 145°F and 160°F.
2. Put the grains into a muslin bag, tie it off near the top, and add the bag to your brew kettle. Steep the grains in hot water (about 145° – 160°F) to extract flavor and color — do not allow to boil.
3. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bag, top up with water to your full boil volume (leaving room so you can add the extract and candi sugar later), and bring to a boil.
4. Turn off your burner and add the malt extract and Belgian candi sugar. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until both the malt extract and the candi sugar are completely dissolved.
5. Turn the heat back on and bring the wort (the stuff in your pot) to a boil. Once boiling, place the bittering hops into a muslin bag, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
6. After 45 minutes of boiling, you may add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify your beer (optional).
7. After 50 minutes of boiling, add the flavoring hops (in a muslin bag).
8. After 59 minutes of boiling, add the aroma hops (in a muslin bag).
9. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Chill your wort to 80°F or lower using a wort chiller. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.
10. Top up with cold water if necessary to achieve target volume/gravity.
11. Make sure the wort is below 80°F before you have your wort transferred into a barrel, but do not perform the transfer yourself. Instead, let a Keystone Homebrew employee know that you are ready.
12. Be prepared to drop off your sanitized and volume-calibrated fermentors at our Montgomeryville store between Friday, May 25 and Monday, May 28. Your beer will be ready for pick-up on Saturday, June 6. Please plan to retrieve your beer within 5 days.
13. This beer may benefit from extended bulk aging in your glass carboy. Using a hydrometer, confirm completion of fermentation prior to bottling. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil priming sugar in 1-2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into the beer, and bottle as usual.

Statistics
Original Gravity   1.082
Final Gravity   1.017
Alcohol Content   8.1%

Ingredients
7 lb. Briess Golden Light DME
2 lb. Belgian Light Candi Sugar
¼ lb. Dingemans Carapils
¼ lb. Dingemans Biscuit
ALL-GRAIN BREWERS: Substitute 13lbs. of Dingemans Pale Malt in place of the Golden Light DME. Mash at 152F.

2 oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Bittering) with 60 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Flavoring) with 10 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Aroma) with 1 minute left in the boil.

Wyeast # 1388 Belgian Strong Ale Yeast

5 Muslin Bags
5 oz Priming Sugar if bottling (NOT INCLUDED)

* The malted grains are crushed together in the clear plastic bag.

Procedure

A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.

1. Heat 1 gallon of water in your brew kettle to between 145°F and 160°F.
2. Put the grains into a muslin bag, tie it off near the top, and add the bag to your brew kettle. Steep the grains in hot water (about 145° – 160°F) to extract flavor and color — do not allow to boil.
3. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bag, top up with water to your full boil volume (leaving room so you can add the extract and candi sugar later), and bring to a boil.
4. Turn off your burner and add the malt extract and Belgian candi sugar. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until both the malt extract and the candi sugar are completely dissolved.
5. Turn the heat back on and bring the wort (the stuff in your pot) to a boil. Once boiling, place the bittering hops into a muslin bag, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
6. After 45 minutes of boiling, you may add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify your beer (optional).
7. After 50 minutes of boiling, add the flavoring hops (in a muslin bag).
8. After 59 minutes of boiling, add the aroma hops (in a muslin bag).
9. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Chill your wort to 80°F or lower using a wort chiller. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.
10. Top up with cold water if necessary to achieve target volume/gravity.
11. Make sure the wort is below 80°F before you have your wort transferred into a barrel, but do not perform the transfer yourself. Instead, let a Keystone Homebrew employee know that you are ready.
12. Be prepared to drop off your sanitized and volume-calibrated fermentors at our Montgomeryville store between Friday, May 25 and Monday, May 28. Your beer will be ready for pick-up on Saturday, June 6. Please plan to retrieve your beer within 5 days.
13. This beer may benefit from extended bulk aging in your glass carboy. Using a hydrometer, confirm completion of fermentation prior to bottling. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil priming sugar in 1-2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into the beer, and bottle as usual.

Keystone Homebrew’s epic keg only homebrew competition is back! Brewers battle it out for fortune and glory with their weapons of choice: 5-gallon corny kegs full (or nearly full) of beer, mead, or cider, with faucet attached. The top ten beers will be selected by popular vote at the June meeting of the Keystone Hops homebrew club (Round 1). The winning brewers must be willing to have their beer served at the Lansdale Beer Fest (Round 2) on Saturday, June 23. Even if you don’t keg your beer, you can still come to the club meeting and/or the festival — remember, everyone gets to judge!

How it Works
Each attendee to the Lansdale Beer Fest will receive 1 voting ticket for the KO competition. During the fest they can try out as many of the competing beers as they like and vote for their favorite. In the end, the beer with the most votes will be declared “Lansdale’s Favorite Homebrew 2012″.

Official Rules for Entries (The Competition Organizer may bend the rules as needed, at his discretion.)

1. Beer must be presented in full, or almost-full, 5-gallon kegs. Minimum weight is 42 pounds (no cheating!).

2. The entry fee is $0.00. That’s right, FREE.

3. Beers need not be entered in a specific BJCP category; they will be judged with tastiness as the primary merit.

4. A cold, ready-to-be-tasted sample (from the actual keg to be served at the fest) must be submitted at the June 21 meeting of the Keystone Hops Homebrew Club at Keystone Homebrew in Montgomeryville, along with a completed Entry Form.

5. The day of the event the Brewers must supply complete dispensing equipment (including a CO2 supply) for their beer. Ice will be provided.

6. Each Brewer is allowed to enter 1 and only 1 beer.

7. Each Brewer is allowed to serve their beer from only one 5 gallon keg (so make sure it’s full).

All 10 Round 1 winners will receive a $25 gift certificate to Keystone Homebrew, a free Keystone shirt, and a free pass into the VIP session of the Lansdale Beer Festival, which will allow admittance ONE HOUR EARLY to explore the beer fest before the hordes arrive. Voting will begin at 1:30 and will end at approximately 3:30 PM on the day of the fest, and the winner will be announced at approximately 4PM.

1st Place will receive a $200 gift Certificate to Keystone Homebrew
2nd Place will receive a $100 gift Certificate.
3rd Place will receive a $50 gift Certificate.

The 3-step process to beer geek supremacy are:

1. Win a preliminary round at a participating local beer-centric business between now and May 21
2. Wow the famous beer judges in the semifinal round at Manayunk Brewery on May 23
3. Dominate the other finalists at the June 7th showdown at Manayunk Brewery during Philly Beer Week.

If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth the title!

Get more info at www.phillyBeerGeek.com.