Present: Heidi, Denise, Lisa, Mariana, and guest Andrea

This meeting marked a "first" for PALS. We actually brewed beer. We received instruction and expertise advice from "brewmaster" Mike, of chess club. We began with introductions between Chess club- Mike, Rick, and Perry (also his wife Kathy) - and Beer club. Thus began the first meeting of CH-EER club, although we can’t say if there’ll be more meetings of this group. Chess club member Bruce and his wife Debbie joined us a little later. The chess club wives were a good fit with P.A.L.S.

Lisa did a fabulous job of procuring the supplies needed for the brewing process, and deserves a round of applause for supplying the heat and other equipment. We had decided to brew brown ale, and as luck would have it, the ingredients for our founding favorite, Longshot Hazelnut Brown Ale, were readily available. So it is we are attempting our own version of the sweet, sensuous spirit. Lisa then introduced us to the two Amber malts (syrup in a can and dry), the hops (Hallertau and fuggle), the barley grain mix (she ground fresh at the store), the corn sugar, the "English" yeast (only ONE package), and the hazelnut flavoring. We started the kettle of water to boil. Actually we had 2 kettles going because chess club was also making a batch of beer. The malts were placed in large "tea"-type bags and dropped in the water at 150 degrees and simmered for 40 minutes. Then the amber malts were added and hops were added twice during the 60+minutes boil. By 10:20pm we were ready to cool the wort (which we did in a large tub) and pitch the yeast, which was proofed before hand. Specific gravity measurements were taken with a hydrometer (by the brewmaster) which provided info on the potential alcohol and balling. The fermenting mix will sit in the tubs for several days, being active and resting as temperature permits.

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Lisa reported that after 10 days the infant beer was put into the glass (carboy) and will "krausen" there until it "burps" only every other minute or so. An early sample, says Lisa, proved to be full bodied and tasty. Contact Lisa about the bottling – should we plan a time that some of us can help out? Call Lisa. (As of june 13^th, this may already be done).

The evening was busy, filled with brewing, eating, drinking, visiting and reminiscing. Andrea brought some old (very old) pictures of us and that provided a good laugh. We were especially entertained by the newspaper picture of the St. John’s 8^th grade softball team. We were first place that year, with 7 wins and 1 forfeit. What caused that? We must have been at operetta practice, or at church in confession. What else could it have been?

Chess club has their act pretty well together – that 4 man (person) board is really something. They found themselves a quiet, comfy spot downstairs to put the game in motion. They probably couldn’t tolerate the PALS conversation – few men have survived for very long. I don’t quite get how they play, but they tell me they usually end up two or three players against one. Their game just puts me in a fog – with chess pieces everywhere. They also were trying to develop a name for themselves. Someone created "fourplay" and that just seemed to fit. So, when is the website up and running? Guess we’ll have to give them time and "wait and see". Just like the PALS calendar idea that keeps coming up. Just "wait", but you probably won’t "see".

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information about our next meeting. These minutes must get out, as they are already quite tardy. Other things to keep in mind – we each owe Lisa $4.00 for the beer ingredients. The bottled brew should be ready in several weeks I believe. Denise said she would make labels but we need a name! Remember, it is a hazelnut brown ale. How about Hazy Daze? Or something like that? Put on your thinking caps!

Hope to hear from y’all soon.

Respectfully submitted,
Mariana

-City ordinance, A.D.1000, Danzig
(now Gdansk, Poland)