Attending: Richard Swindells, Dom Antony, Kev Warnes, Graham Smith, James Pettifor, Justin Dean, Nick Davis, Steve Plampton, Tony Tilbury, Colin Miller, Steve Bennett, Dave Caiels, Jon Rolinson.

Agenda

• Pre-meeting – Bar beers and discuss Lunch options to arrive for 13:00/13:30.
• 12:30: Welcomes/Apologies.
• 12:35: ACB Homebrew comp update, numbers, takings, profit and losses, lessons learned and savings for next year (5 min).
• 12:40: Quick update on the club funds from Nick, quick note on comp website hosting costs, and ACB mobile load speed/planned update costs (5 min).
• 12:45: Shed Festival date announcement (1 min).
• 12:46: Anton Paar Easy Dens and Smart Ref refractometer for a demo of ABV measurement (15 min).
• 13:01:Talk on Parti-Gyle (30 min) or Lunch (13:00)
• 13:30: Lunch/Talk on Parti-Gyle brewing (30 min)
• 14:15: Beer Challenge 30m-1h
• 14:45-1500: AOB 

Meeting Minutes

A run through of the homebrew competition started the meeting, with James P highlighting 60 beers, 69 paid entries. The day ran smoothly and we should look to offer more spaces next year. Look to offer 100 places. Look to set the style for dark beers next year. Also look at the benefit of sending vouchers to over sea winners. 

The date for the 2025 Shed Festival was announced as May 17th 2025 at the Vic.

James P presented a talk on Parti-Gyle brewing, a link to the talk will go here.

Lunch was had with 6x boxes of pizza shared between brewers. Thanks to Tony for arranging the food again. 

After Lunch Nick D gave a talk on his Anton Pars EasyDens refractometer and alcohol meter, which was seen as fascinating pieces of kit. 

Dark Beer Challenge

We had a large selection of dark beers to judge and compare. Kev W was steward with thanks and he did a sterling job. The beers:

• BIPA – Tony T (Diacetyl)
• Porter – James P (Roasty, but good beer)
• Porter – Steve B (Autolysis with high residual sweetness)
• Best Bitter – Dave C (Barleywine notes, very good beer 8.2%)
• Doppelbock – Nick Davies (Pentanedione*/very sweet beer)
• ESB – Graham (Acetic, too dark for the style)
• Barrel Aged Baltic Porter – Jon R (Lovely beer, depth, vinous quality, tannic, vanilla)
• Belgian Xmas Stout – (Good beer, Cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg spices, star anise).

*Pentanedione, properly called 2,3-pentanedione, is a vicinal diketone (VDK) normally produced by yeast during fermentation. It gives a honey-like flavor in beer and is considered an off-flavor for most beer styles. 

AOB

• Vienna Lager – Rich S (notes if would suit international amber lager, not toasty enough for style).
• Simmonds Best Bitter – James P (Good beer, 85% Chevallier, 15% Amber malt)
• English IPA – Tony T (100% Chevallier/Goldings – classic orange flavours, good beer)
• Cherry/Raspberry Sour – Jon R (Soft fruity, well-balanced sour)
• Barley Wine – Kev W – high alcohol, well aged, classic flavours of good oxidation affects.

• Experiments in Evil BA – non-bretted Ampersand Brewery. Young beer, would benefit from a year to age. Kev took the other bottle home to crack out next year.

Thanks to Kev W for stewarding. 

This brought the meeting to a happy conclusion. Then we all helped to clear up and retired back to the bar to enjoy more beers. Some later went for a curry.