January 2023 – Meeting Minutes

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Greg

January 19, 2022

Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville

7:13 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by our 2023 Mug Watcher, Keith Linn!

Education

Meeting opened with an online presentation by Nina Hout of Imperial Organic Yeast (does anyone make inorganic yeast?). She described their facilities and processes for growing and packaging yeast. The session finished with a Q and A session. It seemed as though the meeting attendees appreciated the presentation.

 

New Attendees

Alex Worthington

 

Old Business

Always on the lookout for education topics. Submit ideas to Daniel Stubblefield and/or Patrick Bohannon.

Iron Brewer Competition, 4th Quarter 2023, was hosted by OZ at GOAT Lab brewery in Lowell on January 3rd . The style was Doppelbock.

Results:

  • 1st – Randy Germann (FLOPS)
  • 2nd – Patrick Bohannon (FLOPS)
  • 3rd – Keith Linn (FLOPS)
Seems to be a FLOPS weighted finish.

Frost Fest (February 4th, 2023) will be served by some FLOPS members. Many slots are taken, so contact Daniel or Patrick ASAP if interested.

Patrick Bohannon mentioned the event on February 11th to support the Women’s Shelter still has some open slots.

Dues are due. So to do the right thing, do see Chris Abel ASAP.

North Tunnel Brew Supply has merged with Boston Mountain Brewing. The shop on US 71 North (College Avenue is closed, so now find your supplies just down the hill at Boston Mountain Brewing.

New Business

Reminder of the styles for the 2023 North-Iron-South-Brewer Competitions:
Quarter Month Judged Beer Name BJCP Category
1st April Hazy IPA 21 C
2nd July Saison 25 B
3rd October Kölsch 5 B
4th January 2014 English Porter 13 C

The FLOPS Social will be held at Boston Mountain Brewing at 3pm on Friday February 3rd.

 

Upcoming competitions:

  • Extravaganza in Memphis – closes on February 25
  • Nation Homebrew Competition – Opens on January 24
  • Zymurgists of the Ozarks are sponsoring a “Rare Breeds” comp, entry closes on January 21
  • Bluebonnet closes on January 30.

The club presented former president Tom Maddock a thank you gift. This gift was not only worthy of the goal of recognizing his exceptional service, it exceeded expectations by also succinctly summarizing his record. Thanks, Tom! Might not be here without you.

A new brewery, Fayetteville Beer Works is planned for East Fayetteville, near Mission Road and Crossover Road interchange. The man behind the project has some serious brewing bona fides, so this could be an interesting place.

Brewer of the Month

1. Lydia B
2. Tie – Alex and Tom
3. Greg Newman

 

Ass of the Month

We were going to ask Larry for suggestions but, what the hell, he left early?
Larry is the FLOPS Brew Club Ass of the Month.
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Featured Brewer – Randy Germann

Posted on December 21, 2022 by Greg

Name: Randy Germann

Age: 58

Occupation: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Sr. SAP Consultant. I lead customers to migrate, upgrade, and optimize SAP workloads in the AWS public cloud.

Years Brewing: 26

Brewing History? Started with partial mash and then moved to all-grain a couple years later. For awhile, brewed all-grain and mini-mash with extract. Now, I mostly brew all-grain.

What got you interested in brewing to start? I started a little party called Germannfest on November 19th, 1996 in San Antonio, Texas and my wife, Amy, said you should brew your own beer. I thought that was a crazy idea considering I could buy so much good beer. Anyway, we bought our first kit and equipment from Paul and Sari Jane Newell who owned a local homebrewing store. We brewed and bottled a Nut Brown Ale. The rest is, as they say, history as Germannfest is still going strong and I’m still brewing!

Current brewing rig? Very old school and all manual with half barrel kegs and gravity-fed.

 

Best brewing advice you were given (by whom if you can remember)? I had a brewing friend in San Antonio named Charlie Jordon, a professional brewer. He did all of his calculations by hand and taught me how to formulate recipes. His best advice was that it was OK to tip the scale a bit when measuring ingredients in order to add “a little extra goodness”. After 20 years, I still hear his voice every time I weigh my grain bill.

Most influential brewing tip you learned? Nothing in this world is perfect but we should do everything in our power to attempt perfection. There was a time when my brewing was very insular and its only purpose was to produce beer for Germannfest. When I moved to Northwest Arkansas, I wasn’t part of a homebrew club, I was just going thru the motions and the beer reflected as much – lifeless, flawed, and mediocre. When my nephew asked me to brew a beer for his college graduation, I took it very seriously and brewed the best beer and cider of my life. Now I’m active in clubs and my fellow brewers make me want to be a better brewer.

From the first Germannfest

 

Your tip for new brewers just getting started? Don’t hesitate to ask for help and get out there and show your beer (e.g., club meetings, homebrew events, BJCP competitions). You can never know it all and will never stop learning. I’m evidence of that after 26 years at the craft as I’m always humbled by what my friends produce and they are my inspiration.

Go to beer style for consumption? I started out loving Pale Ales and IPAs and, believe it or not, was a real “Hop Head” at one time. Now I really love maltier, less hop-forward beers like German lagers and barrel-aged stouts and barleywines.

What’s on tap at your brew house right now? IPA, Doppelbock, and root beer.

Favorite beer style to brew? Most of my friends know the answer to this question: German lagers especially the light, golden variety such as Pilsner, Kolsch, and Maibock. However, once again, the clubs inspired me to brew out of my comfort zone in 2022 for Iron Brewer and I brewed a Belgian and American Wheat after last brewing 20 years ago.

What’s your next brewing related project? I just brewed my first Hazy IPA based on Greg Newman’s Orange Draaaaank recipe and my son, with some head brewer assistance, started a sweet, specialty cider called Dumbledore’s Delight.

What do you want everyone to know that wasn’t asked here? My talent, time, and resources have been given to me by my blessed Lord and savior Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t have these blessings without His saving grace. I ask the Lord to bless each beer and allow me to touch and connect with others through the art of homebrewing.

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December 2022 Meeting Minutes

Posted on December 21, 2022 by Greg
December 15, 2022

Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville

7:14 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by Forrest Adams

New Attendees

  • Casey and Lydia
  • Gabriel
  • Kim and Tim
  • Ken (former FLOPS member from the 90s)
  • Brandon

 

Old Business

  • Always on the lookout for education topics. Submit ideas to Daniel Stubblefield and/or Patrick Bohannon.
  • Club insurance I paid through August 2023. Expecting AHA reimbursement, but not yet verified.
  • Iron Brewer Competition, 4 th Quarter 2023, will be hosted by OZ at GOAT Lab brewery in Lowell on January 3rd .
  • The style is Doppelbock.
  • Frost Fest (February 4th, 2023) will welcome a limited number homebrew servers. How limited is unknown, direct questions to Keith Linn

New Business

All of the styles are now set for the 2023 North-Iron-South-Brewer Competitions:
  • 1st April Hazy IPA 21 C
  • 2nd July Saison 25 B
  • 3rd October Kölsch 5 B
  • 4th January 2014 English Porter 13 C

The 4th quarter style may have been reported as an English Brown, but who would have been dim enough to say that, Larry?

Patrick Bohannon mentioned an event on February 11 th to support the Women’s Shelter. Justin McGinnis is organizing? Questions to Patrick.

Xmas party will be a Tom’s House tomorrow. It will be great. Trust me.

Patrick mentioned his loan papers were signed for the brewery, way to go!

Dues will be due for 2023. So do your dues before you next doo-doo.

Daniel Stubblefield announced that due (that again) to new circumstances, North Tunnel Brewing will likely be for sale.

Xmas party at Tom’s was approved as Monthly Social Event by voice vote.

19:56 Meeting was adjourned.

Education

Had a fun Q and A and B(ullshit) session.

 

Brewer of the Month

1. Larry McCallister
2. Kevin Elsken
3. Patrick Bohannon

 

Ass of the Month

Keith Linn for not showing up again, although he told me at the Xmas party that he had been working
hard at, (what was it?), oh yeah, growing stones, getting stoned, something like that… Questions to Keith.
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Featured Brewer: Daniel Stubblefield

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Greg

Name: Daniel Stubblefield

  

Age: 39

Occupation
Systems Inspection Technician
A.K.A I work on all things Fire Safety related.

Access Control, Fire Alarm, Suppression Systems etc…

Years Brewing: 7

Brewing History?

Started extract in 2015, moved to all grain shortly after, brewed at Oxbend Brewing from 2019-2021 and now owner of North Tunnel Brewing & Supply

 

What got you interested in brewing to start?
I realized in the early 2010’s that I kept pursuing more full bodied beers and I mainly consumed imported beer. Then my wife surprised me with my first beer kit in 2015. I made it and it wasn’t great so Steve Weathers showed me the ropes from there.

 

What kept you brewing?
The cost of making your own compared to buying it from the store and the freedom to create whatever beer I wanted.

 

Current brewing rig?
Clawhammer Supply 120v 10gal electric brewing system. Brewers Best Zyborg 35L Auto brewing system for a backup.

 

Any rules you have for brew day?
Sanitization is the most important thing, water chemistry, temperature controlled fermentation, great music has to be playing and of course, you have to have a beer while brewing.

 

Best brewing advice you were given (by whom if you can remember)?
“Don’t worry we can hide those off flavors”. Darren Bush gave me that piece of advice and I’ve learned fruit can cover a lot of unwanted things

 

Most influential brewing tip you learned?
For me, the most influential tip has been to be open to both negative and positive feedback. Share your brews with fellow drinkers and try and get their honest opinions

 

 

Your tip for new brewers just getting started?
Don’t give up. Practice makes perfect. If a brew doesn’t come out the way you want, let it age for a month and see what it’s like then.

 

Go to beer style for consumption?
Currently the Haze Craze has consumed me…

 

What’s on tap at your brew house right now?
Pumpkin Spice Porter, Chocolate Strawberry Porter, Farmhouse/ Saison Hybrid and an Imperial Marshmallow Stout.

 

 

Favorite beer style to brew?
Milkshake IPAs

 

What’s your next brewing related project?
Currently working with Boston Mountain on a barrel aged project.

 

What do you want everyone to know that wasn’t asked here?
My wife helps create a lot of my recipes 😉
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November 2022 Meeting Minutes

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Greg

November 17, 2022

Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville

7:16 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by Forrest Adams

New Attendees

  • Parker Bailey
  • Stewart Rogers
  • Alex Smith

 

Old Business

  • Always on the lookout for education topics. Submit ideas to Daniel Stubblefield and/or Patrick Bohannon.
  • Club insurance I paid through August 2023. It seems that we have enough ‘FLOPS associated’ AHA members to qualify for reimbursement, but reimbursement not yet verified.
  • Girls on the Run fundraiser (High Gravity Homebrewing) was held October 22. Kevin Elsken judged beers in ‘Clean’ and ‘Dirty’ categories. The organizer, Darin Dickson, was pleased with how the event turned out and as always grateful to the brewers who participated. Friend of FLOPS James Spurlin won 3 rd place in judging and in the People’s Choice competition.
  • Germannfest was also well attended, 70+ people and 20 beers. A Learn to Homebrew demo was also conducted.
  • Iron Brewer Competition, 4 th Quarter 2023, will be hosted by OZ at GOAT Lab brewery in Lowell on January 3rd; The style is Doppelbock.

 

New Business

  • New brewery to open in January: Mad Rooster Beer Company, located just off South School in Fayetteville, just behind the Farmer’s Table restaurant.
  • Daniel announced that Frost Fest (February 4th, 2023) will welcome a limited number homebrew servers. More detail to follow.
  • Christmas Party – tentatively at Tom’s place, December 16th or 17 th . Facebook will probably have the details before Tom does.
  • Daniel will be the next featured brewer.
  • December 10th at New Province – release of collaboration beer done by OZ to benefit Beaver Water District.

Education

  • None this month.

Brewer of the Month:

  • Daniel Stubblefield

Ass of the Month:

  • Chris Abel. Because how are we going to buy Twitter if he is not here to verify we have $44 billion in the bank?

Iron Brewer Style Selection for 2023

The following styles were nominated:
  • Hazy IPA
  • Saison
  • West Coast IPA
  • Kölsch
  • American Light Lager
  • Maibock
  • California Common

The winners:

  • 1st quarter 2023 – Hazy IPA, BJCP Category 21C
  • 3rd quarter 2023 – Kölsch, BJCP Category 5B (competition note: any entries submitted without those two little dots over the “o” will be immediately disqualified)
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FLOPS October 2022 – Meeting Minutes

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Greg

October 20, 2022
Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville

7:17 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by Randy Germann ‘Ein Prosit’

New Attendees

  • David – makes meads, mostly
  • Noah – colleague of Daniel, but we refuse to hold that against him

Old Business

  • Always on the lookout for education topics. Daniel Stubblefield will be taking this on in 2023.
  • Club insurance is paid through August 2023. It seems that we have enough ‘FLOPS associated’ AHA members to
    qualify for reimbursement.
  • Saddlebock Brewery – some new beers posted on social media, but no further info.
  • Girls on the Run fundraiser is this weekend, October 22. Kevin Elsken is going to judge beers in the morning.
    Sixteen entries overall.
  • Brewtoberfest was a success. Tom thanked all who helped and participated. Daniel won the coveted green
    jacket, Tom Maddock as second and Patrick Bohannon third.

 

New Business

  • The FLOPS Fish Off was held at Greg Newman’s last Saturday. Despite the low water levels fish were caught and
    no added buckshot was detected.
  • Frost Fest is being revived in 2023. Not certain if homebrews will be invited, Keith will follow up with Ben Mills of
    Fossil Cove.
  • Iron Brewer Competition, 4 th Quarter 2023, will be hosted by OZ at GOAT Lab brewery in Lowell. The style is
    Doppelbock.
  • November 5 th is learn to brew day, also Germann Fest. This will be the club social.
  • Keith Linn offered the idea of holding a future social at Ivory Bill Brewing in Siloam Springs, possibly in
    conjunction with a visit with Jack McAuliffe. Nice idea, details to be worked out.
  • Larry McCallister said OZ is planning quarterly speakers at their club meetings. Next speaker id November 2 nd .
    FLOPS needs to pick the 2 nd and 4 th quarter styles for 2023 at the November meeting.
  • Meeting adjourned at 7:56.

Education

  • Keith solicited ideas for educational topics to help guide Daniel in 2023. Even more than topics, maybe ideas for
    brewing topics we should focus on. As always communicate any ideas to Keith and/or Daniel.
  • Brewer of the Month:
    • Larry McCallister won 6 votes for his beers. Ben Fahrner and Greg Newman tied with 3 votes each.
  • Ass of the Month:
    • The president forgot to solicit votes for this, so by default I declare him Ass of the Month.

Iron Brewer

Competition Style: 1D, American Wheat

  • 1 st Place – Keith Linn, FLOPS
  • 2 nd Place – Kevin Elsken, FLOPS
  • 3 rd Place – BJ Peppers, OZ

Note on Past Styles:
2018 4Q – Winter Warmer
2019 Q1 – Back Lager
2019 Q2 – Cream Ale
2019 Q3 – Red Ale
2019 Q4 – English Brown Ale
2020 Q1 – SMASH
2021 Q2 – Amber Ale
2021 Q3– Barleywine
2021 Q4 – Winter Seasonal
2022 Q1 – Czech Premium Pale Lager
2022 Q2 – Belgian Blond Ale
2022 Q3 – American Wheat Beer

 

 

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Featured Brewer – James Harvey

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Greg

 

Q: Name
A: James Harvey

 

Q: Age
A: 64

 

Q: Occupation
A: Retired

 

Q: Years Brewing
A: About 5. Four back in the late ’80s and early 90’s, then restarted about 1 year ago.

 

Q: Brewing History
A: Started extract in late ’80s, moved to all grain in the 2021. Also got into cider and wine making around 10 years ago.

 

Q: What got you interested in brewing to start
A: Wanted to brew beers that I enjoyed in Europe, but could not easily find in the US.

 

Q: What kept you brewing
A: Actually, I stopped due to travel and family demands. Restarted once I got settled in NWA after retirement.

 

Q: Current brewing rig
A: Brewer’s Edge Mash & Boil Series 2 with recirculation pump. Immersion chiller with recirculating water pump. Kegs for storing and serving.

 

Q: Any rules you have for brew day
A: Start early and ensure that I have everything I will need.

 

Q: Best brewing advice you were given (by whom if you can remember)
A: Keep stirring! This was from my exact days. Easy to burn or boil-over with a small, cheap pot. (Neighborhood friend who also brewed).

 

Q: Most influential brewing tip you learned
A: Sometimes nasty stuff gets in your wort and you have to dump it out.

 

Q: Your tip for new brewers just getting started
A: Brew a few times with an experienced brewer.

 

Q: Go to beer style for consumption
A: Amber or Red ales or German Lagers. Most brewpubs and tap houses usually have one or the other.

 

Q: What’s on tap at your brew house right now
A: Nothing. Just finish my Belgian Blonde keg. Marzen is conditioning for Brewtober and I have an ESB in the fermenter to drink next.

 

Q: Favorite beer style to brew
A: Extra Special Bitter.
Q: What’s your next brewing related project
A: A fermentation chamber (either homemade or a used freezer) to begin brewing lagers.

 

Q: What do you want everyone to know that wasn’t asked here
A: I’m interested in “beer travel”. I try to “drink local” when I travel. I’m open to traveling around the US and Europe for beer.

 

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September 2022 – FLOPS Club Meeting Minutes

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Greg

September 15, 2022
Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville

7:17 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by Forrest
New Attendee
None

Old Business

Core Brewing Heat Wave Homebrew was successful.
Club insurance I paid through August 2023. Cost was not reimbursed as less than 75% of our members belong to
the American Homebrewers Association.
Saddlebock Brewery sold. No final word on who bought it.
Iron Brewer is October 20 th at Fossil Cove. Style is American Wheat.
Brewtoberfest is October 8. Selected as Club Social for the month.
Greg always looking for featured brewers.

New Business

New Brewers Class at North Tunnel Brewing on October 1 st . Feel free to stop in and harass Daniel and the new
brewers.
Education
Randy Germann presented Fruit in Beer.

Brewer of the Month:

Daniel,Tom, Kevin, and Tom all got votes but BJ Peppers won for a wonderful Imperial Stout and a great Wee Heavy.

Ass of the Month:

Patrick Bohannon. You would think the president elect might show up…

 

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FLOPS August 2022 Meeting Minutes

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Greg

8/18/22 – Fossil Cove 

7:10 – Meeting opened with a Toast from Forrest

 

New Attendees

Tracy Harlow – Representing Girls on the Run “High Gravity” brewing competition Fundraiser

Steve Kuehnel

Chris Kuehnel

Matthew Klawitte – brought 3 meads

Eric Ledien – brought 1 keg of mead

Old Business

Check signers will get to bank to add Greg when Tom returns.

Education presentations – Patrick will present next month, need volunteers

Core HeatWave Event coming up, was determined to be the August Social.

Brewtober coming up, sign up soon. Noted judging changes, no BJCP, only Brewer’s Choice and People’s Choice

Goat Lab brewery is the current designated meeting location for the OZ club.

No updates from anyone on the sale of Saddlebock.

New Business

Officers: Since we have 3 open positions, and 3 candidates who didn’t previously express a preference as to which positions they would like to fill, it was motioned that those folks offer up a preference, and then we could vote for each person / position.  Patrick Bohannon volunteered to fill the President position. Daniel Stubblefield volunteered to take the Vice-President position. Keith Linn volunteered to take the position of Mug Watcher.

 

All candidates were voted into their positions almost unanimously (there has to be one, you know who you are).  These volunteers will assume their new roles beginning in January 2023.

 

Members present and voting were:

 

Jason Kanak

Larry Mcallister

Forrest Adams

Storm Adams

Randy Germann

Patrick Bohannon

Daniel Stubblefield

Steve Weathers

Chris Abel

Chris Bray

Scot Harlow

Ben Farhner

Keith Linn

Greg Newman

Steve Kuehnel

Chris Kuehnel

Matthew Klawitte

Eric Ledien

 

Q3 Iron Brewer will be held at the FLOPS Meeting at Fossil Cove on October 20th.  The style is American Wheat.

 

The vote approving the expenditure for FLOPS liability insurance passed. Cost is: 

 

Tracy Harlow spoke to the group about the Girl’s on the Run homebrewing event “High Gravity.”  see all the details here: https://www.gotrnwa.org/high-gravity

 

Officer Reports

Chris: “We have money.”

Greg: “We need volunteers to be a ‘Featured Brewer’.”

Randy: Heatwave, Brewtober, High Gravity all coming up.

 

Education

Randy Germann presented an awesome session on Oktoberfest Beers.  The slide deck can be found here: https://www.flopsclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Brewing-Oktoberfest-Bier.pdf

 

Brewer of the Month: Steve Weathers

Ass of the Month: Tie: Greg Newman / Patrick Bohannon

 

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July 2022 – Meeting Minutes

Posted on July 24, 2022 by Greg

FLOPS Club Meeting Minutes

July 21, 2022
Fossil Cove Brewery, Fayetteville
7:17 PM – Meeting called to order with toast by

New Attendee

Garlan Preece

Old Business

Education – contact Keith or Tom if you have a topic. Does not need to be fancy, just useful
Renew your membership if you haven’t yet.
Iron Brewer – 2 nd Quarter Results – Keith Linn took 3 rd place, Randy German won representing OZ (traitor?)
Core Brewing Heat Wave Homebrew event scheduled for August 20. This is registered as a BJCP competition.
Link to beer registration page: https://reggiebeer.com/ReggieEntry.php?CompetitionID=TYUTLK1000723
Brewtoberfest is October 8.

New Business

Club insurance is due – note this covers paid members.
Saddlebock Brewery is for sale, asking $600,000.
Officer nominations from last month:

President

Patrick Bohannon
Keith Linn

Vice President

Patrick Bohannon
Daniel Stubblefield

Mug Watcher

Daniel Stubblefield
Election is in September, paid members can vote.

Education

Keith Linn regaled us with a tale of woe regarding a recent cereal mash brew that went wrong in so many ways
(stuck sparge, dead yeast, dogs and cats living in sin). Opened up a fun general discussion about all kinds of
brewing mishaps.
Brewer of the Month: Larry McAlister, brought several really good beers. Apologies for dissing his Belgian Blonde at Iron
Brewer, but it was seriously better this month.
Ass of the Month: Note, we made Larry McAlister AOM last month for being a no-show but apparently he almost died of
syphilis, or something like that. Sorry, not. This month we voted for James, because where the hell is he?
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