May 2023 – Olde Town Mash Paddler's

All meeting notes and club information always posted without an account here.

May Club Update:

With Craft Beer week being this week (May 15th-21st) this makes me reflect on what Craft Beer is currently, to me, not necessarily to everyone. I can remember turning 21 some half a life ago and I am certain what was described as Craft Beer was certainly much different than what I feel in my heart today. Of course at 21 I am not certain that I had quite the “refined palate” that I do now, I was still drinking wine directly from the bag in drinking games and Amber Bock was the “nice” beer that I would get at the bar on a Friday night as a precursor to going out with the college guys for rounds of cut throat pool games and general debauchery. Back in 2001 the finest beer I think I could get in my college town was likely Fat Tire or Sam Adams Boston Lager with the rare sighting of a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. What I can recall about my introduction into Craft Beer was that the flavors were much more complex as well as being much more interesting as a whole product. I was immediately struck to find out more about how this was different from the Budweiser and Michelob that I was accustomed to seeing my uncles suck down on fishing trips. At this point Craft beer existed but nothing like it does today.

In college I learned to brew from the oldest guy at KASF, the college radio station I DJed for (Rob was 26, a legend that defined super senior, maybe a few times over). When I would make travels to Dever, I would seek out beers I couldn’t find back at school and drive them back with me. I wanted to learn to make beer this good and as complex but that would take many more years before I could reach that milestone. As the years ticked on I discovered what beers I preferred, as well as finding many beer that just made my head spin; for Example Transalantique Kreik, Tripel Karmeliet, Jubelale, 90 Minute IPA, Anchor Porter, Pliny the Elder, and Heady Topper to name a few. It was amazing to watch the public not only accept but really want to take in new and interesting flavors in Craft Beer. This is also the catalyst that prompted me to go back into homebrewing in 2009 and also explore more styles of beer. I am sure completing 6 World Beer Tours while my wife was in the marketing department of Old Chichago helped, especially with the 70% off beer and food (this is how she roped me in for life).

I find myself today way more immersed in homebrewing and beer than ever. I have enough equipment to mirror that of a small scale brewery and find myself at peace knowing that I can closely accomplish what is available commercially. When I go for commercial beers now and again I find myself in a daze looking at beer shelves, a similar feeling to attending GABF this last year. I have no idea what is the best and I also can’t see through so much of the marketing; I am left wondering what is really in the beer package at times. Yet, I am a huge proponent of beer becoming more of the fabric of our society as a device we use to share over conversation as well as debate over. It is at times I wonder if it is simply (for most people) only the experience of beer and trendiness that drives people to drink some of these poorly crafted beers (wink to Jim).

The modern craft beer scene is way too large for a single person to take in all of the elements and experiments out there (some will fight or embrace the chaos that is, looking at you Ryan). For a layman, the scene does have many great beers, the larger problem is twofold; 1) Most people don’t know what good beer is and 2) there is just so much bad beer to sift through (some breweries took a shit in the craft beer pool, SPE?). Yes, I know I sound like an old guy just bitching. I guess I am glad I know so many other people that know Craft Beer, to help sift the good and the bad out. Members of OTMP are great about knowing what is hot and knowing what is next, thank god I don’t have to drink all the beers to find the unicorns, my waistline cant take it any longer. What should be most celebrated is that we are part of this movement as a club. We are innovators and experimenters. We dont worry about cost (that much). We don’t hesitate to make the same beer twice or toss a batch out. We are all seeking the same goal, the best damn beer we can produce at home. I am honored to be part of a group that does define the Craft Beer movement and still holds it sacred. Like I have said for years, “You want a limited release beer, come to my basement”.

Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar

Where: Dennis’ House of Foam

Location:

18435 W 83rd Dr, Arvada, CO 80007

Date:

5-17-23

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings and merriment

Notes:

Come hungry for some OTMP special brisket, please park on the street and enter through the WEST gate. We are planning on hosting it outside unless the weather is crazy awful.

RSVP:

View registered beers here.

April Meeting Recap:

I will be damned if I didn’t learn a ton from this meeting as well as have a great time. Thanks to Chris for putting together what might be dubbed “The Worst Beer Tasting Ever” at an OTMP club meeting. Not only did we get to have as many awful samples as we could throw down but we had unlimited comparison samples, funny enough there were Coors Light tainted samples as well as “untainted” Coors light left at the end of the night 🤔.

My take away from this experience was that I cannot perceive the inaccuracies in my beer that I thought I could. I shared this sentiment with many other members. After being scolded by Bob Z. for years that some of us had diacetyl in our beers I am not so certain that 70% of this club could pick that out in a line up. Side by side was easy, but with the initial sample blind I wouldn’t know the difference, with some exceptions. Not being certified in anything other than being an Art teacher I found this exercise to make me question my own perceptions as well as wonder about my own beers. How likely is it that I have made a ton of batches of beer that were infected or tainted in some way? The answer is likely.

What I am thankful for is now I know what; solvent, cheese-like, sweaty socks, sewer-like, cardboard, cooked corn, dirty gasoline, putrid fart in a shared sleeping bag, alien skin, rusty barnacle, fermented plastic, and baby vomit beers taste like, for this I am thankful. Chris as always you are an amazing host, which is great because you live in the southernmost part of Arvada I have ever seen.

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

All tasted beers can be found here

June 21st – 2023 – Evan Sherlocks Single Barrel Brew House (Central Arvada)
July 19th – 2023 – Dave and his Commercial Clubhouse (Westminster)
August 16th – 2023 – Chuck’s Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)

September- 2023 – Colter’s Backyard Bonanza (Central Arvada)

October 2023 – Jeff Aikman’s Garage of 1000 Beers (Central Arvada)

November 2023 – Jim’s Bier Barn (East Arvada)

December 2023 – Jim’s Bier Barn (East Arvada)

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Arvada)

February 2024 – Cole’s Personal Cooperstown Basement Bar (Arvada)

March (2024) – open

April (2024) – open

May (2024) – Chuck’s Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)

June (2024) – Evan Sherlocks Single Barrel Brew House (Central Arvada)

July (2024) – open

August (2024) – Chuck’s Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)

September (2024) – open

October (2024) – open

November (2024) –
Jim’s Bier Barn (East Arvada)

December (2024) – Jim’s Bier Barn (East Arvada)

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Month: May 2023

OTMP – May Meeting 5/17/23 – April Meeting Recap