Club News – Olde Town Mash Paddler's https://otmp.club Wed, 12 Jun 2024 20:27:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://i0.wp.com/otmp.club/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-OTMP-logo-tiny-web-site-title-alpha-background-1-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Club News – Olde Town Mash Paddler's https://otmp.club 32 32 160100051 OTMP -June Meeting 6/19/24 – May Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-june-meeting-6-19-24-may-meeting-recap/ https://otmp.club/otmp-june-meeting-6-19-24-may-meeting-recap/#respond Wed, 12 Jun 2024 20:27:07 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7453
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Summer months and heat are upon us. If you're not like Jim, where it's all lager, all day, all year long, then this is the time of year most get excited. German Pilsners, Czech Lagers, Modelo, Hamm's, High Life….whatever your fancy – get out there, soak up the sun and enjoy your suds.  Time for 14ers with celebratory beers at the top, yard work with a “pat on the back” pilsner after, or a cute little bike ride in your 180 logo'd sponsor spandex suit.  Having just got my new brewery up and running, learning the quirks and new process, I'm 15 gallons and 2 brew days in.  I plan on getting some more “practice” in this summer.  This is just in time because it's just about time to start thinking about doing your Marzen biers for the seasonal festivities this fall.


Cheers!

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June 15 – Beer Day Britain –  The day is a day where we show our solidarity with beer drinkers across the pond and raise a glass to beer, the national alcoholic drink of Britain. As they say, “cheers to beer”!

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June 16 – Father's Day – Drink up to dads!  Dads drink to dads. Sons/Daughters drink to dads. Moms drink to dads.  Dads rule!  Enjoy your day dads!


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July 3 –  National Independent Beer Run Day
 –  Celebrate the Independence Day one day early by drinking beer from small, independent brewers!

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July 4 –  Independence Day
 –   A few cold ones paired with cool fireworks lights up the night sky! Because, Murica!
May Club Update: 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles Sani-Clean ($12.90)  and 1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only.

AHA Club Night (October 9, 2024; 6:30pm-9:30pm)
Details are still coming out and more information will be provided as I get them.  This is free for us to participate in.  We must brew and provide kegs of beer to serve on the night to attendees that showcase our club.  We are responsible for decorating, providing serving equipment and serving our beer.  Here is some of the information we know:
  • 6:30 – 9:30 Location: We’ve secured a wonderful brewery location near the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. (DBC Production facility on 44th and Jason St.)
  • Clubs are responsible for bringing/shipping their kegs and providing all dispensing equipment. Delivery dates TBD.
  • 21+ only, and all attendees/club representatives must be AHA members.
  • Clubs must follow the Event Entry Policy and the AHA’s Code of Conduct.
  • Booth space sizes and how booths are divided is TBD.
  • Electricity is not provided.

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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June Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)
  

Location:

9172 Marshall Place, Westminster, CO 80031

Date:

6-19-24

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

May Meeting Recap:

Cole was a great host.  My first time visiting his beer garages.  Yes, both.  Great beers were had by all.  A little rain scared some away, but even Jim stayed late!  I personally enjoyed seeing his brewing setup and talking to Cole (Co-founder of C&C Beer Factory) about managing the brewing software.  Appreciated the tasty sausages and snacks.  Thanks Cole!

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September.

 

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> https://otmp.club/otmp-june-meeting-6-19-24-may-meeting-recap/feed/ 0 7453 OTMP -May Meeting 5/15/24 – April Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-may-meeting-5-15-24-april-meeting-recap/ Wed, 08 May 2024 19:01:51 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7391
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Another month and many more beers later. Over the past month I've been breaking my back working on my “at home brewery” project.  Significant progress has been made since I began (demo day!) this project in mid-February.  Final touches going into the room and equipment being placed very soon.  Hope is to have my first test brew the weekend after this next meeting.  Body aches (32″x32″ tile sucks on your back to put down at 40lbs a piece), anxiety about all the things still needing to be done, but also excitement to new brewing adventures.  A lot of new equipment to learn how to use, but in the end we know how beer is brewed! I also love that we have such a great club and use of Discord to throw ideas and ask questions to each other.  I have a lot of new brewing techniques that I will lean on my brew-friends for assistance (pressure fermentation, closed-transfer, glycol chillers, steam condensing…..yadda yadda yadda).


I also and curious to others approach to when they brew.  I think for most, we just brew when we find a day is available.  I know some are like I am (or used to be prior to this new room) in that they really only brewed in the warmer months.  Brewing outside can be a real pain when mother natures doesn't want to cooperate and she threatens to freeze your garden hose! Then there are those lucky bastards (like our friend Jim – whom I may strive to copy) that only brew during the winter months because they have a sweet sweet indoor setup and they'd rather spend the cold weather indoor brewing, so that they can sit out in the warmer months drinking beer.

Whichever boat you fall in, you do you!

If you would like to guest write a specific piece for future newsletters, please reach out.  There are several topics I think would be helpful to members (i.e. Barrel Aging, Krausening, yeast cultivation, or How to Brew 15 beers a week and drink them a few days later – By Charles Bland).

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May 10-16 – American Craft Beer Week – It is a week dedicated to celebrating the small, independent breweries that make the US brewing industry unique and exceptional. Go out and support your favorite local craft breweries this week. They certainly need and would appreciate it.

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May 11 – Hops in the Park 2024 – Colorado is home to all different sizes and styles of breweries and beers. What better place to enjoy those beers than at scenic Clement Park! Hops in the Park is a festival for ages 21+, featuring beer sampling, food trucks, vendors selling the hottest beer related swag, artist booths, yard games, and entertainment.

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May 25th – Memorial Day –  We raise a glass to those who bravely served for the United States and did not return home to their familie.
May Club Update: 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles Sani-Clean ($12.90)  and 1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only. 

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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April Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada)   

Location:

6042 Independence St., Arvada CO 80004

Date:

5-15-24

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

April Meeting Recap:

Chuck was a gracious host with plans of being outside to enjoy the cool evening.  Weather had other plans as it got breezy and a little colder than those with short sleeve shirts and shorts soon found out. (definitely wasn't me…) Good beer and food was had. Jim still refused to try anything once the IPAs rolled out, turning to his little personal mini-me keg of beer (it didn't suck!). 

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Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

 

June (2024) –  
Dave's Commercial Club House   (Westminster)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7391 OTMP -April Meeting 4/17/24 – March Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-april-meeting-4-17-24-march-meeting-recap/ Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:59:36 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7357
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Chris Levesque here.  This is my first club newsletter.  Don't expect some big deep beer insights about my youth.  I cannot fill Evan's literary shoes.  I don't do this for a living, so don't expect Ryan Pachmeyer level beer insights or musings.  I just love beer.  If you're reading this, I'm guessing you do too or you are at least on a “friends with benefits” level with beer.  Reading the history, techniques, styles, consuming and then talking about it with others that share this same love is what most of us enjoy about this “hobby”.

Evan asked that I take over the newsletter for the time being.  No worries at all.  So please bear with me as I try and not make this suck.  I intend to add more content for the next month's newsletter, but this month I just need to get this out and not screw it up!  Cheers!

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April 17, 2024 – Saison Day! – Take advantage of today’s Saison Day by enjoying a spicy, fruity Saison!
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April 23, 2024 – German Beer Day! -Remember the country that created beer as we know and love it, through the creation of the Reinheitsgebot regulations which only permitted the use of water, barley and hops in brewing the beverage.  A classic, Reinheitsgebot-friendly brew is the perfect way to celebrate German Beer Day today!

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May 1, 2024 – National Rotate Your Beer Day! – The main purpose of the day is to encourage people to purchase and sell fresh beer. This is essential if one wants to enjoy the true taste of the beverage. Not a fan of the typical store-bought beer? Well, in that case, we suggest you try out different flavors such as fruit beer, lager, or coffee beer. The aim is to honor the day by drinking fresh beer.

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27th annual Big Brew on May 4, 2024 – Big Brew for National Homebrew Day is an opportunity to fire up the kettle and raise a glass to the greatest hobby there is— homebrewing!

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May 5, 2024 – Cinco de Mayo! – Take a few drinks and celebrate the Mexican Army’s perseverance against the invading French in 1862.

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May 7, 2024 – National Homebrew day! – Celebrate the art of craft beer creation. Opportunity to share and learn new brewing techniques from the annual brewing event it hosts to observe the day.

 April Club Update: 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles Sani-Clean ($12.90)  and 1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only. 

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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April Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy
   

Location:

13909 W 59th Dr, Arvada, CO 80004

Date:

4-17-24

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

March Meeting Recap:

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets


Having missed this meeting, I was told it was all the rave.  Just shy of debauchery.  Next time!

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

 

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  
Dave's Commercial Club House   (Westminster)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7357 OTMP -March Meeting 3/20/24 – February Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-march-meeting-3-20-24-february-meeting-recap/ Sat, 16 Mar 2024 02:55:48 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7303
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles Sani-Clean ($12.90) ,1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23)  and 5lbs. PBW $$3.43 a lb). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only. 

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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March Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Dennis' House of Foam    

Location:

18435 W 83rd Dr, Arvada, CO 80007

Date:

3-20-24

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

February Meeting Recap:

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  
Dave's Commercial Club House   (Westminster)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7303 OTMP – February Meeting 2/21/24 -January Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-february-meeting-2-21-24-january-meeting-recap/ Sun, 11 Feb 2024 21:50:06 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7226
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February Club Update: 
If you have enough skin in the game of homebrewing you will know what your most successful beers were. You could also give credit to the processes, procedures, and equipment that got you to where you are today. For most homebrewers it is the joy of the journey rather than the destination. The reason we brew is for the love to know how things work. We are all amidst the journey in creating a product to share and enjoy. 
I am not here to talk about successes now. I was inspired by a reddit post regarding “Accidently Drunk Homebrewing Stories”. While I now tend to not open or sample beers till I am well into the boil this was not always the case. I had to learn that conducting a mash while drunk isn't ever part of any recipe nor does it lead to the best outcomes. Reading through the comments in the post made me reflect on my younger years in brewing while living at college. My drive for making beer was not from a creative process or a goal of making great beer; it was mostly because I was 20 years old and figured I was gaming the system. Learning to brew by pouring over old Charlie Papazian books was interesting enough and gave me a hobby on my weekends at college. 
I do have to reflect on evenings where we would forget to add hops after doing the chill, after we also killed a keg of the last batch. Or times when we thought it would be a great idea to put a pot of espresso coffee into the brew to make beer that would also keep us up. Or the time that we cleaned out the remnants of a cantaloupe stand at the end of the day to go home to make cantaloupe ale. Most of these brews would be awful by my standards today, it was also a fun time to get drunk on the weekends and play around with some applied science. I am not sure I will ever take such a whimsical approach to designing recipes, but I do know that the foundation of brewing and drinking with friends never gets old. 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles of Sani-Clean ($12.90) ,1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23)  and 5lbs. PBW $$3.43 a lb). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only. 
AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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Competitive Brewing: 
Anyone looking to enter into the competition we could get a group of us to submit together. I am sure there are a few members that would be able to rank rather high in competition, if we join together we can also complete drop offs together. We can discuss this more at the next meeting. If any of us is interested in getting into the pro-am for next year this would be a great start. (Updated November 2023)

February Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada) 

Location:

18435 W. 83rd Dr, Arvada 80007

Date:

2-21-24

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

January Meeting Recap:

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Who didn't go home smelling curry? 

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Central Arvada)

February 2024 –  Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada)    

March (2024) – Cole's Personal Cooperstown Basement Bar (Central Arvada) 

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  
Dave's Commercial Club House   (Westminster)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7226 OTMP – January Meeting 12/17/24 – December Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-january-meeting-12-17-24-december-meeting-recap/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 01:27:17 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7196

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 January Club Update: 
The arrival of a new year brings with it a sense of renewal and fresh opportunities, a sentiment with the world of homebrewing. Homebrewers, much like individuals embracing new resolutions, often see the turning of the calendar as an invitation to embark on new brewing adventures. The canvas of a new year allows for the exploration of irecipes, the choice of new ingredients, and the refinement of our brewing techniques. Whether it's mastering a different beer style or experimenting with unique flavor profiles, the new year serves as a means for homebrewers to push the boundaries of their own limits. Each batch we brew is its own creation, initiation and creature; each batch will help us discover more of what it means to be a homebrewer. If you are in batch #512 or #9, we will all learn as brewers if we seek it.

The new year symbolizes more than just a chronological transition; it embodies a collective commitment to growth within a vibrant homebrewing community. Homebrew clubs are the people that speak our language. These are the folks that support us when we struggle, encourage us when we are right, and also show us the way to new discoveries and new beginnings within our hobbie.

I do find myself on a new path this year with regard to homebrewing, I really figured I would be brewing a competition lager or IPA but things have changed for me personally. I am looking for an opportunity; with that opportunity, I am choosing to make some hop water today. I am doing a bit of the dry January for a taste. We will see how that feels/ and or tastes, hopefully bitter.

I cheers for you my friends this New Years and all of this year.! You are what makes this all the best homebrew club ever. Brew on!

-ES

A huge thanks to Chris and Gordon for helping me get this out the door on time. Issues with the gmail account that Gordon helped with and the consistent support of Chris for always being my right hand man and keeping me steering straight (even when I can't)
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have 3 bottles Sani-Clean ($12.90) ,1 bottle Star-San  ($17.23)  and 5lbs. PBW $$3.43 a lb). If you are interested let Evan know.  First come first serve, paypal/cash only. 

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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Competitive Brewing: 
Anyone looking to enter into the competition we could get a group of us to submit together. I am sure there are a few members that would be able to rank rather high in competition, if we join together we can also complete drop offs together. We can discuss this more at the next meeting. If any of us is interested in getting into the pro-am for next year this would be a great start. (Updated November 2023)
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Time to Barrel it up.
 Jeff O. is seeking a barrel at the moment. We just need to set the date in January/Feb. to do the filling. Info will be sent directly to participants. 
Recipe:
Participants:
Newsletter Contributions:
Open to anyone willing to write up anything related to the topic of brewing. We are looking for people that are willing to share brocess information, tasting guidelines, recipe formulation or anything related to brewing experiences. Just submit before the end of each month to be included in the next month's newsletter. Just send them over to the club email. 
January Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Charles' Basement Tap Room 

Location:

6038 Balsam St. Arvada 80004 

Date:

1-17-23

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:

We will be in the basement! Don't ruin the ceiling. All Charles beer will be on tap! 


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

December Meeting Recap:

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Jim is an amazing host.  Ugliest sweater goes to Scott Jackson, whilst ugliest hat goes to our very own Cody.  General notations and beers that stood out (there were no bad beers):

  • Jim's Beer, because Jim is a tone pony; who got his dillies on the peppa tang.
  • Scott Jackson brought a beer that had been aging in a bottle since 2012.  Was a Saison that magically turned into a winter “beer”.
  • Chuck's Czech Pils that was renamed Chuck Pils
  • Chris is done using Voss Kveik yeast – common taste at the end is getting more and more distinguishable
  • Charles still brings 1/4 of the beer list.  Bitburger clone comparison tasting was fun.  Aroma was the key difference for most.  NZ Pilsner was also a favorite.

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Central Arvada)

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

March (2024) – Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada)    

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  
Dave's Commercial Club House   (Westminster)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7196 OTMP – December Meeting 12/20/23 – November Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-december-meeting-12-20-23-november-meeting-recap/ Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:41:51 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7182
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
Those of you that didn't get in on the order we still have some remaining supplies to get rid of. We have Sani-Clean ($12.90) , Star-San  ($17.23)  and PBW $$3.43 a lb). If you are interested let Evan know.  

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
image.png
Competitive Brewing: 
Anyone looking to enter into the competition we could get a group of us to submit together. I am sure there are a few members that would be able to rank rather high in competition, if we join together we can also complete drop offs together. We can discuss this more at the next meeting. If any of us is interested in getting into the pro-am for next year this would be a great start. (Updated November 2023)

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Time to brew it up.
 Hopefully we have all this beer brewed. We just need to set the date in January to do the filling. 
Recipe:
Participants:
Newsletter Contributions:
Open to anyone willing to write up anything related to the topic of brewing. We are looking for people that are willing to share brocess information, tasting guidelines, recipe formulation or anything related to brewing experiences. Just submit before the end of each month to be included in the next month's newsletter. Just send them over to the club email. 
December Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Jim Beer Barn

Location:

6113 Marshall St. 

Arvada, CO 80003   

Date:

12-20-23

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:

Come through the side of the house to the bier barn. Bring a taster. Don't linger and get all shit faced. 


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

November Meeting Recap:

An amazing evening at Jim's Barn! Thanks for hosting Jim. 

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Central Arvada)

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

March (2024) – Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada)    

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  Sherlocks Brewery and Ale House (Central Arvada)

July (2024) – Voss Farms (Westish Arvada)

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7182 OTMP – November Meeting 11/15/23 – October Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-november-meeting-11-15-23-october-meeting-recap/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 01:13:05 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7114
 November Club Update: 

The thanksgiving feast is uniquely American (not counting that Canadian version with poutine). It is a simple holiday where the meal is the holiday. Not to be all gummed up with all sorts of other fanfair, gifts, strange traditions or days upon days of celebration. In its essence, it is the best meal that can be brought to the table, a time to break bread with the ones you love and care for. It is a celebration that usually doesn't take days and weeks of preparation and forethought; it is truly what you make of it. Thanksgiving doesnt have huge themed front yards and certain color lights to showcase, minimal amounts of decoration is needed if any at all. People don't have music for this holiday nor do they drive around the neighborhood looking at Thanksgiving decorations. There isn't a complexity like Christmas where there is a giant commercial aspect to it; with maybe exception to the canned pumpkin industry and those giant $5 Costco sized pumpkin pies. For its general lack of details, I would certainly say that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
I do enjoy hosting this holiday because it gives me a chance to show off what I enjoy, and share with others. Finding new ways to make an awesome turkey dinner is a challenge I will always take on. This year I am entertaining doing a spatchcock smoked bird or breaking down the whole bird to then smoke. Pair this with some mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted brussel sprouts and some dinner rolls you quite literally have a simple feast. Let the others bring what they wish, it can be as complex or minimalistic as you want it. 
Thanksgiving also offers itself a little time off for most of us as well as a little time with friends and families. As all of us know that this generally means a few good beers while you are cooking, during the meal and after the meal. As I look forward to the coming holiday I know that a good beer shopping list will be necessary. I would like to share my beer shopping list for Thanksgiving this year: 
  1. Sierra Nevada – Celebration – I am glad to see this already hitting the shelves just in time for these shorter days. 
  2. Ayinger – Celebrator – The imported malty taste that goes great with a big meal 
  3. Brasserie Dupont – Saison – Like a champaign and is easily shared with people that can appreciate it. 
  4. Bierstadt – Helles – Local and damn near perfect. 
  5. Russian River – Damnation – A special golden strong that makes you savor what you just opened.
  6. Warsteiner –  Premium Dunkel – Malty and bready and not hoppy, perfect with pumpkin pie. 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
The order is here, those who ordered you can reach out to Evan on discord for pickup (the PBW will need to be broken down). It will also be at the next meeting. Please if possible pay in advance to the club paypal; PBW – $3.43 a lb, Starsan –  $17.23 for 32oz, Saniclean –  $12.90 for 32oz., I know some of you were in a range for the PBW, I will be reaching out individually so I can have it packaged. If you ordered and need the calculation of your bill you can find it here. 

AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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Tasting Glasses:
New glassware has started to be handed out, if you missed last month we will have the glassware at the September meeting. You can also reach out to Evan Sherlock if you want to pick yours up at any point. 
Competitive Brewing: 
Anyone looking to enter into the competition we could get a group of us to submit together. I am sure there are a few members that would be able to rank rather high in competition, if we join together we can also complete drop offs together. We can discuss this more at the next meeting. If any of us is interested in getting into the pro-am for next year this would be a great start. (Updated November 2023)

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Time to brew it up.
 The recipe has been picked, now we just need to get all of it brewed up. We are looking for a time in mid-January to complete the filling of the barrel. This should give us all plenty of time to brew it up and have it ready in 2 months. Each brewer will only need to brew up a 5 gallon finished batch, as we have 11 participants. If you were one of the people that would like to have a brew day with another brewer we can start arranging that at the next meeting.  
Recipe:
Participants:
Newsletter Contributions:
Open to anyone willing to write up anything related to the topic of brewing. We are looking for people that are willing to share brocess information, tasting guidelines, recipe formulation or anything related to brewing experiences. Just submit before the end of each month to be included in the next month's newsletter. Just send them over to the club email. 
November Meeting Info:

Event Invite for Calendar


Where: 

Jim Beer Barn

Location:

6113 Marshall St. 

Arvada, CO 80003   

Date:

11-15-23

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:

Come through the side of the house to the bier barn. Bring a taster. Don't linger and get all shit faced. 


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

August Meeting Recap:

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Sarah and Jeff Aikman showcasing their amazing hosting skills once again. 

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

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

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Central Arvada)

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

March (2024) – Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada)    

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  Sherlocks Brewery and Ale House (Central Arvada)

July (2024) – open

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7114 OTMP – October Meeting 10/18/23 – September Meeting Recap https://otmp.club/otmp-october-meeting-10-18-23-september-meeting-recap/ Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:53:59 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7081
 October Club Update: 
While the pumpkin spice flavoring is falling all around us in latte's, pies, and oreo's; there is another brew at bay. If history repeats itself we have a problem on our hands, according to research the average medieval worker drank 10 beers a day (Trinity College medieval workers drank 10 beers a day), paired with what the current trend is in our country with craft beer (The most popular IPA in the country is Voodoo Ranger the second is Voodoo Ranger.) I am not certain that this combination might make sense over time, 10 x 7-9% beers = low productivity (society crashes). I really question the ingredient list in these Voodoo ranger beers with regard to flavoring, nothing seems real, sort of tastes like Hi-C to me. Why is beer going towards the notion of using Starbucks flavoring and syrups to sell their beers? But, who doesn't like the idea of drinking beers on the clock while working?
Let me get my primate brain back to center. As a designer I love minimalism and as an artist I love for forms to be stripped down to the basics of necessity. It was recently that Jim turned me on to not trying to be the cheapest guy on the block with regard to ingredients. I will say that other than the other controls I had in place (cleanliness, sanitisation, procedures for cleaning all parts inside and out, as well as temperature and purges) this was likely the biggest change I have had in brewing. I will never go back to cheap grain, yeast, or, altogether, being cheap in general. These simple practices and procedures simply make great beers. It is a basic formula. 
I think that I am now entering a minimalism phase of brewing. I prefer floor malted ingredients that can give more character rather than substituting these for malts that can give these flavors. Malts that are undermotified can give distinct characteristics. Yeast that isn't from your favorite bank might have profiles even in the same profile (according to Mr. Malty). These are the reasons your homebrew is worth it, all of our time is worth more than the time we consume beer. So many of us came into this hobby to save money. I would love to know how I saved any money. What I built is a machine, a small empire. I have built a brewery that could rival some small micro-breweries.
I assumed, I didn't have much to write this month. I have not brewed since August. I do feel out of touch when I am not playing with homebrew. Unlinke cooking, it isn't instant gratification, it is a hope and a payer. Homebrew is for us, those who choose to make the product. 
Five Star Chemical Ordering:
The order is here, those who ordered you can reach out to Evan on discord for pickup (the PBW will need to be broken down). It will also be at the next meeting. Please if possible pay in advance to the club paypal; PBW – $3.43 a lb, Starsan –  $17.23 for 32oz, Saniclean –  $12.90 for 32oz., I know some of you were in a range for the PBW, I will be reaching out individually so I can have it packaged. 

OTMP Board Members:
Congratulations to the following members and their titles in the club: Evan Sherlock – President, Chris Levesque – Vice President, Chuck Schick – Treasurer, Colter Wilson – Secretary, and Aaron Bandler – Equipment Rental, Can Recycling, Bicycle Repair, and Goodie Bag Manager.
AHA Membership:
As many of us are members of the AHA we get benefits from being members, from discounts, to early ticket releases we all now have another perk. OTMP is now a registered supporter of the AHA; meaning that if you use the discount code OTMP at checkout you will receive $5 off an annual membership as well as the club will be given $5. Feel free to share with anyone looking to join the AHA. This can be an easy way for those of us that annually renew to also roll some extra cash back to the club. 
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Tasting Glasses:
New glassware has started to be handed out, if you missed the last few months the glassware is still awaiting you.  You can also reach out to Evan Sherlock if you want to pick yours up at any point. You might notice that others beer might taste slightly better in these glasses, especially at a meeting., 
Competitive Brewing: 
Anyone looking to enter into the competition we could get a group of us to submit together. I am sure there are a few members that would be able to rank rather high in competition, if we join together we can also complete drop offs together. We can discuss this more at the next meeting. If any of us is interested in getting into the pro-am for next year this would be a great start. 

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Time to Brew it up.
Be prepared to have everything fermented out and ready to transfer in mid-January. The clock is ticking, get brewing! So we can wait, and wait, and wait, and then forget, and then drink some amazing beer.  
Recipe:
Participants:
Great times this year seeing so many faces and sharing so many beers with the brewing crew members. As I only attended one session I do feel that I got my fill on some amazing beers. So great running into so many of you, and apparently I can only look like I am screaming in every photo (maybe I was)
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Newsletter Contributions:
Open to anyone willing to write up anything related to the topic of brewing. We are looking for people that are willing to share brocess information, tasting guidelines, recipe formulation or anything related to brewing experiences. Just submit before the end of each month to be included in the next month's newsletter. Just send them over to the club email. 

October Meeting Info:
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Event Invite for Calendar Reminder


Where: Brewery Aikman At Da Pub

Location:

Jeff & Sarah Aikman
10581 W. 74TH PLArvada, 80005

Date:

10-18-23

Time:

7:00 – Beer tastings

Notes:

Only finest ales and lagers please, have a little respect. 


RSVP:

Register Beers and RSVP to the meeting here. 


View registered beers here. 

September Meeting Recap:

Another amazing meeting. Colter and the family hosted a fantastic meeting. Colter pulled out a “reasonable” bottle of beer to share with the clan. Amazing venue, to meet up in and very accommodating to the needs of the drunks even with a touch of rain. Cheers! 

september_OTMP-2023.jpg

Attendants: See attached notes in the Google Sheets

Meeting Recap / Beers:

Future Meeting Locations: (If you can offer a location for a future slot please reach out):

As a club that relies on member assistance having meeting locations for the club is necessary, if you have the ability in warm weather or inside for colder months please check below to see if you can host for one month. Participation in hosting one club event a year will be credited to one year of annual dues each September. 

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

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

January 2024 – Charles Basement Tap Room (Central Arvada)

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

March (2024) – Dennis' House of Foam (West Arvada)    

April (2024) –  Chuck's Under the Stairs Speakeasy (West Arvada)   

May (2024) – Cody's Independence Street Brewery (Central Arvada) 

June (2024) –  Sherlocks Brewery and Ale House (Central Arvada)

July (2024) – open

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

September (2024) – Dave's Commercial Club House (Westminster)

]]> 7081 GABF – Are you prepared? https://otmp.club/gabf-are-you-prepared/ Fri, 15 Sep 2023 22:33:09 +0000 https://otmp.club/?p=7071
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With many of us attending GABF this year, it is always fun to join up with the crew at some point during the session. I prefer to attend with people that have goals, lists and knowledge of what to seek out at GABF (none of the skills I have for attending a beer festival). Keep alert to the discord to see when some of us might be leaving Arvada on the train to make it downtown. OTMP's favorite beer writer/member sent along this write up regarding his experience judging this year's GABF, some good and interesting thoughts. Cheers! See you all on Wednesday night for the meeting. 
-Sherlock  
GABF Insights 
by Ryan Pachmayer
I recently judged the Great American Beer Festival Competition for the very first time. Along with the World Beer Cup, these are some of the more sought after and prestigious competitions to judge in the beer world, not to mention compete in. The application requires several strong references and a reasonably extensive history of judging experience. The wait list is usually at least two years to get in.

I judged around 150 beers in seventeen categories over three days and roughly 24 hours of table judging. I was paired with judges from around the country, and even some international judges. Minnesota, California, Nevada, Spain, and of course some local Colorado judges.
Categories like Field Beer, Kellerbier/Zwickelbier, American Amber/Red Ale, Juicy or Hazy Pale, Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest, Bohemian Pilsner, International Dark Lager and more.
I learned quite a bit judging the GABF, and I came away impressed, along with some newfound ideas and perspectives.
It Was a Marathon, Not a Sprint
First off, this was an exhausting endeavor. Other than a three hour work period on night two, I basically didn't do anything of value outside of judging over these three days. Many out of town judges will visit local destination breweries, and there are some organized group activities after judging (usually at local breweries), but I refrained from those.
Despite the heavy load, the palate held up. I felt like I could taste very well throughout the three days. The combination of plenty of water, short breaks between most flights and fairly bland lunches served to us (purposefully bland, I believe. I didn't hear other judges complaining about palate fatigue either. Plenty of the people I judged with have been evaluating beer for decades, and 75% of the judges had judged GABF before.
Expertise Was High
At the Kellerbier round, an older judge was reviewing the style guidelines before our beers came out. She remarked how she felt it was inaccurate that they allowed for some late hopping/dry hopping, the latter specifically, since the Germans don't dry hop. I chimed in, naming a couple of beers that I know are dry hopped in Germany, and from classic breweries too (like Augustiner Pils, a very subtle, light dry hop).
In the next few minutes, I learned that she lived in Bamberg for three years, working for Weyermann. Another judge at the table had lived about forty five minutes from there too. A third judge had visited multiple times and done a bike tour there. The fourth judge had also visited multiple times. These weren't novices, and I quickly thought that I'd have to make sure I am contributing something of value if I'm going to be in a discussion, otherwise maybe I should just ask questions and listen. Luckily, what I said was accurate, so I didn't make a fool of myself, but it just reminded me to be especially on point with my words here.
Not All Categories Are of the Same Quality
This may be obvious, but it was never more evident than when we judged that Kellerbier/Zwickel category. Kellerbier/Zwickel is basically unfiltered, fresh beer. This category allowed for ale and lager, in the German style (though Czech lagers were apparently allowed too). The problem is, entries need to be bottled and turned in 3-4 weeks prior to judging. This is fine for most beer styles, but for this style, which is usually served off the tank, from a barrel or a small keg, it's an impossible task. It would be like asking people to bottle their English cask ales and ship them over for judging. As a result, most beers didn't have that vibrant, unfiltered fresh bready, lightly estery type character. Most were completely clear. Those are not the attributes you'd expect from that style.
Categories Are Varied and Interesting
Most evaluations that I do use the BJCP style guidelines. They are a fantastic resource, and interesting to read if you're into beer, even if you're not a judge. I read them years before I became a judge, it got me interested in trying new styles, in understanding some of my favorites, and of course, in brewing new beers. For GABF and World Beer Cup, the Brewer's Association has its own guidelines. They're updated more frequently and I think they account for some market realities that the BJCP may not always capture. For example, I believe they acknowledged hazy IPAs before the BJCP did, as these beers were quickly becoming an important part of the market share and brewing industry in general.
There are some interesting distinctions, like “American Oktoberfest” versus German style. They have both in the BA guidelines. American basically allows slightly more hopping. Not a high amount of hops, but slightly more. I actually appreciate this. Many people who go to Germany, many who love the festbiers of Germany, complain or point out that many American breweries hop higher. I'm one of those people, and sometimes lost in those observations, is that an Oktoberfest that is 10-20% hoppier or more bitter than a German one can be delicious. Using some light Cascade hops or Sterling or Mount Hood can totally result in a quality beer (Sierra Nevada uses 2 row and cascade hops in its oktoberfest, for example). So why not acknowledge that a large group of breweries in America are doing it in a slightly different way, and separate out a category for that? It still allows the traditional examples to go into the German-style category. Win-win to me, and very practical.
Getting Out of the Box
Before I got into beer writing, I was probably guilty of visiting too few breweries in recent years. I mean, I know what I like, and despite enjoying virtually every beer style when done a certain way, I could count on one hand the number of breweries I'd visit regularly. I'd go to Bierstadt the most, Helles and Pils alone were enough to keep me interested for life, those are fantastic, delicious beers. Anything else made there was just a bonus. The improved food over the years was another bonus. My logic was, “hey, beer isn't free, why waste time drinking a beer that is almost certainly not as good as the places I regularly visit?”
I don't completely dismiss that line of thinking anymore, but I've changed a bit. I appreciate the ambiance of a space a little bit more now, and I also have grown better at seeking information and ultimately finding beers that other breweries do very well too, particularly from breweries that don't brew one general style of beer. Maybe the IPA is just OK, but what about the dry stout? 
Brewing knowledge has increased and become so much more accessible over the last five to ten years. There are more trained brewers coming out of certified programs, stateside and abroad, every single year. It's an industry where you would rarely get worse at your craft, so it makes sense that so many have gotten better, especially with the emphasis on boutique ingredients, often from local suppliers. Those companies wouldn't exist if there wasn't a strong interest in them, both from customers and producers alike.
In my newfound wider travels, I've found beers like a cold IPA from New Terrain that was as good as any I've had from Westbound & Down. An altbier from Little Dry Creek that would've been in my top three in Dusseldorf. A Czech lager from Seedstock that would fit right in at Wild Provisions or Cohesion. I could triple the size of this paragraph. Yes, there have been more “OK” beers, but few that I didn't finish or had to struggle to drink. But the quality is higher than ever before, and the beers at this competition just reinforced that. Yes, there were plenty of flawed beers (oxidation most, pointing towards packaging as an inherent skill in entering competitions like GABF), but by the final rounds, you often had a half a dozen beers in front of you that you'd really enjoy a full pint of. Deciding between those half dozen or more beers, picking out the three medal winners, was a challenge for the usual five-person team of judges for each category, but a ton of fun.
Back to the point, going through all these categories, drinking some of the best commercial examples in the country against each other, it really made me feel that I should seek out some better examples of styles I don't often drink. American Wheat ale is a great example. Breckenridge has won medals with its Agave Wheat in this category before. That's a beer I don't really care for. The style is usually super light, fairly bland, low bittering and hops, and historically in this country it has been a style made for people who just want bud/miller/coors type beers. A slot on a tap list to be filled in, “We have to have that for people who are here that don't like beer.”
Luckily, options for non beer drinkers at breweries is wider than ever and people who don't like beer don't need to settle for a light, bland beer. American Wheat isn't found on every tap list any longer. But who is still making it and who is making it with the attention, care and thoughtfulness that many of the top breweries are putting into their pilsners, IPAs and barleywines? That's a question I seek to answer.
Read the style guidelines for American Wheat, read the upper limits of ABV, IBUs and color (5.6%, 35 IBUs and 7 SRM respectively). Understand that you can do a substyle, a dark American wheat (5.6%, 25 IBUs and 22 SRM upper limits). Use at least 30% malted wheat. You can have a medium hop bitterness, a low to medium hop character, some light fruity esters from the ale yeast (light, subtle, as in blonde or amber ales). A low to medium body, clean, with some soft bready type grainy flavor in there, perhaps from the wheat, perhaps from some Vienna you decided to put in there. That could be a damn good beer. Who is making beers like this in the American Wheat category? I don't know, but I aim to find out, and maybe brew one myself as well.
Getting More Out of the Box
Judging the rye category sort of opened my eyes again to the possibility of hybrid beers. When I started brewing, I would do a lot of experimental things. Fifteen years ago a friend and I made an earl grey tea beer. It was delicious, people loved it. Basically a light American pale ale, but with added earl grey tea. Of course, over the next decade, beers like that went from almost unheard of to typical. Every damn ingredient has been put into a beer, often for suspicious reasons (like attention/hype/”because we can!!!”). I grew tired of this stuff. While there are new things you can do with beer, nothing really feels “new.” Few things will inspire me to say “wow.” I might laugh when you bring up a mustard beer, an IPA aged in hot sauce barrels, or I might even roll my eyes when you tell me about a beer fermented with yeast from a brewer's beard. But I won't be surprised.
Lost in all this “race to do everything to every type of beer,” is the potential value in altering a small number of ingredients in a beer. Of adding something uncommon to a beer style, but something that might fit in, something of value. The rye category reminded me of this notion. We judged some amazing rye beers. Roggenbier (light German rye ales with hefeweizen yeast) were in this category, a historic German style that has all but disappeared. But there were beers like a brown porter with rye, a rotbier with rye (a German red ale, historically from Nuremberg, had almost gone extinct, but now a handful of Nuremberg-area breweries make it, among others in the world). A California common with rye. These were some of my favorite types of rye beers that we judged in the finals.
As I was drinking these, the rye added a very subtle, slightly spicy, sometimes earthy character to these beers. A delicious and welcomed dimension to the best of this category. And I thought, why not? Why not purposefully add a subtle ingredient to a beer? This is less of a flavor impact than a white wine barrel might have a Belgian tripel, less of an impact than a very tiny dry hop and perhaps a slightly higher malt character would have on a German Pilsner (turning it into what is referred to as a classic Italian Pilsner these days, NOT the overly dry hopped, but often delicious versions that plenty of brewers call Italian Pils).
The use of new ingredients and methods have always allowed for variations, and even clear improvements, and new beers were born from this. At some point all pale ale was just called that. Then it was sectioned out to distinct types (American and English first). The Oktoberfest example that I mentioned earlier reminds me of this too. I used to think the Germans were regimented when it came to style, everything was very specific and had hard rules. Not at all. Maybe Munich area breweries, but even there, it's more that they're similar, than any overarching guide that forces them to call beers certain things. The slightly higher hopped American Oktoberfests that I talked about? They're making some higher hopped beers of that style in Franconia now. A local tour guide over there even told me they've made a comeback in recent years. And like I said to the far more experienced-in-German judge at the table: Plenty of historical German breweries toss a kiss of hops late into the kettle or into the dry hop. Hell, the lager koelschips historically often had hops tossed into them. They'd add some soft, herbal hop flavors to the beer, and also help to filter the beer as they started to drain the koelschip into the fermenter.
Using a subtle ingredient in an otherwise classic style of beer, it should be welcomed if it is well integrated. And don't lose the forest for the trees: No classification, history or style matters one bit if the beer tastes good. And those rye beers tasted great.
So as you're on the floor of GABF this month, thinking about what to drink next, maybe try something new. Try something different. Perhaps not a pickle beer (though, I'm almost embarrassed to admit I evaluated a fantastic one during judging), but something classic with a slight, but sensible twist. You might be surprised at what you find.
Cheers!
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