President’s Message – April 2013

Greetings to all!

As I type this message, I can’t help but ruminate on the historical significance of this date. On April 21, 1984, after 37 weeks at the top of the charts, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was knocked off as top album by the soundtrack from “Footloose”. (Go ahead. Look it up.) Flash forward 29 years and both celebrated Michael Jacksons are gone (“King of Pop” and “Beer Hunter”), but Footloose the musical continues to dazzle the public. (You can still catch the local production being staged at Coral Reef Senior High School.)

But I digress . . .

Congratulations once again to the MASH members who took home medals from the 2013 Hurricane Blowoff Homebrew Competition (RESULTS):

• Daniel Barrett – Silver Medal (ESB) <This was Dan’s FIRST homebrew competition!>

• Danny Argudin – Bronze Medal (Fruit Beer)

• Jon & Alisa Britton – Silver Medal (Specialty Cider)

• Dave Kirsten / Bob Billany – Bronze Medal (Munich Helles), Gold Medal (Special Bitter), Gold Medal (Oaked Bourbon Stout)

However, this is no time to rest on our laurels. The entry window for the Hogtown Brewoff (Gainesville) opens tomorrow. This year’s competition will be capped at 325 entries with a maximum of 7 entries per brewer. Carve out a few of your best and get online before all the slots are gone. Remember, the club will reimburse entry fees for paid members.

Our next club meeting (Thursday, April 25th) will be held at the American Legion Post in South Miami. (The Sports Grill is not available as there is a Miami Heat playoff game that evening.) Many thanks to Bob Beard for accommodating us once again on short notice!

For those that would like to participate, I will be leading the educational component of our meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. This month, we will be focusing on English and American Pale Ales. The session will include both teaching and tasting! Not coincidentally, these are the BOTY styles for April. Be sure to bring a bottle or two!

Our business meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. We have much to discuss, including:

• AHA Big Brew Day

• Summer Solstice Party

• MASH Merchandise (T-Shirts/Polos/Caps, Stickers, Coasters, etc.)

• Club Social Events

• Future Meeting Locations

Lastly, I received much positive feedback regarding last month’s Russian River sampling session. I still have several bottles in my fridge and will be happy to share some more. If you’ve got something rare or interesting hiding in the back of your cooler, feel free to bring it for post-meeting “show and tell”.

Cheers!

Dave