[Trubmeisters] May I Write Meeting Notes?
Date: 2003-05-02 09:45

Last night was another great time.  Steve and MJ opened their home to us
once again.  We had a decent crowd too.  I think we had 3 or 4 new
people show up.  This little club just keeps growing and growing.  Some
of the new people are not homebrewers, but they can join anyhow I guess.

That little guy inside my head digging with the pick axe is making it
very difficult to remember things from last night.  But, I'll try
anyhow.  Had a cappuccino and some breakfast.  Hoping the food will help
to soak up the alcohol left in my body.  Well ... Here goes anyhow.
Hope it all makes sense!

The food was great and plentiful.  We had sloppy joes as the main
course.  Very sweet and tangy sauce.  There were chips and crackers to
snack on.  I found the chips with bbq on them made a great combination. 
There was brie cheese and some stuff that looked a lot like snot.  It
was cheesy, slimy, and had green and orange tinted objects embedded in
it.  When put on mini-toast pieces or snippets of bread, it tasted
pretty good despite it's texture and visual condition.  Steve had some
cake that looked like it was a few years old.  He kept trying to pawn it
off on people, but no one was falling for it.  I think I saw another
cake too, but not sure what kind.  It looked fresh though.  Someone
brought a veggie tray and another person had a round loaf of bread.  Oh,
yeah ... I can't forget the smoked fish!  That was VERY good.  Extra
smoky flavor and aroma.  I can still taste it this morning.  ;-)

Beer, Wine and Mead abounded yet again this month.  I will do my best to
recall, but there was so much to choose from, I know I missed trying
some.  There were the 3 taps on Steve's counter.  I only had the stout. 
But I had it later in the evening, so I don't remember it much.  I am
sure it wasn't bad.  Then again, I don't recall anything I tasted last
night that wasn't good!  I think Steve also had the mini keg on the
patio.  It had a Thomas Hardy Ale clone.  Needs a little more age, but I
liked it well enough.  It was my first beer of the night.  Dan and his
t-shirt brought a blend of a Belgian and a Smoked beer.  The mix made
for an excellent beer that had slight tones of root beer behind it.  It
liked it a lot too.  There were bottles of wheat, smoked porter, and
some others.  Brian had a mystery beer that bellowed carbonation as soon
as he opened it.  I think someone said it turned out to be a brown ale
or such.  Jim&Sue had their saisoon along.  I didn't get a chance to
sample, but others said it was good.  I saw a few commercial beers and
an import from Canada (is that really considered an import?)  I know
I've missed some here.  Sorry, I should have taken notes.  Some day,
I'll remember to do so.

The wines and meads were so abundant, that I drank more than usual.  One
of the new couples had their first mead.  He felt it was getting better,
but had expected something else.  Everyone agreed it was an outstanding
mead.  Not too sweet, and not too dry.  I think it was the best drink
there last night.  We had some of our "russian roulette" mead last night
too.  I call it that because every other bottle is almost undrinkable.
Last nights was one of the better bottles, but it is near the end of
it's life.  Jim&Sue had an orange and ginger mead.  Very good and the
mix leaves a grape nehi aroma and flavor behind.  Interesting stuff.
There was a small unmarked bottle on the table.  I think it was mead,
but no one knew for sure.  The wines included some rhubarb/strawberry,
blackberry cabernet (excellent flavor), and a french syrah.  There were
commercial examples too.  Pretty much every red wine variety you could
imagine.  I know I tried them all, and even tried some twice.  ;-)

Betty tried to call a meeting to order.  She actually succeeded until
people realized she wasn't leaving.  But in the mean time, she said
George wanted to know how many were going to the up north meeting in
July at his cottage.  He wants a count, so let him know if you are
going.  There's plenty of room, and we can find more room if need be.
Since the city of Mequon has put a damper on future long fireworks
shows, we plan on doing one up north where the Gestapo is a little more
forgiving, and the neighbors a little less uptight!  That meeting is
July 11-13.

I asked if anyone is going to the Wisconsin Homebrewing Clubs first
multi club camp out.  No one wanted to go.  I said something to the
effect of being screwed, and a line was quickly formed.  When they found
out it was with me, the line dispersed even more quickly!  Time is not
up yet for tent reservations, but if you want to go to the camping and
brewing event, let me know soon.  I want to give up unused portion of
the 3 tents locations I have saved.  Others might want them if no one
here uses them.  It is June 13-15.

There was a collection to help keep Steve out of jail.  The natives were
reluctant to help out until he offered to reinstate that 90% discount
program for club members.  At that point, everyone threw a couple of
dollars into a beer glass.  We didn't over tip him, so he didn't make
money on the deal.  If you still want to donate to the Steve For
Scapegoat fund, feel free.  Just stop by the FHB and leave a package of
unmarked bills.

As I was sampling another of the wines, Betty walked by me mumbling
something about it being too tight and wouldn't go in.  She refused to
go into details, but Brain said later that couldn't be the problem since
it isn't big enough to have that problem.  Betty must have a problem
with something else that is too big that Brian doesn't know about.  If
you have any ideas that may help her out, let her know at next months
meeting.

Dan met a screen printer at the meeting we had at Silver Creek Brewing. 
Seems he must frequent that place.  He talked her into donating a few
really great pieces of glassware to the club.  There was a set of mugs
with very impressive color print and a gold ring at the top.  Also a set
of Weisse glasses with a gold ring around the top.  And 2 ceramic mugs
with pewter flip tops.  We had a raffle to give them away.  These were
by and far the best raffle prizes we've had yet!  Congratulations to
those who won.  I was told I won, but since I was star gazing at the
time, they picked my wife's name instead.  Tough crowd.

I'm being told people are letting their significant others read these
meeting notes.  With that in mind, I will have to start telling the
truth about things people do.  I will begin by saying that Tony did not
disappear for the same hour as that little tramp at last months meeting.
If you hear that rumor, know it was something someone just made up to
get him in trouble with Maria.  It didn't really happen.  Speaking of
disappearing, what was with those 2 guys and Katie all going to the
bathroom at the same time last night?

Next month is at Jeff and Fay's house on June 5th.  It's a long trek,
but well worth it.  They have a very cool looking home in the middle of
a corn field.  Maybe the weather will cooperate this year and we can
have a bon fire.  See you all there.  Bring lawn chairs!

A Good Beer To All, And To All A Good Beer!
                                          Jeff Kane