May 2022 Minutes of the Dead Yeast Society

Tuesday May 3^rd, 2022
World of Beer
Lafayette, Louisiana

Attendance (14)

Officers

Jim President
Mark Vice-President
Kent Treasurer
Adrien Secretary
Ed Sergeant at Arms

Charter Members

Zeke
James

Members

Art
Jeff
Ben S.
Bubba
Martin
Ken
Julie

Guest

Paul Pitre of Redstick Brewmasters

Pre-Meeting Brew Sampling

“St. Patrick’s Ravishing Red” (WY1968 version): Irish Red Ale — Acadiana BeerNutz (Adrien & Jeff)
“Hoppy Enough For Ya?”: Rye IPA — Mark Boudreaux (Gold Medal Winner at Boot Brew Fest ’22!)
Melomel: Peach — Art

6:03 — Call to Order – Jim

6:05 — National Home Brew Day – Jim

Saturday May 7th (first Saturday in May) is National Home Brew Day

AHA celebrates with ‘Big Brew Day’ encouraging as many as possible to brew as much beer as possible on that day. (official recipes on the AHA site, but you can brew anything)

No official club get-together, but Mark & Jim are brewing a Wit at Mark’s house. All are welcome. Mash-in is 8:30am. This will be a decoction brew. Contact Mark or Jim to let them know you’ll be there and for directions.

Feel free to brew at home if you can’t make it. And be sure to post video and/or pictures online or send them to us!

6:08 — New Lafayette Brew Pub Update – James

Still in construction phase, waiting on equipment.

On track for mid-late summer ’22.

6:10 — BJCP Judging Certification – Jim

Tasting Exam will be held in July. All spots currently full, but might still be able to get in if someone drops out.

Mark & Adrien have both passed their online entrance test, and are scheduled to take the Tasting Exam. Both have enough accumulated judging points to be officially ‘Recognized’ if they pass. (see BJCP.org) for more info.

6:15 — Clash of the Carboys – Jim

Upcoming homebrew contest in Baton Rouge sponsored by the RedStick Brewmasters.

Deadline for entry (July 22^nd) and contest website are posted in our Events. (more details later)

6:18 — Who’s Brewing? – Jim

Art – recently finished his Peach Mead (Melomel)
Martin – still working on his accidental aging experiment
Ken – 20 gallons of wine in progress (5 gallons each): Strawberry, Pear, Raspberry, Black Cherry, & Watermelon
Bubba – recently brewed Kumquat Wheat w/Maris Otter (decidedly tastier) instead of 2-row and planning a Mexican ‘Hot Chocolate’ Stout with peppers.
Mark & Jim – planning a Wit this weekend for Big Brew Day. Recently brewed a NEIPA (in 5 days!), Cream Ale, Rye IPA (Gold Medal!), and a Kumquat Wit served at Boot Brew Fest.
Adrien – still needs to get a Kentucky Common, Roggenbier & Märzen in the fermenter! Just recently brewed batch #9 of Smokey Hidalgo (Chili Vienna SMaSH with Tettnang hops) using Hothead (Stranda) Kveik this time at the Boot Brew Fest demo. All three recent versions (Mexican Lager, Belgian Ale, & Kveik) will be available to try next meeting.
Jeff & Adrien – brewed their 8th batch of Irish Red, this time adding Fuggles near flame-out, as a split-batch yeast-test between Fermentis S-04 & Wyeast1968 ESB both of which will also be available to try next month side-by-side.

6:33 — Gulf Brew – Adrien

Scheduled for October 22^nd, Downtown Lafayette

We plan to proceed as last year with 2.5–3 gallons each style (you’re welcome to brew and donate more) as well as a separate Demo tent with samples of the demo beer to serve.

See our Gulf Brew event page for more info.

Call for Beers

We have lots of time to brew, but don’t wait too long! Some styles need to age of course. Here are some preliminary commitments for at least 2.5gal:

Brewer	Styles	Gallons
Ben (?unsure)	Possibly Hefeweizen – tbd	2.5
Martin	tbd	2.5
Ed	tbd	2.5
James	possibly pilot brews – tbd	2.5
Kent & Nick	tbd	2.5
Bubba	tbd	2.5
Mark & Jim	tbd	10
Jeff & Adrien	Smokey Hidalgo hop trial for Demo & more	10
Ken & Julie	Wine	2.5
	Total Committed So Far:	37.5

Gulf Brew beer donation commitments as of May 3rd, 2022

6:40 — Recess

7:05 — Boot Brew Fest Recap – Paul Pitre

Had similar number of beers & attendees as last year

Chance to be on the Circuit of America next year. Normally reserved for competitions over 300, but they might make an exception.

IPA Face-Off Sampling

Hoppy Enough For Ya?: Rye IPA — Mark Boudreaux, Boot Brew Fest Gold Medal! Cascade, Centennial, Columbus & Citra at various times in the boil, whirlpool & dry-hop. Some were Lupomax and whole leaf. [7% ABV, 111 IBUs]
DIPA — Paul Pitre, served at Boot Brew Fest. Galena, Idaho7, Cascade, Mandarina Bavaria [8.5% ABV, 111 IBUs]

7:07 — Beer Advocacy – Jim

Exception to our ‘No Politics’ rule is to discuss and encourage our members to advocate for positive changes to beer laws.

Homebrew Laws

Jim reviewed our previous accomplishments, spearheaded by former President Gene Nelson:

Participation by homebrewers in beer festivals that include commercial brews provided by wholesale distributors. (we were once uninvited to a festival until we got this change passed!)
Serving home brewed beverages at public events – such as our own meetings, public tastings & demonstrations, etc.

Two more ‘to do’ items that would improve the Homebrew hobby:

Legally shipping homebrew from entrant to contest
Holding judging events in brewery facilities (currently, breweries can only have their own product on premise, so this limits contest sites considerably)

Craft Brewery Laws

Jim offered a handout reviewing the legislative goals of the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild:

Allow manufacturers to sell other alcohol at retail
Allow direct beer shipments to residents
Allow direct to consumer delivery to residents (currently only allowed to microbreweries with a restaurant permit – these do not distribute otherwise)
Remove protectionist distribution contract restrictions for small breweries (wholesale distributors can change the contract at-will, but breweries cannot and are stuck, plus they have to enter a contract to get their product to retailers)

Three of their agenda items are currently in two bills before the Louisiana Legislature:

HB494 – Relative to Manufacturers or Brewers

Allow manufacturers and brewers to continue to sell in-house and now self-distribute beer to special events, bars, restaurants and stores, but only up to 10% or 250 barrels per month, and they cannot sell those same beers to wholesalers. (the rest of their beer still has to be sold to wholesalers with no other legal sales or distribution channel)

Reported favorably out of the Judiciary Committee (11-0-1), next scheduled for Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 9^th.

HB554 – Relative to Microbreweries (<12,500 barrels per year)

Allows microbreweries to sell their beer at any of their locations (currently must be sold at the same facility where produced)

Allows microbreweries to enter the distribution market, by selling to wholesalers or special events up to 250 barrels per month. (microbreweries can currently only sell ‘in house’ or ‘direct to consumer’ but not to special events, or wholesalers) They still won’t be able to ‘self distribute’ like larger breweries can if HB494 passes.

Reported favorably out of the Judiciary Committee (6-5), next scheduled for Floor Debate on Monday, May 9^th.

How to Help

You can join the Guild as an ‘Enthusiast’ member where you’ll receive legislative updates, and have easy means to directly contact your Representative and Senator to voice your support and opinion.

7:25 — Master Homebrewer Program – Paul Pitre

Additional ‘circuit’ standings with brewers and competitions all over the country

Turn in your scoresheets, earn points and win badges (and cred!)

Also hosts the ‘Circuit of America’ standings for those participating in large competitions.

Free if you just want cred, congrats, and kudos—$20/year if you want actual badge awards to show off.

See the Master Homebrewer Program website for more details.

7:29 — Clash of the Carboys – Paul Pitre

Website not up yet, but will be soon. (see above)

7:31 — New “Agile Brewing” update – Paul Pitre

Already on tap locally in Baton Rouge.

Any day now for the tap room to open, just waiting on final permits.

7:33 — Who’s Brewing – Paul Pitre

Paul — is fermenting a Munich Helles/Bock hybrid.