A large group of Yahoos (about 13) trickled into Clay’s home last Friday for our rescheduled March meeting. They also brought a lot of beer along with them.
Thanks to Clay and his wife for hosting, and providing an enviable spread of gourmet cheeses and salamis. The group certainly needed the snacks, as we made our way through more than a dozen blind tastings, as well as a couple impressive non-judged offerings from Andy—including an outstanding Scotch ale.
Scores ranged from the mid 20s up into the low 40s. Not only did we have several great beers to try, but there was a wide range of styles in the mix.
I was excited to introduce the group to a new-ish hop, cashmere, which is a hybrid of cascade and northern brewer. In my New England IPA the judges picked up characteristics of melon, peach, lemongrass and grapefruit and coconut from this unusual and rare hop. (Expect to see more beers with this hop from me!)
The night’s theme was IPAs, and we had our share of good commercial examples on hand. But a trip to Clay’s cellar inspired him to treat us to an Oude Gueuze from 3 Fonteinen.
Clay also conducted an impromptu survey of the group to see who could detect Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). As it turns out, about half of us did, which is in line with the global population.
Upcoming:
Our April meeting will be held at the Veracious taproom in Monroe on the Wednesday, the 18th! We hope to welcome a larger-than-usual crowd for this one, so be sure to pass the word on.
Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook to get the most up-to-date info on all club happenings.
Competitions:
AHA Nationals First Round, April 6 & 7, New York, NY
South Shore Brewoff, April 7, Mansfield, MA