Register now. I’m going to… Assuming my most recent batches of beer are as good as I’d hoped that they’d be, I’ll be entering a couple of beers. This will be my first competition. I’ve also signed up to volunteer, so that’ll be a first as well. More info:

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for members of the Saint Paul Homebrewers Club [and everyone else, for that matter] to enter the 6th Annual Upper Mississippi Mash-Out at http://www.mnbrewers.com/mashout ! The Mash-Out is one of the top homebrew contests in the country.  We offer fabulous prizes for every winner and hand-made wooden chalices for best-of-show winners in beer, mead and cider categories.  The AHA/BJCP-sanctioned contest is organized by the St. Paul Homebrewers Club and the Minnesota Home Brewer’s Association.

The Mash-Out is the opening event in the High Plains Brewer of the Year Award 2007, the Midwest Brewer of the Year Award 2007 and the MCAB IX.

Key Dates:
Jan. 1-13, entries accepted
Jan. 26-27, judging at the Klub Haus in St. Paul
Jan. 27, “Jamaica in January” themed beer banquet and awards ceremony

Judge!
Outsiders are very welcome.  Judges and volunteers are pampered with an in-door “Pub Crawl,” a Brewpub Brewers Forum, commemorative pint glasses and the opportunity to pre-order growlers from regional brewpubs.  It’s a lot of fun, and you can sign up now.

Banquet in the islands
Chef Manfred Krug is going tropical with an island-themed menu this year.  “Let’s get together and feel all right” at the “Jamaica in January” banquet on Jan. 27.  The cost is $30, and you can sign up now.  The complete menu will be posted in the near future.

Special Events
Back by popular demand:  the Eis-Anything category with its stained-glass trophy.  Put the cold weather to practical use by doing ice versions of your beer, mead or cider creations.  Multiple entries allowed.  Also back is the New Entrant category.  If you haven’t entered a beer contest before, this one is for you.

Everyone is sure to have a n’ICE day at the Mash-Out 2007.  We hope to see you there!

Also…

Both the Beer Banquet and the Judging Slots for the Upper Mississippi Mash-Out are already half filled!  If you’re thinking of attending the banquet, or of helping to judge, sign up today!  We did have to turn away people who signed up late last year….

http://www.mnbrewers.com/mashout/

Here’s a sweet deal from our friends in St. Paul at Northern Brewer:

WYEAST ON SALE!
—————
Due to an ordering mistake, we have all our refrigerators stuffed
to the brim with lots of pure, fresh Wyeast XL Activator Packs. And
guess what? We’re getting thousands more next week, too! Please help
us make room by stocking up on Wyeast this week. To encourage
you to do just that, we’re slashing the price from $5.75 per pack to an
outrageously low price of $4.65 per pack. We reserve the right to cancel
or modifiy this offer at any time, so check our web site for the latest
prices and offerings!
Beer Yeast

ROGUE PACMAN STILL AVAILABLE
—————————-
By the way, we still have plenty of the famous Rogue Pacman Ale Yeast,
and it, too, is on sale for just $4.65 a pack!!

Ugh. Sorry. Another bad joke. That being said, we here at MNBeer.com advocate giving money, gifts or your time to shelters, food shelves, Empty Bowls, etc. ’tis the season, after all.

On a less-needy level, organizers of the Upper Mississippi Mashout are seeking lodging for beer judges for January’s event. I THINK, I’m going to enter my very first beer in this contest. Wish me luck… Anyway, read on:

From Rob Groneman: robert.gronemann@normandale.edu

Hello all!

This should reach you via SPHBC or through the MHBA.

As you all know, the Upper Mississippi Mashout judging is held Jan 26 and 27.

I am organizing the Beds for Brewers service for the 2007 Upper Mississippi Mashout. The Beds for Brewers service matches in town hosts with out of town folks working for the UMMO. It is my hope that this service will stimulate more out of town folks to make the trip out to judge as we can use the help! We only ask that you provide a quiet place to sleep, bedding, and a shower/bath. Anything beyond that is up to you.

I know how generous we in the midwest can be and I know there are a lot of spare bedrooms, hideaways, standard couchs, and even floor space to accomodate incoming judges, stewerds, etc.

Send me an email at robert.gronemann@normandale.edu or call me at 612-229-7763.

I will assemble a database of available accomodations and prepare for accomodation requests.

Thanks for your committment to the UMMO.

Rob Gronemann

Download the December issue of the Boiler, Minnesota Home Brewer’s Association newsletter, today.