June 2024

It's time for the Olympics!...Okay the 2024 Summer Olympics won’t be until July, but the LFC Olympics Quarterly Challenge is only a couple weeks away. I hope everyone's fermentation has been going well. Can't wait to see what you made to represent your assigned country!

Monthly Meeting

• Date: June 15th

• Time: 11 am – 12 pm

• Location: Old 121 Brewhouse

• Address: 1057 S Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80226

June's meeting is the tasting for our Olympics Quarterly Challenge. We’ll taste the quarterly challenge entries and hear from each participant about what they made. A reminder for folks to bring in 2-3 samples of your entry. After tasting, the winners will be announced. This event is welcome to all, whether you entered the quarterly competition or not.

LFC BBQ

For our July 20th Meeting, we will have our annual LFC BBQ. Bobby will be hosting this event at his house. More details to come in next month's newsletter, get this date on your calendar so you don’t miss this fun event! 

Education Corner

Oxidation

Oxygen is all around us and it causes major corrosive behaviors. Oxygen will wipe out and destroy flavors. Yet, this off flavor is perhaps the hardest to control for. Common oxidation indicators include: Wet cardboard/papery smell, earthy and musty smells, and a growing/muted beer color.

Once fermentation is kicked off, oxygen should be avoided until we’re taking our first drink of a pint. An exception are high gravity beers that receive a second dose of oxygen to aid in yeast health and fermentation. 

Tips to avoid oxidation:

• Those who bottle can use oxygen absorbing beer caps.

• Be gentle when transferring beer. Avoid splashing or causing foam or bubbles.

• For most styles, avoid beers that are aged too long. There is a reason why fresh beer is best.

• Purge kegs with CO2 prior to transferring. Many brewers in the club also take this to the next level by doing a “zero oxygen” transfer, where a closed keg full of sanitizer is pushed to another keg (leaving a c02 filled keg that can be degassed and zero oxygen transferred into, if done right).

• Avoid heat. When storing beer, store it in cooler conditions. An increased storage temperature speeds up oxygen reactions.

It should be noted that oxidation can also be intended to enhance some beer styles. Take a well aged barleywine, where aging causes some oxidation and flavors are enhanced (dark fruit, brown sugar aromas are developed).