Master Brewers Association of the AmericasDistrictsMichiganEvents

​Winter Technical Conference with the Michigan Brewers Guild

​January 12-14, 2011
Radisson Plaza Hotel
100 West Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(269) 343-3333

Michigan Brewer's Guild website Conference page

2011 Conference Schedule

Wednesday, January 12

Noon-3:00pm Government Affairs Roundtable
4:00-6:00pm Hop Symposium
7:00-10:00pm Poker Tournament
7:00pm-???? Happy Hour at large in Kalamazoo

Thursday, January 13

8:00-10:00am Breakfast
10:00-11:00am Practical Yeast Propagation presented by John Mallett Production Manager of Bell's Brewery
11:00-noon Yeast Management: Effects on Viability and Flavor Production presented by Bill Maca, Senior Yeast and Fermentation Scientist with MillerCoors
Noon-1:00pm Sensory Smackdown – IPA identification
1:00-2:00pm Lunch including Hop and Barley Crop Updates
2:30-3:30pm Beer Training for Waitstaff presented by Michael McAvena from The Publican Restaurant
3:30-4:30pm Beer and Food with the Beervangelist: Cooking with Beer presented by Fred Bueltmann from New Holland Brewing and Chef Wayne Wells, Corporate Executive Chef for the Greenleaf Hospitality Group
5:00-7:00pm Michigan Brewers Guild Meeting
7:00pm Dinner Reception

Friday, January 14

7:00-9:00am Breakfast
9:00-10:00am Bloody Mary Bar
10:00-11:00am MIOSHA Brewery Audits: A Recent Experience presented by Gary Nicholas, Director of Safety & Professional Development at Bell's Brewery
11:00-Noon Preparing and Serving Cask Ales presented by Les Hoffman, Lord and Master of the Real Ale Tent at the Great Taste of the Midwest
Noon-1:00pm Lunch
1:30-2:30pm Protecting Your Trademark presented by Mark Burzych and Matt Drake of Fahey, Schultz, Burzych & Rhodes Law Firm
2:30-3:30pm Lactobacillus for Wort Acidification and Berliner Weisse Methodology presented by Ken Belau Head Brewer for Bell's Brewery
3:30-4:30pm Brettanomyces in Brewing presented by Chad Yakobson, Owner and Brewer of Crooked Stave Artisan Brewery in Denver, Colorado
5:00-6:00pm MBAA District Michigan Meeting
6:00pm Happy Hour

Meeting Minutes

  1. Minutes from fall meeting were unavailable.  This was mentioned and accepted.
  2. Eric Kuhnhenn, treasurer’s report (information same as fall mtg).
    1. Checking account: $9056.56
    2. CD total: $8277.05
    3. Savings account: $5003.56
  3. John Mallet, B.O.G. report:
    1. IBD prep course will go ahead in Chicago, regardless of low pre-registration.
  4. New business
    1. Election results
      1. Rex Halfpenny President
      2. Eric Kuhnhenn Vice President
      3. John Haggerty  Treasurer
      4. Secretary  Ken Belau
      5. John Mallet  BOG rep.
  1. As outgoing president, Marty Rapnicki thanked everyone for 8 great years.
  2. The mug stock is now exhausted, so the new speaker gifts will be District Michigan ball caps.  These will also be available for purchase.
  3. Eric will send a $1500 check to the Michigan Brewers’ Guild as our contribution for the 2011 winter conference.
  1. Meeting dates for 2011:
    1. March 10th – host will be Red Salamander, maybe tour the OI plant although this still needs to be confirmed.
    2. October 27 – host will be Red Wood Lodge
    3. July 9th – summer Social at Fitzgerald Park
      1. Karl Glarner has reserved the site and Hog Heaven.
    4. March 23-26 CBC in San Francisco.   We will help sponsor the MBAA hospitality suite, which Mike Sutton informed us will be at the hotel across the street from the convention.
  2. Marty Rapnicki review of last year’s Brewing and Malting Science course
    1. course was Oct 31 – Nov 12, 2010
    2. great learning experience
    3. Meeting brewers was a highlight – domestic, international, homebrewers.
    4. Karl Ockert said he hopes to post classes on the internet.
    5. Marty highly endorsed attending the course.
    6. Chances to win the scholarship increase by:
      1. Attending meetings
      2. Selling tickets for the summer social
      3. Having your dues up to date is required
      4. Attending the summer social is required
  3. Membership
    1. The district currently has 76 members.
  4. Technical Quarterly
    1. Some members expressed difficulty accessing the electronic TQ.
    2. Mike Sutton said the MBAA website is being updated and that should improve the situation.
    3. Marty reported speaking with Karl Ockert who said that the TQ will not come back as a hard copy publication.
  5. District Caribbean
    1. Larry Bell mentioned that the 50th District Caribbean technical conference is coming up at Montego Bay.  Karl said there are direct flights out of Lansing for roughly $300 rtn.

Meeting closed

Adjourned 5:30 p.m