This is the HOTV Brewsletter
VOLUME XXII, NUMBER 12
December 2001

PRESIDENT:
Derek Whiteside
(541) 791-5083
VICE PRESIDENT:
Scott Leonard
541-791-3291
NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Kendall Staggs
(541) 753-6538

THIS MONTH'S MEETING
HOLIDAY PARTY
by Derek Whiteside

The Heart of the Valley Homebrew Club normally meets on the third Wednesday of each month, alternating between Corvallis and Albany. This Saturday, December 8, at 7:00 p.m. we will be having our annual holiday party at Sam Holmes's house in Corvallis. Dave Wolf and Mark Taratoot are working together to do a tasting of beer and chocolate pairings. Kendall Staggs are Scott Leonard will proctor the annual "Name That Beer" competition. Michael Villiardos will put together our ring toss, where o-rings from Cornelius kegs are flung in the general direction of beers and goodies to be desired and won by the membership.

The party is a pot luck, so please plan to bring something. The following has been suggested as an allocation of dishes. If you have an A-G type last name, please bring an appetizer or snack of some kind; H-R last names, please bring a main dish or entrée; S-Z last names, please bring a dessert.

OK. Other than that, you have the option to bring yourselves, bring musical instruments, bring a designated driver or cab fare or sleeping bag. Sam promises plenty of crash space. Bring beer to share, if you feel so compelled. Bring beer or cool stuff for the ring toss (homebrew, commercial brew, or anything else beer-related is good).

Bring a NAME for the HOTV holiday ale. If yours is selected in our competition, you will win two double-magnums of Hair of the Dog beer, as well as an assorted six-pack of Belgian Ales.

If you feel like helping with the planning or execution of the party, please shoot me an email (derek_whiteside@hp.com).

Hope to see you on Saturday night!

LAST MONTH'S MEETING
by Derek Whiteside

Sarah and I hosted the November meeting at our house on November 28. It was a great time, and well attended to boot. Thanks to all who came. We discussed the following topics in our business meeting:

Litter pick-up is scheduled for 12/15. We have close to the number of volunteers needed, but contact Lee Smith (leebrews@comcast.net) if you are interested.

Dues: PAY UP! Our dues are paid on a calendar-yearly basis, which means it's time to pay for the privilege of membership. Dues are (currently) $12 per annum, and are payable to HOTV. Checks (or cash) should be delivered to Lee Smith. If you would like to mail your check to Lee, his address is 2190 Maier Lane, Albany, OR 97321.

We discussed a possible dues increase. A careful review of the club bylaws reveals that "Dues are set by the club officers," so officially this is not a voting matter. Nonetheless, the membership was polled as to their feelings on the following increase: dues would become $15 per year, with a $3 discount for those members renewing before the 1st of January. The increase is meant to help to offset the cost of liability insurance, as well as making more funds available to the club for the festival, parties, and other trips. The membership's response to this proposal was almost unanimously favorable.

We discussed the Holiday Party and the usual volunteers for activities.

We held our annual election, and the following lucky people were elected:

President: Royal Willard
Vice President: Scott Leonard
Treasurer: Lee Smith
Newsletter Editor: Kendall Staggs
Festival Chair: Joel Rea

Congratulations to our new president, and to our returning officers!

Michael Villiardos, who runs our electronic mailing lists, has changed the list to a subscribers-only- can-post" model, which means that you must be subscribed from the email address that you send a message to the list from. That's confusing. In other words, the list will only accept email from those email addresses that are subscribed. If you have more than one email address that you'd like to be able to send from, you can subscribe with more than one address. Send email to Michael (nemesis@peak.org) if you'd like to do this.

Joel Rea offered to "host" the January meeting at the Oregon Trader Brewery in Albany, so that's where it'll be! Directions will be sent out in the January Brewsletter.

DIRECTIONS TO THE
HOLIDAY PARTY
by Sam Holmes

Version 1: Get a phone book out, make sure it says Corvallis, look for the city map, find Noble Ave. It is north of Hewlett Packard, near Hwy 20 and Circle. Our house is at the very end of Noble Ave. Now throw the map away because it is no longer correct since they changed everything on Seavy Ave last year. Get out Compass. Bring an extra six-pack so that you still have one for the ring toss after you spend one six-pack trying to find your way here.

Version 2: Call a cab. Give them this address: 1875 NE Noble. If they look a little confused, just say "Sam's house." (The cabbie may say "never delivered anybody this early in the evening to that address.") These are real good directions because they make going home just as easy.

Version 3: This is a good way if you are coming from many parts of Corvallis: Go north on Hwy 99 (unless you are already North of Walnut Blvd, then go south). Turn East on Walnut (East is the direction of the Cascades, New York, and our house). Turn left on Conser, then an immediate right on Seavy Ave. About 1/2 mile turn left on Seavy Circle. Then Right on Noble. Follow Noble all the way to the end (it curves to the left). We are at the very end (green roof, barn-shaped, two story).

Version 4: This is for those people who think they know how to get here from Corvallis but weren't able to give your input to the city/county road engineers: Go north on Hwy 20, pass by Circle Blvd, pass by Seavy Ave -- "Whoa! wasn't that the way to Sam's house?" "Can't turn over that yellow median!" "Hell yes we honey, that's why we bought this SUV." Too late. Turn Right into the 76 gas station. Go inside and pick up that six-pack you forgot for the ring toss. (remember, my kids like IPA). Turn around and go back South on Hwy 20. Quick right at Seavy Ave. Right on Seavy Circle. Right on Noble. Follow to end. We are at the very end. Pink roof, Brick Mansion.

Version 5: Coming from Albany on Hwy 20. Look at directions 4, skip up until the part about picking up a six-pack at the 76 station. Also, replace the pink roofed, brick mansion for a log cabin with shake roof.

Parking: Our next door neighbors are cool. Plus, they are invited since they cook real good and it is the least we can do with everybody parking their VW vans on their front porches.

Overnights: We have 3 spare bedrooms, a futon, a hide-a-bed and two seven-foot couches. No need to drive home till morning. But you gotta bring your own teddy bear.

See ya,
Sam & Erika

FROM THE EDITOR
by Kendall Staggs

This may be the first brewsletter in which the directions to the next function are the longest item. I'm in the midst of grading exams, so I will not contribute any of my usual stuff from the world of beer. Please send any interesting stories, recipes, or other ideas my way and I'll try to include them in the next few editions.

I'm really looking forward to the Holiday Party, and I hope to see you all there.