It appears typos are making their way into the editorial headlines (a wrong letter or the right letters in the wrong order), and the typo seems to make the word have something to do with beer. My resolution for this year as re-elected newsletter guy is to find a new one for each month's newsletter. Do you think I'll succeed?

So, it looks, after all, that it'll be another while until you can expect the last newsletter from me - just couldn't say no under all that pressure! Unfortunately, the turnout at the AGM could have been better, and thus the executive is short one member: the competition chair. As Roxy and Martin said at the last meeting, this position would be great for a BJCP judge who wants to accelerate his/her progression to the next judging level, since there is no faster way to accumulate judging points than by being the organizer of a competition.

What I would hope for this year's newsletter is to really have a Dear Editor column. I think we can expect a very interesting series of articles this year. The idea is that all participants in the BJCP program contribute at least one article over the year. Since there is none to be expected for this month, I have taken it upon myself to start the series off with some thoughts on First Wort Hopping and Mash Hopping. Please feel free to send me your opinions or comments on anything you read in the Worthouse News. It's your newsletter - make it interesting!

Those who were at the AGM will know that we are thinking of adding a malt order to our annual hop order. Since it was yours truly who suggested it, it is also yours truly who was asked to organize it. We all know how difficult it is here in Edmonton to get anything else than Westcan 2row and some crystal and dark malts for which it is hard to find any other details than their name. Paddock Wood (www.paddockwood.com), a homebrew supply store in Saskatoon and also a valued sponsor of the ABC/MCAB qualifier, carries a whole range of Great malts from Europe and North America. The prices may be a bit higher than you are used to, but you get great authentic malt in return which will make your brews just that much better.

I was thinking of buying all malts only in 25kg sacks so that we do not need to pay the per kg price. The minimum amount you can order for each malt is 5kg. If you need less of some specialty malt, you may want to get together with someone else in order to make it a full 5kg order. I have been in contact with Steve at Paddockwood, and the shipping cost is a killer. I know that some of our members do, on occasion, have to travel to Saskatoon. If they have a vehicle that can hold our complete order, maybe we could ask that person, for remuneration, of course, to bring the order back to Edmonton.

The following are the malts I was thinking of:

(UK) Beeston's Golden Promise (36 PPG, 2.6 SRM) Considered the traditional Scottish malt, Golden Promise is made from fully modified two-row grain grown in Scotland and low box malted for an extra touch of quality and tradition. Produces a mellow wort equally suited to the production of both ales and lagers, particularly pale and Scottish ales.
(UK) Beeston's Maris Otter (38 PPG, 2.5 SRM) Made from fully modified two-row winter Maris Otter. This malt has a wide optimum temperature and pH range, making it very forgiving in the brewery and popular with small-scale brewers. Small batch malted in low boxes for superior consistency. The classic British ale malt, prized by the finest brewers in Britain. Very low protein (9.5%), high flavour malt, perfect for lower gravity Bitters
(Germany) Meussdoerffer Pilsner Malt (38 PPG, 1-2 SRM)
(Germany) Weyermann Dark Munich (34 PPG, 8-10 SRM) Enhances the body and aroma of dark beers, Bocks, festival beers, and stouts.
(Czechoslovakia) Moravian Undermodified Budvar (39 PPG, 1-2 SRM) St. Pats of Texas has provided us with the Canadian exclusive on an extremely hard to obtain malt.
Czechoslovakian Budvar Undermodified Pilsner malt is considered essential by connoisseurs wishing to brew
Budejovicky Budvar (the original Budweiser). Careful attention to pH is essential. Not suited for single infusion mash systems. Decoction or slow ramp direct heat step mashing recommended.
(Germany) Weyermann Carahell® (33 PPG, 8-12 SRM) Imparts a fuller, rounder flavor and a deep, saturated color to pale ale, festival beer, Maibock, Hefeweizen, Schankbier, light and reduced-alcohol beers. Try instead of Carapils. Use 10-30%.
(Germany) Weyermann CaraRed (34 PPG, 20 SRM) For a fuller body, improved malt aroma, deep, saturated color red color. Use in Red Ale, Red Lager, Scottish Ale, Amber Wheat, Bock Beer, Brown Ale, Alt Beer. Use up to 25%.
(Germany) Weyermann Caramunich II (34 PPG, 42-50 SRM) Best used to create Bocks, dark beers, festival beers, malt beers, nourishing beers, and Oktoberfest beers.Increased fullness, heightened malt aroma, fuller, rounder flavour, and deep, saturated colour. Use 5-10% for dark beer, 1-5% for light beer, pale ale.
(Germany) Weissheimer Dark Caramel (33 PPG, 110- 150 SRM) Adds toffee and hints of nuts with shades of red
(Germany) Weyermann Beechwood Smoked Malt
(Rauchmalz) (37 PPG, 1.3-2.3 SRM) Best used to create smoked beers, Lagerbier, and Kellerbier. Derived from Alexis, Steffi, and Krona varieties.Smoked with beechwood. 20% in the grist is a good starting point to deliver a unique smoky flavour. Can use up to 100% for a strongly smoky Rauchbier.
(UK) Hugh Baird Peat Smoked malt (38 PPG, 2.8 SRM) Kilned over peat fires for a unique flavour. (Also known as distilling malt) This malt has the enzymatic power of normal ale malt, and can in theory be used as a base malt for 100% of the grist. Most brewers use 10% or less to avoid overly phenolic notes. Smoke levels are approximately 4 - 6 PPM. Try up to 10% in the grist of a Porter.

The Golden Promise, Maris Otter, Pilsner and Munich malts will be approximatlety $3/kg and all others approximately $4/kg. That will include shipping.

Before I finish, I thought I'd show you my most recent toy. e-Bay is a great invention when you are looking to get some odd stuff at a reasonable price, just don't place any bid until about 15 seconds before an auction closes.

Shipping can be expensive, though. In my case it was just as much as the cost of the beer engine. So one day as I was on e-Bay, I decided to search for Beer Engine and... voila! Now, I thought such a fine piece of equipment does call for a proper mount, and for about another 30 bucks I built me a cabinet (faux-oak). What do you think?