Southern California Homebrewers Festival

[LabRatBrewer]

Did anyone at fest see the booth with the automated glass/cup sanitizer? I was sitting on a corney keg, and I think the solution was running from the keg. I did not get a good look. I liked the idea better than a jug of water to rinse. It looked like a DIY project. If you know what booth had it, maybe I can contact them. Thanks in advance.

 

[JonW]

Did anyone at fest see the booth with the automated glass/cup sanitizer? I was sitting on a corney keg, and I think the solution was running from the keg. I did not get a good look. I liked the idea better than a jug of water to rinse. It looked like a DIY project. If you know what booth had it, maybe I can contact them. Thanks in advance.

LOL - that was me - I made it. We had it in the Brewcommune booth.

I can take some pictures of it if you want. I used a Fermtech double bottle washer mounted inside a bread pan. The pan had about a 1/2" hole punched and flared in the bottom. This then sat atop an empty corny w/ no lid and held on by mini bungee cords. It was fed from a second corny full of clean water. I think total investment was about $24.

We had constant comments all day long from people thanking us for rinsing their glass. I expect to see a few of them next year as there were a couple of people that took pictures of it. I'll get a picture of it and post it up, but the base unit looks like this:

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Awesome, I'll be adding that next year. I really like it. We usually use a 5 gallon gatorade cooler (labeled unicorn tears) for rinsing, but it got left behind. I hated not having rinse water. We only had a spray bottle of Star San. I look forward to the pictures. Thanks again!

Our most commented item was a poor-man's Randall. It was a coffee press full of whole hops. I ran out of replacement hop by 1:00 p.m., but all night people kept asking for it, and they went on and on about how hoppy the beer was. The IPA itself was very nice, but I really doubt the press was adding anything by the time it got dark.

 

[JonW]

LabRat - I had your Poor Man's Randall IPA - It was pretty good! I've been reluctant to use my Randall (hop rocket) because I'd need to fill it with so much hops, so I'll probably keep my eyes out for a cheap french press and do it that way for small quantities. I really liked that. Hmmm... I'm doing a brew day (night) this Friday night - I'll see if I can source one before then!

Here's the pics of the glass washer (and one of our jockey boxes) . I built the botttom box just before the fest. It worked well. We could have specialty bottled beers in the right side and the cold plate in the left.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Fantastic! The pictures make it so clear. This is a definite addition! Thank you.

 

[LilManBrewing]

Man I really wanted to attend this year. I've just had a lot of things going on, I'll have to wait until next year
This years homebrewers festival will be the largest so far for lake Casitas!! Drink one for me guys!

 

[jbaysurfer]

So I'm a little bummed. I'm local, in Santa Barbara anyway, and I camp at Casitas once a year or so. This year, I bought the membership so I could go to this event even though I knew I wouldn't be staying. Mostly, I wanted to say hello to Tasty after randomly meeting him in Concord last month and getting to taste his CYBI Citra DIPA from Kern River. I actually tasted the beer before the show was recorded, and I think I may have been the first to declare it "cloned" ;-)

Anyway, back on topic. On Saturday afternoon, the only chance I had to get there, I drove to the lake and saw the sign telling me to turn here for HBF. I did and the gate was locked. I could see everyone inside having a great time, but there was chain link and barbed wire and a lock gate between me and them. I drove to the main entrance of the lake/campground, and the guy there informed me that they "have no communication whatsoever with the festival organizers and have no idea why the gate is locked".

He told me I could pay $15 to drive in, but I didn't want to pay that on top of the $50 bucks I already paid when I really only had a couple hours to spend there. He said I could park at the entrance and walk in (about a mile). And honestly, I only had 2 hours, and spending 1 of them walking wasn't really appealing.
I drove back to the locked gate and looked for a spot to walk in, but again, nothing but chain link and barbed wire.

So if any of the organizers see this, I'm now wondering allowed why someone wasn't staffing the entrance on Saturday afternoon?

I'm borderline pissed about it. I really wanted to go, but I'm not in a club, so I joined in hopes of FINDING a club at the event. Now I'm out my $50 and reading about how I missed a great event. All because of a locked gate! To take responsibility of my own actions here, I acknowledge I should've gotten there earlier, or on Fri PM if possible, but I just couldn't make it. I'd love for anyone who reads this that's affiliated to please take the entrance more seriously, and communicate IN ADVANCE, online, if there will be limited entry hours.

Anyway, to end on a good note, I'm stoked for all that got to attend, and I bet the beer was fantastic. I know the weather was!

 

[JonW]

jbaysurfer - I'm not involved with SCHF in any way (other than an attendee), but in the years I've been going there, I've never seen one of those gates open. All traffic comes in from the main gate. Also, there are shuttle busses that run that could have brought you from the main gate (B campsite area) to the fest area and you wouldn't have needed to walk. Sorry you missed out.

 

[jbaysurfer]

jbaysurfer - I'm not involved with SCHF in any way (other than an attendee), but in the years I've been going there, I've never seen one of those gates open. All traffic comes in from the main gate. Also, there are shuttle busses that run that could have brought you from the main gate (B campsite area) to the fest area and you wouldn't have needed to walk. Sorry you missed out.

That doesn't really make sense to me, since that entrance was very well marked with arrows and signs in multiple places telling me that was where I should go, but I take your word for it. They should fix that IMHO.

Also, how was it that there were FOUR employees at the main entrance and not one of them knew about a shuttle? Maybe my major beef is with them and not the organizers.

At any rate, I'm not here to bitch about stuff, I'm sorry I missed out, but I'll be there next year and be happy to take part! I'm stoked for all of you who had a great time! Maybe in the meantime I can hit up the santa barbeerians and get involved with a club locally.

Any SBarbeerians on this board? There's no membership or anything on the site, are you guys taking new members?

 

[Phunhog]

The area where the festival was held is the "Special Events" area. They hold big events there several times a year. What usually happens is that the big grassy field across the street is turned into a parking lot and people enter through the unlocked gate. Most people never actually come through the main lake entrance. Why they don't do it for the Homebrewers Fest I don't know. Maybe they are just assuming that all the festival attendees are camping?

 

[jbaysurfer]

The area where the festival was held is the "Special Events" area. They hold big events there several times a year. What usually happens is that the big grassy field across the street is turned into a parking lot and people enter through the unlocked gate. Most people never actually come through the main lake entrance. Why they don't do it for the Homebrewers Fest I don't know. Maybe they are just assuming that all the festival attendees are camping?

The signage (to me) seemed to indicate that they were trying to do just that (park the cars in the grassy field and enter through the unlocked gate...it was merely the gatelock. It looked fun though! I will just plan on getting their Friday afternoon next year and hopefully won't have to worry about it.

 

[vince805]

Sounds like I missed an awesome event! I hope to be there next year. I'll be at Casitas for Memorial Day weekend, won't be the same but I'll still have fun!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

For those of you that missed it, I'd tell you to get it on your calendars for next year ASAP. I recommend getting hooked up with an affiliated homebrew club, as that will be the easiest way to ensure that you're at the front of the line to get a campsite. (Note -- they do sites MANY months in advance, so start getting into it now).

It's easily my favorite beer event of the year, with the OC Fair homebrewer's party (which is no longer occurring as of this year) in second place...

 

[ahaley]

Id love to go to one of these, but I dont know how long I'll be staying in California after I join the army lol. I hope every state has one!!

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Sweet! What are you bringing? I am bringing 3 kegs myself..one each of Cinco De Drinko Chile Blonde, DeadHead Red, and Der Kaiser Kolsch. They will be at the VIBE (Ventura Independent Beer Enthusiasts) booth. What club are you with?

Hey I'm in Ventura!

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Its almost that time of year again...

 

[JonW]

Its almost that time of year again...

You were across from us last year. We're in F31 this year.

Brewed two more beers today to bring.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

You were across from us last year. We're in F31 this year.

Brewed two more beers today to bring.

We are in F again this year. It should be a great year. I've brewed so many batches since last year (lots of small batches) trying new things. I can't wait to get there.

 

[weirdboy]

I'm not sure where our booth is, but we'll be there with bells on. I think our camping spots are even further away than last year.

 

[deaton83]

Hey guys, this will be our first year going to SCHF. So far have we have 120 gallons ready to go.

Questions about the booth set up. When do the clubs start setting up their booth? Can we drive into the festival area to drop off the beer?

Thanks!

 

[Phunhog]

Hey guys, this will be our first year going to SCHF. So far have we have 120 gallons ready to go.

Questions about the booth set up. When do the clubs start setting up their booth? Can we drive into the festival area to drop off the beer?

Thanks!

I think most clubs set up their booths Saturday morning, but a few do set them up Friday night and even pour. Yes you can drive in before the festival starts and drop off the beer BUT I wouldn't until Saturday morning.

 

[weirdboy]

We usually start setting up the booth Friday night (just putting things together), and then hook up most of the beers and whatnot Saturday morning.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

We set up most of our both Friday night.

 

[deaton83]

Thanks everyone.

What about tear down? Does this happen Sunday?

Ice? Should we bring all the ice we need for the weekend?

Thanks again,
Daniel

 

[Phunhog]

Most teardown happens Sunday morning. I believe the festival provides ice.

 

[weirdboy]

There ought to be a big truck filled with bags of ice on Saturday.

Teardown is Sunday morning. Usually starts pretty early, actually.

 

[JonW]

Hey guys, this will be our first year going to SCHF. So far have we have 120 gallons ready to go.

Nice job! For a first year showing, that's a lot of beer!

I'm assuming that is 24 different beers in 5 gallon kegs? You really don't need more than 5g of any one beer. People are drinking samples not pints (except around the campfire at night)

I think we had something like 20 taps and 30 beers last year, so we had to rotate a few taps to make sure it was all represented.

 

[artyusmc]

Ill be there with Deaton83

 

[deaton83]

It's going to be a fun festival.

Ill be there with Deaton83

Do I know you? Steve or Brad.....

 

[artyusmc]

I know both

I'm Brad!!!!!