Bubblings From the Fermenter
By Dave Perez

As I sit and ponder the beginnings of my "Reign of Terror", I think it would be appropriate to reflect on the last three years of our long forgotten past PF, Mark T. When Mark first took over the position he published his first "Bubbling's From the Fermenter" and laid out his plans for world domination. Before he had a chance to burn all of the highly classified club documents I stumbled across his first missive. So let's take a moment to reflect on where Mark led the Hogtown Brewer's these long years.

Well, his suggestions for new naming conventions for the officers such as Primary Fermenter and Minister of Propaganda, seem to have taken hold. All except for his self designation as the Center of the Brewing Universe (He would have to brew some beer for that one ;^} ) and Lord of Beer.

Next he called for taking the club to the next level by improving education, information, brewing, competitions, and style knowledge. Again, he was able to achieve all but one (we're all waiting patiently for his next brew). He established regular monthly meetings that include a style presentation and from time to time, a technical presentation. The in club competitions have been quite successful with some truly great beers coming head to head in a show down that went to the wire last year. The quality of judging at the competitions is a direct result of the first BJCP study group that produced a bevy of talented judges. The second class has just wrapped up and will hopefully lead to a great second crop including yours truly. Well there were some other things such as river trips, this newsletter, and of course some great road trips.

Well I think I have eulogized Mark enough. Now it's time to chart a new course for my Reign of Terror and I see several areas of change the Hogtown Brewer's can embark upon. As our name implies we are brewers. I would like to explore how we can increase the number of people actually brewing (read Mark). We can have more planned group brews where someone hosts a boil at their house and the rest of us hang around and drink their beer and scrub their brew kettle. We can buy grain, extract, hops, and PBW in bulk to reduce the cost of brewing.

As I mentioned at the last meeting, I would like to see the business portion of the meetings move a little quicker. So, the Executive Committee will begin holding regular monthly meetings to do the ground work on the important and the mundane club business. As has always been the case anyone who is interested in the important and mundane may join us at these meeting's. For years we have put the bulk of work on a few masochistic individuals. I would like to see a little more distribution of responsibility and workload. While I may possibly be the most brilliant mind ever to walk the earth (hey, leave me alone, it's my fantasy), we can and will (I made that decision by myself) make more decisions by committee.

Well there you have it, my first exercise of the vestiges of power. And you thought I would send this club into a death spiral within weeks. Nah, it should take me a couple of months at least.

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