My Dear and Fellow Brewers, Greetings!
Firstly, I apologise for the delay in this missive, as I have been distracted by the press of business at my estate.
Item, at Rowany Festival recent was held the Guild’s Annual General Meeting, where the sole order of business was the election of the Guild Clerk. I am pleased to say that the Guild now has a new Clerk in James Douglass, Baron of the Court of Lochac and Master of the Pelican.
Item, after the election was held the tastings for the Guild competition for Rowany Festival, being for a gruit. As the sole entrant, I appear to have “won” this competition. As victor, I would like to announce that the competition for next Festival shall be for a dark ale or beer, to whatever recipe or redaction the entrant favours so long as it come from grain.
Item, after the Competition came the open Tastings. The meeting attendance varied over the course of the meeting, due to the press of other business at Festival for many, thus some of the most-approved beverages in each section had 11 plusses, others 8. Recorded attendees were: Padraig, Rosalind, Mont Joye, Constantine, Yast, Bjorn B, Henecoc, Ianto, Al’Attar, Tim, Bjorn P, James, Maximillian and Sigvaldr. The beverages presented were as follows:
Ales and beers: Padraig’s rosemary gruit, James’s Stout, Henecoc’s kit honey wheat beer, Bjorn P’s buckwheat scotch heavy, Henecoc’s kit ginger beer. The most approved was Henecoc’s kit honey wheat beer, followed by James’s stout.
Wines and ciders: Rosalind’s cider, Bjorn B’s perry, Ianto’s elderflower, Bjorn B’s plum wine, Al’Attar’s Bloody Mary Brew, Bjorn B’s beetroot wine, Padraig’s Cider water, Ianto’s 16 yr old kit Cab Sav. The most approved was a tie, between Ianto’s elderflower and his kit Cab Sav; mention should be made of Bjorn B’s beetroot wine, as the consensus was that it would make an excellent ingredient or base for borscht or other similar stew.
Meads and melomels: Bjorn P’s Casual Profanity, Padraig’s pomegranate and citron melomel, Ianto’s 2015 blackcurrant melomel and Ianto’s 2016 blackcurrant melomel. The most approved was Bjorn P’s Casual Profanity, underscoring why he is having success with his brews outside of the SCA, followed closely by Padraig’s pomegranate and citron melomel.
Spirits and liqueurs: Kotek’s blackcurrant brandy, Bjorn B’s cherry liqueur and Bjorn B’s butterscotch liqueur. There was a tie between Kotek’s brandy and Bjorn B’s cherry liqueur for the most approvals.
I would like to thank all the Brewers, Vintners and Imbibers who made my tenure as Clerk such a joy, and look forward to the tenure of James.
Yours in Service,
Padraig, Journeyman of the Guild
At Innilgard on the Feast of St Petronax the Benedictine, Tailtiu and Rowland being Crown.