November 2020.

Good greeting, Brewers, Vinters and Imbibers of Lochac! My, what strange times we find ourselves in. I hope this missive finds the members well, as we come blinking back into the daylight in the hope of some semblance of normality.

I wish to bring to notice of the membership some happenings within the Guild.

Kotek Torzhoskoi will be conducting a Guild tasting on the Thursday, 12/11/2020 after opening Court at Golden Flight 2020, being held in Southron Gaard. I would commend Guild members attend and support Kotek if able. If you are not a member, but are going to the event, please join in and enjoy yourself with the largess of some of the Kingdoms best brewers display their craft.

For those attending Golden Flight and seeking advancement in the Guild’s ranking system, please speak to Kotek for forms.

Staying in the Islands, Canterbury Faire is approaching, on 24-30 January, 2021. The Guild normally has a strong showing at this event, and I enjoyed myself the time I was able to attend. We are seeking a volunteer or two to run the tastings at this event, and provide a brief run down to myself afterwards. If you think you would be interested, please contact me.

As there was no Rowany Festival, there was no Guild Meeting. If we are able to meet again at Rowany Festival in 2021, I would hope to retire from this role and return to my estates. As such, please consider volunteering to become the next Guild Clerk. If you are interested, again, please contact me to discuss what this entails.

Also, I would like to thank Master Drake Morgan for his session on Discord in May on Basic Beer and Ale. This channel is available if anyone was thinking of running any classes, or just starting a discussion.

Again, I wish our members well, and hope to catch up soon, and raise a glass in company as events recommence.

Yours in service,

Iames Douglas.

Guild clerk.

In Strathcorbie

From the lands of the Wiradjuri

By james | Uncategorized | Link

Rowany Festival Guild Meeting

Good greetings, brewers of Lochac! Its a little under a month to Rowany Festival, and I was reminded of a couple of orders of business that need to occur before the brewers breakfast on the Saturday at Rowany Festival.

1: Nominations for Guild Clerk. As per our Charter, the Clerks position becomes vacant. If people feel like supporting the Kingdom’s brewers this way, please nominate, or nominate someone else. To be the Clerk, make sure you are a member by signing up to the Lochac brewers, vinters and imbibers guild email list. Its a low volume list, but a requirement of the Kingdom A&S officer that people join this to be members.

Nominations are open for the next week. There will then be a two week opportunity for those not attending Festival to vote, and these numbers will be added to the meeting numbers.

2:Rankings. If you want to participate in rankings, and utilise the expertise of those who have gone before for feedback and advise in this semi formal manner, you also need to be a member of the email list. Go here to sign up :http://lochac.sca.org/mailman/listinfo

3: Brewing competition. As Master Paddy won last years comp, he decided that he would like to drink everyones dark ale or beer. The only condition being made from grain. Mine is bubbling away nicely, how is yours?

So, remember to check your fermenters, bottle and keg those brews, and I will see you at Festival.

Iames Douglas

Clerk

By james | Uncategorized | Link

Rowany,Canty, Fields of Gold, oh my!

Greetings fellow brewers. I have been travelling this Kingdom, and seen the wondrous activity of our brewing community. At Fields of Gold, held in Politarchopolis in early December, Lord Bjorn organised an area for any guild members to present their wares to the Kingdom. Ably assisted by Jochen Schwabe, who provided a fantastic “hole in the wall”, the event was well provisioned by Bjorn’s meads and ciders, Lord Aymer’s cider, and my own yppocras and beers, as well as Bjorns snacks. I am looking forward to what we can put together for next FoG, and, sorry about the “appley” beer and if I missed any contributors.

From FoG, my family joined the caravan and headed east, to Canterbury Faire, an event most splendid and worth the journey. I was welcomed by our fellow brewers with open arms and proffered bottles, and enjoyed the spirits tasting held on the Monday of that event. Many thanks to the organisers of the tastings, in particular Lord Maximilian and Lord Kotek. It was good to see the enthusiasm for the brewing arts, and the amazing display of wares offered up for tasting.

At this event, two of our number, being Mistress Aveline and Lord Damien had their wares examined, and were granted elevation to the rank of Journeymen of the Guild. Congratulations on achieving this, and I look forward to tasting your work in the future.

Again, with rankings, and after reading back through correspondence received, three members of the Guild have been added to the number of Apprentice, being Kotek Torzhoskoi, Howard of Gildenwick and Sir Master Vitale Giustiniani. My apologise for not attending to this sooner, and congratulations on your apprenticeship.

Finally, Rowany Festival draws nigh, and as is the tradition, Master Padraig, who won last years brewing competition, and set the rules for this year’s brewers comp, to be judged at the Guild Meeting at Rowany this Easter. His conditions for entry are as follows: “a dark ale or beer, to whatever recipe or redaction the entrant favours so long as it come from grain”. I, for one, am looking forward to see what is offered at the tasting this Festival, and look forward to meeting more members of the Guild. Once the date and timing of the meeting is confirmed, I will advise in all the usual places.

Your servant,

James Douglas

In Strathcorbie, on the feast of St Victor and Claudian, in the Reign of Eva and Felix

By james | Uncategorized | Link