2022 – Rendezvous

The theme for the 2022 Rendezvous was
Peace, Love, and Retro Beer

Special thanks again to wonderful support and donations from the greater Great Pacific Northwest beer community businesses and individuals who promote striving for The Good Life!

Five Star Chemicals:
– Courtney Fredrich (Home Brew Cleaning and Sanitizing)   website
Harvest Store:
– Steve Johnston (Large Variety of Home Brewer Supplies)  website
Hops Direct:
– Carla Crane (Hops and Hop Rhizomes)  website
Two Shy Brewing:
– Always helpful and supportive with a great beer venue website
Wyeast Laboratories:
– Laura Vera (Yeast Strains & Support products)  website

…and of course our resourceful and active UVBG members!

The question was asked, “What is Retro Beer?” The concept is to go back to some of the earlier styles of beer (before the big IPA and fruit beer trend). In other words, dust off your old, dog-eared copy of Charlie Papazian’s The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing and revive some of his tasty beers. Remember Avogadro’s Expeditious Old Ale, Monkey’s Paw Brown Ale, or Sparrow Hawk Porter from those early days? Sure, some of those recipes call for malt extract syrup…but they can surely be recreated with an all-grain version! There is also another category of truly Retro Beer…”hopless” Gruit. Don’t forget, we’d had a challenge from OSU and Chris Barry to incorporate olive leaves/flowers into a gruit brew and our President Robert brewed one for our tasting delight.

On the sunny afternoon of June 24, members of the UVBG started setting up for the Rendezvous at the Eagleview Group Campground (located in Douglas County, Oregon near Tyee and alongside of the gorgeous Umpqua River). Robert & Gayla brought their famous BeerBQ and parked it by the campground’s pavilion, Wood was unloaded for the evening campfires (thanks to our Vice President, Kevin for donating the wood and Ben for picking it up and transporting it to the campground). Once the fire ring was moved into place, starting firewood stack placed, and chairs positioned, it was time to start setting up the pavilion itself.

The famous BeerBQ showing a new coat of paint.
Setting up taps, fire pit area, and resting with an adult beverage in the pavilion.

As several tasty offerings in kegs arrived, Robert hooked them up to the BeerBQ taps and labeled them, while Gayla, Ronnie, & Deanna set to work bagging all the donations into bags for the raffle & door prize drawings. Our sponsors and members were particularly generous this year and the ladies had their work cut out for them (thank goodness that Hops Direct had donated some shopping bags as well as many other items). Steve at Harvest store gifted us a large brewing pot, but we certainly didn’t have a bag big enough, so it just remained on display in its box until the drawing.

We wish to especially thank Two Shy brewery for allowing us to store member donations as well as giving us glasses, hats, a variety of beers for Sexy Beer night and a growler full of their delicious/refreshing Rum Barrel aged beer enhanced with a shot of Limoncello. As usual, we had a lot of very full bags for the door & raffle prizes…It can’t be said enough…Thanks to everyone!

What a selection! A POG based cider, a fabulous porter, a retro Gruit style fermentation, and an Irish Red for tasting and enjoyment.
Ronnie & Deanna distributing the donations while Jude keeps spectators away.
Hops Direct sent us a large box filled with all sorts of goodies…Awesome!
Five Star sent us two cases of Star San and two cases of PBW…WOW!
WYeast sent us T-shirts, yeast nutrient packs, & beer can coolers…Thank You!

Grand prize was a 14.5 gallon Brewmaster kettle donated by Harvest store in Winston (Thank You Steve Johnston!)
Our members were also very generous with their donations (note the two beer cans that were recycled into candles!). Not pictured were several lovely steins, 4-packs of special beers, & gift certificates, plus a lovely brass, wine cooler/tap.

Sexy Beer Night

Fire’s started and sexy beer night has begun!
Jude was pretty relaxed on Gayla’s lap and all enjoyed Coleen & John as they sang & played for the group well into the night…great to have musicians as UVBG members!

The next morning, John got a big pot of coffee brewing while Ben & Mike started prepping for breakfast. Ben did his delicious breakfast tacos while Mike tried something new cooking up some Monte Cristo sandwiches (ham & gruyere cheese on a mayo/mustard spread bun, dipped in egg and fried on the grill…served with a dollop of apricot jam). Nobody could claim an empty stomach as we started the day of tasting & comparing notes on various fermented brews available. Robert had already been smoking a beef brisket since last night for the Saturday feast/dinner.

With breakfast finished, a few of us went down to cleanup after sexy beer night…which by the number and variety of beers appeared to be a success.
There was also a box full of empties from our tastings of last night around the fire.

Hellgate Homebrewers club sent up Marjie & Mandy with a bunch of wine samples to try and we were all delighted they could join us in the Rendezvous festivities!

Sampling & Discussing Brews

Robert & Gayla checking the supplies list.
Hiroshi, Loyd, Ben (far back), & Debbie. Note brass wine cooler/dispenser in front of Ben…it was a last minute addition to the donated prizes.
Hellgate Homebrewers club brought several unique wines in for tasting…favorites were the hatch chili wine and the plum wine with a touch of Amaretto.

After the votes were counted, Robert’s Gruit was judged as best of show…looks like the Gruit style is going to be making it’s rounds with our knowledgeable group of brewers! Ben won both second & third place with his Cream Ale and Coffee Milk Stout entries.

BeerBQ & Goodbyes

Robert & John cut up the brisket and the BBQed chickens while lots of side dishes appeared on the tables. Even a bunch of potatoes got baked in the BeerBQ!
Got to have corn on the cob with a feast like this!

So with a great weekend coming to a close we gathered for a group photo. Several folks were M.I.A. when we set up, so they’ve been patched into the picture along the top. We all had such a great time at this Rendezvous and at the Eagleview Group Campsite, that we’ve booked it for our 2023 Rendezvous (May 19-21 next year…put it on your calendars!)