AUGUST MEETING ON SAT., AUGUST 12  -  PICNIC!   EMMA LONG PARK, morning - 10 p.m.   Address:  1706 City Park Rd.    Emma Long Park  does NOT take cash for daily park fees (only credit/debit cards) & it costs $10/day per vehicle on the weekend.  Some folks will be there all day so feel free to come out early and help set up or just have fun.  The park does get to capacity later in the day, so if you don't come out early enough you might get turned away.   Check our facebook page for updates as the day goes on.  You can bring canned goods but it's easier if you bring them to the September meeting.   Please bring a bag of ice for the beers.  Speaking of beer, this is a keg drag, so feel free to bring a keg and serve it or put it in the trough, but it does only go to 11, so you may want to bring a bucket or trash can to put your keg in as well as a picnic faucet (last year we had about 30 kegs).  If you don't keg you can still bring your bottles, just keep it on the down low as glass containers are not allowed in the park.  

The annual cook-off this year is any dish made with PEACHES.  Everyone will vote on their favorite 2 dishes and prizes will be awarded!!  Be sure to have your dish there by 1 p.m. if you want to enter the contest.   This is a potluck so bring anything that is tasty!!  We will provide the plates, cups, napkins and utensils.   

Bring a swimsuit, SUNSCREEN, WATER , floats, sunglasses, lawn chairs, pop-ups for shade, a bag of ice, food to share, maybe a dish with peaches for the contest, and a fun attitude!!  Kids are welcome.  

This is also when we announce the winners of the Inquisition, usually between 2-3 p.m.  Winners of the contest will absolutely NOT be announced before this date and time.  The results will be posted on the website and sent out via email whenever we recover from this event.   

Many of us stay the night, so you are more than welcome to join us.   Some folks will even be spending Friday night at the park.  Click on the Emma Long link to reserve a campsite (bring a tent).  The park closes at 10 p.m. and they lock the gate.  If you aren't outside the gate, you WILL be spending the night. Cheers!

If you want an opinion on your beer, please let us know and we will try it early and help solve any issues you may be having. Don't be shy!   We will give you an honest opinion and give friendly advice. How are we going to win the National Homebrew Conference in Minneapolis next year if we don't HELP eachother???   If you are new, we don't bite!!  Come on in and introduce yourself.   Cheers!

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The 13th Annual Austin ZEALOTS Homebrew Inquisition (2016) results are in !  

Best of Show, Ricardo Fritzsche, Austin ZEALOTS, Balanced Beers, "Ric's Pale Rider"

1st runner up, Mark Schoppe, Austin ZEALOTS, Meads & Ciders, "Mark's Semi-Sweet Hydromel"

2nd runner up, Dan Ironside, Austin ZEALOTS, Open Category, "Imperial Smoked Porter"

See all the results on the bottom of the Inquisition page, or click RESULTS.

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Chris Colby has also written a homebrewing book!!!  "Home Brew Recipe Bible"  LINK TO PURCHASE      "Chris Colby from Beer & Wine Journal serves as the brewmaster for this collection of 100 recipes for home brewing!  Chris’ Vienna Lager won silver in the 2004 National Homebrew Competition, as well as a Best of Show in 2004 and several lesser ribbons from his contest days. Here, he’ll show you how to take the freshest ingredients and create a lot of different and fantastic beers to choose from."    Beer and Wine Journal

Dan Ironside (Austin ZEALOTS member) has written "Idiot's Guide: Homebrewing".  Purchase a copy now or download on your device.  LINK TO PURCHASE       "Idiot's Guides: Homebrewing breaks the brewing process down step-by-step and helps you understand how to minimize the risk of a bad batch, maximize your success, and foster the passion and pride that every homebrewer experiences when they brew the perfect beer. The author teaches readers the fundamentals -- from home brewery setup and equipment sanitization, to the proper techniques for nearly any style of beer, to bottling and aging their brews. You will learn how to select ingredients, taste beer the right way, and experiment from over 60 recipes ranging from German lagers to IPAs."    Dan's Apartment Homebrewer Blog

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NEWS FLASH: MARK SCHOPPE WINS the 2015 NINKASI AWARD for earning the most points in the National Homebrew Competition!  Congratulations to Mark!  What an effort!  He was the Ninkasi winner in 2012 as well! 

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The Austin ZEALOTS is a loose group of members that have a common interest in brewing and/or drinking great beer. "ZEALOTS" stands for Zymurgic Enthusiasts of Austin Loosely Organized Through Suds. The club has been around since about 1990 and was started by some of Austin's homebrewers, the owners of Live Oak Brewing Co., the early owners of Austin Homebrew Supply, and employees at Celis Brewery. There is a weekly roaming happy hour at the various breweries in and around Austin (sign up for the forum, the yahoo email group for details or check Facebook).  No dues or office of the CEO exist. However, we do ­have pseudo officials: Primary Fermenter, Secondary Fermenter and Conditioning Tank(s), just for grins.  Monthly meetings are the 2nd or 3rd Saturday of the month at a location and time announced here, on the email group, and on Facebook.   Our meetings usually consist of about 40 or more people who share their creations (bring a tasting glass please). We have a style of the month, but if you have homebrew that isn't in that style, bring it on! ­If you don't have any homebrew handy, feel free to bring a commercial example of the style of the month that you enjoy. Bear in mind that to give each person a sample, you will need to bring at least 2 twelve ounce bottles. Each year we host a Homebrew Competition called the Inquisition.  It is certified and sanctioned by no one. It is unique in that judging is not to determine if you can emulate a particular classic style, but can you make quality beer.   In 2012, the ZEALOTS finished 3rd in the AHA's National Homebrew Conference and Mark Schoppe finished in first place overall and became the Ninkasi Award winner (plus he won the Ninkasi in 2015!)!  The ZEALOTS won the Lone Star Circuit Trophy in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 & 2016!