May 2026 Meeting Minutes

by Diana Lester | May 27, 2026 | Meeting Minutes | 0 comments

Central Arkansas Fermenters May 2026 at Diamond Bear Brewing Company

1. Call to meeting

Bonz opens

2. Social Events Report- Kesha

Little Rocktoberfest
- Sierra got us at Argenta Plaza
- Proceeds go to Charities
  - Providence Park– helps the chronically homeless (homeless longer than a year, or 4 periods of homelessness over 3 years) with providing homes, health care, income, and other services.
    - Website is providenceparkhome.com
    - Currently making a tiny home village to provide homes and support network for the chronically homeless
    - Helping those in Pulaski County
  - WOW may be presenting next month
- Voting at Little Rocktoberfest for brewery will be QR codes, not tokens
- Updated website
  - Please let Brian know if you see any issues
Future planning for meetings
- Try to have CAF meetings at the Pro Am brewery.
- Issues:
  - Thursday Night Karaoke
  - Buying 2 beers for members
  - Not able to bring homebrew to places
  - Trying to budget for Little Rocktoberfest
- Professor Bowl will be default meeting place
  - Centrally located for wide range of people
  - 2$ pint til 7pm
  - Affordable food
  - USE THE 2 FREE DRINK TICKETS BEFORE 7PM!!!!!!!!
- Historic Arkansas Museum can host us and provide Stone’s Throw beer 1-2 a year
- Buckman’s may host in the future once they are situated
June Meeting will be 6/11 at Professor Bowl
July Meeting will be 7/9 at Point Remove
August Meeting will be 8/13 at Rogue Roundabout
September Meeting will be 9/10 TBD
October Meeting will be 10/8 at Professor Bowl

3. Competitions Report- Luke

1. - April competition- Berliner Weiss
    - 3rd place John Matejka
    - 2nd place Luke Osborn
    - 1st place Brian English
  - Need more people to compete to make it more worth while for the breweries
  - May competition- West Coast Pilsner at Stone’s Throw. Due Saturday 5/16
  - June competition- Cereal Beer
  - At end of year, have a BJCP tasting exam to get more judges
    - Currently talking with Sandy who is on BJCP board and may be able to proctor the exam
    - Need at least 5 people to have a tasting exam
    - Must take the written test
      - Couple hours to take
      - Open book
      - Will stop once you reach minimal score
      - About 180 questions- multiple choice, true/false
      - Study materials on CAF website
      - Costs 10$ for exam or 20$ for 3 tries

4. Education Report- Brian

1. - Master Homebrewer Program
    - Currently working on updating the website
    - Can become a member by signing up on MHP website and mention CAF as club
    - Rank ups
      - Diana Lester- Novice
      - Cody Lester- Proficient
      - Luke Osborn- Grandmaster 3
  - Education
    - Altbier information for July Pro-Am passed out
      - It is a German bridge style—ale that drinks like a lager
      - Crisp, balanced, German restraint, and dangerously drinkable
  - Becoming BJCP judge
    - Hosting sessions on 3rd Thursday at 5:30each month
    - Will be at Professor Bowl
    - Answer questions and practice for BJCP exams
    - Will be posted on Facebook as an event
      - If no one signs up, Brian will not be there

5. Secretary’s Report- Diana

1. - Brian motioned, Kesha motioned to approve April’s minutes
  - New Member:
    - Justin Jones
  - Need updated emails if you are not getting the email
    - Please check spam/junk folders
  - Officer’s Meeting
    - Talked about Little Rocktoberfest and State Fair
      - Judging for State Fair may be late August
      - Get entries started and ready for turn in by end July/early August
      - Please come out and help sort or judge entries
        
        Will be asking for volunteers later
        
        Drop off/Delivery TBD due to Nurserie not having a location anymore
        
        Joe is going to see if his workplace can accept the delivery
        
        May have delivery at people’s houses

6. Treasurer’s Report- Joe

1. - ~8500 in bank right now
  - ~3k for down payment for Argenta Plaza

7. New Business

1. - Russ Melton–owner of Diamond Bear
    - Is NOT closing unlike what papers are saying
    - Is looking at potentially having homebrewers brew half barrels
      - Trying to get a list of names interested
      - Won’t be til after 4th of July
      - Will keg the brew
      - Will have to pay to sell the brew
      - Do not care on which styles
      - Ingredients and equipment will be provided as much as possible.
  - Beer Camp up in the Ozarks near Mt View or Gravity in the end of October
    - Primitive camping near the Barn
    - Probably weekend before Halloween
    - BC from Craft a Brew/Doin’ the Most youtube may be there
    - Getting some breweries to come out and talk
    - Spring water will be provided, just need to bring brewing setups (electric or propane)
    - Bo will be making an event on Facebook
  - Brewery Report
    - Historic Arkansas Museum Hop-Off
      - July 10th at 5-8pm
      - Room for more brewers to sign up
      - Pre-1900 style or recipe
      - 3 gallons
      - Set up and serve day of event
      - Free/no tickets
      - Will have judge’s choice and people’s choice
    - Stone’s Throw stuff
      - Canned up a lot of Arkansawyer ciders
      - Limited availability
      - Non-alcoholic beers available
  - Prestonrose Farm and Brewing is closing
    - Selling everything: brewery, farm, etc
    - Open until they sell
  - Please keep side chatter to a minimum
  - Try to start meetings on time

8. Closing of Meeting

Zeke, Kesha