Yankee Brew News Archive

New England Homebrew Clubs: The Green Mountain Mashers

Originally Published: 02/97

By: Gregg Glaser

The Green Mountain Mashers, Vermont's premier homebrew club, was formed in 1989 and currently boasts fifty members. The Mashers hold meetings the first Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m., October through June, at a member's home.

Meetings feature an educational session on an aspect of home or craft brewing, as well as tastings of members' recent homebrews. Dues are $15.00 per year for an individual or couple.

The Mashers' newsletter, Barleycorn Press, is published monthly from October through June. The publication features technical articles, brewing tips, recipes, regional beer news, basic club information and minutes of meetings.

The annual Green Mountain Homebrew Competition, a Mashers-sponsored competition, enters its sixth year in 1997. Held each April or May at the Magic Hat Brewery in Burlington, this is a New England Homebrewer of the Year event. Other awards presented are Vermont Homebrewer of the Year, Best of Show, and "Brewmaster's Cup." The winner of this last award gets to have his or her homebrew reproduced in a commercial-sized batch at the Vermont Pub and Brewery in Burlington.

Annual Mashers events include the Cider Crush (a custom cider crush each October at the Chapin Orchard in Essex, Vermont), the "Trub Trek," (a wintertime charter bus tour of regional micros and brewpubs) and a September trip to the annual "Festbier" in Quebec.

Notable Mashers members include Paul Hale and Phil Kaszuba, perennial contenders for New England Homebrewer of the Year honors; Tom Ayres, BJCP master judge, two-time AHA "Bock is Best" club competition winner, co-founder of Boston's homebrew club, the Wort Processors, and Vermont editor for Yankee Brew News; and Bob Johnson, co-founder of Magic Hat Brewing in Burlington. Current officers of the club are Paul Hale, President; Dave Gannon, Secretary; and Lew Greitzer, Treasurer.

The Green Mountain Mashers can be reached through Tom Ayres: HCR 33, Box 131, Richmond, Vermont, 05477; (802) 434-2939; E-Mail: TAyres@Yankeebrew.com

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