Yankee Brew News Archive

YBN Letters

Originally Published: 02/97

Dear YBN:

We ran into a BIG problem with the ABCC regarding our Homebrew Fest we were going to have here on Cape Cod back in October, only a few weeks before the competition.

We were doing this Fest and competition in conjunction with the Cape Cod Regional Chamber of Commerce in Buzzards Bay. As the Chamber went to get the permits for us to have such a competition their lawyers were informed that it was illegal for us to have such a competition in this state, under certain Chapters and Sections of the Massachusetts State Laws. We cancelled because of the threats the ABCC told us. They said if we continued to have this competition they would be here to shut us down, make arrests and examples out of all involved. So the Chamber cancelled the Homebrew Fest right away.

We have since contacted the ABCC and their legal department along with the AHA about this. We are trying to get this resolved through the legislature but don't know where or how to start. Maybe Governor Weld can help as I see he likes beer.

We as a homebrew club on Cape Cod known as the C.C.L.A.M.S. (Cape Cod Lager and Ale Makers) are very interested in resolving this so we can have a competition in the future without having to worry about being arrested. There are also several other homebrew clubs that heard of our problems and are willing to work with us on this also. So if there is any information you can provide for us in where to start please do so and it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon.

Nancy Duffley (an avid homebrewer herself)

Mark Duffley AKA Duffbrew

Several of us here at YBN have been judging homebrew competitions in Massachusetts and throughout New England for many years, and your sorry experience with the ABCC is indeed frightening. While the ABCC in the Bay State has been known to be heavy-handed about commercial beer tastings at times, this is the first instance we've heard of a homebrew competition being threatened. We'll see what we can find out and hope you'll report back to us if if you get anywhere with the state bureaucracy.

- Editor-in-Chief