In the early 1980s, a craft beer boom sprouted. This was largely the result of Congress approving a resolution that legalized homebrewing — a resolution our founding fathers didn’t see the need for, I would like to point out, since beer, cider and wine were always part of their everyday meals.
Today, beer-making is now as popular as it was in 1787 when the Constitution was drafted and signed – in a tavern.
There were a few beer explorers that catapulted this recent beer-making boom. One of the most influential is the legendary Charlie Papazian, a nuclear engineer, home brewer and author. Papazian founded the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) in 1978 and wrote the bible of homebrewing, “The Complete Joy of Home Brewing,” in 1984. Throughout this book, you will read Papazian’s famous homebrewing motto: “Relax. Don’t Worry. Have a homebrew.”
The American Homebrewers Association’s 47,000 members brew beer, cider and mead. The AHA estimates there over a million homebrewers in the United States. Of those homebrewers, an astounding 40 percent began homebrewing within the last four years.
And the number of licensed craft brewers has skyrocketed from eight in 1980 to over 6,000 in 2018. Many of these licensed brewers started out in their garages experimenting with hops, grinding grains and cooking up some pretty unusual brews like pumpkin porters, oyster stouts and grapefruit weizen.
AHA also founded and organizes the Great American Beer Festival, Homebrew Con, the World Beer Cup and Big Brew. These events provide a platform for homebrewers to compete and hone their fermentation skills.
Big Brew is BIG! Homebrewers worldwide gather to brew a batch of beer and raise a stein to toast both Papazian and their passion for homebrewed beer, mead and cider. Thousands participate in the simultaneous toast, which happens Saturday at 10 a.m.
This year’s official recipes — Rocky Raccoon’s Honey Lager and Dusty Mud Irish-style Stout — were chosen by Papazian.
On the Kitsap Peninsula, Big Brew 
is an annual event for the
West Sound Brewers . Last year, eight groups began brewing around
9:30 in the morning and by 3 p.m. had made 55 gallons of beer.
While watching their kettles boil, they relaxed with a homebrew and
discussed systems, hops and recipes.
Since May 2, 1992, this homebrew club, conceived by Silver City’s award-winning brewmaster Don Spencer, has been dedicated to promoting the homebrewing hobby and an appreciation of the many styles of beers.
It’s a great group to join if you’re interested in learning or improving your beer-making. Spencer is not the only West Sound Brewers member to go professional. The Thomas Kemper Brewery, which closed in 1996, was the experiential learning ground for some early club members. Spencer started there. Former Thomas Kemper brewer and founding WSB member, Don Wyatt, opened Hood Canal Brewery in 1996. Club members Mark Hood, Brad Ginn and founding member Alan Moum launched Sound Brewery in Poulsbo.
Other notables include Rande Reed, Tom Chase and Pete Jones. Rande Reed and Pete Jones moved to Pyramid in Seattle and Tom Chase brewed Fish Tale Ales in Olympia. Reed later moved to Snoqualmie Brewery.
Big Brew is just one of the 12 themed monthly meetings hosted by club members. Wood Fest, Cask Fest, Octoberfest and January’s Barleywine meeting will give you a taste of what this club is brewing.
Everyone is welcome to this craft beer club whether you brew or not. Join the club by signing up on the website, www.westsoundbrewers.org.
Mary Earl has been educating Kitsap wine lovers for a couple of decades, is a longtime member of the West Sound Brew Club and can pair a beer or wine dinner in a flash. She volunteers for the Clear Creek Trail, is a former member of the Central Kitsap Community Council and a longtime supporter of Silverdale.
