About Us

Fun and Informative Monthly Meetings

In order to know whether you've"arrived", it's important to understand where you intended to go. Brewing is like that. Unless you know the profiles of the large range of styles and various substyles, you'll probably never know if your efforts have hit the mark.

At club meetings, held in and around Mansfield, MA, a presentation is made about a particular style- the overall parameters of its category, its history, the ingredients, and popular recipes for extract, partial mash and all grain brewing. Following the presentation, two or three commercial examples of the style are tasted and compared. Next, members submit their own brews for general evaluation.

Whether the Club members are discussing new brew pubs or showing off new brewing equipment, the monthly meetings allow members to socialize with others with similar interests.

Should I use a wort chiller? How do I step up liquid yeast? What would happen if I substitute ingredients in the next batch? You can get answers to these kinds of questions at the meetings or through calling a member from the membership list.

Competitions

Club competitions are held internally each quarter. On these nights, a blind tasting follows the style discussion. Members' entries are scored using AHA scoring sheets. The sheets are later returned to the brewers to offer objective feedback. The scores of the competition are recorded and maintained by the Club and an award is given yearly to the "SouthShore Brewer of the Year".

Learning how to evaluate beer also prepares members, if they so desire, to undertake an exam qualifying them to be judges. The exams are given periodically throughout New England. Whether you want to be a judge or simply brew better beer, joining the SSBC will help you reach your goal.

Annual SSBC Brew-Off

Each year the Brew club sponsors a public competition which, of course, is open to Club members. This annual competition is judged by recognized beer judges. The scoresheets are returned to everyone who enters. Winners receive ribbons while Club members get exposed to a high level of beer evaluation.

Group Brews

Occasionally, the club offers the chance to drop in during a brewer's partial mash or all grain brewing day. Besides being fun, it's a great way to pick up new information through a learn-by-doing approach.