BAM hosts several annual events each year. Many have been around since the clubs' inception. Each is always loads of fun and there's never been a shortage of homebrew!! Check 'em out! Also check out the most recent Newsletters for more info on specific details, dates, etc.
[World Cup] [Abalone Dive & Oyster Slurp] [Tailgate Party] [North Coast Dive Trip] [Jambeeree] [Holiday Party]
Our eigth annual Bay Area Mashers World Cup of Beer is scheduled to go down March 23rd, 2002. For the fourth year running, we will be a qualifying event for the Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing (MCAB). For the discerning competitive homebrewer, we offer top-notch judging, lots of prizes (and beer) from our large and generous group of donors, and a kick-ass party afterwards with live music and tasty grub to go with all that beer.
The theme is classic beer styles from specific regions of the world, culminating in the "World Champion"- the Best of Show. Winner of the Best of Show gets (in addition to lots of prizes from the sponsors) his or her name on the perpetual World Cup trophy on display at the Oak Barrel in Berkeley. Attain immortality alongside the best homebrewers from the Bay Area and elsewhere! For more info, check out the World Cup Of Beer 2005 Page.
This is one of the clubs favorites, and has been around since '90. Here's the deal: A number of the club members are divers. We head up to the north coast on Friday (dive pics) to get a limit of abalone (we usually do...). Another member visits Johnson's oyster farm for a couple hundred oysters. On Sunday, everyone brings a main or side dish, a keg and an appetite. Last year, we had abalone rellenos, sauteed abalone, barbecued abalone, stuffed calamari, fried oysters (amazing!) and abalone ceviche (a perpetual favorite). This year, we held a "best food" and a "best beer" competition, with the winner receiving free etched BAM imperial pint glasses. In recent years the party's gotten so big that we've had to move it out of a members house and into an East Bay Regional Park. Don't miss this one! Slurp pics
Just what it sounds like. Good seats to an A's game one weekend in the summer. We show up a couple of hours before the game to grill and grog. Then we watch the A's lose, but we don't care, 'cause we still have a few pints left in the kegs for everyone. We're always the last ones out of the parking lot.
The weekend at Albion or Ocean Cove usually provides an opportunity to initiate new abalone divers to the ways of the wily mollusk. Tank diving is facilitated by the use of inflatable boats brought by a member or rental of a local guide with boat who knows the dive spots there like the back of his hand. Yet again another good reason for camping, good food and brew. This year we brought back over a dozen big abalones and had a BBQ way into the night featuring these in multifarious culinary permutations, and several beers including a keg of barleywine that just wouldn't quit. And if that is not enough, the trip back affords an opportunity to check out some of the excellent Anderson valley wineries.
This is wild. An East Bay campground is the site of another invasion of homebrewers. This time, we bring our portable brewing systems, and see how much beer we can brew in the park for the holidays ahead. In 1997, over 130 gallons were brewed, in 1998 we had 80+ gallons. We always meet interesting people, as they see all the brewing paraphernalia, and come by to learn about brewing, and the products of our labors. A BBQ and overnight camping follows the days' brewing. Not just another day in the park!
Here are some photos of the event.
The Englander pub will be the site of 1999 event on December 12 starting at 5:00 PM. Tix are $10. We will be holding our annual raffle, and a toy and canned food drive as well. Let Emil know your dinner choice for either prime rib, chicken or salmon. Don't forget to bring your homebrew!