Homebrewers travel to Europe for joint beer-making session.

Homebrewers travel to Europe for joint beer-making session

Two American homebrewers will travel to Europe as guests of two traditional craft breweries. The breweries are flying the winners of the bock and barley wine categories in the National Homebrew Competition to their breweries where the homebrewers will join the brewmasters in making beer.

Young's Brewery, London, England, will host Clay Biberdorf of Portland, OR, March 11-16. Biberdorf's "Tsampa Barley Wine" took first place in the barley wine category of the 1990 National Homebrew Competition held in Boulder, CO, and Oakland, CA.

Aass Brewery, Drammen, Norway, hosted Darryl Richman of North Ridge, CA, from February 18-22. Richman was awarded first place in the bock category with his "Bock Aasswards."

The prize for each winner included an all-expense-paid trip to the host brewery and a chance to join the brewing staff for a week.

"Sponsoring these trips reflects the tie between traditional craft brewing practiced by our breweries and the quality of beers made by these amateur brewers in their kitchens," said Dan Kopman, Real Beer Portfolio, Young's Brewery and Aass Brewery-owned American import agent.

"It completes the circle," explained Charlie Papazian, American Homebrewers Assn. president. "Here are two accomplished homebrewers, who have demonstrated skills in making a special beer style, joining the commercial brewmasters that specialize in brewing those styles."

To mark the special occasion, both Young's Brewery and Aass Brewery will place a commemorative neck ringer on each of the bottles from the jointly -brewed batch of beer. The neck rings will announce the combined efforts of an award-winning amateur brewer and a veteran commercial brewer, according to Kopman.