The Maltose Falcons Homebrewing Club brewed at home before homebrewing was cool. The club was founded in 1974 by Merlin Elhardt and others who wanted European beer flavors. In order to have these beers in the U.S., they had to learn how to make it themselves! We visited the Anchor Steam building in San Francisco for an inside look at the Falcons as they celebrated their win for 2010 California Homebrew Club of the Year.

The Michael Jordan of Homebrew Clubs

In 1978, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill legalizing homebrewing in California. That same year, a federal law was passed too. In 2011 only two states still have a ban on homebrewing: Alabama and Mississippi. Around the time when the Falcon was formed there were about 40 breweries in the States. Not much to chose from! As of 2010, there are more than 1,600 microbreweries in the United States.

According to the American Homebrewers Association there are over 100 clubs in California. Every year since 1984, Anchor Steam Brewery has been giving out awards to the best California homebrewing club. The Maltose Falcons Club have about 300 members.

Homebrewing isn’t just about the brewing process. Drew Beechum, former President of Maltose Falcons and author of The Everything Homebrewing Book had this to say. “Everyone is so helpful. When you ask someone about how they brewed it, 99 out of 100 times the person is going to talk and give you some assistance. It’s all about the community and building it up.”

Some homebrewers eventually become professionals, like Steve Grossman and Paul Camusi of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Mark Jilg of Craftsman Brewing Company and Jeremy Raub of Eagle Rock Brewery.

Celebrating with the Falcons

The Party with Anchor Steam Brewery

During the tail end of the 2011 San Francisco Beer Week, Anchor Steam Brewery rewards all the members for a historic trophy ceremony and a congratulatory party with food and free-flowing Anchor Steam beers. The Homebrew Club of the Year is selected by the collective wins by the Falcons from all of 2010′s fairs and various of homebrew competitions. The Falcons have won the Homebrew Club of the Year seven times. The first time they won was in 1989.

A party is not a party until someone is chugging. The ceremonial ritual was done by the president of the club, Nancy Gold, who is also the first female President of the Falcons. We like to refer to her as the First Lady of How to Have a Good Time.

It’s like the Stanley Cup

When Fritz Maytag first bought the current Anchor Steam building in 1976, he imported a German brew house to San Francisco. In order for it to be shipped, they had to cut the brewery to pieces and reassemble it. The leftover copper parts from the move were hand hammered into a mug. The mug now sits on top of the trophy for the Homebrew Club of the Year. The winning club gets to keep the trophy for the rest of the year.

Jeremy Raub and Drew Beechum Explains the Trophy












Related Information
http://www.maltosefalcons.com/
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/
Meet The Homebrewers of Los Angeles