Big Brew 2019 & Swap Meet

Big Brew will be held at our Belmont location in the park on the river on the First Saturday in May - May 4th. This year, we will incorporate a swap meet into this annual event.

Since 1988, the US Congress has recognized the first Saturday in May as National Homebrew Day. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) created Big Brew as an annual event to celebrate National Homebrew Day around the world. For 25+ years, Alternative Beverage has been celebrating this day by hosting homebrewers and the Carolina Brewmasters in a gathering of beer enthusiasts that bring their equipment and brew in our park on the lake.

One of the big features of the this event is the communal brew-in. The variety of equipment and the techniques employeed by the brewers can be very educational. It is our goal to improve on the numbers of brewers participating from last year. Brewers pre-registering will be able to purchase ingredients at a discounted rate. The AHA recipes, TransAtlantic Blonde Ale and Battlecow Galacticose Specialty IPA NE Milkshake DIPA are available at the bottom of this page.

Homebrewers are encouraged to bring their kettles, cookers, propane and their favorite brewing accessories to brew their batch. We will supply water for brewing and ice for operating at least two chill stations to take care of a post boiling chill down needs.

The event is open to anyone that enjoys good beer, wants to learn how to brew, wants to see different brewing techniques, wants to meet local homebrewers and talk beer and you don't have to brew to participate.

We realize that allot of you may have equipment that you no longer use, that is gathering dust and benefiting no one. Our swap meet will give you an opportunity to turn that equipment into money. Let us know what you want to bring and we will promote it on our social media. There is no charge for to participate in the swap meet.

We will have a wide array of sale items available for your consideration.

Jimmy Hardin with Hardin Hill Barbecue out of Smyrna, SC supplied some great barbecue chicken and pork. Jimmy is available for private events and can be contacted at (864)490-2989 or hhbbq351@yahoo.com. We will be serving homebrews and soft drinks. We would like to encourage attendees to bring covered side dishes, deserts, drinks and BEER.

Our shady lake side park with its expansive grassy area is an inviting place to spend a lazy Saturday. Bring lawn chairs, coolers, Frisbees and other yard games. Did I say bring beer - yes, please bring your favorite homebrew or other favorite beverages to share (if you wish) with others. Bring the whole family, it will be fun. Pets on a leash will be the owners responsibility.

Brewing participants can purchase ingredients, used at the event, discounted 25%. We still will need 2-3 volunteers to help make this a great experience for everyone. Volunteers can offer their assistance (subject Big Brew Volunteer), brewers can register (subject Brewing at Big Brew) and attendees can give us a head count (subject Big Brew head count) by sending an email to AltBevClt@gmail.com.

Our next event will be Mead Day on the First Saturday in August. More details will be posted shortly.