2beerguys beer blog

Local homebrewer wins the Belgian Brewmaster Award and gets a chance to go commercial!

Competing with other homebrewers around the country, Shaun McAuliffe’s Saison entry, was awarded the Belgian Brewmasters Award in the 2012 Boston Wort Homebrew Competition.

Now, Shaun will team up with a Idle Hands Craft Brewery, for a chance of a lifetime — brewing with a commercial brewery.    Continue reading for the full details.

Sean
2Beerguys.com

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LOCAL HOMEBREWER WINS CHANCE TO GO COMMERCIAL

Brighton Resident Joins Forces with Idle Hands Craft Ales to Raise Money for Pediatric Cancer Research

Everett, Mass., April 2012 – Idle Hands Craft Ales LLC is excited to announce that Brighton, Massachusetts resident, Shaun McAuliffe, will be joining Founder and Head Brewer Chris Tkach in brewing an award-winning saison on April 15th. McAuliffe was recently announced winner of the Belgian Brewmasters Award at the 17th Boston Homebrew Competition, one of New England’s oldest and most prominent homebrew contests. As a result of receiving this award, McAuliffe was invited to brew his beer commercially at Idle Hands’ facility in Everett, with proceeds from the sale of his beer going to a charity of his choice.

McAuliffe will be living his dream of scaling up his brewing experience at one of the Commonwealth’s newest commercial breweries. This sponsorship also enables him to raise money for pediatric brain cancer. When asked how he felt about the opportunity, McAuliffe exclaimed, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so why not run with it and run as far as you can go?”

McAuliffe’s winning entry, a saison made with a variety of citrus peel, coriander and a surprise of peppercorns, is expected to be a hit as it also placed second in the Belgian and French Ale Category of the Sam Adams Patriot Homebrew Contest in 2011. “I thought the combination of spices and peel created an interesting bouquet while still staying true to the farmhouse style,” explained Tkach, typically more of a purist in brewing.

Having been active in the regional homebrew competition circuit for many years himself, Tkach feels it is important to support homebrewers through regional brew bouts such as the Boston Homebrew Competition. It was these same competitions that were instrumental in giving him the necessary feedback and support to pursue his own dream of starting a commercial brewery.

The Idle Hands’ specialty saison will be called Commemoration, in memory of two of McAuliffe’s close friends’ children who died from pediatric brain cancer. Commemoration is slated to be available both at the American Craft Brew Festival and Drink Craft Beer festivals this summer. Proceeds from Commemoration will benefit the Pan-Mass Challenge, in loving memory of Lauren Maziarz and Charlotte O’Shea.

About Idle Hands Craft Ales LLC

Founded in 2010, Idle Hands Craft Ales LLC is a privately owned, artisan nanobrewery based in Everett, Massachusetts. We are Commonwealth of Massachusett’s smallest commercial brewery, producing only 1.5 barrels at a time. Husband and wife team, Chris and Grace Tkach hand craft their food friendly, Belgian-inspired beers for consumption in the local Boston market. For more information about Idle Hands Craft Ales, visit www.idlehandscraftales.com.