HISTORY OF BUZZ

Club History

BUZZ started as a local Chester County home brewer club in 1994. In the early 1990s there was a home brew supply store run by Jim McHale called Brewers Unlimited in the Great Valley Shopping Center. Customers would gather in the shop and talk about brewing. They also met occasionally at restaurant in the same shopping center to talk about brewing and sample each other’s beers. 

In 1993 a number of the brewers decided to take the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) exam to become beer judges. They gathered more frequently in Brewers Unlimited store to study for this exam. They all passed. In early 1994 the group decided to host a home brew competition. At planning meetings it was decided to name the club, Brewers Unlimited Zany Zymurgists, or BUZZ, and thus the competition was called Buzz Off. The club was formed and named, around BJCP competitions. The founders of the club and organizers of the first Buzz Off were David Houseman, Barry DeLapp and Robert and Renee Matie.   There were a number of others involved including Ted Johnston, Joe Lynn, Ron Daubel, ………

Jim McHale’s store closed in the early 2000s. At that point the club decided to rename the club Brewers United for Zany Zymurgy. The first Buzz Off was held in the Frazer Shopping Center in a restaurant willing to host us.  Buzz Offs have been held in many places over the years from Victory, to Levante, to Iron Hill, to Great Valley Brewing, to The Lafayette Inn, and Braelock Brewing, The Buzz Off was held for 29 until Covid.

When Jim closed his store in the early 2000s. the club moved to Iron Hill in West Chester that was just opening. We met there monthly for years to discuss beer, mead and cider, plan our competition, and sample each other’s homemade beverages. As Iron Hill grew they squeezed us out by converting the back space to dinner seating. However Buzz and Iron Hill had a long history together.   The brewers, Jean xxxxx and Larry Horiwitz gave us left over wort that club members took to make what they could from it.   This became the first Iron Brewer.   Dave Houseman won the first Iron Brewer with a Baltic Porter.   An article was written for Zymurgy and many clubs picked up on the concept to hold their own Iron Brewer.

The club has had several barrel projects. The first was from a barrel bought from Jason Harris’ store in Montgomeryville. We made a Wee Heavy from 5 gallon contributions from club members. Dave obtained a barrel (free) in which the club made an Imperial Stout then a Barleywine. There have been other collaborations since but these were the earliest. 

Club members have been involved in other competition in the region that started after BUZZ.  Most of those were/are judges. Dave Houseman, Chris Clair, Joe Lynn, Ron Daubel, Ted Johnston among others were regulars at other clubs’ competitions, even starting/coordinating the Delaware Valley Homebrewer of the Year, recognizing the brewer to do the best on the circuit of club competitions.    Brewing for competitions with the sort of unbiased and anonymous feedback one gests from experienced judges has greatly improved the beer of all of us.