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Beer Tastings

Hosting beer tastings is a key function of the Sandbridge Beer Club.  You will want to attend a beer tasting if:

  • You want to learn more ab​out beer.
  • You want to discover some new beers.
  • You brew your own beer and would like to get feedback from fellow beer enthusiasts.

We plan to have the first SBC beer tasting sometime in 2016.  Keep an eye on the Calendar.

SBC beer tastings are free for all members (21 and older) to attend. Participation in the beer tasting is open to all members, but priority is given to club sponsors.  Thereafter, additional participants are determined on a first-come, first-serve basis by RSVP'ing to each event through our website.   If you are past the cutoff for the number of available seats, you will be put on a waiting list and you can participate if someone on the list does not show up.

You've never been to a beer tasting?  Here's how SBC beer tastings work in general:

We begin each beer tasting event with a social hour and an educational component.  For example, an SBC member or guest speaker giving a brief talk on topics like the brewing process or new trends in the world of beer.  We follow the educational component with the beer tasting:

1. We pick several styles of beer (e.g., pilsner, pale ale, porter, stout, etc.)

2. Within each category, we taste several beers.  For example,

  • ​National or international brands.
  • Virginia-based craft brews.
  • Homebrews created by SBC members.

​3. In each round of the beer tasting, we compare several different beers, using a simplified scoresheet to rate each beer. So, for instance, the first round might compare Samuel Adams Boston Lager (national brand) with Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager (Virginia craft brewery) and an SBC member's homebrewed lager.  In the final round, the winners of the preceding rounds face off against each other.  The winner of the final round is the overall champion.  The winners of each round are unveiled at the end of the beer tasting event.

4. Winners are determined based on the scores given by all beer tasting participants.

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