Something brewing in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – She made homemade wine ? once; so the owner of Sea Glass Wine and Beer decided that when it comes to homebrewed beer, she is better positioned to be a host.”No, we’ve never homebrewed,” Michelle Penney, owner of Sea Glass Wine and Beer on Humphrey Street, said Monday. “I’m more of a homebrew standards keeper.”Sea Glass Wine and Beer will be holding its inaugural homebrew beer contest this spring, collecting entries from local brewers and hosting a craft beer celebration to judge and sample the results on May 30.Local brewers must sign up by the end of this week with a $25 entry fee. Each brewer is allowed to submit three 12-ounce samples of their creation(s), which must be delivered to Sea Glass on Monday, May 25 between 12 and 8 p.m. On Saturday, May 30, a winner will be announced and samples available.Penney said the categories of submissions will be very open-ended to encourage a wide selection of entries – for example, best beer for a day on the beach – and reflect the diversity of the homebrew and craft beer scene.And that’s a pretty vibrant and growing scene.With Boston the home of Sam Adams, widely credited as the grandfather of the craft beers, small breweries and brewpubs have popped up in many local communities – both places colonized by urban hipsters and more rural communities. The craft has also expanded into basements and garages, as people seek an even more direct hands-on connection with their beer. As the creativity increases, brewers are experimenting with incorporating different flavors into their beer (there was a beer for sale called “Banana Bread Beer,” if that’s what you’re into?) and brewing ciders and rice beer, Penney explained.Many of those people come and shop at Sea Glass, where new craft beers are readily displayed and sold, Penney said. So it seemed logical to host a homebrew competition this year.”We’re always looking for a way to bring the community together, and craft beer is definitely a huge trend right now,” Penney said. “It’s really a hobby with people…it’s kind of fun getting people together to talk about flavor, foam and ingredients, like what hops they used.”Penney said prizes for the contest winners will include gift baskets, opportunities for critiques by local brewers, and maybe brewery visits. But everybody is welcome to come and sample the beers…a prize in itself.And if successful, perhaps Penney may submit a Sea Glass homebrew in a future contest.”I’d love to do it with my husband someday; he’s a science teacher,” she said.