Styles, objectives and personalities of homebrew clubs vary drastically, but the one fact that remains constant in the homebrew club community is that they are sprouting up all over the country. Some homebrew clubs are small and meet infrequently, in an informal environment. Others are large, active and competitive with formal programs, regular meetings, written constitutions and club officers. Between these two extremes there is plenty of room for your club to find its own identity. If you are thinking of forming a homebrew club we have a few helpful tips.

Objective

One of the first things to consider is what you hope to accomplish with this club. Most homebrew clubs are founded on any combination of the following three things: social interaction and activities centered on the foundation of homebrewing; education about beer, brewing techniques and expanding brewing horizons; promotion of the hobby and enjoyment of homebrewing. One issue we like each club to promote is the attitude of responsible use and enjoyment of beer as an alcohol-containing beverage-we strongly believe quality beer is a drinking thing, not a drunken thing.

"Name That Club"

Choose a fun name for your club. One glance at the AHA registered homebrew club list will tell you that the sky is the limit. Some clubs make a contest out of this with a prize for the winner(s). Once you have a name and a club, be sure to register your club with the American Homebrewers Association.

Expand Your Horizons

You may already have a few fellow brewers in mind for your club, but if you need members or want to add to the core group, the best place to advertise your club is at the local homebrew supply shop. Throw a homebrew party, people can't help but want to learn how to participate. Local news media will sometimes cover special events if you give them advance notice.

Where to Meet

Okay, you've got the club objectives, you've got a name and you have fellow homebrewers. Next you need to decide where you are going to hold your club meetings. Location depends on club size and planned activities. Small groups of ten or so can easily meet in someone's home. For larger groups try looking in the local paper to see where other groups meet. Likely places include the YMCA, YWCA, church buildings, private schools and fraternal organizations. Some condominiums or apartment complexes have clubhouses which may be available. Some clubs occasionally meet at local brewpubs or restaurants. When arranging a location, make sure you clear the alcohol and drinking issue with the site.

The $ Thing

The next topic is expenses (you knew this money thing would come up eventually, didn't you). Expenses your club may incur are postage, stationery, rental of meeting space, cost of commercial beer and food. Some clubs charge $1 or $2 per meeting to cover expenses. Other clubs charge yearly dues. Either way should work.

Talk to Us

Keep the AHA informed of your club activities. If we can help in any other way, get in touch:

American Homebrewers Association
PO Box 1679
Boulder, Colorado 80306-1679 U.S.A.
Voice: (303) 447-0816
FAX: (303) 447-2825
aha@brewersassociation.org

For more information and ideas on homebrew clubs refer to Thom Tomlinson's article "Breathing New Life Into Your Homebrew Club", originally published in "Just Brew It! Beer and Brewing Volume 12" (Brewers Publications, 1992).

What to do

All that's left is deciding what to do now (literally). The following are some tried and true club activities:

• Taste homebrew-analysis/education
• Plan pot-lucks
• Have food themes for meetings with the homebrew to match
• Compare, taste and rate commercial beers
• Arrange inter-club homebrew tastings
• Publish a newsletter
• Obtain newsletters of other homebrew clubs
• Exchange recipes
• Maintain community equipment (brewkettles, mashtuns, malt grinders, wine press, etc.)
• Inspire picnics, festivals, feasts, banquets, parties
• Organize homebrew seminars and classes
• Demonstrate techniques and gadgetry
• Plan community benefits and projects
• Take field trips to breweries, wineries, malt mills
• Brew a special keg for a particular meeting
• Organize homebrew competitions
• Maintain a club library
• Arrange parallel brews (identical brews with one factor varied -- hops, yeast, sugars, brewers)

And remember ...
Relax. Don't Worry.
Have a Homebrew.