25 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I e-mail the president of the club (who's name I got from a mutual acquaintance) and I ask some questions about the club. I end a little back and forth asking about how I could stop into a meeting and see what the club is like. The reason I asked this is that the meetings seem to be held at member's houses and I generally don't go and show up to someone's house uninvited. That was about a week ago and no response. I'm pretty quickly losing interest. Glad I have you guys.

[MakeMeHoppy]

Our club website encourages new/prospective members to join us at the next meeting. Our local homebrew show also will point people to the club meetings.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Our club website encourages new/prospective members to join us at the next meeting. Our local homebrew show also will point people to the club meetings.

this club says they do but without meetings at a public place I'm not quite getting that welcome feeling.

[DaBearSox]

I have never joined any of the local clubs either...I like it here better...from some of the people I have met at comps and such most just seem uppity, like they are better than me because they are part of a "club." I'll bring up a point of view and they will look down upon it because I brew alone and don't know anything. This really turns me off of going to the meetings. The best was a time this guy was being a d*** and seemed like he was purposefully saying everything i mentioned was wrong...then I won a medal just walked right by him and smiled.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I have never joined any of the local clubs either...I like it here better...from some of the people I have met at comps and such most just seem uppity, like they are better than me because they are part of a "club." I'll bring up a point of view and they will look down upon it because I brew alone and don't know anything. This really turns me off of going to the meetings. The best was a time this guy was being a d*** and seemed like he was purposefully saying everything i mentioned was wrong...then I won a medal just walked right by him and smiled.

yeah - one time I heard of some people from beer advocate getting together for a pub crawl on st. patrick's day in Cambridge, MA. so I figured, hey, this might be fun but the event was just full of hipsters. I can't handle that crowd so I bugged out of the crawl early and just had some beers on my own.

[CaptRon]

this club says they do but without meetings at a public place I'm not quite getting that welcome feeling.

I think you should go. If they welcome outsiders to the meetings, then go check it out. They might just be bad communicators.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I think you should go. If they welcome outsiders to the meetings, then go check it out. They might just be bad communicators.

yeah - could be the case. I'd have to look up people's addresses in the phone book or something though b/c it just says the name of the person's house on the club calendar

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

That's to bad that the club is less than helpful. I enjoy being part of a club. We meet once a month, drink homebrew and eat pizza. There is a bjcp style tasting of the month that we have commercial examples of. We have a Oktoberfest party/fundraiser and St Pats party every year and we do AHA events like big brew. There are members that never brew, those that are extract only and serious all grainers. Homebrewers rock, why wouldn't you want to hang out with a bunch of them.And...anyone who thinks they know all there is to know about brewing is full of sh!t.

[djinkc]

I'd go. If it sucks or you feel unwelcome just get in the car and leave. No club is perfect but there are usually at least a few, if not more, in it that you'll enjoy being with. I would have missed out on some good times and friendships if I hadn't rejoined the old club when I started brewing again. I wish I could be more active in the LBG too, lots of great people in it also.And, a lot depends on who is on the board or running the club. Sometimes a changing of the guard is needed, that's why most have elections.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I'd go. If it sucks or you feel unwelcome just get in the car and leave. No club is perfect but there are usually at least a few, if not more, in it that you'll enjoy being with. I would have missed out on some good times and friendships if I hadn't rejoined the old club when I started brewing again. I wish I could be more active in the LBG too, lots of great people in it also.And, a lot depends on who is on the board or running the club. Sometimes a changing of the guard is needed, that's why most have elections.

could just be poor communication skills but they don't seem to have any method of getting new guys in there that is easy unless you already know someone in the club.

[ChefLamont]

I am definitely no sociologist, but there is really a study there of brew club dynamics and group personalities. I really think the club takes on a personality of its own. Plus some clubs do really treat outsiders like dirt. (If you are not in our club, then you must be a nothing......whatever). In our club (I am currently president), I think we do a good job to squash douchiness and all that. We always try to be honest in evaluation but supportive no matter what. A couple of us in the club are the consistent metal winners in comps and a couple others consistently bring great offerings. We all set the tone of always humble and helpful, but I could see how that could easily go the other way with other personalities.I would also recommend going. If they are dorks about it, dont go back.

[SchwanzBrewer]

could just be poor communication skills but they don't seem to have any method of getting new guys in there that is easy unless you already know someone in the club.

The first rule of beer club is you don't talk about beer club! I have too many other things going to to worry about a home brew club at the moment. An LHBS just opened up a lot closer than the other, and they started a brew club. I'm not a big fan of the store, so I'm not sure about going to their club meetings. Tampa Bay BEERS is supposed to be a pretty good one, I might join that I can find the time.Cheers,Rich

[harryfrog]

I think we do a good job to squash douchiness and all that. We always try to be honest in evaluation but supportive no matter what.

That's what it's all about. Congrats on that. Why would I want to join a club where there's rules and bs? I've already got one wife...Our club has no president, no dues, but we still manage to enter competitions, meet monthly and host at a homebrewfest...which is funny cause other clubs look down on us for not having a newsletter.

[BarelyBrews]

I understand my LHBS has a membership,also with said membership you can get 10%-20% off all items in my LHBS.I should go sometime.I would like to have someone to brew beer with and maybe split the work load.Guest quoteJust so you guys know, I registered Brews-Bros.com as an AHA recognized international homebrew club, not recognized to any particular geographic location. Guest quoteHey, thats great.

Edited by Kegdude, 10 May 2010 - 05:33 PM.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Just so you guys know, I registered Brews-Bros.com as an AHA recognized international homebrew club, not recognized to any particular geographic location.

So how do we officially "become members" (in the eyes of the AHA) of the brews-bros club? What kind of benefit is there?

[Stout_fan]

Just visited a local church and was gassing about things in the kitchen before the service with some church members. When some one passed around a plate of cookies I said no thanks, I'm fat enough from my home brew. Turns out another guy was a HBer. And he started about the same time I did and left the hobby. He also tried to join the same local club I did. We both couldn't handle the fact they were all flaming hopheads. That bitter beer face comment wasn't a joke. He gave up the hobby and I continued. Later I've found three great clubs to join that aren't as local.So I guess a good local club is important to retaining folks in this hobby. At least it was in the pre internet days.

[Spoon]

Our local sucks. There is an email list that my coworker (another HBer) is on and has attened meetings. So he lets me know what is going on, but it is all bitching and crying about this and that. The place they held meetings at closed, but from what I gathered it was all about just getting drunk. I can do that @ home. Besides, I learn way more here than I would ever learn elsewhere. How many brew clubs can boast they have some of their own go Pro and still regulary share advice as well as contribute as members?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Anyone that has an account (regular or paid) here on this forum, are members of the club. Right now, the only benefit is being able to submit (as a group) an entry to the club only competitions.It is up to the membership what to do otherwise. Pretty much anything you have already been doing, like beer swaps and group brews.

How would we decide whose beer to submit for the club only comps? I have an old ale that I could submit for the strong ale comp in november/december but I have no way of knowing if it's the best one on the forum.ETA: I do think the beer is good but not having tasted anyone else's I have no way of knowing.

[MtnBrewer]

I guarantee that would never happen with our club. We are very active in recruiting new members. I understand your reluctance about showing up at somebody's house uninvited but I think I'd go anyway. There's nothing like being in a local club.Regarding holding meetings in a public place, this is a little difficult to do in a lot of cases. Most places will not allow you to bring homebrew onto the premises. And of course a big part of meetings is tasting each other's beer and commercial beer too for that matter. Our club is struggling with this issue right now. We recently doubled in size by merging two local clubs together and now it's a little tougher to find places to meet.

[BlKtRe]

We meet in a fairly conservative church. Church's work great because they already have a large meeting hall and kitchen. Our club donates the pint glasses to the church. That way they have glasses to use and so do we. In addition we pay for and maintain the recycle program for the church. That works great because there are always dead bottle soldiers. At the beginning of each meeting a clean up crew is created. Every single time the church is left in the same condition it was found in or better.