AHA Membership

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Dr Malt

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Anyone here a member of the American Homebrewers Association? If so, do you feel you get value out of for the price of membership? What do you find of value particularly?

Dr Malt:)
 
I got it for the GABF and NHC discounts. The restaurant discount might be more useful in other parts of the country. I don't frequent the AZlisted ones, mostly chain breweries. Zymurgy is a good read.

In short, if you go the the conferences, it's a must.
 
I was a member this year but I may not renew. I read Zymergy but I don't find it a must read. I think there is only one place locally that will give an AHA discount but I have never been.
 
If you join, you can get discount at BJ's

Actually, the mag & discounts on food, beer, & conferences pay for membership.

BJ's Brewpub took Silver this year at GABF for the Pirahhna Pale Ale. It's a tasty beer and I'm fortunate to travel where there are located, plus we're getting one here in Austin.
 
olllllo said:
Just to add. Sometimes you can get a AHA discount at places not listed. Worked a few times for me.

Good idea. Like Grandma used to say, "Fragen kostet nichts".
 
I joined a long time ago and cancelled my membership within a few months. I didn't find any value in it. I don't want to become a beer judge, attend any of the conferences or participate in the competitions. The books and materials I received as part of my membership was literally 20-25 years old.

As a matter of fact, the pub discount was one benefit that was brand new (they literally just launched) at the time I joined but there weren't many participants in the area. 5-6 years later ... there's the same number of particpants listed, that's even after I emailed them, at the time, a huge list of pubs with contact info to try and recruit. Zymurgy isn't bad, but I've found forums MUCH more informative, better exchange of ideas.

IMHO, you're better off finding a local brew club. You'll get so much more and probably pay less.
 
My 2007 membership probably paid for itself at least 3-4 times...

As if the magazine subscription enough wasn't cool...

I went to Dogfish about 5-6 times during the year, Rock Bottom 5-6 times over the past year, and a few others (Barley Creek) in my area on the list...

15% off food and drink adds up quick when you are spending $50-100 a pop... And I only paid $30ish (?!) for the membership if I recall. I need to renew before January 08...
 
Illinois is ignored by most craft brewers, and I never see any events in my area other than tastings at the Map Room in Chicago. There are no craft beer fests or anything of the like. I feel hurt and neglected by the beer world.
 
Cheesefood said:
Illinois is ignored by most craft brewers, and I never see any events in my area other than tastings at the Map Room in Chicago. There are no craft beer fests or anything of the like. I feel hurt and neglected by the beer world.
+1 for New Mexico. Especially southern NM. I was going to join and go to Nationals in Denver this year, but it didn't work out. There are only 3 listings for AHA pub discounts in the entire state, and they're all in the northern part of the state. Looks like I'll be moving further into the beer vacuum next spring with a relocation to Del Rio, TX, so it seems that AHA membership won't pay off for this homebrewer, either. :(
 
Cheesefood said:
Illinois is ignored by most craft brewers, and I never see any events in my area other than tastings at the Map Room in Chicago. There are no craft beer fests or anything of the like. I feel hurt and neglected by the beer world.


+1 chicago is not the best CB city.

I'm gonna ask at delilah's later tonight if they are part of that....


Rock bottom has a few locations here that give the discount. (do they all?)

Are you an Urban Knaves of Grain member? I'm gonna go to the meeting tomorrow night (my first time).
 
Also, I think Sam Adams sent out two of their new glasses to all AHA members earlier this year.

I discovered homebrewing too late to be included but it souds like a cool benefit.
 
I'm a new member, paid the extra $5 or so for a Family Membership. With a normal memebership you can only buy 2 tickets to the GABF Members Tasting but with a Family you can buy 4. So this way my friends didn't ahve to buy memberships and I also got them AHA cards. Zymurgy is a good magazine and I hope to make it to the NHC. None of the participating pubs are in my area so that doesn't help any...

I guess if you had no plans to attend GABF, NHC or any participating pubs you frequent you might not feel it's worth it just for the magazine.
 
Cheesefood said:
Illinois is ignored by most craft brewers, and I never see any events in my area other than tastings at the Map Room in Chicago. There are no craft beer fests or anything of the like. I feel hurt and neglected by the beer world.

That's not really true ... Chicago has the real ale fest, North Aurora has a brew fest in late August and there are a couple others in the subs ... it's just that nothing is even remotely related to the AHA.

Crazy, I'm going to the UKG meeting tomorrow. I joined a long time ago, but didn't keep up with it. PM me and we'll grab a beer afterwards or during.
 
Thanks for the comments. It just seemed a little high at $35 or so for a membership and I wanted to know if many of you felt it was worth it. I have been to the GABF many times and not looking to go much in the future so the discount is not attractive to me. I have read a copy or 3 of Zymurgy and did not find it an essential read. The food discounts might be useful.

I will give it some thought.:confused:

Dr Malt:)
 
I get 10% off at morebeer when I go into the store (not sure if you can use it online). The card has paid for itself many times over :)
 
I joined partly just to support the cause, like donating to any charity. This way, the magazine, the pub discounts, etc. is all extra as far as I'm concerned. Same for joining the musician's union (AFM). I didn't join because I personally expect to benefit from it. I joined to show my support for local and live music. The alternative is all Karaoke, all the time!
 
I joined because I am an american homebrewer so I thought that it was fitting that I be a member of the association :p The dicounts are cool, and Zymurgy is a good read. It should help next year for NHBC and GABF too.

Cheers
 
I just got my card last week. Its a paper card, I wanted plastic like the s**t load of cards already in my wallet!

I like olllio's idea of flashing the card at brew pubs and watching the confusion on the poor waitress's face. This happened at BJ's believe it or not. She came back to our table and said the manager had never seen such a thing but thought it was "cool"
 
Cheesefood said:
Illinois is ignored by most craft brewers, and I never see any events in my area other than tastings at the Map Room in Chicago. There are no craft beer fests or anything of the like. I feel hurt and neglected by the beer world.

Goose Island will give you a discount.
 
todd_k said:
Goose Island will give you a discount.
Only on food, not on alcohol. Nearly all places in Illinois won't give discounts on alcohol because it's against the law.
 
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