White Labs Customer Club - Are You A Member?

I have always ascribed to Groucho Marx' supposition that I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.

But I recently saw an ad in BYO touting White Labs' 'Customer Club'. I went to the White Labs website and, after reading about the supposed 'perks', registered for membership in 'The Club'. I figured, "What the hell; why not?!" God knows, I use enough of their yeast!

If you save a certain number of empty yeast vials, they're offering coupons for free yeast, glassware, books, tee-shirts, baseball caps, various clothing items, etc., etc.

Reminds me of my days as a kid saving up cereal box tops to mail off to Battle Creek, Michigan to get some crappy prize. Like my 1966 Batman Ink Stamp Kit! I think I nearly gave it away at a garage sale three years after I got it. It's probably worth a fortune on Ebay now.

The coolest/most unique/funniest 'prize' is: collect 5000 empty vials and Chris White will come to your house, bring the yeast and brew with you!

I just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone here who might want to do as I did and throw caution to the wind... and Groucho.

Anyone else join this 'club'?

Yeah, I joined that the other day. You can all send me your empty vials to that I can win the "homebrewing with Chris White". You'll all be invited of course. . .

My LHBS has a bin near the door where everybody brings the empty tubes. When they get 5000, they want him to come to the store and brew with the homebrew club that meets there.

I'm in the club. I have 15-20 vials (lost count) saved. Doubt I'll reach 5 grand but I'm still game for some freebies.

Has anyone got the glassware yet?

I made toys out of mine.

After washing of course, I removed the label and placed a marble inside. Then I glued the threads so it can't come apart. Now the greatgrandkids shake it back and forth. and watch the marble move from side to side.

I wonder if Chris wants one to play with?

I tried joining and it came back "you did not fill in 'referrer' go back", but there is no place for a referrer. Odd?!

I joined not long ago. Then, go figure, I use Wyeast for my last 3 brews. Going back to WL next one.

Rhoobarb said:

The coolest/most unique/funniest 'prize' is: collect 5000 empty vials and Chris White will come to your house, bring the yeast and brew with you!

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With 5000 hombrews under your belt he'll probably want to come round to steal a few tips!

I am a member. Except for a few strains that Wyeast has that White doesn't I usually use White so getting free yeast is a nice bonus.
I read somewhere recently that you don't have to send the tubes back, but they will accept the labels if you can get them off in one piece. A first class stamp is a lot cheaper than shipping the tubes back, those suckers are heavy.

I find the ink fades/runs when it gets wet.

I haven't had any problems with the ink running on the four I've removed from the tubes.
I use oxygen base cleaner and check on them fairly often and work them off as quickly as possible, but maybe I've just been lucky.

2nd Street Brewery said:

I joined not long ago. Then, go figure, I use Wyeast for my last 3 brews. Going back to WL next one.

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i did the same thing. joined, then used Wyeat my last 2 bacthes. never kept them before, but now i have three saved! woo hoo!

homebrewer_99 said:

...I tried joining and it came back "you did not fill in 'referrer' go back", but there is no place for a referrer. Odd?!

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I had the same thing happen the first time I tried to register. I gave up. A couple days later, I tried again and it worked. Go figure?

Rhoobarb said:

I had the same thing happen the first time I tried to register. I gave up. A couple days later, I tried again and it worked. Go figure?

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all us homebrew forum guy's jammed up their server!

My first year brewing was exclusively white labs. Now that I have joined the club I seem to just use wyeast.....what gives?????