To join? Or not to join? AHA

[RyanVTBrew]

I assume there are people here that are members of the American Homebrewers Association. Is it worth buying a membership? What exactly is the "exclusive content" you get as a member? Do you recommend it? I'm a rookie (like a one batch rookie), but I'm totally addicted to brewing. I dream about it, it's ill I read about, and I can't stop spending money on new equipment. I know I'll be doing this for a lifetime, but what exactly are the perks of joining the AHA.
Thanks as always guys!


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[Gameface]

I assume there are people here that are members of the American Homebrewers Association. Is it worth buying a membership? What exactly is the "exclusive content" you get as a member? Do you recommend it? I'm a rookie (like a one batch rookie), but I'm totally addicted to brewing. I dream about it, it's ill I read about, and I can't stop spending money on new equipment. I know I'll be doing this for a lifetime, but what exactly are the perks of joining the AHA.
Thanks as always guys!


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Perks? Meh. There are a few local brew pubs that offer good discounts to members, but I usually forget to go on the right day or to tell them I'm a member so I don't really see the benefit on that one. The other is Zymurgy magazine, which is probably worth the price of admission on it's own. Then there's the fact that only members can enter the National Homebrew Competition.

But really, for me, it's about supporting an organization that supports homebrewing. I live in Utah... I could stop right there. But homebrewing only became legal in Utah in 2009 and the AHA helped make that happen. Believe it or not, Utah wasn't the final holdout. However, with the help of the AHA you can now homebrew in all 50 states.

I wouldn't hold it against a homebrewer for not joining. For me, though, I feel like it matters.

 

[RyanVTBrew]

Great answer, knowing they helped home brewers in general is enough for me to support them, without a magazine. I had no clue home brewing was prohibited in states that recently. Thanks for the response, I'll probably get a membership. But for the sake of argument, are there any conflicting opinions out there?


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[glick]

I am a member and particularly like the member discount at brew pubs ( very good discount at many around me) and Zymurgy.

 

[singybrue]

Many brew stores offer 10% off for members. If you're on an equipment buying spree that can pay for the membership pretty quick.

 

[jsledd]

Great answer, knowing they helped home brewers in general is enough for me to support them, without a magazine. I had no clue home brewing was prohibited in states that recently. Thanks for the response, I'll probably get a membership. But for the sake of argument, are there any conflicting opinions out there?


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Well, Alabama and Mississippi just legalized last year! I don't know about Mississippi, but here in Alabama the legalization effort was accomplished due to the hard and long work of the guys involved in the hobby. We weren't 'blown away' by how much the AHA did to 'help' legalize in Alabama. As a matter of fact, I know of at least one occasion where the Right to Brew organization in Alabama asked for specific help from AHA and that help was denied.

That being said, I don't see any reason not to join, and plan on doing it myself if for no other reason than being able to participate in the National Homebrew Competition.

 

[Yooper]

I first joined the AHA in 2007. I live in an area where the pub discounts don't pay off for me, nor AHA rallies- so aside from Zymurgy I don't actually get any tangible benefit out of my membership.

However, I'm a big believer in a group banding together through "call to action" emails to help lobby our legislators on bills that come up to further the legalization of homebrewing and the relaxation on some of the archaic laws still out there.

I like to attend the National Homebrewers Conference yearly also, and that's something exclusively for members of the AHA now.

I really have a lot of respect for the organization and what they stand for, and the mission they have as the AHA.

 

[RmikeVT]

Zymurgy is worth the cost. Great mag. Also, supporting the AHA is supporting homebrewing.

 

[Spartan1979]

My pub discounts pretty much cover my membership. The two breweries I visit most both offer discounts.

But I tend to join organizations that support my hobbies.

 

[mgudmastad]

Zymurgy is great - I had membership last year, and I never utilized a single discount. Essentially I paid for a magazine subscription.

 

[Remmy]

Zymurgy is great - I had membership last year, and I never utilized a single discount. Essentially I paid for a magazine subscription.

x2

 

[Homercidal]

I didn't renew for a few years simply because I got all kinds of great information online, especially right here on HBT.

But, this year I joined back up. Needing to be an AHA to attend the conference was a big factor in that decision, but the kicker was knowing that the AHA was a big factor in the fight to legalize homebrewing in the holdout states. They do a lot to help lobby for the cause.

The magazine is enjoyable, but wasn't a prime factor for me. I have rarely used the discounts (I always forget!) but I certainly buy enough stuff to pay for the membership if I did, or close to it.

 

[Airplanedoc]

Browse the magazine a couple times at Barnes and Noble or similar. It has gone the way of many magazines its one giant commercial, and a couple articles IMO. I get much more useful information here, than I ever did out of the magazine. There are no discounts in my area, so that end is no advantage to me. If I thought I might enter the homebrewing competition or go to the show, I might sign up, but that would be its biggest advantage to me.

 

[duboman]

I am a member and highly recommend it. Zymurgy is a terrific magazine, their forum is spot on, AHA rallies are free to members, Entrance into the NHC and the provided discounts at pubs/breweries are a plus. Most importantly though you are supporting the one and only organization that works for the home brewing community in terms of legislation, legalization and anything else pertaining to the rights of home brewers.

 

[Brad2287]

I would also add members only session tickets to GABF as an additional benifit.

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[chemman14]

I would also add members only session tickets to GABF as an additional benifit.

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And the member pre sale

 

[StormesABrewin]

I'm a rookie as well. I decided to join (with much urging from the wife) mainly because of the members only event at GABF. We live in the Denver area and it's impossible to get tickets.


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[cheddarhed3]

I too am a new homebrewer (3 batches in) and I, like you, can't get enough of the literature/processes/learning that goes with homebrewing. I don't have a lot of pubs around me either but the Zymurgy access will be extremely helpful and supporting an organization that let us partake in this great "hobby" is in itself worth every penny to me. Cheers.

 

[Darwin18]

Honestly, it really depends on who you ask. I joined this year after brewing for the last several years. There were a few reasons why I joined:

- Access to the NHC competition.
- Mail delivery of Zymurgy to my house and access to their electronic database.

The discounted member benefits are a joke. I live in Raleigh, which is considered a metro area. There are two member deals in this area: 1) 25% of food at Flying Saucer (Not terribly bad) and 2) 10% off tap room merchandise (hats, t-shirts, the like) at Big Boss. There are at least 10 breweries, if not more, in Raleigh and the surrounding suburbs, and several local homebrew supply stores. Also these deals haven't changed in my area since I first looked at AHA membership in 2008. I'd really like to see the AHA focus more on this as it will also help grow their member base.

- NHC: I haven't personally been but I'd like to go at some point. I've heard great things about it, and you need to be a member to get in.

- Rallies: I also haven't personally been to one but there is one coming up at Foothills that I'm hoping to attend.

- AHA Forum: It's okay. If you're expecting a HBT sized community then you're going to be disappointed.

- AHA Lobbying / Political Action: This can be pretty valuable. Is it worth your money? That's your personal call.

 

[NTexBrewer]

Regarding Zymurgy. As a member you have access to back issues in digital form. You can access them on your computer. I also use the Zymurgy app to download back issues to my iPad. I'm pretty sure the app works on android devices too.


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[Darwin18]

Does anyone know if there is zymurgy app on Kindle? That would be awesome!

 

[ktblunden]

The discounted member benefits are a joke. I live in Raleigh, which is considered a metro area. There are two member deals in this area: 1) 25% of food at Flying Saucer (Not terribly bad) and 2) 10% off tap room merchandise (hats, t-shirts, the like) at Big Boss. There are at least 10 breweries, if not more, in Raleigh and the surrounding suburbs, and several local homebrew supply stores. Also these deals haven't changed in my area since I first looked at AHA membership in 2008. I'd really like to see the AHA focus more on this as it will also help grow their member base.

That has more to do with the breweries near you than the AHA. Two breweries have opened in my town within the last 3 years and both offered AHA discounts as soon as they opened. My experience in CA is obviously different than yours as I generally find more breweries that offer discounts than those that don't.

 

[Darwin18]

The AHA is the one offering and advertising the benefits. It would seem to me that the AHA should be the ones that working to expand those benefits. I'm sure the member benefits are great in some areas and lousy in others. It seems to be a geographic luck of the draw which is disappointing. It was surprising to me that a metro area like Raleigh that has a big craft beer scene and multiple LHBS would offer only a couple member benefits that are, honestly, not so great. The OP would be smart to look at his area, see what benefits are available, and weigh this into his decision to join or not join the AHA.

I'd really like to see the AHA show more effort in expanding these benefits. It seems that every month a new brewery is launched or announces that they'll be opening here in Raleigh. I find it odd that they have all turned down offers from the AHA to offer some kind of discount to pull members and customers in.

 

[Corey_SS]

As its been said, Zymurgy alone is worth the price. It has ads like any other magazine, but they're tailored to brewing obviously so even the ads are nice for seeing new products or hops etc.

 

[morticaixavier]

I have really enjoyed my membership. I've only used the discounts a couple times but as others have said, zymurgy is worth the price of admission.

The AHA has done a lot of work to get Homebrewing legalized in all 50 states but even now there are some ridiculous laws on the books in some states that still need attention. In some states it is technically still illegal to share your homebrew with anyone you are not legally related to. So you can't share with your fiance until the wedding night.

The AHA continues to work on these issues and your membership helps that happen. Plus the conference is a blast!