Calling all homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association invites your thoughts on the future.

[kevin58]

To me, the AHA is a magazine subscription to Zymurgy. If they ever did away with Zymurgy I would have no reason to be a member. I look forward to reading Zymurgy every issue.

The magazine is the only reason I have been a member for the past decade but I am not renewing my membership when it expires in two months. I get both Zymurgy and BYO magazines and noticed a marked decline in useful homebrewing information in Zymurgy. I did a side by side comparison of 12 months from each magazine and it was clear that BYO has the most content directly related to homebrewing. I even contacted the AHA powers-that-be over an article about fermenting pickles or some such nonsense and the reply was 'well, it IS about fermenting!". There have been issues that I have flipped through on the way from the mailbox to the house and threw it in the trash can outside the garage before I even got back in the house. It had that little usable info in it! I'm done.

 

[Yesfan]

I did my part.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't recall that in the survey. They did ask me the color of my skin, which was hard because I'm green.

 

[mashdar]

It's not easy being green.

I'm so mad to have missed this opportunity.

Although I take pawn as a Star Trek fan, so maybe less amphibian and more Orion.

Re AHA, I second the bit about distilling legalization. That would be an interesting avenue for intellectual expansion.

 

[passedpawn]

There was a screening question that asked if you wanted to decline orientation or identity questions. If you clicked, it skipped over a lot.

Sexual orientation is what you said. I assume you mean LGBQT+/*&^%$#@!. There was not a question regarding that. You might have meant gender, but I did not read that.

There WAS a question asking for my gender. So yes, that is true. They really only care if you're male or female, but other entries are there so not to offend anyone and thus wake the mob.

 

[dmtaylor]

Sorry that was me. Some of us don’t know the difference. I see the difference now. Thank you.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

eta: yes, I took the survey.

useful homebrewing information in Zymurgy

It's been a while since curated content (magazines, books, conferences) has been discussed.

A couple of things I've seen since then:

• 2022, 2023, 2024 has seen some newer voices self publishing ebooks. One may be priced such that it is a solid alternative to How to Brew, 4e when starting out. Maybe that other forum's wiki will update their excellent brewing book summary from around 2019.

• IIRC, CB&B magazine started publishing quarterly during this time. IMO, quality content from expert brewers that I want to follow. The digital archive contains full magazine issues.

• BeerSmith Podcast #306 (Jamil Zainasheff). The new book, briefly mentioned, appears to be this (via Amazon UK):

• BeerSmith Podcast #300 (John Palmer)

• BeerSmith Podcast #298 (Scott Janish) - mash hopping

• BeerSmith Podcast #293 & #269 (Colin Kaminski)

My guess is that it will take a couple of years before we see if AHA can 'catch up' to others with regard to curated content for brewing.

 

[julia_1]

I was a member there up until about a week ago. I never seem to get my magazine in the mail and when I do I give it a quick look and it goes in the recycle bin. I appreciate the info I have gotten from the folks there and still post and reply to what I think I can help with. Denny is the guy I tend to listen to when I get info as he seems to be pretty spot on with the style and way I brew, and the others there have been a wealth of info. In the end, now that my local Morebeer has closed there is no benefits that I would use to justify the membership. With that said, I have learned a lot and they have some great folks there as well as they do here. Both sites, I think, can be very helpful and I would encourage all to join both.

DM you about magazine. Cheers.

 

[TexasTea]

Took the survey and joined AHA for 1 year, and got the free book.

 

[broot]

I've been a member for years and filled out the survey but I emailed them on the 5th because I am not getting my magazines and emailed them again tonight because I still have not gotten a response from them.

 

[passedpawn]

DM you about magazine. Cheers.

BTW, thank you for jumping into another forum and for pulling we brewers all together. That is exactly how it should work - we are all in this together.

And, she is admirably humble for not sharing her creds here, but I'll do it for her. Julia is the executive director of the AHA. She's a BJCP judge, Cicerone, she's won homebrewing awards, and has published several works on the subject, mainly pairing beer with food (e.g., https://a.co/d/dfBWOvD). She is a stalwart representative for our hobby, appearing in loads of media events (and appearing so much better than most of us males for sure!).

I just wanted to assure anyone looking, she's not just a data collector and business analyst.

 

[julia_1]

I've been a member for years and filled out the survey but I emailed them on the 5th because I am not getting my magazines and emailed them again tonight because I still have not gotten a response from them.

DM you about this as I can't tell what email address you sent email from and no need to share that in public message. Cheers.

 

[julia_1]

BTW, thank you for jumping into another forum and for pulling we brewers all together. That is exactly how it should work - we are all in this together.

And, she is admirably humble for not sharing her creds here, but I'll do it for her. Julia is the executive director of the AHA. She's a BJCP judge, Cicerone, she's won homebrewing awards, and has published several works on the subject, mainly pairing beer with food (e.g., https://a.co/d/dfBWOvD). She is a stalwart representative for our hobby, appearing in loads of media events (and appearing so much better than most of we males for sure!).

I just wanted to assure anyone looking, she's not just a data collector and business analyst.

Thanks for the words. I believe that is for sure and love homebrewing and the chance to advance it.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I joined last year for the first time. I have been with BYO since the beginning. I was hoping for more information and insights that I might be missing from other sources including forums and podcasts.

I won't be renewing to AHA. The articles and online content seems to duplicate what I see elsewhere. I enjoy being part of the HBT organization more than AHA.

 

[julia_1]

DM you about this as I can't tell what email address you sent email from and no need to share that in public message. Cheers.

Brian looks like our team replied to the 7/5 email and again just today. Any help still needed please don't hesitate to reach out as we stand ready to assist! https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/contact-us/

 

[julia_1]

I joined last year for the first time. I have been with BYO since the beginning. I was hoping for more information and insights that I might be missing from other sources including forums and podcasts.

I won't be renewing to AHA. The articles and online content seems to duplicate what I see elsewhere. I enjoy being part of the HBT organization more than AHA.

Good to know. Again here is a recent summary on much of what the AHA offers on the chance you have interest to leverage more. Cheers.

 

[broot]

Just wanted to post here that Julia responded very quickly to my post and sent a pm to get my issue taken care of. thanks for the help and great customer service.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Good to know. Again here is a recent summary on much of what the AHA offers on the chance you have interest to leverage more. Cheers.

Thanks for you reply and the link!

Just to offer more insight, the reason I'm not renewing AHA isn't any fault of the organization. Others have stated many reasons for and against but you'll find that with everything.

I started brewing in 1985:ish, there was zip for information back then. Fast forward to today and brewing information is everywhere, some of it actually useful.

Again thanks for a personal reply!

 

[BrewZer]

I vaguely remember getting an email with a survey link a month or two ago -- was this the same survey? Anyway, I filled it out.

The sad realization I came to in looking at all the AHA activities in which I don't participate is that I'm not really getting much out of my membership dollars. I get a link to Zymurgy, that's about it. I have the hard card, but the one place I've tried to use the discount, the server told me "We don't do that here." To be fair, the manager later came by and offered to give me the 10% off, but we had already settled the check and I had a bad taste in my mouth from the whole experience. I just wanted to get the heck out of that store.

 

[matt_m]

I'm currently a member. I'm not a member of a club because the local drinking cliq...er....brewing club...isn't really particularly interested in new members...or actually brewing. I'd intended to attend Homebrewcon in 2020. Like everything that fell apart. We planned to go to San Diego in 2023 but I injured my knee and couldn't commit to the trip (good thing--just had surgery a couple weeks back.) Sounds like I would have been disappointed. I realize that's not entirely on AHA but the plan for this year is a joke and beside a few minutes scanning Zymurgy and the useless "discount program" I don't see much benefit. From outside the AHA I'm not hearing good things about what the BA is doing. I'd love to be proven wrong and given a real reason but I just hear the same few reasons that really aren't much.

 

[MrClint]

OK, so the survey is closed, no problem. Hopefully it was more than a way to draw people in to join up to kick through all of the paywalls. So I'm there and checking things out, check on a Pale Ale recipe, encounter paywall. Browse a seminar, paywall. The "How to Make Beer" tab leads to some good info, but also serves to upsell books and video links that don't work. As a guy that has a lot of interests and hobbies, it is very important for me to judge value --a trial subscription is often provided by many pay sites (confident in their unique product/data/information) and is needed for the AHA website (in my opinion).

 

[julia_1]

I vaguely remember getting an email with a survey link a month or two ago -- was this the same survey? Anyway, I filled it out.

The sad realization I came to in looking at all the AHA activities in which I don't participate is that I'm not really getting much out of my membership dollars. I get a link to Zymurgy, that's about it. I have the hard card, but the one place I've tried to use the discount, the server told me "We don't do that here." To be fair, the manager later came by and offered to give me the 10% off, but we had already settled the check and I had a bad taste in my mouth from the whole experience. I just wanted to get the heck out of that store.

Sorry to hear that BrewZer and if we knew the store we could check in with them to make sure they are sharing the Member Deals resources with their team members. Also have you checked out the online deals (top of 'Locations' list about all the states)? Some juicy. https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/aha-member-deals/ Cheers, Julia

 

[julia_1]

I'm currently a member. I'm not a member of a club because the local drinking cliq...er....brewing club...isn't really particularly interested in new members...or actually brewing. I'd intended to attend Homebrewcon in 2020. Like everything that fell apart. We planned to go to San Diego in 2023 but I injured my knee and couldn't commit to the trip (good thing--just had surgery a couple weeks back.) Sounds like I would have been disappointed. I realize that's not entirely on AHA but the plan for this year is a joke and beside a few minutes scanning Zymurgy and the useless "discount program" I don't see much benefit. From outside the AHA I'm not hearing good things about what the BA is doing. I'd love to be proven wrong and given a real reason but I just hear the same few reasons that really aren't much.

Hello Matt_M consider reading (watching the video) of my Midyear Update here. Lots of hard work behind the AHA. https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/midyear-2024-update-for-aha-members/

 

[julia_1]

OK, so the survey is closed, no problem. Hopefully it was more than a way to draw people in to join up to kick through all of the paywalls. So I'm there and checking things out, check on a Pale Ale recipe, encounter paywall. Browse a seminar, paywall. The "How to Make Beer" tab leads to some good info, but also serves to upsell books and video links that don't work. As a guy that has a lot of interests and hobbies, it is very important for me to judge value --a trial subscription is often provided by many pay sites (confident in their unique product/data/information) and is needed for the AHA website (in my opinion).

Hello MrClint, yes the survey is closed (was open most of July) and is a serious step in our strategic planning. Membership is as little for $4.99 a month for anyone who wants to try it out. Here is a good overview of all the benefits of membership. https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/2024-american-homebrewers-association-overview/. Feel free to reach out direct with any questions. Cheers.

 

[julia_1]

Thanks for you reply and the link!

Just to offer more insight, the reason I'm not renewing AHA isn't any fault of the organization. Others have stated many reasons for and against but you'll find that with everything.

I started brewing in 1985:ish, there was zip for information back then. Fast forward to today and brewing information is everywhere, some of it actually useful.

Again thanks for a personal reply!

You bet OakIslandBrewery and what I see for how the AHA differentiates beyond providing authoritative and top of class brewing resourses and education is also the aspect of celebrating homebrewers ala Annual Recongition Awards, National Homebrew Competition, Zymurgy Magazine and HomebrewersAssociation.org plus offering community via our events and forum and providing discounts. So....reasons, recipes, resources and rewards to homebrew. Prost to the most.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

As a guy that has a lot of interests and hobbies, it is very important for me to judge value --a trial subscription is often provided by many pay sites (confident in their unique product/data/information) and is needed for the AHA website (in my opinion).

Over the years, HomeBrewTalk and /r/homebrewing have been pretty good at "crowd-sourcing" a reasonable summary of businesses that offer subscriptions to home brewing content. If you're interested, consider starting a fresh topic (as, IMO, the summary in 2024 is likely to be different than it was in 2022).

 

[MrClint]

Over the years, HomeBrewTalk and /r/homebrewing have been pretty good at "crowd-sourcing" a reasonable summary of businesses that offer subscriptions to home brewing content. If you're interested, consider starting a fresh topic (as, IMO, the summary in 2024 is likely to be different than it was in 2022).

Your follow up is appreciated. As a small batch brewer happy with following Brew Better Beer by Emma Christensen, I'm probably not the prime target audience.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/american-homebrewers-association-files-for-501c-status/

January 22, 2025

American Homebrewers Association Files for 501(c) Status​

National homebrewing hobbyist organization transitioning from Brewers Association oversight to become an independent nonprofit​

Boulder, Colo. — Today, the American Homebrewers Association® (AHA) filed for incorporation in Colorado and seated a founding board of directors in steps to become an independent 501(c). Founded in 1978, the AHA has operated as a division under the umbrella of the Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—since 1983.

With these actions, the AHA will operate as a nonprofit organization autonomous from the Brewers Association, its parent organization, by the end of 2025. The AHA is in the process of hiring an association management company to manage day-to-day operations currently conducted by the Brewers Association.

The AHA’s founding board consists of chairperson Shawna Cormier, members Drew Beechum, Sandy Cockerham, Gary Glass, and Greg Roskopf, and staff liaison and current executive director Julia Herz. They will act as a transition committee to steward the AHA to organizational independence in 2025 and establish the nascent organization’s bylaws, vision, mission, and strategic priorities.

“Our members should be excited to have front-row seats to history. We’re eager for the AHA to chart its new path and meet the needs of the homebrewing community,” said Cormier.

“We take the AHA legacy, homebrewers’ importance in our culture, and member needs seriously. This bold move better positions us to deliver on what members are asking for and brings the fun of homebrewing to members today and to future generations of enthusiasts,” added Herz.

“We know that many of our brewery members originated as homebrewers, which was instrumental in the growth of the craft beer movement in America,” said Bart Watson, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. “Since 1978, the AHA has been the preeminent organization for homebrewing enthusiasts and we look forward to supporting them as they transition into an exciting future.”

 

[julia_1]

Happy summer, all. The AHA is thinking about the future*. We’ve compiled a 2024 survey to learn how you brew, what resources you love, and what you think is needed in homebrewing.

The details:
• Responses are anonymous
• It’ll take about 10 minutes
• The survey closes on the evening of July 19th
• We send a summary of the results to survey respondents who request it. Expect results in September.

Click here to take the survey: https://sprw.io/stt-haCHm

Thank you for helping us make the homebrewing community even better.

Cheers, Julia Herz - American Homebrewers Association Executive Director

*Your valuable time behind this survey contributes to AHA's strategic planning. For more check out my Midyear AHA update on this process.

Here is what you all made happen...in a good way.

American Homebrewers Association Files for 501(c) Status​

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/aha-is-going-independent/

 

[julia_1]

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/american-homebrewers-association-files-for-501c-status/

January 22, 2025

American Homebrewers Association Files for 501(c) Status​

View attachment 867426

National homebrewing hobbyist organization transitioning from Brewers Association oversight to become an independent nonprofit​

Boulder, Colo. — Today, the American Homebrewers Association® (AHA) filed for incorporation in Colorado and seated a founding board of directors in steps to become an independent 501(c). Founded in 1978, the AHA has operated as a division under the umbrella of the Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—since 1983.

With these actions, the AHA will operate as a nonprofit organization autonomous from the Brewers Association, its parent organization, by the end of 2025. The AHA is in the process of hiring an association management company to manage day-to-day operations currently conducted by the Brewers Association.

The AHA’s founding board consists of chairperson Shawna Cormier, members Drew Beechum, Sandy Cockerham, Gary Glass, and Greg Roskopf, and staff liaison and current executive director Julia Herz. They will act as a transition committee to steward the AHA to organizational independence in 2025 and establish the nascent organization’s bylaws, vision, mission, and strategic priorities.

“Our members should be excited to have front-row seats to history. We’re eager for the AHA to chart its new path and meet the needs of the homebrewing community,” said Cormier.

“We take the AHA legacy, homebrewers’ importance in our culture, and member needs seriously. This bold move better positions us to deliver on what members are asking for and brings the fun of homebrewing to members today and to future generations of enthusiasts,” added Herz.

“We know that many of our brewery members originated as homebrewers, which was instrumental in the growth of the craft beer movement in America,” said Bart Watson, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. “Since 1978, the AHA has been the preeminent organization for homebrewing enthusiasts and we look forward to supporting them as they transition into an exciting future.”

The survey helped contribute to this step. Thanks to all. Cheers.

 

[wsmith1625]

AHA offers insurance for homebrew clubs. I'm not familiar with the specifics, but if my club has enough AHA members, they get a discounted rate.

It can't be too expensive considering our $20 year dues cover the cost.