Homebrew club problems

[BeerPressure]

I'm part of a brew club that takes yearly dues to pay for parties, monthly club brews, and a place to hold our meetings. We recently elected a new club president. The VP from previous president is still in the "office"

Issue comes up that majority of the club would like to use money from dues for equipment for members of the club to use to brew. This would be for brewing beginners to get their feet wet, and also for experienced brewers who may not for instance have a plate chiller to use. Our club balance is about $900 right now.

Those who are opposed to this are the former president and the current VP. BOTH of which either do not brew at all or brew rarely, which really bothers me.

 

[cfonnes]

What do the VP's want to do with the money?

Put it up to popular vote.

 

[BeerPressure]

They dont have any ideas except that "put the money to a better use".

I am also really tired of the people that never bring homebrew and just drink everyone elses.

 

[BendBrewer]

You should buy a bunch of stuff to use as prizes for a HomeBrew Competition.

 

[Airborneguy]

Exactly why I would never pay dues to a club...

 

[BeerPressure]

Exactly why I would never pay dues to a club...

Probably my last time

 

[cfonnes]

Dues at the club that I go to are $20 a year, it pays for a summer party and a few other minor things. Club membership gets you 10% off at the LHBS.

 

[l1ranger]

start a new club

 

[Walker]

What is it that you are looking to get out of being involved in a club?

I ask because I was turned off to the idea of homebrew clubs after making a visit to a local one here.

Then, a few us of kind of started an informal club. No meetings or dues. We just get together to brew, drink beer, shoot the bull, etc. I get honest feedback on my beers from this crew, and have a good time hanging out.

We use our group power to scan and nab anything on craigslist, organize group buys to save on shipping, borrow yeast/hops/grain from each other, and even pull off 2000+ pound bulk grain buys.

So... I think I am getting everything I could possibly want out of my informal club, and none of the BS I don't want (no politics, no dues, etc).

edit: the president of one of the local clubs here is also part of our informal club, and I think he likes the informal club better.

 

[weirdboy]

Hmm we use ours to fund club brews, parties and competitions. And we also have a club-owned booth with 20+ taps that we take to various homebrewing-related events, like the upcoming National Homebrewers Conference and the Southern California Homebrew Festival. So club funds paid for building that, as well as upkeep and maintenance costs.

 

[VegasBrew]

Those who are opposed to this are the former president and the current VP. BOTH of which either do not brew at all or brew rarely, which really bothers me.

Ummm...who would elect someone president of a homebrew club......who doesn`t brew....am I missing something here?

VB

 

[Sheldon]

Very true dat:fro:

 

[dap325]

Like others have said... Why is this person President of a homebrew club, if they don't actively homebrew? I'd expect the president of such a club to be one of the most knowledgeable and one of the people that brews the most. Any idea yet what their plans are for the money?

 

[skyebrewing]

Damn it... secede from the union and form your club! Seriously though, i understand your frustration. My union changes its philosophy everytime we get a new president and usually new employees just vote yes to not cause waves which makes me bang my head against the wall. Keep in mind though, you homebrew for fun and if things aren't working out at the club, move on and put your dues towards better things....like buying more grain

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Ummm...who would elect someone president of a homebrew club......who doesn`t brew....am I missing something here?

VB

Yes. Impeach the president. Better yet, stage a coup d'état!! :rockin:

 

[tjp68]

They dont have any ideas except that "put the money to a better use".

I am also really tired of the people that never bring homebrew and just drink everyone elses.

This is one of the reasons why I don't want to be part of a brewing club. I deal with enough competition, politics and general a-hole-ery at work. I also get my fill of planning, meetings and subcommittee assignments.

So even though I currently have 40 gallons of beer in my basement, and really no one but SWMBO to share it with, I cherish quiet brew days in my garage. By myself.

 

[BeerPressure]

Like others have said... Why is this person President of a homebrew club, if they don't actively homebrew? I'd expect the president of such a club to be one of the most knowledgeable and one of the people that brews the most. Any idea yet what their plans are for the money?

Former president does not brew. Current one does. Former was pres way before i joined.

 

[the_bird]

What is it that you are looking to get out of being involved in a club?

I ask because I was turned off to the idea of homebrew clubs after making a visit to a local one here.

Then, a few of kind of started an informal club. No meetings or dues. We just get together to brew, drink beer, shoot the bull, etc. I get honest feedback on my beers from this crew, and have a good time hanging out.

We use our group power to scan and nab anything on craiglist, organize group buys to save on shipping, borrow yeast/hops/grain from each other, and even pull off 2000+ pound bulk grain buys.

So... I think I am getting everything I could possibly want out of my informal club, and none of the BS I don't want (no politics, no dues, etc).

edit: the president of one of the local clubs here is also part of our informal club, and I think he likes the informal club better.

I was stoked when a club got started around here a few years back. Went to the early meetings. Boring as ****. All discussions about bylaws and dues and crap like that. Very little beer discussion. Life got busy, I dropped out.

Fast forward to last month. Decide I'll give it another shot.

Just as bad.

1. The club VP is clueless. He works at the homebrew shop where the meetings are held, and has no idea about brewing. He was trying to decribe a beer that he brought, all he knew was that he used a kit and added a little extra extract. No idea what hops or anything. "What kind of yeast did you use?" "Liquid yeast." "Yeah, but what strain?" "Uh, LIQUID yeast!"

2. The club prez is the homebrew shop owner, he's an OK guy but has the very annoying habit of always making semi-joking snide remarks about buying stuff in his shop. Like, someone showed off a chiller they made: "Why didn't you buy one here?" Someone mentioned washing yeast: "C'mon, you don't want to reuse yeast, buy more!" All joking, but making it very uncomfortable. Can I talk about shopping at online vendors, or show off my KegCowboy plate chiller, or talk about gear that I've made, without him being an ass? Just makes everything uncomfortable.

3. One very annoying woman who just dominates every conversation by being loud but not witty. Just a personality conflict, I can't stand her and she NEVER SHUTS UP.

4. Very focused on extremely elementary brewing, to the point of boring me to tears. Like, the kid who was showing off his chiller, it's nice and all... but he took a length of copper tubing, coiled it around a keg and put tubing on the end. We don't need to talk about it for fifteen minutes.

Just really, really boring, in the end. LOTS of additional discussion about "club business" like choosing a new logo and collecting dues.

What was good, there were a bunch of people there that were really cool, and a freakin' smoking-hot redhead (bad was that her boyfriend was there, too). Good that they were planning a field trip to a local maltster (apparently there's a small malting operation about an hour from here). Good that they put together a BJCP class last year.

Overall, though... how do you have a homebrew club that bores ME to tears? I mean, ****... I can talk about beer and brewing forever!

Yankee Ingenuity hasn't had a get-together in a while, that's been kind of the northern equivalent to GRABASS. But, heading out to see Paulie and Yeager and Cape and the other east-coast boys in a couple weeks. That's enough of a club for me.

EDIT: The other thing I *hated* about the local club... I've never heard a single word of criticism towards any brew that's been shared, and plenty - PLENTY - have deserved it. Certain clubs just don't have the culture of being open with honest, constructive criticism.

EDIT 2: Other weird thing; when hanging out before the meeting started, someone else casually dropped a swear word, not anything terrible, I think they might have just said "****." Guy my age or younger. IMMEDIATELY looked around and apologized profusely to everyone. What the **** kind of culture IS this club, where people feel compelled to apologize for saying "****" or "dammit"?

 

[Bobby_M]

I doubt the club is setup like a monarchy so who gives a sheet what the pres and VP think? Call the vote and let the club decide. I don't see why differing opinions is any reason to shun joining a club or being in a dues based club. Every group of people formed for any purpose is going to have disagreements and democracy is the only way to make it fair. Is there some kind of provision in the bylaws that says the president can overrule majority opinion? If so, I'd walk. I'm the president of my club and there's no way I'd even attempt to buck against majority opinion.

 

[Dunerunner]

A club member donated the equipment to build the club brewery on a trailer. Dues cover "Style Nights", guest speakers and other club activities. Since when is $20 or $25 a year a big deal? What do you pay for Internet? Isn't brewing and becoming a better brewer worth that much?

 

[lumpher]

i'm in a club that takes votes on how to use the money, and the rules are we can throw out any officer by popular vote (never happened). we help sponsor the bluebonnet and other competitions, and do very well. we also get 10% off at local hb stores. i agree with the idea of buying eqpt, but raffling it out

 

[cheier]

I would like the idea of dues being put towards the purchase of bulk consumables as opposed to raffling equipment. Like malt and hops. The issue I have with our club is that the treasurer also happens to be one of the head guys at the LHBS, so the idea of purchasing bulk malts for the club can be a conflict of interest (200% markups at LHBS). They do put on BJCP courses and competitions though, and we get 10% off at LHBS and some liquor stores, so that's not too bad.

 

[BeerPressure]

We do take votes its the guys that are against it that annoy the piss out of me.

 

[Bishop916]

A club member donated the equipment to build the club brewery on a trailer. Dues cover "Style Nights", guest speakers and other club activities. Since when is $20 or $25 a year a big deal? What do you pay for Internet? Isn't brewing and becoming a better brewer worth that much?

ha - that pic is from gcba; i am looking at checking them guys out sometime soon, - any insight?

 

[mlg5039]

What is it that you are looking to get out of being involved in a club?

I ask because I was turned off to the idea of homebrew clubs after making a visit to a local one here.

Then, a few us of kind of started an informal club. No meetings or dues. We just get together to brew, drink beer, shoot the bull, etc. I get honest feedback on my beers from this crew, and have a good time hanging out.

We use our group power to scan and nab anything on craigslist, organize group buys to save on shipping, borrow yeast/hops/grain from each other, and even pull off 2000+ pound bulk grain buys.

So... I think I am getting everything I could possibly want out of my informal club, and none of the BS I don't want (no politics, no dues, etc).

edit: the president of one of the local clubs here is also part of our informal club, and I think he likes the informal club better.

How do I join your informal club, I'm brewing more and more.

LOL, seriously, let me know.





To the OP, it sounds like the VP and Prez are voted in. You can vote them out too. Til then, put up what to do with the money to a popular vote with the other members.

 

[pernox]

The problem with clubs is that they're full of other people.

Seriously - you guys put the money in. Call the vote, and if the Pres/Veep don't agree to abide by the vote, get up and walk out. Guarantee you won't be the only one doing so.

 

[Dunerunner]

ha - that pic is from gcba; i am looking at checking them guys out sometime soon, - any insight?

Great club, knowlegable membership, Celebrewtion is coming up in March (a club competition), check out their web page.

I'm a member and I'm in Oregon!!

Cheers!

 

[Bishop916]

Awesome, I'm gonna go check em out next month I think.

 

[GetLooseontheGoose]

OP: I started a HBC last year, no dues. We are pretty much like Walker's GRABASS crew.

But I think a solution to your clubs dilemma would be to:
1. suggest "pay it forward"- to gather brew equipment you may have outgrown.
2. brainstorm with the club of other ways to use the money.

If I collected dues(which I wont)...I would put $ in bank, and only use small portions as prizes for little competitions- but i have found getting sponsors covers this for me.

or use it to offset say...cost to go to a national event, like NABA

In the end the club should be fun, relaxed, and be able to tell each other their beer sucks...and why.

 

[Sheldon]

I think it was Groucho Marx who said "I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member". He probably didn't bring any home brew to the local meetings

 

[remilard]

You should buy a bunch of stuff to use as prizes for a HomeBrew Competition.

You can get that for free.

As for the OP.

1. Why did you elect officers who don't brew?
2. If the majority of the club feels so strongly different than the officers, replace them next year.
3. I wouldn't vote for buying a club system with that little money in the account.

I guess I have a hard time believing the story I've been handed which is that everyone in the club disagrees with and dislikes all of the officers. How does that happen?

 

[Grinder12000]

THE PROBLEM - is that many clubs are friendship bound so kicking a guy out has more ramification then just a regime change.

I'm the treasurer of a club and we collect $20 a year. The thing is we assume many people in the club do not brew but would like too. We feel that charging $20 a year keeps deads beat out of the club that just want to drink homebrew.

The Sun Prairie Worthogs is a very nice social club and it takes a while to figure out the direction you want a club to go! Keep it simple and enjoy the friendships before you do anything major and stressful.

We also have not really spent anything except on summer parties and so forth as there is not big consensus on what to buy. We have a bunch of money but with so many people in different stages of brewing it's tough to put it down on ONE thing that is fair to everybody!

 

[Homercidal]

What do the VP's want to do with the money?

Put it up to popular vote.

+1 That's all there is to it. The reason to have a club with voting is to do what the majority wants to do. There will come a time where the majority will want to do something that you don't like and it will be time to suck it up and deal with it. That's is what the Pres and other are going to have to do now.

IF I were to be part of a homebrew club, we'd have a very simple statement of what we wish the focus of the club is about, assessed and voted on once a year. And the by-laws etc. are minimal, if at all. Maybe voting rules.

If the direction of the club it to promote the hobby, then sharing/buying equipment for newbs to get them started is a worthy decision. If the focus is on appreciating homebrew, then buying unusual beers to compare with might be the thing to do.

Just take a vote and find out what the majority wants to do. Someone just has to make a motion and everyone raises their hand to be counted.

 

[Airborneguy]

The thing is we assume many people in the club do not brew but would like too. We feel that charging $20 a year keeps deads beat out of the club that just want to drink homebrew.

You don't need dues to do this. We had that problem bigtime. We had about 20 "members" at one point showing up to gatherings, and quickly realized that more than half of them weren't brewers. Myself and the founder of the club spoke about it, then told those involved not to come back.

Honestly, what we did was better. What's to stop someone from deciding $20 is an insignificant amount of money to pay to enjoy a year of free homebrew? And if they did pay, how do you kick them out then?

I still don't understand why anyone would want to burden their hobby - ie, fun - with rules and regulations. I like when this discussion comes up because I get to see the other side of the coin, but I will definitely never understand it.

 

[Zen_Brew]

I think Walker put it best. Decide what you want to get out of being a member in a brew club and then decide if your needs are being met. If not get together with other like members of the club and split off into your own club. Not every club structure fits every person. There are several clubs in my area from big ones with rigid constitutions, to informal ones that just meet up when they can and share brew and ideas. Some people belong to multiple clubs and get different experiences and needs met from different clubs.

I agree senior officers should be fairly regular brewers, except for maybe the treasurer. He just needs to know how to count well.

As to buying a club brew system, $900 will not stretch very far. In larger clubs, such as the one I belong to, I think you just wait it out until someone is doing an upgrade to a nicer system they have. Often times they will donate the old system to the club, or sell it at a deep discount. It is nice to have club equipment to check out, as our club has a brewing system and a couple jockey boxes available to check out for members in good standing.

 

[EinGutesBiersSWMBO]

Majority rules either way. It doesn't matter what any club officer thinks if it's passed by the majority.

I'm co-founder of a club, but we don't have club dues. We hold a yearly event that we sell tickets to that funds us for the year. We did have something come up where members wanted to be able to have club equipment, so what we did was offered a 'Premium Membership'. Premium Members pay $25 a year. That money goes to buying equipment. These members get their vote on what we buy and they are the only ones allowed to use it.

This worked well for us, because it's been my goal to keep the club free of dues. So the brewers we have that have their own equipment arn't interested in the 'Premium Membership' but nearly all of the new comers are.

Club items right now include; fermenters, kegs, bottling equipment, a lagerator, and free use of a brew system.

 

[-TPM-]

The thing that would bother me about club equipment for everyone to borrow is what to do if something comes back damaged, or not at all...

Our club has dues and bylaws, and the reason for it is more legal that anything else. One of the members checked with a lawyer when we where starting and (so they said) dues are required to be a club and the bylaws protect the people hosting in case something happens (who wants a law suit?).

 

[Ralelen]

Here are the bylaws of a local the at first I was going to join, but seemed to cliquish to me:

Membership is by invitation-only. That said, please read on to get some tips on how to be invited:

* You must be able to comply with the club code. This includes the age limit, for example.
* You must brew on your own. Your methods and experience does not matter, but you must brew in some shape or form.
* While membership is invitation-only , our club-brews and many of our events are open to all brewers and even to general beer enthusiasts. The most important criteria we'll judge you by is your participation at these events.
* Participation on the forum is highly suggested.
* You must be willing to continually improve your brewing skills and to help others improve. First and foremost, this is a homebrewing club, and producing quality beer is the main goal.
* Know that we want to keep the size of the group small. This makes planning events and making club-brews a reality. You may need to wait until a spot opens within the ranks. Again, you are welcome to the events and we will consider your participation and level of activity as the most crucial factor in recruiting members.
* Membership is limited to eight members.
Club Brewing System

* All members must own a share of the system. New members will buy in to the system at a cost of $150
* Members leaving the club will not get this money refunded to them
* It is advised but not mandatory that guild brews are conducted on the system so that all members can take home 5 gallons of wort.
* The system is open for use by all guild members outside of club functions as long as it is scheduled with the person currently in possession of the system. In this situation, members must completely fund all expendables including propane and ingredients. Any items damaged during a private brew must be replaced by that member (unless it was in a progressive state of deterioration as determined by the guild) and it must be cleaned and left in better condition than which it was found.
* Members are entitled to 2 absentee fermentors filled (1 max per brew) in a calendar year if they can not make an official club brew. Their fermenter will be filled last in case there is a shortage.


These guys need to RDWHAHB.

 

[remilard]

These guys need to RDWHAHB.

They don't need to conform you your preferences more than you to theirs.

RDWBSCB

 

[BrewThruYou]

Issue comes up that majority of the club would like to use money from dues for equipment for members of the club to use to brew. This would be for brewing beginners to get their feet wet, and also for experienced brewers who may not for instance have a plate chiller to use. Our club balance is about $900 right now.

Sounds like socialism - taking dues from everyone and redistributing it to the poor (beginners). I wouldn't want any part of that.