Homebrew clubs excellent for info

[masondelux]

Just wanted to see how many of us belong to clubs and where at. I belong to strange brew in Oregon. We are a fun loving club of about 20. We have several members who have taken National awards including homebrewer of the year and Ninkazi at nationals. All of us are all grain brewers and as a club buy in bulk to save money. Our yearly hop order this year was 400 pounds. Our grain we do is about 2500 lbs a year. Some times its more. We promote brewing and get our members to make better beer. We have 2 BJCP masters in our club and most everyone is certified by the bjcp. We do have several stainless welders and a couple probrewers and 1 hop farmer in the club. Great mix of people from the northwest.

 

[Uncle Fat]

Hey Mason... Where in Oregon is Strange Brew located? I'm in Portland, and belong to the Oregon Brew Crew, and Oregon Brewers Guild. The Brew Crew also has several pro members. Most famous (as famous as a brewer gets anyway) are the Widmer brothers, but there are probably a dozen or so more (some you've no doubt heard of if you're in Oregon).
Fred Eckhardt is also a member, and the source of MUCH knowlege.

I just mentioned in another thread how a big part of homebrewing is the community atmosphere. I can't really think of another hobby like it. Every brewer I've met seems more than happy to help every other brewer with just about anything (whether it's borrowing some hops, advice, or moving fridge...).

Anyway... Maybe we'll bump into each other at the spring beer fest (I'll be a volunteer).

 

[D-brewmeister]

Sounds like a great group! We are just starting up a club here in Pocatello, Idaho, having our first meeting next Friday, so since you have some experiences with club workings, maybe you can give us some advice on how to get it started well. What is this BJCP certification you talk about? And what sources do you use for your bulk ingredients, as I think spliting the cost on bulk items sounds like a great plan! What sort of activites do you do at meetings? Where do you have meetings? (I imagine that most public places would have problems with you serving homebrewed beer on the premises) Any other ideas?

 

[masondelux]

Hey Mason... Where in Oregon is Strange Brew located? I'm in Portland, and belong to the Oregon Brew Crew, and Oregon Brewers Guild. The Brew Crew also has several pro members. Most famous (as famous as a brewer gets anyway) are the Widmer brothers, but there are probably a dozen or so more (some you've no doubt heard of if you're in Oregon).
Fred Eckhardt is also a member, and the source of MUCH knowlege.

I just mentioned in another thread how a big part of homebrewing is the community atmosphere. I can't really think of another hobby like it. Every brewer I've met seems more than happy to help every other brewer with just about anything (whether it's borrowing some hops, advice, or moving fridge...).


volunteer).

Hey ya brew crewer!!! Strange brew is the club thats had the Oregon Trophy for the past 5 Years. Its the most points in all the Oregon contests threw out the year. I know lots of folks in the brew crew my neighbor is in it. I know Dan the President well and we always love taking your ribbons at your contest in fall. Dont forget our contest the slurp and burp open at the end of March at our member brewpub in Estacada ol Fearless one. I dont like using last names in chat rooms. Can you come Judge up in Estacada bring Dan and Gary and the usual people It is now the biggest competition in Oregon. This is Cliff

 

[masondelux]

Sounds like a great group! We are just starting up a club here in Pocatello, Idaho, having our first meeting next Friday, so since you have some experiences with club workings, maybe you can give us some advice on how to get it started well. What is this BJCP certification you talk about? And what sources do you use for your bulk ingredients, as I think spliting the cost on bulk items sounds like a great plan! What sort of activites do you do at meetings? Where do you have meetings? (I imagine that most public places would have problems with you serving homebrewed beer on the premises) Any other ideas?

Me and a friend started strange Brew 10 years ago on the tail gate of a truck. I can remember when the drunks would show up with 12 packs. You learn to weed them out quick. We have style night and get beer from the import store and pass around sample and get people use to names of beers.from around the world. We also do quess the beer. Get some beer from the local store and give a couple clues. Make them guess style and name of beer. Give cheap prizes from club dues. Make education part of the meeting because youll need it for the Beer JUdge Certification Test and its alway good to know what your drinking and the history of it. You have to have a brewery in Pocotello or close. Go in and see if you can add to there orders. It brings their cost down too. Even a homebrew shop will do this if the order is big enough. Dont go in with a little oreder of 20 bags. Do a yearly order on both hops and grain. The brewery probley give you some yeast but I d just soon order it. Meet monthly at someones home diffrent every month and have food there. Have everyone bring 3 bottle of their home brew and make it weeknights in the summer and weekends in the winter. Fall and spring are up in the air.This works for us really good. Enter competitions and get people motivated about brewing. I know there is a club in boise and they enter our competition every year. I think we even have a pickup spot in Boise. We have meetings at brewerys sometime and they are more than happy to let us in with a few samples as long as you buy food and some of their beer. Keep it fun and safe and people will enjoy it. good luck Cliff