I want to start a local homebrew club??

[JOHN51277]

I have no idea where to start, and how to let the locals know about it. I am pretty good at building websites and that would be easy, but do I need any licenses, permits, what kinds of liabilities do I need to protect myself from, etc.

I am in central FL about 45 mins North of Orlando. I have a few places that I can set up meetings and what-not.

Can anyone help me out?

 

[mkling]

There are two podcasts on the Brewing Network Sunday Session show (one from 3 or 4 years ago and one from within the last couple months) that go over a lot of great info on this. Well worth your time to download and listen to them.

 

[JOHN51277]

Thanks for the tip mkling. I will do a search for these!

 

[carnevoodoo]

I just started mine in January because I wanted to enter a competition that I thought was reserved for clubs. We've got a website, we've had one meeting and our second is this week. I've never considered dues or liability or any of that stuff. It is just a fun thing to do with friends. Heck, I don't even care if people brew. It is more just a happy fun time beer club.

 

[whatsleftofyou]

I can't speak to any legalities or anything in FL, but an easy way to get the word out is to talk to any local brewpubs/homebrew shops that you might have. Usually they're happy to point people toward your club.

 

[JOHN51277]

Im about halfway through the BN Sunday Show 4 hour episode. Thanks for the info guys. I will be working to build this up in the next few months/years.

 

[freudhawk]

I have no idea where to start, and how to let the locals know about it. I am pretty good at building websites and that would be easy, but do I need any licenses, permits, what kinds of liabilities do I need to protect myself from, etc.

I am in central FL about 45 mins North of Orlando. I have a few places that I can set up meetings and what-not.

Can anyone help me out?

I started the brewclub in our town (SBG) a few years ago. I looked around for a few weeks at what other brew clubs had done and pieced it together to work for our situation. If you look on our club's website I have posted the Bylaws, Membership application (with liability waver), Member Benefits, etc. Now I just have to get the webmaster(s) to update the new website. Hope this helps!

FWIW, we started with about 5 members and two years later have about 10-14 at meetings. Not too bad in a town of about 50,000. We're hoping that the website will help bring in new members.

 

[Gremlyn]

We did it simply... http://www.chugsd.com

We started getting together with the other local HBTers and home brewers and then made a website.

 

[dzlater]

http://ahaclubs.homebrewersassociation.org/
This might help