SD Home Brew Conference (Kind of a Rant)

[DiggidyD]

I have to start by saying that I am new to the forums as I just found this site and it is fantastic. That is why I am posting this to see if I am way off base.

I recently was interested in the upcoming conference. I want to upgrade my brew setup, so I figured this is a great chance to check out the vendors/products and maybe get a deal. My wife would come to, b/c of course she loves beer and we need an excuse to go to San Diego. I check into the conference and you need to be a member, $43 which isn't really bad. Then its $160 for a ticket that doesn't include everything. So, it is $400 for 2 people. There are no single day passes, no discounts for clubs who give away beer(which is awesome), no way to attend even if you don't plan to soak up lots of free home brew. This seems to discourage vendors and people that might just want to pop in to see what the hobby is all about.

All in all it seems overly restrictive and over priced. The only thing I can conclude is its poor planning or an attempt to deter people and keep the overall size down. Then again I could be in left field.

Are there any alternative conferences to check out lots of vendors and their products?

 

[CA_Mouse]

First off, welcome to the forums!

The membership requirement is strictly due to California state laws. The NHC is a comprehensive conference for knowledge as well as ways to look at the latest and upcoming gadgets and gizmos from the industry's suppliers. A full pass for the entire conference (without the banquet) and hotel set me back $500. Add to that food, parties every night and anything that I buy while there... It could easily cost $1000. Expensive? Yes. Over-Priced? I don't believe so. As for the cost of tickets, they are renting an entire resort (San Diego isn't an inexpensive place to visit without 4,000+ Homebrewers and Homebrew Suppliers). If you have ever attended a conference in Las Vegas, rooms run $200+ per night discounted, same room in September after school starts, $75 per night, you would know. The city, also, charges fees to the promoters to cover added emergency services. I've worked with promoters in other fields and can tell you they make no money on the conferences, it is all the merchandise that makes money.

Alternative conferences... There are trade shows and Great American Beer Festival, but these are more for the Homebrew Shops and Professional Brewers/Breweries.

As for an AHA membership, you get a lot for your annual dues. Zymurgy magazine, Pub and LHBS discounts, free rallies and an organization that helps us homebrewers gain and keep our rights to brew beer.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

From what I heard, CA laws require membership to attend the conference in San Diego.

A trip to NHC is very expensive, especially for people who live far away. I've been planning my annual vacation around the NHC for a few years now. It's lots of fun and there's great information at the seminars.

It is a conference for members of the association, just as other groups and clubs have conferences and don't allow drop-ins and lookyloos.
It would be too hard to plan and oversee the event if random people showed up.

You really should go, especially if it's close enough for you to drive!

 

[Bobby_M]

I think I see your side of things, but the NHC is not about casual lookers. It's a concentration of 3000 of the most seriously dedicated homebrewers. I'm not sure what you mean about vendors being discouraged though. As a vendor, I have access to my exact target audience, dedicated homebrewers who obviously have money to spend on the hobby (otherwise they wouldn't be there). In a way you're right, there has been an effort to keep attendance under control because growth has been insane.

The vendor/expo portion is a small part of the whole conference unlike a car show. I don't think there's any logistical reason why the expo couldn't be kept separate where the general public was allowed to mill around, but it would probably give full attendees the sense that they are getting less value out of the full attendance fee.

 

[CA_Mouse]

As a vendor, I have access to my exact target audience, dedicated homebrewers who obviously have money to spend on the hobby (otherwise they wouldn't be there).

Bobby are you going to have anything new and exciting? Or should I just place my next order now???

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm actually not exhibiting this year. In partial agreement with the OP, they raised the price of a booth 35% so this is my protest. Besides, I've been really missing the conference on the participant side so I'm just going to have fun this year.

 

[soccerdad]

I'm happy to be an AHA member, but there is no way that I could add the conference to my budget .. too much.

 

[madscientist451]

I think the governing board could be swayed by complaints from vendors and members about the cost issues.
I'm not going, too far and too expensive for me.
As long as enough people show up to pay the bills and the complaints are minimal, the prices will probably continue to go up.

 

[BreezyBrew]

GABF Is the same way. If you would like to attend for two days, tickets are going to cost you $80 a day per person. All three days would put you over the $400 mark.

 

[passedpawn]

It's possible that the AHA is trying to make money (gasp!). If they "overcharge", and then fill to capacity, well... that's not overcharging in the business sense. I believe they fill to capacity every year.

 

[CA_Mouse]

I'm actually not exhibiting this year. In partial agreement with the OP, they raised the price of a booth 35% so this is my protest. Besides, I've been really missing the conference on the participant side so I'm just going to have fun this year.

Well we'll just have to meet and have a brew together than!

 

[Homercidal]

It's fairly pricey, but it's not meant to be a "check it out and see what it's like" kind of event. They assume you are really into the hobby and plan on making an all-in decision to attend and enjoy.

Trust me, it's worth it if you are a serious homebrewer. It's fun, and there are many vendors to check out, things to learn about, free samples and unlimited beer.

The price is actually reasonable, IMO, compared to another event my family goes to each year, where ticket prices are higher and the higher level tickets are several hundred more than the AHA event and the benefit is to sit closer to a celebrity and get pics and autographs.

If it weren't for the travel involved, I'd go to the NHC every chance I could (I understand everyone has different levels of excess cash laying around, so YMMV.) When it was in Grand Rapids we even stayed in a hotel nearby instead of driving the 1.25 hours each day.

 

[CA_Mouse]

When it was in Grand Rapids we even stayed in a hotel nearby instead of driving the 1.25 hours each day.

Exactly what I'm doing. I live about 90 minutes from SD, but didn't want to drink all day and try to drive home, sleep 3 or 4 hours drive back and drink all day again, etc.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah, it's a good time. If we didn't have this OTHER thing going on each year, I'd try to find a way for the wife and I to travel to NHC. But her thing is her only thing, and it's a family kind of thing. I may split driving with the kid this year. She will be 16 and I bet she would drive most of the way to Chicago.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I've only been a member of the AHA for a few months now, and I am pretty sure with all of the discounts I get at breweries on beer/food/merch, I have already saved more than $43 which is the membership cost.