Building Great Homebrew

Clubs(aka the Session for the Dedicated)

Panelists / Moderator

Drew Beechum – Maltose Falcons

Ron Minkoff – Hogtown Brewers

Jason Randall – Carolina Brewmasters

Martin Brungard – Foam Blowers of

Indiana

Agenda

Who Are We?

What Do We Do To Be Awesome

Club Challenges & How To Address

Q & A

Radegast Winners

New Award from the AHA designed to recognize clubs for being Awesome.

2014

◦ Carolina Brewmasters

2015

◦ Maltose Falcons

2016

◦ Hogtown Brewers

2017 ??

Carolina Brewmasters

Hogtown Brewers

Born on Year: 1985

Gainesville, FL

200+ Members

43% Female

$125K+ Donations

Past 5 Years

Maltose Falcons

Founded: 1974

City: Los Angeles

Members: ~300

Active: ~70

Charlotte – Our Home

The Carolina BrewMasters

By Jason Randall

Grand Rapids 2014

Charity

Education

Beer Competitions

THE CORE VALUES

WE INSPIRE OTHERS AND OURSELVES WITH A STRONG

EDUCATION PROGRAM

• This has inspired not only the development of great brewers

• It has contributed to the Professional Brewing industry as well

with quite a few current and past members entering the

professional craft side of things.

• With a burgeoning brewing, fermentation and distilling

industry this creates economic and educational opportunities

for our members.

“

EDUCATING OUR MEMBERS

Experiments with malt, hops and yeast with tastings at meetings

Brew Sessions monthly at the home of members

Presentations from maltsters and brewers

Style tastings, learning beer flaws

Lecture on wild ales

Special educational events at Mead Day and Cider Day

CHARLOTTE US OPEN JUDGING MAY 2017

Dandelion Saison Brew Session May 2017

BEER AND BARREL AGING EDUCATION TOPIC AT JUNE 17 MEETING

WE ARE DEDICATED TO EDUCATING OUR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY

So that novice brewers and those curious about craft home brewing will feelThey have access to an environment rich with knowledge and encouragement.

GREAT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES LEADS TO BETTER

RESULTS IN COMPETITIONS

We built Carolina Brewer of the Year (CBOY) in the late 90’s. At its peak

8 Clubs from North Carolina and South Carolina participated.

Our current President Richard Laine spearheaded the expansion of

CBOY to the Southeastern Homebrewers Association with 20 members

in 2014.

We have been fortunate as a Club to win Club of the Year for many of

the years since inception based on competition points in beer, cider and

mead. The winning Club keeps “the Firkin” and has the Club’s name

added to it.

Filmed by YCH Hops

Carolina Brewmasters Radegast Video can be accessed

here: http://bit.ly/2tpmtwy

CHARITY

• Over $500,000 contributed from the

Charlotte Oktoberfest since 2001 to

charities such as Metrolina Food Bank,

Beds for Kids, Classroom Central (school

supplies)

• Raffle proceeds from the Charlotte US

Open Beer Competition also goes to a

charity. This year (Make A Wish

Foundation)

WHAT WAS OUR MAGIC?

• We evolved at a time when the community was thirsty for

learning about craft brewing.

• We shepherded the first major beer festival in Charlotte

and became a major contributor to local charities.

• We maintained a strong emphasis on beer competitions

and led the CBOY (NC and SC) now the Southeastern

Homebrewers Association with 20 Clubs in NC, SC, VA,

Tennessee and Georgia.

OFFICER STRUCTURE

• Around 2005 after becoming a 501C(4) organization we

expanded our officer core.

• We have VP’s of Education, Membership, Social and

Competitions and Oktoberfest.

• Our Treasurer now serves a three year term

• We modified our Board from consisting of only past

presidents and the Treasurer three years ago.

• For the past few years we’ve begun electing two

members at large to serve staggered two year terms on

the Board.

WE PARTNER WITH AREA BUSINESSES AND BREWERIES

Together we are inspired to make better beer!

• Unknown Brewing Co

• NoDa Brewing Co

• Johnson and Wales University

• Swanson-Girard Food Services

BEER RELEASE WITH UNKNOWN BREWING

IRON CHEF BEER CHALLENGE

• We are pairing beers from our Fantasy Draft

Challenge and Big Brew at Swanson-Girard

Aquarium Place this fall.

• The Plan is to invite students from Johnson and

Wales University to pair food with homebrews

submitted by the Carolina BrewMasters for an

Iron Chef Style Challenge in October.

Swanson-Girard - Help kick off the new Charlotte ACF

(American Culinary Federation) Chapter with an event full

of smoked items and craft beer. Come and perfect some

Cold to Hot Smoking Techniques, brew a few beers with

the Carolina BrewMasters, and have a GREAT meal!

AHA RALLY AT NODA

BREWING MAY 2017

CHARLOTTE BEER BABES

OUR CHALLENGES

• We were the only Club in the Charlotte Metro area for much of our history, Now there are at least six clubs in the metro area - including a new one in Charlotte formed from some of our most prolific brewers.

• We used to have so many members we could not easily conduct meetings even in a relatively large space. There was even discussion about reducing our recruitment efforts in the past.

• Now we are somewhat smaller Club and will need to redouble our efforts to nurture and retain talented new members.

MORE CHALLENGES

• We used to run the only beer festival in Charlotte. Now

there are sometimes three a month.

• Homebrew was the center of our festival with up to 12

Clubs and Homebrew Supply businesses donating and

serving their beers. This made our Festival unique in the

Southeast.

• Problems with ALE (Alcohol Law Enforcement) in other

parts of NC prompted us to discontinue serving home brew

after 2014 until it is made explicitly legal.

• Discontinuing homebrew as a centerpiece of

our festival was contentious and divisive.

Many feel what was unique is now lost

unless the laws or regulations change.

• We are re-examining our long term

commitment to maintain our beer Festival.

The energy required is substantial and

sometimes detracts from other projects.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?PERHAPS A SMALLER MORE FOCUSED CLUB

• Renewed dedication to education and competitions

• Increase partnerships in the community

• Continue projects with some of the 40+ metro area

breweries and cideries.

• Evaluate our Festival and Social Events

FROM THE CAROLINA BREWMASTERS!

Have a great time at the American Homebrewers

Association Conference Minneapolis 2017

Awesome

Things

We Do…

Club

Challenges

Club Governance

• Who is in charge?• How do you conduct the club’s

business?• Who is responsible?

Incorporation

• Without Incorporation…every person associated with the club is responsible!!

• Incorporation protects most of the Members

• AHA Club Insurance helps!

Communications

• Social Media and Email are great.

• Newsletters are important for archiving your past and illustrating what the Club is.

Satisfaction

• Every Club Member is looking for satisfaction in one form or another.

Fun - Social

• Fun is an essential element.• Strive to make every activity

and event, FUN• Be nice and inviting

Education

• Provide educational opportunities.

• Styles• Brewing techniques• Beer evaluation• History

Recruitment

• Like any organism, reproduction is imperative.

• Death or disinterest will eventually claim all members.

• Recruit at every opportunity!

Public Meeting Space

• Helps provide a neutral space for prospective members to visit.

• Bars, restaurants, meeting rooms are ideal.

Questions?

Answers?