Yes, they’re not commercial brewers, but other than Charlie they’re not homebrewers, either. Sure, Finkel is interesting but it’s still from a commercial perective. When you think about how many keynotes there have been,it seems like at least a few more could have a homebrewers point of view.
For me, and this may sound odd, but I enjoy taking things that are insignificant on their own and creating something great. Whether with ingredients in my kitchen, or materials on the construction site or ingredients in my brewery, I enjoy creating something from nothing.
Personally, I don’t care what commercial craft brewers are doing, or what the BA is doing. I do care, however, what the folks on this forum are doing and I sincerely appreciate their leadership, information, knowledge and guidance. My concern, as many in this thread have pointed out, is MY craft not the commercial brewers’.
I agree completely. I thought Peter Bouckart in Denver was entertaining and inspiring. But why not more homebrewers? Why are we looking to the commercial world to guide and inspire us?
When I lived in Mississippi Gary Glass made multiple trips to help lobby for homebrewing rights. We got them. I think he helped Alabama a lot too. I appreciate that help.
I would love it if Homebrew Con came south.
At my workplace if I want something changed I have to get involved and change it. No one hands you the keys. You just have to grab them and drive. I think AHA is probably the same way.
I think the whole focus on craft brewing as opposed to home brewing happens for a reason: the overwhelming majority of homebrewers dream of going pro and make it big.
That dream sells homebrew kits, craft beer, equipment, whatever. I can think of many who tried the hobby, suddenly wanted to go pro, then realized what that actually means. Usual result is quitting the hobby and starting a new one. With craft beer saturation kicking in, and starting a new and successful brewery being harder, maybe this is why the hobby is down…
An increased focus on homebrewing, and the specific techniques that separate it from craft beer sounds like a great idea. There’s a core fanbase in any hobby or sport, those are the folks that sick around when fads change, and the folks that all too often get ignored in favor of the will (well, the money rather) of the majority. Appeal to that core, and maybe we’ll get somewhere as a hobby independent of (but still related to) professional brewing.
He sat the AB endowed chair at UC Davis. AB has contributed money and equipment for that position. He was not tied to them as far as research or consulting.
He did retire from UC Davis last year, and the position at Sierra Nevada is as a consultant.
I can see why someone would feel that maybe there should be more distance betweeen the AHA and the BA. A case in point is that I doubt the AHA would ever support laws that might be advantageous to home brewers to the detriment of craft brewers. Case in point. In California we can serve Homebrew at the same festival but they have to be separate areas. The reason being so the beer drinker isn’t “confused”. What difference does it make…they are drinking beer. I believe that at the NHC in San Diego a few years ago it was an issue.
Anyways I still love the AHA!
I disagree. The AHA and BA are lobbying groups. An example provided in this thread just a few posts ago:
There is A LOT they can do to help advise and support the local members to get laws changed.
From the AHA site: “The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) focuses on a variety of government affairs-related activities on behalf of America’s homebrewing community. The AHA works on issues that directly affect homebrewers, such as transportation of homebrew to competitions, and events and laws relating to serving homebrew at organized events.”
