Changes

The Pub
21

What are the value propositions for the AHA?

  1. This forum
  2. NHC (competition and conference)
  3. Legal advocacy
  4. Zymurgy
  5. The website and recipe database

I like this forum.

I stopped competing years ago and for some reason I have never wanted to go to the conference (nothing against it).

What is left to do in advocacy? Most of the advocacy is related to craft beer causes not homebrew. Most of the advocacy needs to be done at the state level not by AHA.

I don’t read Zymurgy or any magazines actually.

I like the website. The recipe database is good.  I read some of the magazine articles when they are recycled onto the website front page.

I am not sure what my point is.

One of the main reasons I have stayed a member is when I lived in Mississippi Gary Glass flew there and helped us get the homebrew laws changed. I always appreciated that. But, that was 11 years ago now.

22

There is a lot of advocacy work left around “fair usage” - e.g. making sure it’s legal to run a competition, festival, beer club meeting, etc. There was work being done on shipping homebrew via USPS, etc.

23

I agree!!

24

Given the trends, I don’t see how any of this advocacy for homebrewers will be a priority for BA in the future. That’s unfortunate, because I absolutely believe the larger BA resources will be necessary for any major changes in the stated issues (especially something like shipping via USPS).

I don’t want to be pessimistic, but given the downturn in attendance at HomebrewCon, merger of the Con with GABF, moderate contraction of the hobby, and the niche nature of the hobby (especially compared to the economic weight of the large craft brewers), I am not really feeling great about the long-term or even medium-term prospects for AHA. Business is business, but from an economic standpoint, I am hard-pressed to see why BA would continue homebrewer support. I can only imagine homebrewers are a tiny fraction of the revenue for the organization, and (let’s be realistic) a tinier fraction of beer drinkers.

I would be happy to be proven wrong, though!

25

Thanks

26

Is the AHA actively involved in legal advocacy? What was the last win the AHA secured in this field? My last memory of the AHA touting a win was working to sort out the California issue the legislature accidentally messed up but that was years ago IIRC.

27

+1

28

I never understood the advocacy thing. I read about examples like assisting Mississippi and California listed as examples here, but then a while back I was told the AHA acts federally, that they don’t get involved in state politics.  I recall specifically being told the last thing a state wants is an outside organization coming in ‘helping’. Yet I read otherwise.

29

That is not accurate.  Gary Glass (of AHA) was instrumental in getting laws changed in probably a dozen states or more including Wisconsin.  I know this is true because I was involved with Wisconsin law changes, and I know he was a big player in it.

30

Which is exactly why I am confused.  I am glad they help. …but why tell me they can’t help?  Weird.

31

It depends on the specific issue and what type of help is needed.

32

Perspectives from another home brewing forum.

/r/homebrewing topic (posted late in the day on Jan 31st) - “American Homebrewers Association Changes”

33

State legislatures and ABC’s will view it at outside interference. Homegrown initiatives by citizens are listened to, sometimes. The AHA then can provide support and provide resources to those local groups.

That’s what I remember, I’m an old engineer not a lawyer.

34

Link is broken.

35

It wasn’t a link, just a reference.

36

Here is a direct URL: Reddit - Dive into anything

37

I agree. Members belong to organizations that represent them.

38

Hello Denny and everyone, and thank you for this thread’s informative comments.

Sharing this summary is hopefully helpful to inform your view of the American Homebrewers Association, of its past, present and future.

  1. I am honored to be the/your Executive Director https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/contact-us/julia-herz/ and have been since December 2021. I’ve been an AHA member since my 20s (yes that’s true), an award-winning homebrewer including bagging a 2003 National Homebrew Competition Silver medal (Final Round and a career highlight for sure!) with my Old Ale, reader of Zymugy, and HomebrewersAssociation.org recipient of so many helpful resources, and have more than 100+ BJCP judge points and counting. Just like you each my homebrewing journey continues. My take is homebrewing, homebrewers and the AHA are cool. What’s not to like. We brew. We share. We learn. We educate. We help beer innovate. We gather. Sure we’d all like to do more but what we are doing on a national level is pretty dang amazing.

  2. I’m personally and professionally in tune with AHA’s history and here to help chart the future. This is informed by giving 80+ presentations in 2022 and 70+ in 2023, directly sharing news, information, and resources on homebrewing and the AHA to more than 10K+ people. I’ve also geocashed my hoseclamp ring in multiple areas of the country with homebrewers racing to find it and collaborate on a homebrew. #Grassroots. In the past two years I’ve also judged and attended more competitions, festivals and been in more homebrew supply shops than likely anyone else. This is appropriate, and I invite more. Please extend an invitation here: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/contact-us/virtual-in-person-speaking-engagement-request/ and follow my homebrewing travels ala @ImmaculateFermentation on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/immaculatefermentation/. Currently, I’m after perfecting a hoppy lager and the perfect English Bitter (stay tuned to Zymurgy for an upcoming Director’s Cut column and recipes on this very topic).

  3. The AHA today and what you tap into and fuel by being a member: The AHA is the world’s leading individual-hobbyist membership community devoted to supporting more than thirty thousand members. Exclusive to AHA members, we publish Zymurgy Magazine (Zymurgy celebrates AHA members and educates those who want to brew and ferment) and broadcast Zymurgy Live webinars featuring the world’s top homebrewing leaders. We curate robust member discounts at brewery tap rooms and homebrew supply shops via over two thousand AHA Member Deals, publish exclusive and top-of-class resources and education on homebrewing for beginners and the advanced via HomebrewersAssociation.org, curate an ongoing club insurance program covering hundreds of clubs across the U.S plus maintain the world’s most extensive homebrew club and retail supply shop on-line directories.

We also host one of the longest standing on-line homebrew forums, the AHA Forum. Thank YOU to our volunteer moderators Denny Conn, Drew Beechum, Keith Yeager, and Jeff Rankert. - You have helped more homebrewers than can be counted.

Annually, the AHA hosts the world’s largest homebrew competition, the National Homebrew Competition (NHC), with the entry window 2/27/24-3/15/24 and final round awards announced at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) on October 10. We host the annual gathering of AHA members this year at the GABF (October 10-12). We organize the GABF Pro-Am Competition, celebrating the powerful collaborative connection between amateur and professional brewers, and present annual recognition awards including Homebrew Shop of the Year.

We know you are craving details on what Homebrew Con will be like at GABF this year. Please sit tight and we look forward to sharing these details soon. For the latest, if you are a member please opt in to receive AHA emails. Both members and non-members can get the AHA What’s Brewing Newsletter here https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/newsletter-signup/.

We host the following annual homebrew holidays: Big Brew (May 4, 2024), Home Fermentation Day (August 3, 2024), and Learn To Homebrew Day (November 2, 2024). We also sanction homebrew competitions with the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) that the AHA helped create in 1985 and encourage homebrewers to enter steward and judge in competitions; plus, support an AHA prize donation program for sanctioned competitions.

We also advocate for the advancement of homebrewers’ rights and privileges tied to beverage alcohol legislation and regulation, including ongoing work to legalize homebrew shipping for competitions. The AHA helped ensure homebrewing was legalized in all 50 states, and today, we stand ready to assist unified efforts where homebrew clubs and state brewers’ guilds. Activity in the past two years included multiple states.

  1. AHA History 
    • January 17, 1920: Prohibition begins as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect, banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, including beer made at home.
    • December 5, 1933: The 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition, however, leaves out the legalization of home beer making (home wine making was legalized at this time).
    • October 14, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signs H.R. 1337, creating an exemption from taxation of beer brewed at home for personal or family use.
    • December 7, 1978: The AHA is founded by Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen in Boulder, Colo., with the publication of the first issue of Zymurgy magazine, announcing the new organization, publicizing the federal legalization of homebrewing and calling for entries in the first AHA National Homebrew Competition.
    • February 1, 1979: Homebrewing becomes legal on a federal level in the U.S.
    • May 5, 1979: AHA holds its first-ever National Homebrew Competition and Gala Homebrewers Ball.
    • 1985: The AHA and Home Wine and Beer Trade Association create the BJCP with the first exam given at the AHA annual conference in Estes Park, Colorado. 
    • September 1, 1982: AHA debuts the GABF as part of the AHA‘s fourth annual conference for homebrewers.
    • May 2, 1988: Representative David Skaggs of Colorado declares May 7th as National Homebrew Day before U.S. Congress. In response the AHA creates ‘Big Brew’ as an annual event to celebrate National Homebrew Day worldwide.>
    • September 1992: The organization’s name is updated to Association of Brewers.
    • December 1998: The determination of the Association of Brewers (also representing the AHA) evolves to a 501(c)(6) from a 501(c)(3), setting the stage to fuel and grow today’s modern-day independent craft beer movement.
    • November 1999: Learn To Homebrew Day is established as the first Saturday in November to promote the most rewarding and delicious activity of all time—homebrewing. 
    • 2005: Association of Brewers and Brewers Association of America join to form the Brewers Association (as published in the March/April 2005 issue of Zymurgy). “Under the new Brewers Association bylaws, the AHA Board of Advisors has been renamed the AHA Governing Committee.”
    • May 31, 2005: The AHA introduces the GABF Pro-Am competition, in which where AHA members team up with professional brewers to compete with their award-winning recipes. 
    • 2013: Alabama and Mississippi legalize homebrewing, officially making homebrew legal in all 50 states.
    • August 2023: The first annual Home Fermentation Day, formerly Mead Day, debuts.
    • December 7, 2023: The AHA turns 45 with over thirty thousand members worldwide.

  2. Big picture about the AHA: The AHA is dedicated to protecting, uniting, and educating homebrewers while empowering an equitable homebrewing culture and showcasing the fun of fermenting. 30K+ members are a part of the AHA membership community, benefiting from unmatched reasons and rewards to brew. The AHA is an individual membership group, part of the 501(c)(6) Brewers Association, was a catalyst for today’s full-flavored craft beer movement, and is supported by a committee of volunteer leaders. To learn more see HomebrewersAssociation.org.

About the Brewers Association: To promote and protect American craft brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade association. The association is an organization of brewers, for brewers, and by brewers. Nearly 6,000 U.S. brewery members and 30K+ members of the AHA are joined by suppliers, beer wholesalers, retailers, individuals, other associate members, and staff to make up the Brewers Association. To learn more see BrewersAssociation.org.

  1. If anyone has any account challenges in any manner, please don’t hesitate to call or email our team. We stand ready to assist. https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/contact-us/. Usually in less than five minutes we can get you going.

  2. The AHA’s story is still being written. Its evolution will occur based on membership, marketplace conditions, and advocacy on its behalf. Membership is key to what we do. The more members, the more we can do. Join and renew here https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/join-or-renew/

Cheers and good beers to you each,
Julia
ahaed@brewersassociation.org