HomeBrew Con 2018

[rookie_l_a (Steve Ruch)]

@BrewBama

I wonder if AHA would entertain a Southern Chapter so those in TX, AR, OK, LA, MS, AL, GA, TN, FL, etc can participate?  Routinely visiting the NE coast, North, and West Coast is pretty cost prohibitive.
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No kidding. The only reason I can go next year is that I can take public transportation and stay in my own bed at night.

[reverseapachemaster]

@BrewBama

I wonder if AHA would entertain a Southern Chapter so those in TX, AR, OK, LA, MS, AL, GA, TN, FL, etc can participate?  Routinely visiting the NE coast, North, and West Coast is pretty cost prohibitive.

I seem to think there was one NHC/HBC in Dallas and it went so poorly that it was banished for all eternity. (I might be mis-remembering though.)

I could easily see Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, Kansas City, St. Louis and Tampa having active enough craft and homebrewing scenes to have some very nice HBCs. We’re still pretty backwards with our alcohol laws in the south and I’m sure that plays a role. I know here in Texas our state’s ABC has become more aggressive about regulating homebrewing events which has made things difficult for local events.

Also, how many people really want to come to the south in the middle of June?

[erockrph]

I had heard that Providence was on the short list of locations to consider last year, and I hope it remains so if NHC returns to the East Coast in 2019. That’s about my only hope for getting to one between now and retirement (which is still 15-20 years away for me).

[BrewBama (Dwain)]

@reverseapachemaster

@BrewBama

I wonder if AHA would entertain a Southern Chapter so those in TX, AR, OK, LA, MS, AL, GA, TN, FL, etc can participate?  Routinely visiting the NE coast, North, and West Coast is pretty cost prohibitive.

I seem to think there was one NHC/HBC in Dallas and it went so poorly that it was banished for all eternity. (I might be mis-remembering though.)

I could easily see Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, Kansas City, St. Louis and Tampa having active enough craft and homebrewing scenes to have some very nice HBCs. We’re still pretty backwards with our alcohol laws in the south and I’m sure that plays a role. I know here in Texas our state’s ABC has become more aggressive about regulating homebrewing events which has made things difficult for local events.

Also, how many people really want to come to the south in the middle of June?

Looks like they’ve had a few down south: Homebrew HQ at GABF® - American Homebrewers Association

[hopfenundmalz]

It flew under the radar back then. 2400-3500 attendance, not possible.

[mdixon]

The main reason Asheville is out as a location is because there are not enough clustered hotel rooms to handle the conference.

[majorvices]

@reverseapachemaster

Also, how many people really want to come to the south in the middle of June?

Hahaha! That may be it. I’ve lived in the south since '93 and I am used to the heat but it can be stifling to those not used to it. That said, Minneapolis was a fine event and I’m glad I went. Nashville is a much cooler town though and there are plenty of breweries and the beer scene is robust.

[denny]

@majorvices

I was hoping it would be in Nashville… ???

I know Nashville has been look d into, but IIRC there ae legal issues to be resolved.

[denny]

@ethinson

@BrewBama

@majorvices

I was hoping it would be in Nashville… ???

+1. …or even Atlanta.

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I could totally be wrong, but it seems to me, there’s a rotation of where they host, East Coast, Middle, West Coast… since I’ve been a member it’s been

Grand Rapids MI (Middle)
San Diego CA (West)
Baltimore (East)
Minneapolis (Middle)
Portland (West)

So… Atlanta could be 2019 as East again.  Not sure if Nashville would be “East” or “Middle”, but that could also be in the next year after that.

I’d love if the 2019 East Coast (if the rotation holds) to be in North Carolina.  They are blowing up in their beer scene, the Charlotte homebrew club has won club of the year (Carolina Brewers? I forget the name) and Charlotte is certainly big enough to host.  Asheville sadly doesn’t have a convention center or anything like that, but it’s only a two hour drive from Charlotte if people wanted to venture that way, or set up a bus trip etc. Also, I’m from North Carolina and live in Oregon now, so I am biased of course.

It’s not really a criteria.  Sure, we like to have it moved around, but that’s not as much of amconsideration as having a good location interms of services and local committee.

[toby]

@reverseapachemaster

@BrewBama

I wonder if AHA would entertain a Southern Chapter so those in TX, AR, OK, LA, MS, AL, GA, TN, FL, etc can participate?  Routinely visiting the NE coast, North, and West Coast is pretty cost prohibitive.

I seem to think there was one NHC/HBC in Dallas and it went so poorly that it was banished for all eternity. (I might be mis-remembering though.)

I could easily see Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, Kansas City, St. Louis and Tampa having active enough craft and homebrewing scenes to have some very nice HBCs. We’re still pretty backwards with our alcohol laws in the south and I’m sure that plays a role. I know here in Texas our state’s ABC has become more aggressive about regulating homebrewing events which has made things difficult for local events.

Also, how many people really want to come to the south in the middle of June?

I can only assume that’s a big reason (coming to the Gulf South in the summer). Our laws in Louisiana are a little wonky now where mixing commercial and homebrew are concerned, but New Orleans can certainly handle the size of the event. But we don’t really have the club infrastructure to organize it yet.

[toby]

Is it safe to assume this will be in the Oregon Convention Center. So I can start scoping out hotels (especially hotels I can get with points)?

[denny]

@toby

Is it safe to assume this will be in the Oregon Convention Center. So I can start scoping out hotels (especially hotels I can get with points)?

Don’t know foir certain but I think that’s likely.  Why not wait til the conference hotel is announced and get the discount there?

[a10t2]

@toby

I can only assume that’s a big reason (coming to the Gulf South in the summer). Our laws in Louisiana are a little wonky now where mixing commercial and homebrew are concerned, but New Orleans can certainly handle the size of the event. But we don’t really have the club infrastructure to organize it yet.

I think New Orleans, along with Las Vegas, is a city that shouldn’t host a conference, for the collective good of the membership.

[skatz (Stevie)]

Vegas could be good. Cheap flights and cheap hotel rooms.

[denny]

Vegas could be good. Cheap flights and cheap hotel rooms.

Last time it was in Vegas there were issues IIRC.

[toby]

@denny

@toby

Is it safe to assume this will be in the Oregon Convention Center. So I can start scoping out hotels (especially hotels I can get with points)?

Don’t know foir certain but I think that’s likely.  Why not wait til the conference hotel is announced and get the discount there?

Because free with points is better than cheap?

@a10t2

I think New Orleans, along with Las Vegas, is a city that shouldn’t host a conference, for the collective good of the membership.

Well, I am under the impression that there were issues in Vegas previously which have led to a ‘never again’ attitude in the higher ups. It was in New Orleans in 1996 (before I joined the AHA so wasn’t even aware of it), and I’m not aware of those sorts of issues happening. That being said, in my experience, the free availability of alcohol has not been a stumbling block in NHCs in the recent past. There was plenty of opportunity to over-imbibe even under the separation restrictions in SD. Under our current legal environment, it would be similar here in that restriction of serving commercial beer would become a little weird.

[denny]

@toby

@denny

@toby

Is it safe to assume this will be in the Oregon Convention Center. So I can start scoping out hotels (especially hotels I can get with points)?

Don’t know foir certain but I think that’s likely.  Why not wait til the conference hotel is announced and get the discount there?

Because free with points is better than cheap?

Hard to deny that!  For me, proximity to the conference is the main consideration since I go back and forth from the conference to the hotel several times a day.

[hopfenundmalz]

@denny

Vegas could be good. Cheap flights and cheap hotel rooms.

Last time it was in Vegas there were issues IIRC.

Las Vegas was 2004, but I didn’t go… I remember it was advertised at Chicago 2003, my first NHC.

What issues? Honest question.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

@a10t2

I think New Orleans, along with Las Vegas, is a city that shouldn’t host a conference, for the collective good of the membership.

;D

[a10t2]

@toby

It was in New Orleans in 1996 (before I joined the AHA so wasn’t even aware of it), and I’m not aware of those sorts of issues happening. That being said, in my experience, the free availability of alcohol has not been a stumbling block in NHCs in the recent past. There was plenty of opportunity to over-imbibe even under the separation restrictions in SD. Under our current legal environment, it would be similar here in that restriction of serving commercial beer would become a little weird.

My comment was with tongue firmly in cheek. I would personally love to see it in NOLA, especially since it could do double duty being able to visit family.

How’s the hotel situation? Having walked by, I’d guess the convention center is big enough, but I don’t recall there being any huge hotels nearby.