Starting a Homebrew Club - How to find members?

[gisbrewmaster]

Hi All,

I am interested in meeting up and finding people in Bakersfield,CA or the surrounding region to create a homebrew club. Does anyone have any ideas on finding people in your area that brew. I still haven't tried any homebrew but my own and would love to do that someday.

Thanks,
GISBREWMASTER
Matt C.

[Chipper Dave]

I think your doing the right thing and that is to look online first to see where people in your area are who are already talking about beer and homebrewing. You could design a 1-page flier and take copies to your local beer stores and ask that the owner let you post one up on their window or bulletin board. One of the local homebrew clubs around here leave business cards at some of the local stores and micro breweries. Small breweries love homebrewers and they make for a great location to have meetings and tastings.

[Virgil G]

Good point Dave; before trying to start something, check with the place where you buy your ingredients (talk to the manager, not the kid getting minimum wage behind the register). There might already be one going. Otherwise, you could just sort of start it like a stalker, hang around the homebrew aisle and talk to whoever gets ingredients. Beer people love to talk.

Chipper Dave said:

I think your doing the right thing and that is to look online first to see where people in your area are who are already talking about beer and homebrewing. You could design a 1-page flier and take copies to your local beer stores and ask that the owner let you post one up on their window or bulletin board. One of the local homebrew clubs around here leave business cards at some of the local stores and micro breweries. Small breweries love homebrewers and they make for a great location to have meetings and tastings.

[gisbrewmaster]

My only problem is there isn't a local HBS. I get most of my self online. I do like the idea of seeing if anyone at the local Brewpub Lengthwise (Bakersfield, CA) knows of any one that homebrews. Thanks for the ideas.

Matt

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

gisbrewmaster said:

My only problem is there isn't a local HBS. I get most of my self online. I do like the idea of seeing if anyone at the local Brewpub Lengthwise (Bakersfield, CA) knows of any one that homebrews. Thanks for the ideas.

Matt

Another option is to check the resources on the American Homebrewers Association website. They have a directory wherein you can search for like-minded folks in your area.

[Chipper Dave]

gisbrewmaster said:

My only problem is there isn't a local HBS. I get most of my self online. I do like the idea of seeing if anyone at the local Brewpub Lengthwise (Bakersfield, CA) knows of any one that homebrews. Thanks for the ideas.

Matt

What I meant was you could use the same locales for organizing a Homebrew Club. There is also a web service called "MeetUp.com" that you could post your interest in meeting with other homebrewers and pick a meeting place and time and see who's interested.

[Skervenstein B-B]

I would post messages on meetup.com, meetin.org and craigslist looking for people who homebrew. I would also ask around the local brew pub. People who make beer tend to have friends who make beer so maybe the owner/brewer knows some people.

[Deege]

I'd have to second this. The AHA will be able to help you.

The Beer Philosopher said:

gisbrewmaster said:

My only problem is there isn't a local HBS. I get most of my self online. I do like the idea of seeing if anyone at the local Brewpub Lengthwise (Bakersfield, CA) knows of any one that homebrews. Thanks for the ideas.

Matt

Another option is to check the resources on the American Homebrewers Association website. They have a directory wherein you can search for like-minded folks in your area.