Ahb Community Get Together

[tangent]

why organise anything?
set a date and a location, let other ppl organise themselves

 

[Whistlingjack]

My view too, tangent.

I suggest Munich mid-September. Organise yourselves to be there.

 

[danbeer]

My view too, tangent.

I suggest Munich mid-September. Organise yourselves to be there.

Oddly enough, I already had loose plans to be there.

 

[tangent]

now that would be the ultimate AHB road trip!

 

[Whistlingjack]

Alright.

That's one "definite"(more likely three), one "maybe" and several "I wish".

Sounds like a goer...

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

I like the idea and after flying down to Brizvagas for the QLD swap I would go just about anywhere for another . However my thinking is that it needs to be close to a capital city so as air fares are at least affordable , I would hate too think what regional flights to places like Cobar or Broken hill would cost...

Maybe a rolling meeting in a differant state each year or 2 . Areas within a couple of hours drive from a capital city .. Say Sydney first so we could find somewhere in the Blue mountians. Then Melbourne with a place in the Dandynongs or some nice area close . Briz has gold /sunshine coasts . Adelaide could look at Barossa or maybe victor harbour, then perth with maybe Margerat river ( bit far but a great place ) I think going inland to far would add unnessacery expence and travel...

But I'm in thats for sure..

:beer:

 

[Screwtop]

I'm in. While the get together thing is a good idea, and I would like to get to meet as many on here as possible I for one think that if I was going to travel I would like to have a bit more of an experience than just getting together each year, I think it would fizz as the novelty wore off.

I'd love to see an annual event like a "CraftBrewFest". Do you think it would be possible for a club to host such an event each year in a different state. To be financially viable it would need to include commercial brewers and charge site fees, a brewery size limit in HL could limit participation to the boutique or microbreweries. Would be a great way for them to showcase their beers and open the event up to the public. The commercial outfits could sell their product from licensed bars/areas, which most showgrounds have. Public acceptance of such an event would be in the terminology used to refer to the event, a clever marketer could soon come up with something. Brew Fest, would be good but may not be readily accepted at first by venue managements, might sound a bit like a BPU (brewers piss up).

FNQBunyip's suggestion re a capital city is valid as a large number of attendees would rely on air travel. Possibly a show grounds might be a good venue. They have buildings suitable for displays (naturally retailers would sublet space from the organisers to set up shop) and workshops, demonstrations, lectures etc.

The hobby of Craft Brewing and Micro Brewing go hand in hand, many Micro Brewers started out as home brewers. What a great weekend that would be, we all get to meet up, celebrate, piss-up, learn something, get to chat with commercial brewers, and get a chance to buy a bit of bling for the brewery at "show special" prices.

Here's the challenge - which state will host the inaugural "GreatAustralianCraftBrewFest"

 

[Gerard_M]

Why bother trying to start something like that?

Why not turn up at an event that already exists?

Sydney have the Beer Fest at The Australian Hotel on the October long weekend.

Brisbane have the Story Bridge thing in about Sept.

Sydney also have the best AHB pub crawl in Autumn, why not make a weekend of it?

There you are ready to go, just turn up & say g'day!

Cheers
Gerard

 

[Linz]

Or, following on Gerards idea, make a group booking for a session at Melbournes 'Brewtopia', say the Friday or Sat night and spend the other time trekking the brewpubs in and around town.....

 

[Kai]

now that would be the ultimate AHB road trip!

Do plane ticket bulk buys work?

 

[kook]

As discussed by others, for this to work I think there needs to be a varied amount of things to do in the particular place we're staying. Limiting it to a small town means we probably won't have access to a good selection of commercial beer, or brewery tours.

I've been to a few of these events organised through another beer website, and the most enjoyable had a good variety of things to do such as:
- Brewery tour day
- Pub crawl day
- Tasting night

If we could do something similar in a major city (not unlike the old "pis-syd" tour back in the day) I'd definately be up for it.

Maybe something along the lines of:
Thu Night: Pub meet
Friday: Brewery tour(s), HB Tasting night
Sat: Brew day, Pub crawl evening

 

[tangent]

WA has all the places I want to check out - micro wise.

 

[peas_and_corn]

Krook- your idea sounds good to me!

I like the idea in theory, and if it's at a time when I have money I'd love to go. sorting out the where/when/how thing is the great stumbling block. However, if someone is willing to say 'this is where it is, X town, X caravan park, X date' then I'm sure there will be enough interest to make it interesting.

 

[Screwtop]

Why bother trying to start something like that?

Why not turn up at an event that already exists?

Sydney have the Beer Fest at The Australian Hotel on the October long weekend.

Brisbane have the Story Bridge thing in about Sept.

Sydney also have the best AHB pub crawl in Autumn, why not make a weekend of it?

There you are ready to go, just turn up & say g'day!

Cheers
Gerard

You want to try convincing the organisers of those events that they should include home brew Gerard?

 

[apd]

- either choose a central place (as most of Aus population is East Coast - say Cobar- seems fairly Central on the map) or we can move it from state to state.

GMK, I know you were just making the initial suggestion but have you been to Cobar?

 

[GMK]

GMK, I know you were just making the initial suggestion but have you been to Cobar?

Nope - opened up the atlas - looked at the major roads/routes accross Australia...

Cobar looked like a nice central place - did a search on the net - they have a couple of clubs, a caravan park, a youth Hostel and 5 Motels...

and Mines....

 

[winkle]

You want to try convincing the organisers of those events that they should include home brew Gerard?

That Storey Bridge Hotel "Festivalofbeers" hasn't happened for the last few years, not likely in the future either.

 

[Linz]

You want to try convincing the organisers of those events that they should include home brew Gerard?

"Sydney have the Beer Fest at The Australian Hotel on the October long weekend."



Actually.....the above event has had a Homebrewers stand for the last two years running!!!!!

and we are a hit with the punters too

Trev has manned it both times so far

 

[Screwtop]

"Sydney have the Beer Fest at The Australian Hotel on the October long weekend."
Actually.....the above event has had a Homebrewers stand for the last two years running!!!!!

and we are a hit with the punters too

Trev has manned it both times so far

Now this sounds like a place to start. What about talking to Blair Hayden from The Lord Nelson.

 

[Linz]

"What about talking to Blair Hayden from The Lord Nelson"

What about?? They have been quite accepting of having group go for a walk thru the brewery with Damon doing the tour...havent they Gerard??

I should clarify the comment about Trev. Teasy actually organised the entry into the Fest in the first place; and He, Trev and Myself and our wonderful other-halves(surveilance me thinks) manned it the first year. Then Trev and HBW.com and few others manned it over the long weekend this year...

Who knows, maybe next year we might be able to branch out and have a few of the new brew clubs in Sydney and surrounds have stands of our own ??