I am a member of the AHA. I have received emails in support of Beer Wars* in the last few weeks, but hearing promotion of activities like Big Brew or Teach a Friend to Brew seems to be dropping off in recent years. Granted Teach a Friend is held just weeks after the Great American Beer Festival, staff need some time off after a major event like that. At the same time the Craft Brewers Conference is just days before Big Brew. So it strikes me, can the AHA team continue to serve two masters as craft beer continues to grow?

I don't mean any offense in asking this question, because I think Charlie Papazian and his team do their best trying to serve the craft beer and homebrewing communities. I just wonder if in craft beers growth in the last decade they are getting close to a point where they need to break into two separate organizations one for the professionals and one for homebrewers. It wouldn't mean they couldn't be both located in the same town, coordinating efforts to support one another. Craft brewing is getting bigger as an industry and in the process have bigger needs from an association.

But what about grassroots support for homebrewers and clubs does the Association do daily? I think the work they do in the state legislatures is vital and important, but otherwise day to day what do I get for my membership other than a TechTalk email.

So I would like to suggest some thoughts of what more I'd like them to do...
Discount Program - This is a tough, because state laws vary so much so it's difficult to get traction everywhere, but this is a part of the program that might be improved.
Speakers Forum - How about the AHA team with homebrewing experts to get them to go talk or heck just brew with local clubs. Maybe even have this person liaison with a local brewery or two to cosponsor the event to cover the guests travel costs.
BJCP - I am aware how the BJCP works with the BJCP perhaps as an extension of the Speaker's Forum work with the BJCP to run more sensory panels and other efforts to educate homebrewers more.

I am sure there are other ideas out there besides these. I really think that grassroots wise there is plenty for AHA to do, I just wonder if it isn't time to break from the Brewer's Association so they can have the focus to do it.





* This not meant as a slight against Beer Wars. I plan to go see it, but I get emails for this film and yet don't see as much support to these Association sponsored events is the point that concerns me.