2014 Local Committee Planning Guide

2014 AHA National Homebrewers Conference

Revised: July 2013

AHA Conference Local Committee

Plan for no more than 20 core volunteers to cover all of the necessary tasks to successfully host the AHA National Homebrewers Conference.

Additional volunteers (must be registered attendees) will assist in specific areas of the conference and are managed by Brewers Association Event Department and American Homebrewers Association (BA/AHA) staff.

Local committee members should coordinate these areas:

AHA National Homebrew Competition: Final round staff

Volunteer Position Descriptions

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

The ultimate responsibility for the Chair or Co-Chairs is seeing that every duty of the local committee is completed in advance of the conference and was done well. Chair/Co-Chairs need to assemble the pool of committee members to manage specific roles within the conference and need to be the motivating force to keep the committee focused on achieving goals.

The conference Chair/Co-Chairs typically provide a ‘Welcome to the Conference” article for the conference program. Plan for 600-700 words.

At the conference Chair/Co-Chairs typically speak briefly to all attendees at the Welcome Toast and/or during the Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Similarly, a representative of next year’s committee speaks at the Grand Banquet to promote the next host city.

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Speaker, Seminar & Poster Presentation Topics

Those recommending speakers or poster presenters work with AHA staff (Director and Events & Membership Coordinator) and Governing Committee Conference Sub-Committee to make suggestions for the keynote address and seminars speakers. The AHA relies on this group’s connection to the local community to find people near the host city or within the state to make this conference unique from others.

Local Committee Roles:

  • Work with Chair/Co-Chair and AHA staff to determine the Keynote speaker.
  • Recruit speakers and poster presenters and send them to the online proposal form for topic submissions.
  • Potential poster presenters and speakers must submit a proposal online.
  • Work with AHA staff to determine interesting topics for conference. Avoid repeating speakers and topics from previous years.
  • Work with AHA and Governing Committee Conference Sub-Committee to recommend seminar slate from proposals submitted via the online submission form.

BA/AHA Roles:

  • Package proposals for review by the local committee, the AHA and the Governing Committee Conference Sub-Committee; and collect those comments for consideration.
  • Confirm speakers
  • Provide speakers with all necessary information needed to participate in the conference.
  • Acquire bios and photos for website and program
  • Assist speakers to determine A/V needs for each speaker
  • Determine and arrange for any beer/food serving needs
  • Plan the schedule for seminars/speakers
  • Deliver all beer for seminars (AHA Beer Services team)
  • Check attendees for appropriate badges to access seminars
  • Introduce each speaker and present the speaker with a gift at the end of the presentation (Members of the AHA Governing Committee)
  • Collect presentations for website
  • Acquire audio recording company and provide A/V for all seminars
  • Work with the venue to determine capacity and room sets
  • Provide speaker gifts
  • Determine number of volunteers needed to pour beer and/or serve food
  • Schedule & manage volunteers in seminars

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Social Club

Social Club is a showcase of homebrew clubs that volunteered to serve their beer to conference attendees. Clubs provide homebrew and servers during their shift.

The daytime space for the Social Club typically serves as a trade show (Homebrew Expo) for the AHA/BA Merchandise store, homebrew retailers, breweries, suppliers and wholesalers. Evening Social Club does not include the trade show, and may be located in a separate room.

Local Committee Roles:

  • Recruit clubs via word of mouth and personal contacts
  • Point interested clubs to online registration form
  • Clubs must register online
  • Coordinate final schedule of when clubs pour
  • Social Club Coordinator will instruct each club’s pouring members to check that attendees have badges and wristbands prior to serving them.
  • Social Club Coordinator or an assigned local committee member must be present at all times while Social Club is running. This helps troubleshoot problems and provides a relay system to AHA staff. AHA staff is also present to assist.
  • Provide planning assistance to BA Event Manager if needed and available.
  • Aide in communication plan to clubs, including writing information to send via email.
  • Writing and/or reviewing online information provided to clubs (how much beer to bring, when to arrive, staff for their booths, other details, etc.)
  • Work with local homebrew supply shop to accept shipments of homebrew or to supply parts, equipment and/or CO2 for out-of-state clubs.

Plan the pouring schedule:

  • Schedule clubs before the start and after the end time of their shifts to allow for set-up and tear-down. (15 minutes on either side)
  • Avoid club switch-overs during seminar breaks
  • Social Club is closed during evening social events: Pro-Brewers Night, Club Night, Banquet and Award Ceremony.
  • Depending on the timing, Social Club may stay open during the Welcome Toast and Keynote Address
  • Social Club remains open during seminars.
  • Clubs are usually scheduled for a 1.5 or 2-hour pouring shift.
  • Some clubs may volunteer for more than one shift.
  • Social Club participants must abide by state laws or for the timing of “first pour”, “last call” and “last pour”.
  • Keep in mind: evening time slots are likely to have a larger and/or thirstier crowd than daytime sessions.
  • Assign clubs with more beer to those time slots immediately following the evening events to avoid running out of beer.

BA/AHA Roles:

  • Maintain website, including: online registration form, information about Social Club, participation guidelines, participant list, etc.
  • Sets opening and closing times of Social Club.
  • All email communication to clubs, regarding Social Club, must come from BA/AHA staff.
  • Communication with clubs on how much beer to bring, when to arrive, staff for their booths, etc.
  • Schedule and manage volunteers needed to help empty dump buckets, refill pitchers and drinking cups.
  • Assign AHA/BA staff to attend all sessions. This staff person works with the host venue on any needs for the event.
  • Checks attendees for appropriate badges to access the venue.
  • Acquire security staff for event.
  • Work with venue to remove trash and recycling and refill water stations.
  • Work with venue and/or drayage company to determine room set and booth layout.
  • Work with venue to provide electricity, A/V or internet, if needed.
  • Work with venue to arrange for opening and closing Social Club when not in session.
  • Provide three 12-tap bars and dispensing equipment.
  • Beer Services delivers all beers and/or ice to Social Club.
  • Beer Services maintains all equipment and CO2 for AHA bars.
  • Beer Services provides pitchers and dump buckets.
  • In 2013 ice was NOT provided for social club sessions. Properly cooled beer will stay cold for 2 hours. All beer entering the AHA Cellar must be properly labeled.
  • AHA/BA provides signage holders (acrylic stands)
  • AHA/BA arranges for all aspects of the trade show in Social Club. Any leads for local vendors should be forwarded to BA Event Manager.

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Pro-Brewers & Club Night Fun

Pro-Brewers Night is a beer festival just for conference attendees. Recruitment for Pro-Brewers Night should only be done by word of mouth. All aspects of planning, organizing and communications about Pro-Brewers night is handled by AHA/BA staff.

Club Night is the most fun event of the week. Clubs from around the nation set up booths and serve their homebrew. Many elaborately decorate their space and themselves with a club theme making this a really exciting event.

Local Committee Roles:

  • Work with Social Club Committee to ensure clubs are aware of both opportunities to share their beer with attendees and are not contacted multiple times by different people.
  • Work with local homebrew supply shop to accept shipments of homebrew or to supply parts, equipment and/or CO2 for out of state breweries/clubs.
  • Provide planning assistance to BA Event Manager if needed and available.
  • Aide in communication plan to breweries/clubs, including writing information sent via email.
  • Writing and/or reviewing online information provided to breweries/clubs (how much beer to bring, when to arrive, staff for their booths, other details, etc.)
  • Work with AHA/BA staff to plan for costs associated with the fun aspects of the event.
  • Organize all aspects of games or awards at these events.
  • Work with AHA/BA staff to plan for costs associated with awards for the event.
  • Plan other ideas to enhance the vibe of these events. Be creative!

Plan fun activities for attendees to do during these events. Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

  • corn hole
  • Silent disco
  • Mini golf (Nerf? No metal clubs and regular golf balls)
  • Bands/music
  • Scavenger hunts
  • Etc.

Plan awards for these events. Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

  • Best booth design
  • Best beer/crowd favorite
  • Brewery/Club with the most reps in attendance

Most beers award is discontinued for 2014 and on, due to limited space in the cellar. All clubs and breweries will have a set maximum number of beers they can keep in the cellar during conference week.

BA/AHA Roles:

  • Verify all breweries participating in pro-brewers night are members of the Brewers Association.
  • Maintain website, including: online registration form, information about the event, participation guidelines, participant list, etc.
  • All email communication to breweries/clubs, regarding the event, must come from BA/AHA staff.
  • Communicate with breweries/clubs to bring their own serving equipment, how much beer to bring, when to arrive, staff for their booths, etc.
  • Schedule and manage volunteers needed to help with set-up and tear-down
  • Schedule and manage volunteers needed to help empty dump buckets and refill cup stations.
  • Assign staff to attend all sessions.
  • Check attendees for appropriate badges to access event.
  • Acquire security staff for event.
  • Work with venue to remove trash and recycling and refill water stations.
  • Work with venue and/or drayage company to determine room set and booth layout.
  • Work with venue to provide electricity, A/V or internet, if needed.
  • AHA Beer Services delivers all beers and ice.
  • AHA Beer Services provides pitchers and dump buckets.
  • Assigns breweries/clubs to specific booths.
  • Assigns sponsor booth spaces.
  • Handles catering
  • Arranges for a host distributor to handle beer deliveries
  • Works with local brewery to be a pre-conference drop-off site, if needed

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Conference Week Events

Conference week events are the responsibility of the local committee, local clubs, local breweries, and beer bars. The AHA/BA does not plan events outside of the conference.

Any individual or group planning conference week events assumes all responsibility for collecting registration fees and covering event expenses. Similarly, any profits or losses associated with conference week events are assumed by the organizer. Plan your events to minimize the risk of losses.

Most conferences have had pre-conference events scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday; you will likely see the most interest in Wednesday events. Consider including events throughout the week to accommodate spouses or families that aren’t attending official conference events.

Possible Conference Week Events

  • Beer paired meals - consider working with a local culinary school and/or pub
  • Pub crawl - bus or walking tour, depending on distance from conference venue
  • Bus to Brewery or Walk to Brewery tours - trips to well-known craft breweries do better than scenic trips to less known breweries.
  • Baseball game
  • Golf outing
  • Spa packages
  • All-ages events
  • Local attractions

Local Committee Roles:

  • Each event should have its own organizer and assistants to help during the event.
  • If only a few events are planned, one person could manage them all and only recruit assistants for day-of duties.
  • Event organizer/s work with establishments to set-up the events, set the activities schedule and act as host for the event.
  • Event Organizer/s schedule bus services, set-up online registration and payments, order wristbands and nametags, manage registrations, apply refunds, handle cancellations and any other needs of the event/s.
  • Assistants help with day-of duties: handling money, check-in, wristbands, nametags and making sure the group stays together.
  • Don’t plan too many events; you do want them to sell out.
  • Establish a drop-dead date for registration and a method for cancellations.
  • Determine how you will accept payment and distribute refunds.
  • Establish a way to confirm registrations and provide attendees with updates about your events.
  • Post and maintain all events on the Conference Week Events calendar.
  • Have events planned well in advance of registration in 2014. This will ensure better participation from attendees.

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BJCP Reception

Typically, this is a Wednesday afternoon event planned for BJCP judges. The BJCP Reception works directly with the BJCP board to determine the program, arrange for a speaker and any beer and food served to attendees.

If possible, the AHA/BA works with the venue to arrange space for the reception. If space isn’t available, locating another space is the responsibility of the Committee and/or BJCP. Expenses, registration and associated attendee fees for this event are the responsibility of the BJCP.

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BJCP Exam

Typically, this is a Wednesday morning event planned for potential BJCP judges. The BJCP Exam works directly with the BJCP board to determine the program of events and all logistics of the exam.

If possible, the AHA/BA works with the venue to arrange space for the exam. If space isn’t available, locating another space is the responsibility of the Committee and/or BJCP. Expenses, registration and associated attendee fees for this event are the responsibility of the BJCP.

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Commemorative Beverages

Based on your region, consider the possibility of beer, mead, cider or perry as a commemorative gift to all conference attendees.

Breweries, meaderies, cider makers, ingredient and packaging donors all receive recognition for their donations on the commemorative beverage labels, on AHAConference.org, and in conference program.

Local Committee Roles:

  • Work with state brewer’s guild to identify commercial breweries, meaderies, cider makers who wish to make a commemorative beverage.
  • Targeted breweries must be an established packaging brewery.
  • Businesses should plan to donate the bottles/cans, labels, ingredients, and staff-time to produce the beverage.
  • For logistical reasons, no more than two (2) packaged commemorative beverages are given to each attendee.
  • Considering having kegs of commemorative beer to serve during the welcome toast, keynote seminar or hospitality suites in additional to packaged commemorative beverages.
  • Secure storage for bottles/cans post-production.
  • Design the label using the guidelines below. Incorporate logos for businesses that donated to the project.
  • Provide brewery logos to AHA Event Manager for program and/or website.
  • Follow-up to ensure production and packaging is on schedule.
  • Packaging must be completed two week prior to the conference.
  • Arrange for delivery to venue. Keep this in mind when determining where the beverage is brewed. Moving 4000 beers is no easy task.

1000 (12 oz.) bottles/cans = 92 gal = ~ 3 bbl
2000 (12 oz.) bottles/cans = 188 gal = ~ 6 bbl
3000 (12 oz.) bottles/cans = 282 gal = ~ 9 bbl
4000 (12 oz.) bottles/cans = 376 gal = ~ 12 bbl
Always account for loss in packaging.

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Label Requirements

  • You do not need state approved labels for beers that aren’t for sale to the public.
  • Kegs don’t require label approval.
  • It’s fine to put all the logos of each donating company on every label.
  • You must include the AHA Logo (BA Event Manager can provide)
  • Consider using official AHA conference art. The more the label looks like the website and/or t-shirts, the more people will associate it with the conference. (BA Event Manager can provide)
  • You must include: “2014 AHA National Homebrew Conference Commemorative Beer/Mead/Cider/Perry” on the label.
  • Please include the conference website www.AHAconference.org.
  • Information about the commemorative beers will get posted to the site.
  • The labels can look exactly the same, with maybe a different color as the background. This will keep the look consistent and is easier to design.
  • Labels must be proofed by AHA staff before printing.
  • You must include the standard US Government warning for alcohol.

For sample purposes only. Not for resale. Government Warning: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may cause health problems.

The text can be broken up, so it reads:
2014 AHA National Homebrewers Conference
Kate’s Amazing Porter
Commemorative Beer

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Local Discounts

Work with establishments near the venue or in the host city to set up discounts for meals or events. Places to target are nearby brewpubs, beer bars or restaurants.

Local Committee Roles:

  • Inform local brewpubs & beer bars of the dates of the conference, as well as the expected attendance. Encourage them to plan ahead with extra staff, craft beer selections and potentially late-night food options.
  • Locate quick- turnaround lunchtime food options for attendees.
  • Focus on places within walking distance to the venue.
  • Food trucks might be a valuable asset; all permits must be acquired in advance. Work with AHA/BA to ensure parking near the host venue is ok.
  • Obey state laws when discussing discounts offered to attendees.
  • Work with AHA Business Coordinator to establish a long-term relationship as an AHA Member Deals participant.

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Local Information

This team compiles information for attendees, spouses and families for the website.

Pages to update include:

  • Travel Info
  • About the Area
  • Host City Attractions (aka Grand Rapids Attractions)

Local Committee Roles:

  • Research activities to do during the conference.
  • Contact local tourism offices and/or venues to obtain discount coupons to hand out.
  • Compile information on nearby restaurants etc. for attendees, especially if providing discounts.
  • Compile travel and parking options.
  • Provide all content for web pages listed above.
  • Work with local convention and visitor’s bureau for additional resources.
  • Any handouts or signage must be approved by AHA/BA staff.

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Zymurgy: Online Extra Author

Write and submit online feature to promote host city. Feature is published on HomebrewersAssociation.org before registration goes live in 2014. Plan to have piece written by January 1, 2014. Character count TBD.

AHA National Homebrew Competition: Final round staff

  • Judge Coordinator
  • Steward Coordinator
  • Data Entry Coordinator
  • Competition Director

(Details Provided by AHA National Homebrew Competition Director)

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