Suggestions for starting a beer tasting club

What kind of club? Tasting? Brewing? Trading? All the above?

Start with people you know and build some social media pages. Start with bottle shares (because who doesn't love a bottle share?). Everyone brings something rare/unique/etc. Do it once a month or so. Word of mouth will travel and you'll have a beer club in no time. The better the beer, the more people will show and grow.

 

A couple of idea's based off of my own experience with a local beer/tasting/homebrew club. First, yes set up a website if possible and also social media. You can also leave messages at your local specialty beer store and homebrew supply store. If at all possible set up a forum on your website.

Try to find a public place to meet.

Do the beer share thing. Have everyone bring their own beer. You can make it a little specific like doing only a certain style per meeting. Have all participants announce to the club leader what they are going to bring so that you don't have duplicates.

Plan short area trips to different breweries.

 

One person/or a group is in charge of the beer for all. Charge $10 a tasting to cover cost of the beer. Highlight certain styles/breweries/etc. every tasting.

 

We don't always have a theme, but the ones with a theme are often the best tastings. Good snacks and music add to the evening. We try to strike a balance between just enjoying the beers and partying and trying to appreciate the beers as works of drinkable art, and discussing them. Everyone gets a turn picking the next beer. We always have arrangements for folks to stay over so no one drives drunk. We all participate in bringing beer, but some folks prefer to bring food if they feel they don't have beer good enough for the tasting. In the end there is usually too much beer and food, which is preferable to not enough.

 

Get a group email together, and set a date, time and location a few weeks ahead of time. If you're starting the club, you want to volunteer your house first. Set a theme, and everyone brings bottle or 2. The theme is a guideline, but exceptions are always welcome.. For example, if the theme is BA stouts and someone brings Cantillon DQ, ya open it.

Order some pizza or something.. Or, if you're a BBQ type of guy, make some ribs or some pulled pork.. Have lot of water around.. While at the tasting, try to set a date and location of the next one.

 

I've thought about this.

But since craft isn't a huge thing around here, It would only attract those guys with the circulation cutting skinny jeans and long, unkept beards and D rate neck tattoos from back yard artists. Don't forget the tye dye wife beater and first act guitar.

Basically the average Stella drinker.

 

Don't over think it. I think smaller groups work better 6 to 12 working on the bottle share idea. You can try having everyone bring a bottle from a different style or different versions of the same style. Remember, its only beer and the point is to relax, have fun and possibly learn something.

 

I like this idea, but would be careful of local liquor laws.

 

Growlers work wonders for 4 people.....granted, they take up some space in the fridge, but nice and fresh is always a welcome addition.