[dkfick]

I attend with my wife who is also an AHA member.

You have it made with twice the probability of the typical member. Do remember that every attendee has the opportunity to include a guest, so you both can enter the lottery and if either gets selected...you both go.

I looked at the registration details and found this:  Each member who enters the lottery can register up to one additional guest. All attendees must be a member of the AHA, including guests.

Does that mean if I take my wife, she has to be an AHA member?  She wasn't last year.  If so, when would she have to join?   Before the lottery?  After an opportunity to register might be extended to me?  That's a new wrench thrown in.

yeah, that's a head-scratcher.  My wife wants to go as my guest but she barely ever drinks, and just a few ounces.  She hates beer.  I'm sure as hell not buying her an AHA membership.

I'd hate to say it but if she did have a ticket to the conference she would most likely be taking a space away from someone who could arguably get more out of it. (A homebrewer and AHA member).  It wouldn't prevent you from having her come along on the trip... She just wouldn't be able to attend the conference.  Seems legit to me.  My girlfriend is an AHA member because she enjoys beer and brews beer as well.

[udubdawg]

I attend with my wife who is also an AHA member.

You have it made with twice the probability of the typical member. Do remember that every attendee has the opportunity to include a guest, so you both can enter the lottery and if either gets selected...you both go.

I looked at the registration details and found this:  Each member who enters the lottery can register up to one additional guest. All attendees must be a member of the AHA, including guests.

Does that mean if I take my wife, she has to be an AHA member?  She wasn't last year.  If so, when would she have to join?   Before the lottery?  After an opportunity to register might be extended to me?  That's a new wrench thrown in.

yeah, that's a head-scratcher.  My wife wants to go as my guest but she barely ever drinks, and just a few ounces.  She hates beer.  I'm sure as hell not buying her an AHA membership.

I'd hate to say it but if she did have a ticket to the conference she would most likely be taking a space away from someone who could arguably get more out of it. (A homebrewer and AHA member).  It wouldn't prevent you from having her come along on the trip... She just wouldn't be able to attend the conference.  Seems legit to me.  My girlfriend is an AHA member because she enjoys beer and brews beer as well.

maybe.  But I cannot be the only married guy who gets to go on vacations on the condition he bring his wife along...

[dkfick]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

[dbeechum]

I'm not privy to everything, but I can tell you that:

• The 2015 location is probably going to be announced before the registration for 2014
• I don't know anything about the elimination of Pro Night except that there have been rumbles about it for a while. I think part of the plan is to give attendees more time to explore the host city.
• There have also been rumbles about shortening up the late hours on the Social Club because of hotel concerns about late night drunky drunken.
• I thought the ticket prices usually came built in with an escalator price that effectively made you a member?

[udubdawg]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

[denny]

I for one won't miss Pro night.

[theDarkSide]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

I can see both sides of this, but I would never go to a scrapbooking conference with my wife just so I could be around her

Also, it look like there is only 1 conference pass level this year (Full) and the banquet add-on (i.e. no social or reduced tickets).  Or maybe the site needs to still be updated.

[dkfick]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

My guess is the person that would care is the homebrewer that doesn't get to attend...

[udubdawg]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

My guess is the person that would care is the homebrewer that doesn't get to attend...

that would be me, under these rules.

...look, it's clear we're going to agree to disagree.  That's fine.

cheers--
--Michael

[macbrews]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

I am fortunate in that my wife is interested in homebrewing (she became interested in order to spend more time with me).  I guess I have never seen the need to register her as well.

[punatic]

So, maybe to be eligible to enter the lottery, there should be a mandatory questionnaire assessing you and your guest's brewing knowledge/enthusiasm.  Then, if you or your guest are not deemed altruistic enough to attend, you would be excluded from entering the lottery.

[hopfenundmalz]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

I can see both sides of this, but I would never go to a scrapbooking conference with my wife just so I could be around her

Also, it look like there is only 1 conference pass level this year (Full) and the banquet add-on (i.e. no social or reduced tickets).  Or maybe the site needs to still be updated.

The reduced Fri-Sat ticket last year was due to the AHA realizing another conf was ending on Thursday, so more space would be available. They acted quickly on that and got another 900 or so in, over the initial contract, IIRC

Grand Rapids was contracted for 4000, so no need for the 2 day ticket.

[Stevie]

My lady and I will not be attending, though she is a member. She is only into the hanging out aspect of brewing and doesn't brew herself. She uses the heck out of the discount.

Upgrading to the family membership is not too expensive and I think worth it.

[morticaixavier]

But that's what I'm saying... You can bring her along... If she is uninterested in beer and brewing why would she even want to attend the conference?

because she likes me, and likes being around me, and wants to be there when I win another medal, maybe?

...who cares why, really?  She wants to go.

I can see both sides of this, but I would never go to a scrapbooking conference with my wife just so I could be around her

Also, it look like there is only 1 conference pass level this year (Full) and the banquet add-on (i.e. no social or reduced tickets).  Or maybe the site needs to still be updated.

The reduced Fri-Sat ticket last year was due to the AHA realizing another conf was ending on Thursday, so more space would be available. They acted quickly on that and got another 900 or so in, over the initial contract, IIRC

Grand Rapids was contracted for 4000, so no need for the 2 day ticket.

and perhaps the need for the 'social' level was perceived as reduced because of the membership requirement even for guests.

[bonjour]

A few words
The 2014 NHC will be held in the DeVos center in Grand Rapids.  We have the entire center as I currently understand it so we have a lot of space. 

The Lottery.  A lot of thought went into this for the competition and the conference.  I believe you will see all Brewers Association events moving this way.  Why?  First and foremost, most ticket agencies can handle 10,000 requests in an hour, in the first 30 seconds --- No.  There will be no advantage to entering your request in the first hour.  Take your time, but also don't enter your request in the last half hour.  IMHO it is unfair to favor members that can be entering data into 10+ computers and hitting them as often and as quick as you can.    My hope is that we will not have to actually enter the "lottery" phase of buying tickets for the NHC.  Good luck to all.  You can blame me as a member of the Governing committee for this.  After a lot of discussion and input from AHA members this is the direction we decided to take to be fair to all.  As usual we will evaluate how well this worked and evaluate changes (if needed) for future events.

New this year is that all guests MUST be AHA members.  This can be a household membership which is (I believe) currently $22.  My wife wants to come so I have purchased this membership for her.

Last year, despite all the early problems, everyone that had expressed an interest in attending was given the opportunity.  The AHA refused no one to the current largest conference to date, Philly.  Offering more admissions, it is our hope that everyone that applies can attend. 

Pro-Brewers.  The welcome reception you all know about.  We are trying to spread the Pro's out throughout the conference and details are not finalized.

Thursday night on-the-town.  We have our Local Committee Staff working on that to ensure you can enjoy Beer City's hospitality.

Pre-Events:  We have some awesome tours in the process of being scheduled.  Bell's, Founders, plus many others.  Oh, and does anyone out there like sour beers? . . . . . . . .