[denny]

I'd like to hear some thoughts on this...what makes a person a Homebrew All Star?  Is it winning awards?  Is it somebody you've heard of or is it somebody who has great ideas whether you've ever heard of them or not?  What  makes a person an All Star?  What's an All Star idea?  And who do you consider to be Homebrew All Stars?

[HoosierBrew]

I think anyone who has dedicated themselves to the point that they make beer at home consistently of a commercial level is a homebrewing All Star of sorts.
But the REAL All Stars IMO are the people who took their knowledge and helped brewers on a big scale. People that act as ambassadors , even cheerleaders , for the hobby. The first for me and a lot of people (even though some of the info is a bit dated now) was/is  Charlie P.  His contributions to homebrewing, BA, GABF, etc. are gigantic.  And another is you, Denny. We both know the spotty info that was around for awhile on AG brewing. You cut through the BS for a lot of brewers with Cheap n Easy AG, the same way Charlie did by encouraging people to try brewing in the first place. I would venture a guess that there'd be a lot more 'extract with steeping grains' brewers if not for somebody presenting AG as a cheap, easy alternative to better beer. Lastly, Martin has been huge in helping AG brewers dial in their pH - I never realized how much of a difference good pH made until I got it right consistently, on different styles, and not just the beers my water happened to be suited for. 
There are lots of other All Stars out there, but those are the three that came to mind first.

EDIT  -  I've gotta add Major. He made the jump to pro brewer, is excelling there by all accounts, and makes time to be a mod here and pass on his wealth of info.

[pete b]

Because I don't enter comps, am not in a club, and don't live in an area that's a real hotbed for homebrewers the first thing that comes to mind are those who taught lots of others. Papazian, Noonan, Palmer etc.
But I bet for those in more of a community with large clubs there are local heroes. It could be someone no one knows who is knowledgeable and generous enough to teach friends.
Right now my homebrew heroes are the regular posters on this forum who have been passionate for a long time and our consistently putting out good info for us and responding so specifically. Of course that includes Denny and Martin but let's not forget those who are not writing books or software but just sharing their passion: hoosierbrew, mortxavier, dmtaylor, s.cerivisae, erock, steve in tx to name but a few who have helped me.

[jtoots]

Bravo to Pete.  I'd agree in short:
A homebrew allstar is someone who inspires and shares knowledge with others.

[jimmykx250]

Bravo to Pete.  I'd agree in short:
A homebrew allstar is someone who inspires and shares knowledge with others.

I agree with the above as well. A lot of quality people on this forum sharing good advice just for the love of the craft and to see others advance their brewing capability's.

[Jimmy K]

Great. Now my fantasy cheerleaders all look like Denny. Thanks.

I agree with the quality and contribution idea above. Doesn't have to be someone with national appeal, could be someone working locally in a club or a shop. I would bet that if given to someone that already has a lot of attention, like Gordon Strong, people are likely to yawn and move on because there is nothing new here.

Competitions certainly could attest to the quality aspect, but that shouldn't be the only way.

[braufessor]

I agree with the sentiment of others.  Of course a brewer needs to make consistently good beer and have sound knowledge...... but, ultimately I think it comes down to sharing that knowledge with others.  All the folks who are not only good brewers but teach others, answer the same questions (patiently) over and over and help to make everyone else a better brewer too - that is what I would consider an "all star."  I have always enjoyed that about the hobby - most people will go so far out of their way to help you, answer questions, direct you in some way to improve...... For me, that is the primary criteria - enthusiastic sharing of good information that leads to better beer for all.

[Slowbrew]

I think anyone who is "that person I call when I'm don't know ..." is an all-star to that one person.  Hopefully we have all been that type of person (or will be at some point) for the people we have helped get started.

More generally, I agree with the comments others have given already.  If the intent is to publicly recognize folks I would prefer it go to folks that work "on the ground" or 1 on 1 more so than to folks like Gordon, Jamal or other big name folks.  They have done a lot of good promoting the hobby and have received a lot of recognition over years. 

I don't know to make this sound constructive so I'll just say it straight out.  Another award that goes to the same folks who have already received every other award would kind of send a poor message to new folks.  I would look for a more grass roots based (passionate stories about individuals who were lifted up by the guy next door type of thing) selection process.  No ill will intended I swear.  8^)

YMMV

Paul

[fmader]

Denny.... You're a Homebrew Rock Star!!!

I agree with above posts. I've learned 80% of what I know about brewing from people right here on this forum. 80% will continue to go up as I continue to learn here. I try to pay what knowledge I have gained from the all stars forward as much as I can.

I don't think it has anything to do with ribbons or medals. It's about being an ambassador of the hobby.

[dannyjed]

I agree with the previous comments. I've had the pleasure of meeting in person some "Homebrew All Stars" in the past year - Denny Conn, Drew Beechum, Randy Mosher, and Jeff Rankert.

[HoosierBrew]

Great. Now my fantasy cheerleaders all look like Denny. Thanks.

Yeah, I got that visual right after posting.  It makes sense................. figuratively.


One more thing -  I completely agree with the posts that the people who are here regularly and patiently post the same good info to new brewers, as well as sharing excellent info with more experienced brewers are no doubt All Stars. We all make each other better in some way, big or small. I'm grateful for it.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

great thread. first and foremost, to me the definition of an all star brewer: someone who is passionate about something so primitive, yet so sophisticated at the same time.

This hobby we all have fallen in love with, has so many unique flavors and individual twists that make every brewing session like the very first love you had. A true all star realizes that while they may have a great deal of brewing knowledge, there is likely something to be learned from the newest of brewers. Sometimes the "nubes" are so ramped up with unbridled passion, they stumble across the unthinkable and show all of us why we love this craft. The all star is humble, and never judges or criticizes- instead they offer experience and perspective, while instilling in the "nube" that they should seek truth and answers in the most obvious of places..their own experiences. Being an all star isn't about medals, public accolades, or being complacent with ones perception of their brewing practices. Its remembering where we come from, that we all started blindly, and that we have a lifetime to learn and to coach others along the journey to excellence.

[klickitat jim]

I'd like to hear some thoughts on this...what makes a person a Homebrew All Star?  Is it winning awards?  Is it somebody you've heard of or is it somebody who has great ideas whether you've ever heard of them or not?  What  makes a person an All Star?  What's an All Star idea?  And who do you consider to be Homebrew All Stars?

All Star is an adjective to a plural, such as All Star Team or All Star Cast. So, what makes a person an All Star is a team, group, cast, or forum of others who are equally Stars.

[davidgzach]

Love of the craft, doing it well, teaching others and being happy when your pupils teach you.

[mchrispen]

Not sure what else to add that hasn't already been said.


But to echo... they are the brewers, pro or am, that have opened up their worlds to allow other to participate. They share, often to the detriment of their time and/or profession, to move the craft forward in tangible ways. This can be through helping people brew, great advice, sometimes brutally honest feedback, book writing, blogs, and I think most importantly, service in a club or organization like AHA.


So besides my very obvious heroes - many from this site, two local homebrewers stand out. One brews with me, co-miserates on scores or bad brews and also volunteers to run events like NHC judging, pushing me out of my comfort zone to judge or try new things. His dedication is catching - another good friend is using his brewing to raise funds for charity - and pushing events to sponsor charitable causes. << - - This to my mind sets these guys slightly higher. They really pay it forward.