[AmandaK]

I'm a member of the 1997 Club Of The Year.
it was accomplished with less than 20 members...times have sure changed, eh?!

KCBM won CotY in 2000 with about 8-10 people actually entering in a club of about 30. 

So we had aimed for Gambrinus instead.  Finished close 2nd, way ahead of 3rd place, and would have won, if some brand-new brewers hadn't insisted on entering poor batches.  (Whatever; I can't exactly bar them from entering.)  Next year we'll try for Gambrinus again.

My point exactly. You can't really tell people not to enter - that would obviously be a d*ck move.

P.S. - I'm taking applications if any Midwest superclubs are forming and recruiting.   

If nothing changes, I think it'll happen this year. We just need an epic name! (That doesn't bash the BN - they aren't the cause of this.)

[brulosopher]

With that said NHC club night was AMAZING.  So many great Clubs out there that really put a lot into their booths and the beer that they were serving was fantastic.  I had heard club night was fun prior to attending NHC, but actually experiencing it really opened my eyes.  Kudos to all the great clubs out there that gave it their all!  You are the true winners in my book.

Fellow BN lover here. Club night WAS amazing, would have been cool if they had a booth...

[braufessor]

Yes, there is the Gambrinus Award, which is basically a winning % game. However, if you think about that award in any detail your club either has to be extremely lucky to have only award winning brewers in your club entering NHC or you have to instruct the less-high-quality brewers to simply not enter the NHC for the sake of winning. And how crappy would that be? For a club like ours, we have many people who are consistent award winners and we also have many people who are just starting out. Could you imagine how poorly that would make some people feel if we were to actually try and make a run at the Gambrinus by way of telling some people not to enter?? That would be terrible.

That is a good point.... and I suppose that type of thing would be the downfall of some sort of Midwest Homebrewer of the Year format.

[mike89t]

Fellow BN lover here. Club night WAS amazing, would have been cool if they had a booth...

They did have a booth.  It was kind of in the middle but got lost in the crowd.

[mchrispen]

Amanda, will direct message you the statement, as it will totally derail this thread. The alleged event was offensive, inappropriate and the very brave lady barely was able to deliver the message without tears. This was after the Foam Rangers proudly announced that the Dixie Cup is being run by their female members and renamed, "The Chixie Cup, In with Chicks and out with Dicks" like it was advancing and embracing women. There was very uncomfortable silence and light chuckling. I hope the Q&A session was recorded and will be posted.

EDIT: The offense was not accused of any BN personnel or employee... I didn't mean to imply or infer that at all.

[braufessor]

P.S. - I'm taking applications if any Midwest superclubs are forming and recruiting.   

Sign me up

[AmandaK]

Amanda, will direct message you the statement, as it will totally derail this thread.

I would also post what was said to me at Club Night, but it would also derail the thread. Let's just say that someone got an earful from me after they were done talking.

[toby]

This was after the Foam Rangers proudly announced that the Dixie Cup is being run by their female members [...]

Actually, I don't think it was one of the Foam Rangers.  I tried to turn around quick enough to see it, and I think it may have been Ted Hausotter (he gave a hop talk at last year's, although that would technically make him a lifetime Foam Ranger).

[brulosopher]

Amanda, will direct message you the statement, as it will totally derail this thread.

I would also post what was said to me at Club Night, but it would also derail the thread. Let's just say that someone got an earful from me after they were done talking.

Now I'm beyond curious.

[brulosopher]

Fellow BN lover here. Club night WAS amazing, would have been cool if they had a booth...

They did have a booth.  It was kind of in the middle but got lost in the crowd.

Pathetically, I probably stopped there and just don't remember. Honestly, like Amanda said, this isn't the BN's fault.

[klickitat jim]

Something offensive was said in the line entering the BN anniversary party? I find that hard to believe.

[mchrispen]

Toby, you might be right... I thought he was wearing the DeFalco's shirt.

To sum up the discussion, it was about tolerance and some (very) offensive comments made by folks waiting in line for the BN party bus. Embarrassing.

That said, I don't want the whole event to be colored by this. The NHC was an amazing experience (my first time), but there are pretty serious issues to address that cannot be laid just at the BN. Sexism, intolerance and bigotry in any membership or attendance should be confronted. I was happy to see a people of all races, cultures and facial hair epic-ness (or lack there of...) attending.

[mchrispen]

Jim, honestly if you heard it - handcuffs would have been deployed. I don't doubt for a minute her veracity... it was offensive, inappropriate and my dad would have beaten me within an inch of my life for even thinking such a thing.

[klickitat jim]

I don't doubt it. But was it Justin or  one of his employees who said it? I'm just trying to figure why we would be chewing out Justin for that?

[mchrispen]

To be very clear - from what I heard, it happened in line for the BN party, not by any BN staff or representative. I am not accusing anyone from there... Justin responded as part of the elected committee - and apparently had a "foot-in-mouth" slip at the party - so was a bit sensitive. I wasn't there. Apologies if I implied anything otherwise.

I was extremely disappointed in the responses from the governing committee, basically a qualified apology and to continue a "conversation". I need to listen to the recording when it is published, perhaps I misheard the context.