[tommymorris]

It seems like an opportunity to go to both conferences with one airfare and hotel bill. That might enable some attendees that couldn’t or wouldn’t make it otherwise.

I also think more breweries might be involved with NHC since they will be in town for GABF already.

I have never been to either, so I speak from ignorance.

[hopfenundmalz]

Attendance in SD was up, but not enough to cover the costs. I had a very good time. They have to do something, or there will be no HomebrewCon, let alone club night.

[guido]

Attendance in SD was up, but not enough to cover the costs. I had a very good time. They have to do something, or there will be no HomebrewCon, let alone club night.

Would attendance in the 2K range cover the costs? There are so many factors at play here. Would the AHA consider a smaller (cheaper) venue until attendance bounces back? Homebrewcon is already an expensive proposition. In the big picture, a small price increase would be negligible (I'm probably in the minority on this). Lastly, Denver is a fantastic beer town, but I love how the conference is hosted by different cities. It makes each one unique. I'm not keen on a permanent location.

[erockrph]

Attendance in SD was up, but not enough to cover the costs. I had a very good time. They have to do something, or there will be no HomebrewCon, let alone club night.

Would attendance in the 2K range cover the costs? There are so many factors at play here. Would the AHA consider a smaller (cheaper) venue until attendance bounces back? Homebrewcon is already an expensive proposition. In the big picture, a small price increase would be negligible (I'm probably in the minority on this). Lastly, Denver is a fantastic beer town, but I love how the conference is hosted by different cities. It makes each one unique. I'm not keen on a permanent location.

Yeah, I don't see myself ever getting to one if it becomes permanently attached to GABF in Denver. Unfortunately, the AHA's relationship with the BA is a double-edged sword. It certainly provides a great deal more access and opportunities, but at the same time if there's competition for resources, then the AHA is going to end up losing out.

I've seen several local expo's merge or get rolled into bigger shows over the years. Every single time the content from the smaller show ends up fading away slowly over a few years. I really hope that doesn't end up happening here.

[hopfenundmalz]

Attendance in SD was up, but not enough to cover the costs. I had a very good time. They have to do something, or there will be no HomebrewCon, let alone club night.

Would attendance in the 2K range cover the costs? There are so many factors at play here. Would the AHA consider a smaller (cheaper) venue until attendance bounces back? Homebrewcon is already an expensive proposition. In the big picture, a small price increase would be negligible (I'm probably in the minority on this). Lastly, Denver is a fantastic beer town, but I love how the conference is hosted by different cities. It makes each one unique. I'm not keen on a permanent location.

I have no idea of what the AHA contracted for the attendance. 2000 would be a little more than the attendance at the first in SD back in 2011, but down from 2015.

https://www.homebrewcon.org/past-conferences/

Edit. It looks like beer festivals are having lower attendance also. GABF too.

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/11/decline-craft-beer-festival-gabf-2023

[denny]

Attendance in SD was up, but not enough to cover the costs. I had a very good time. They have to do something, or there will be no HomebrewCon, let alone club night.

Would attendance in the 2K range cover the costs? There are so many factors at play here. Would the AHA consider a smaller (cheaper) venue until attendance bounces back? Homebrewcon is already an expensive proposition. In the big picture, a small price increase would be negligible (I'm probably in the minority on this). Lastly, Denver is a fantastic beer town, but I love how the conference is hosted by different cities. It makes each one unique. I'm not keen on a permanent location.

I have no idea of what the AHA contracted for the attendance. 2000 would be a little more than the attendance at the first in SD back in 2011, but down from 2015.

https://www.homebrewcon.org/past-conferences/

Edit. It looks like beer festivals are having lower attendance also. GABF too.

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/11/decline-craft-beer-festival-gabf-2023

I think your final citation has a lot to do with it. I haven't been to a beer festival in years. Even at HBC, I spend a few minutes at the Kickoff Party and club night and I'm done.

[Megary]

No offense intended, but beer festivals are for the young and this hobby is not exactly swelling with 20-somethings. 

I still enjoy a beer festival when I can, but I'll admit I'm certainly one of the older attendees.  These days, when I do attend, I go with a more mature plan: try only the interesting beers and not every beer.   

[BrewBama]

I agree that beer festivals are for the young. I have been there and done that. Now, when presented with multiple beers, I taste samples of them vs drink pints. 

Even at the monthly club meeting where there can be ~9 beers to try, I have a sip of each just to get a sample.  Over the ~2 hr meeting, I usually end up drinking the low ABV session beers I brew (which is why I brew them).

[guido]

No offense intended, but beer festivals are for the young and this hobby is not exactly swelling with 20-somethings. 

I still enjoy a beer festival when I can, but I'll admit I'm certainly one of the older attendees.  These days, when I do attend, I go with a more mature plan: try only the interesting beers and not every beer.   

Bingo! I think the aging demographic of homebrewers is the biggest problem, and that's what the AHA should be focusing on. My homebrew club is flourishing, but almost everyone is just north or south of 60 (I'm 63). I'd love to pass on the reins on leadership to a young buck, but there's no one who fits the bill. I'm not even sure what the solution is. The younger generations seem to have no desire to do anything but stare into their phones.

[Megary]

No offense intended, but beer festivals are for the young and this hobby is not exactly swelling with 20-somethings. 

I still enjoy a beer festival when I can, but I'll admit I'm certainly one of the older attendees.  These days, when I do attend, I go with a more mature plan: try only the interesting beers and not every beer.   

Bingo! I think the aging demographic of homebrewers is the biggest problem, and that's what the AHA should be focusing on. My homebrew club is flourishing, but almost everyone is just north or south of 60 (I'm 63). I'd love to pass on the reins on leadership to a young buck, but there's no one who fits the bill. I'm not even sure what the solution is. The younger generations seem to have no desire to do anything but stare into their phones.

While I completely disagree with the "stare into their phones" part, I do feel the AHA has a bit of an age problem.  Maybe this hobby has always had that to some extent though??  But I would just hate it if the cost of admission is keeping those with less disposable income from taking up the hobby.  Brewing beer does not have to be expensive but to the uninitiated it might seem that to get started today, one needs to buy an All in One, Immersion chiller, kegs etc.  While Homebrew Con, as correctly noted by redrocker, is way out of reach for many, so also is a BrewZilla.

The AHA should worry less about attendance to Homebrew Con - heck, I say get rid of it if it's a losing proposition - and focus more on promoting what appeals across all generations - the DIY aspect of the hobby...and books like Simple Homebrewing.   

[Big_Eight]

I like GABF but the ticket prices are ridiculous for me. I'm within driving distance of it and haven't been in years.

I haven't been to a Homebrewcon and even with it as close as it is I still probably won't go. I'd rather brew beer with my buddies and hang out or get some astronomers together for a star party lol.

Also we are just north of 40 age wise so there are some of us.

[denny]

Keep in mind that beer is a rapidly shrinking segment of the beverage market. I mean, WAY down. Even seltzer is way down over the last years. Cocktails are the hot new thing with young people. Beer is for old farts.

[redrocker652002]

No offense intended, but beer festivals are for the young and this hobby is not exactly swelling with 20-somethings. 

I still enjoy a beer festival when I can, but I'll admit I'm certainly one of the older attendees.  These days, when I do attend, I go with a more mature plan: try only the interesting beers and not every beer.   

Bingo! I think the aging demographic of homebrewers is the biggest problem, and that's what the AHA should be focusing on. My homebrew club is flourishing, but almost everyone is just north or south of 60 (I'm 63). I'd love to pass on the reins on leadership to a young buck, but there's no one who fits the bill. I'm not even sure what the solution is. The younger generations seem to have no desire to do anything but stare into their phones.

Agree 100%.  Having two kids in their 20's I see it all the time.  They sit on the couch and either converse (chat) with friends or watch vids or play games on their phones.  The younger generation is more about the instant results and the mentality of buying not doing it themselves.  I enjoy a full day of brewing and drinking beer that I made, but I think the kids of today just don't want to take the time to do it.  On another post, it mentioned beer drinking was down, I have to agree there as well.  Seems beer drinkers are the "old guys" sitting around with nothing to do and lots of time to do it.  LOL.  And believe me, I try and fit into that category as much as I can.  LOL.  I just think, at least from what I have seen with both my kids and their friends, the 20 to 30 somethings just don't have the desire to do anything that they can buy instead.  The DIY mentality is being lost in my opinion.  Of course, this is just my opinion, and for the most part really isn't worth much.  LOL     

[Megary]

I realize that dumping on the next generation is a tradition passed down from time immemorial, but if we were all growing up today, we would be on our cell phones just as much.  (My two kids are far smarter and more mature than I ever was at their age, at any age really.)    If younger people aren't taking up this hobby, it's not because the DIY spirit is being lost.  Generations don't change that much from one to the other.  (People just get old and mis-eulogize their own past.  )

[reverseapachemaster]

Agree 100%.  Having two kids in their 20's I see it all the time.  They sit on the couch and either converse (chat) with friends or watch vids or play games on their phones.  The younger generation is more about the instant results and the mentality of buying not doing it themselves.  I enjoy a full day of brewing and drinking beer that I made, but I think the kids of today just don't want to take the time to do it.  On another post, it mentioned beer drinking was down, I have to agree there as well.  Seems beer drinkers are the "old guys" sitting around with nothing to do and lots of time to do it.  LOL.  And believe me, I try and fit into that category as much as I can.  LOL.  I just think, at least from what I have seen with both my kids and their friends, the 20 to 30 somethings just don't have the desire to do anything that they can buy instead.  The DIY mentality is being lost in my opinion.  Of course, this is just my opinion, and for the most part really isn't worth much.  LOL   

I was watching a show and the host mentioned going to baseball games as a kid and the stadiums had Dad beer, the old lager brands, but now they have a lot of craft beer. Craft beer is today's Dad beer. Alcohol in general is a fickle, fad-driven market.

Homebrewing follows the course of craft beer. When it was big, lots of people got into the hobby. Many looked around and decided they didn't want to spend all day brewing and cleaning and got back out. As better beer became more readily available, the desire to put in the work waned further. With craft beer on the decline and people still shaking off sheltering in place, it's just not a good time for the hobby.

On the subject of HBC:

As a Denver resident, I'm spoiled having GABF here (although I rarely go) but I don't see HBC benefitting much from tying the two together. Many people come to Denver for one or two GABF sessions and then travel around the front range going to breweries. Packing in days of seminars, club night, another award celebration, etc. is going to stretch that out too much for a lot of people.

It's disappointing that the AHA hasn't given more explanation of what to expect--especially with the competition--and I struggle to believe it was a last minute decision based on HBC attendance this year.