Discussion for ideas on putting together a club booth at the 2014 AHA National Homebrew Conference in Grand Rapids, MI on June 12 - 14. This is a sister thread to our preparations on trying to give a talk about CHAOS here.
Ideas tossed around thus far:
- Barrel Aged Beers
- Take Keezer or Jockey Boxes
Lets keep the discussion going, I'll keep this updated with ideas and thoughts.
We also need to be able to serve it. We have two jockey boxes, I can get a 3rd in Grand Rapids from a friend. We could also consider bringing the Keezer and dressing it up.
I think clubs pick a theme and go all out with that. So we should begin brainstorming for that.
Some notes/observations/comments that I noticed at last years conference in Philly, regarding club nite booths.
- The large majority of clubs had a theme. We should consider and brainstorm this. We definitely need more than a banner and some jockey boxes.
- A lot of the the more crowded club booths had a few things in common. Good beer and they listed what they had to offer on signs that were easy to read and often had some good vertical prominence.
- Most clubs only utilized one or two tables. I'm not sure what the regulations will be this year, but we should maximize the space we have available.
- One club built an old saloon...sort of. you could walk into it ask for a beer through a window as well as out in front. Downside...they only had one way in and out...made whole thing a pain in the ass.
- I think we should definitely utilize some of our older barrels and racks. Maybe put a couple faucets in the barrels and use it as a display and serving station.
- Think we should have multiple serving "stations" with in our small booth area. Signs should be easy to read and understand...as well as high and out of the way.
I tried to do some brainstorming...
The best I could come up with was to have an "outlaw brew club" theme. I'm open to other suggestions too obviously.
I concur with Dave that an outlaw or underground type theme would be kinda cool for our club.
I plan to attend the conference, as well, and am willing to help out in any way needed.
Running with the Outlaw theme. matching denim vest with a "cut" on the back. Top Rocker would be C.H.A.O.S. Bottom Rocker CHICAGO, with a small square patch off to the side with the intials B.C. for Brew Club. The center patch between the 2 rockers could be an illeteration of the chaos symbol. For those of you non punks out there the Chaos symbol is a circle with arrows coming out in all directions, instead of arrows it could be mash paddles. Ex. Here; http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Chaos+Symbol&qpvt=Chaos+Symbol&FORM=IGRE.
Breast Patches, denotes a Alchemist, Brewer, Apprentice, Board Member and Officers.
As far as our table have metal playing from some bookshelf speakers. I have a ton of punk and metal flyers I have collected over the years that we could put up as a back drop...
Anyway thats all I got for now, thoughts?
I like chucks idea.
The emperor is not as forgiving as i am
Could we play off the theme that we have a brewhouse, and do something that we called the "Brewhouse Bar" and modeled it off our brewhouse itself?
Oh... my... god. Why haven't we done this? http://thechive.com/2013/09/17/guys-rig-up-buddies-plumbing-with-beer-wh...