Architects wanted - NHBC Organisation

[Rossa]

Good stuff Tom.

I guess I'll do competition stuff.

Cara and Shiny...we need a publishing team. They will keep the articles fresh in the front page with the long term goal of a newsletter type thing that Declan had in mind...in fact there could be a fair bit of overlap there. What say ye?

Also....so noone feels like it is a life sentence....

The roles and club representatives are on a one year basis. Noone has to stay on but likewise noone has to be moved on unless the local club sees fit.

For the first year some of 'Architects' will be on the steering group but by year two the club reps will be solely responsible and the roles will hopefully be filled my these people.

[DEMPSEY]

Along with doing treasurer,I can do clean up on dog's dinner's should any come along the way. Can help with group buys too.

[Will_D]

1) johnrm: IT Stuff and/or Education
2) CARA: Malleable
3) Cider head:  Logistics: converting and delivering group buys also putting the hand out for add ons for membership
4) Hop Bomb: Merchandisng
5) Will_D: Photos, Teckky geeky chemistry stuff, Forum Modding
6) Rossa: Comps
7) Dempsey: Treasurer and dogs dinner cleanery-upper ??

[Will_D]

I would really like to see a PR/Press interface type position!

Ideally suited to anyone in the country (anywhere) with an internet connection!!

[Rossa]

Are you volunteering? No reason not to. Maybe they could liaise with the publishing team regularly too.

[DEMPSEY]

Long time lurker, but can I just say I'm delighted to see things being organised in such an open and transparent way.

Viva la NHC!

-Dirk.

Dirk,we are always delighted to see new blood coming on board. If you have any ideas don't be shy.

[johnrm]

I would really like to see a PR/Press interface type position!

Ideally suited to anyone in the country (anywhere) with an internet connection!!

Have we got anyone on board with Media contact(s)?
What hardcopy exposure or comment was there after the Comp?
What a about online?
Seeing as Moncrieff was dismissive of HB but still prepared to showcase it, have we a way of turning this around?
Can we wag the dog?

[CARA]

I could have a look at what craft friendly journos are about, reference with articles the big craft pubs have been in etc, and approach them to see if they would fancy doing a piece on the club in general with a look to next years competition.
Now is also the perfect time to concentrate on the the newsletter launch, it would drum up a lot of interest and I reckon we could get it in a lot of high foot fall, relevant, spots after the success of the competition.

[Shane Phelan]

Good stuff Tom.
Cara and Shiny...we need a publishing team. They will keep the articles fresh in the front page with the long term goal of a newsletter type thing that Declan had in mind...in fact there could be a fair bit of overlap there. What say ye?

I like the idea of the newsletter and will happily work with CARA to make that happen. In terms of keeping the front page fresh that will need more than just one person, i.e. write ups about individual club meets, barrel projects, brew days,  etc.... while I can do write ups when I'm in attendance, I cant be at every club meet. It would be great if someone (probably the representative architects) from each club took the time to take a few photos and write up a few words about their monthly meets. That alone would be approximately 10 mini articles a month which would be a great source of content. This already happens to an extent.

1) johnrm: IT Stuff and/or Education
2) CARA: Malleable
3) Cider head:  Logistics: converting and delivering group buys also putting the hand out for add ons for membership
4) Hop Bomb: Merchandisng
5) Will_D: Photos, Teckky geeky chemistry stuff, Forum Modding
6) Rossa: Comps
7) Dempsey: Treasurer and dogs dinner cleanery-upper ??
Shiny: Publishing team, front page articles, newsletter wiki maintenance/additions, technical graphics, etc

[Bubbles]

Rossa, I just want to clarify.. I presume the very specific roles you've outlined above are at a national level and not a club level?

In the interests of formalising the structure of the NHC, I think each club should have a "Club Secretary" and an "Assistant Secretary". Responsibilities would include organising events (tastings, competitions, demos) at a club level and driving club recruitment. The club secretaries would also have a seat at the "executive" table and be able to put forward ideas in the interests of their clubs.

From a Dublin perspective - I think recruitment and encouraging new brewers is going to be very important in order to swell the ranks of the individual clubs. From a Dublin perspective - recently there has been a few new clubs created (South Dublin, Garden County) which is fantastic, but it also has the effect of reducing the numbers in other clubs (say, Capital Brewers). Are there enough homebrewers in the Dublin area to support the number of clubs?

The NHC definitely needs some sort of media-savvy "PRO"-type person to drive awareness at a national level and give advice to clubs. Perhaps we need some kind of poster campaign and distribute them amongst the craft pubs?

Another thing to consider is the level of support the NHC provides to kit brewers. Kit brewing is nearly always the main gateway to home brewing and I think we should support that with more demos, wiki articles etc. for kit brewers. We could even hold a kit brewing competition. I have some ideas on this particular topic that I'll address in a separate thread when I get a chance.

Another idea - it's been a long time since I was a student, but I presume a lot of colleges around the country would have homebrewing societies? Any plans afoot to bring these clubs under the NHC banner, or to help students set up such a society if one doesn't exist?

Sorry if this is off-topic and seems a bit random - I'm just chucking ideas out here.

[brenmurph]

Kellie and I are quite happy to help out. Ideas include:

Bringing on kit brewers to all grain (education)
Helping produce course design, structures and content (education)
Offering base (Kildare) as a central location for group meets (admin / hosting)
Regular brew days (educaion / club promottion)
Stewarding and  upcoming beer judges
Kellie would be delighted to help promote wine brewing especially "made easy" from kits and concenrates.
We may also be able to act as storage / pick up point for goods on the move.

[Padraic]

Rossa, I just want to clarify.. I presume the very specific roles you've outlined above are at a national level and not a club level?

In the interests of formalising the structure of the NHC, I think each club should have a "Club Secretary" and an "Assistant Secretary". Responsibilities would include organising events (tastings, competitions, demos) at a club level and driving club recruitment. The club secretaries would also have a seat at the "executive" table and be able to put forward ideas in the interests of their clubs.

From a Dublin perspective - I think recruitment and encouraging new brewers is going to be very important in order to swell the ranks of the individual clubs. From a Dublin perspective - recently there has been a few new clubs created (South Dublin, Garden County) which is fantastic, but it also has the effect of reducing the numbers in other clubs (say, Capital Brewers). Are there enough homebrewers in the Dublin area to support the number of clubs?

The NHC definitely needs some sort of media-savvy "PRO"-type person to drive awareness at a national level and give advice to clubs. Perhaps we need some kind of poster campaign and distribute them amongst the craft pubs?

Another thing to consider is the level of support the NHC provides to kit brewers. Kit brewing is nearly always the main gateway to home brewing and I think we should support that with more demos, wiki articles etc. for kit brewers. We could even hold a kit brewing competition. I have some ideas on this particular topic that I'll address in a separate thread when I get a chance.

Another idea - it's been a long time since I was a student, but I presume a lot of colleges around the country would have homebrewing societies? Any plans afoot to bring these clubs under the NHC banner, or to help students set up such a society if one doesn't exist?

Sorry if this is off-topic and seems a bit random - I'm just chucking ideas out here.

All very good points Conor, I think most colleges have banned alcohol based societies but they might exist in an unofficial capacity!

I don't think we have too many dublin clubs, I think that these clubs will all grow to include enough members to justify their existence. (But I think we should definitely be keeping an eye on this!)

I think that support for kit brewers is very important and Bren has also raised that point. I'd really like there to be a structured course to bring people from kits to all grain, that can be rolled out in any of the regional clubs!

[irish_goat]

Maynooth had/has a food and wine society, mainly focused on wine but also craft beer but the emphasis was that it couldn't be a piss up society. I would say anyone looking to set up a homebrew society in an SU would find it very difficult tbh.

[Bubbles]

I'm shocked tbh. I'd no idea colleges looked down on this sort of thing.

I'd happily bring 10l of Lidl apple juice along to any students union and show them how to make some turbo cider. Cheap as chips and better tasting than any of the macro-swill I drank as a student.

A "food and wine" society, but you can't get pissed...? 

[irish_goat]

The college funds the SU who in turn pass money onto societies and sports clubs. It would look pretty bad if a sports team lost out on funding whilst another society got money to spend on making alcohol. and getting pissed.

The wine society was only allowed to buy one drink per night, didn't stop us getting pissed (or inflating the number of people who apparently showed up to events).