Hop Barley and the Alers

Club info

Hop Barley & the Alers is the original homebrew club of Boulder County, Colorado. Started in 1989, the club provides an opportunity for homebrewers of all levels to learn about beer and brewing, improve their brewing skills, share homebrewed beers and meads, and have a great time.

See the upcoming events page for the latest information on future club activities and the blog for a review of some past events. Our club officers are happy to provide more information, listen to your ideas for club activities or improvements, or drink your beer. Read the bylaws for operating minutiae. Also, please share your comments about this website.

Meetings

Meetings are usually held at 7:00pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Boulder Jaycee Depot building. The Depot building is at the northwest corner of 30th and Pearl in Boulder, Colorado (north of Ace Liquors and Mann Theatres and easterly of Whole Foods and B&N).

Meetings typically include food (free for members, $2 donation requested from non-members), great beer, a guest speaker, and a mini-competition featuring the style of the month. Guests are always welcome. Bring your own tasting glass. Club glassware, T-shirts and other items can be purchased at meetings. Proceeds are used to fund club events. Some pictures from past meetings are archived online.

What's Brewin', Boulder's finest homebrew store, provides the ingredients for one batch of beer to a rotating group of club members to prepare for the benefit of the club.

That rotating group is a color group, and responsibilities also rotate for providing food and setup/cleanup. The color group page provides more details.

In addition, the club gives away ingredients for beer each month. Usually one extract batch and one all-grain batch of beer are given to lucky club members to brew and bring to the next meeting.

Membership

Club membership is open to all who are interested in homemade beer, mead, and wine. The membership fees are $20 per person, or $30 per couple (one newsletter), due at the January meeting. This entitles members to the newsletter, free food at meetings, the respect and admiration of others, and of course the secret handshake. Guests are always welcome to attend club events.

Get $5

For the 2003 calendar year, all new members who bring in a sales receipt of at least $10 from What's Brewin' will get $5 off their membership dues. All current members who refer a new member to the club will get $5 off their membership.

Homebrew competition

Each year in late winter or early spring, the club hosts an annual AHA-sanctioned and MCAB Qualifying Event, the Reggale & Dredhop homebrew competition.

Brew-in

Brew-ins are communal brewing sessions that serve as a chance for club members of all brewing levels to get together, share techniques, show off brewing gadgets, and sample some fine fermentables. See the events page for schedule and the brew-in reports page for history.

Auction

Thanks to our many fine sponsors, this club fundraiser is always a hit. Members bid for donated items including brewing gadgets, brewing sessions, T-shirts, and much more.

Picnic

This festive overnighter is held each summer in a picturesque mountain getaway near Boulder. We have great food, great beer, great mead and of course secret rituals.

Holiday party

In the club's year-end finale, normal business is tossed aside. Instead, this get-together features a pot-luck dinner and room to schmooze. Members bring out their finest fermentables for this one.

Softball

Club members get together to play fun recreational softball. Non-players show up to heckle and drink good homebrew. Check out the softball page for schedules and more info.