Oregon Brew Crew

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The purpose of this FAQ is to give quick, concise, and helpful answers to common questions asked about being an OBC member, and relay tribal knowledge to all members new and current. This general information document will be a constant work in progress; as such, please note that it will always be incomplete. If you’d like to ask a general question about OBC membership, see “how-to” information added, or want to know where to find something, benefits, etc., we would love to hear your feedback and add these items to the FAQ. This is open to new and current members.

Please email board@oregonbrewcrew.org with your questions, comments, suggestions, and anything you feel would sit best on this page. In return, for every FAQ item added because of your suggestions, you’ll receive one HBotY point and have your name added to the contributor thanks below! Not bad for helping out. Thank you in advance!

Meetings (what to expect, what they’re about)

What is an “in” meeting?

         "In" meetings are hosted by F.H. Steinbart Company (always held on the second Thursday of the month). In meetings give us a chance to talk about what’s going on in our club and hold business and well as host educational opportunities. We start check-in around 7:p.m., sign on new members, and welcome guests. People socialize, share beer, talk over brewing, etc. About 7:30 p.m., snacks for soaking up some alcohol are served. We start the business portion of our meeting at roughly 8:p.m. and we try to keep it to 30 - 45 minutes tops. After business comes the educational portion which we will have announced previous to the meeting. This portion varies in length. To honor our gracious host John DeBenedetti of Steinbart's, we wrap everything up (clean up, put chairs away, ensure the area is back to the way we came into it) and must leave the premises no later than 10:p.m.

What is an “out” meeting?

        “Out” meetings are a chance for Oregon Brew Crew members to experience commercial brewing-based local businesses first-hand, usually in a brewery or brewpub, and enjoy educational opportunities as guided by a brewer or owner. Out meetings which are hosted by businesses held away from Steinbart's can usually vary in start time for convenience to our hosts. Very seldom do the dates change from second Thursdays; however, if they do, we always notify the membership to this change. Out of courtesy for our hosts and for safety reasons, only members in good standing (paid up to date) are allowed at out meetings. Under no circumstances are guests allowed at an out meeting. As well, no one will be allowed to join or pay their membership up-to-date at an out meeting. There are various reasons for these rules, and past experiences have come to dictate them out of necessity.

Volunteering (all of these things earn you Member of the Year points)

How can I help with check-in at meetings?

        You may contact the board directly via email to help out. They can be reached at board@oregonbrewcrew.org. Let them know your intention and when you’d like to help. They'd be more than happy to show you the ropes!

How can I help out on a committee, such as the festival (aka volunteer), education, communication, competition, or burgermeister committees?

        You may contact the heads of committees directly via email to help or ask to become a committee member. It’s fun, it’s educational, and it’s a great way to give back to your club, as well as earn lots of points! This is a link to contact info for each head of committee: http://oregonbrewcrew.org/ContactUs

Competitions

How do I enter a competition and what competitions are there?

Information on current competitions and how to enter them can all be found on our website under the Competition menu at the top of the page. For ease, the link is here. Any questions not answered on these pages can be addressed directly to the competition chair, at competition@oregonbrewcrew.org. If you have any information on competitions not listed, we are always happy to accept and post this info; just email it in.