Membership has its benefits…

Join Free The Hops and you’ll get a t-shirt, a free copy of All About Beer magazine (while supplies last) with a card for a discounted subscription, and the privilege of attending FTH membership functions.

A taste of what you’re missing…

Chipotle Ale is based on Rogue’s Oregon Golden Ale, but delicately spiced with smoked chipotle chile peppers. It’s deep golden in color with a tight head, rich malty aroma, delicately smooth and crisp flavor, and subtle chipotle chile finish. Chipotle Ale should be available this Spring in a 22-ounce bottle and on draft.

A message from the President…

The battle for the liberation of beer continues. Our membership ranks are growing and I believe we have reached a critical mass which will soon allow us to begin our widespread and highly visible membership drive. The single most important thing we can do at this moment is add members to the roster. With more people supporting this cause and contributing even just a little, we can wield more power and be taken more seriously. We’ve set a very ambitious goal for the organization: 1000 members by the end of the year. That’s an ambitious goal thanks to mass market light lagers and lack of awareness. But I firmly believe it’s possible with your help!

At the next membership meeting, a local graphic designer will be presenting her ideas for revising our promotional material. As a group, we will decide which design is best for Free The Hops, and then produce new brochures, flyers, t-shirts, other marketing material. With our material and your help, we can then distribute it through every beer-related channel in the state. Take a stack of these brochures to your favorite beer retailer and ask if they can sit next to the register, hang posters, wear your t-shirts and , most importantly, convert friends to specialty beer lovers.

If you or someone you know has not yet become a member, we have a special opportunity to be introduced and enjoy a rockin’ party! A few members are being treated to a surprise 30th birthday party at Sloss Furnaces on July 9th at 6:30pm and Free The Hops has been invited. Dressy Bessy will provide live music, and there will be free beer. Free The Hops will have an information table set up with t-shirts and memberships for sale. Everyone who has signed up for our newsletter is welcome. We only ask that you bring a donation for the band.

Free The Hops’ first social event, a members-only party on Saturday, May 21st, was a success! Over 30 people attended and brought a healthy dose of craft beer. A beer list from the party has been posted to our Yahoo! Group, which everyone is invited to join for discussions. Many more events are to follow.

As a logistical note, our monthly meetings are set for the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the offices of Birmingham Beverage. These meetings are open to all paid members. Many good ideas, issues, and decisions are reviewed along with some high quality beverages. Join up and we’ll see you there!

Free beer!