Urban Grape Discounts

[vgoreham]

Guess I'm going to have to start going to meetings, haha. Tuesdays are usually busy though (sports).

Even when I'm free I've always kind of felt that I've not had much to contribute to the meetings because I haven't been brewing much in the last year (two or three times ) and I certainly don't travel enough to get anything we don't get locally. Bah! I've enjoyed the few times I've met some of you, though!

Edit: This is somewhat facetious, I don't seriously think a discount/lack of discount at NG would change my participation (either here or in real life) in any way. As someone who's never been to a Tuesday meeting, I think keeping the discount for those that do attend sounds fair to me.

I always kind of assumed that part of the reason NG offered that discount is so that some BNers would actually still shop there sometimes rather than buying everything in bulk..

[Brewnoser]

A few comments.

I think Steve and Mark are not tired of giving BrewNosers discounts, but they are tired of giving people who have never been to a meeting, and never will, discounts.

The reality is that the "Club" part is really, and has always been, a face to face thing, while this web site, and to a lesser extent, old site before it, are more an open resource.

The ListServe membership was closely guarded.

It boils down to this, if you want to continue getting a discount at NG (yes I'd had a few beers when I wrote the Urban thing) then we have to be fair to them. And I don't think 200 people who we don't know, have never met, and have never been to a meeting getting our discount is fair to anyone.

Retail is not an easy business, guys. When you visit them at their homes, it's pretty clear they are not getting rich. And they may not be around much at meetings any more, but both Steve and Mark have hosted many BrewNosers events, both have taken and passed the BJCP Judge exam, and they have both won numerous homebrewing medals, playing key roles in the year we won the Best Club in Canada at the GCHC.

It may be impractical to have ID Cards, though reading this thread is seems very doable.
I hope, well, I expect, that they would be pleased that we responded, and willing to honour the card for a discount. I might even ask for 15%.

I really like the idea of more BrewNosers activities. I've always wanted to do the odd pub crawl, brewery tour, team brew at a brewpub, and to work towards doing what the club in Montreal did - actually release a few "BrewNoser" beers. I have always thought an annual "BrewNoser Barley Wine" in bottles would be great. If we can get a brewery to let us do a contract brew that would be very cool. Vintage dated, save them for a while....




Jeff

[mr x]

The listserve membership isn't closely guarded, and never was. It was wide open, as are all 'apply and punched in formats'. It may give the illusion of exclusivity by it's obscurity, but it is just an illusion. In reality, what would happen if 100 people decide to do something Brewnoserish? Whatever that means...these are the questions that need to be addressed.

[jeffsmith]

From reading this thread so far it seems that it's not really the Noble Grape discount that is the issue at hand. It looks like the underlying issue is determining credentials for "membership". If attending meetings now and then/regularly/at all is a requirement for membership, I think it draws a pretty clear line in the sand who is, and who isn't a member. Though, I think it's going to be somewhat detrimental to the larger group.

There are those of us that live outside of the HRM area who can't make it to meetings due to work, family, and financial commitments, but still enjoy contributing here on the forum, helping out newer brewers that join the forum, getting to know other home brewers, learning, etc. For me, the Noble Grape discount is nice when I do get the rare chance to stop in there to pick up a few things, but it's definitely not the main incentive to take part in the group.

[akr71]

Perhaps Mark & Steve should request a 'Vendors' sub-forum... If they decide to discontinue the BN discount, they could still post info about sales. How 'bout coupons with a relatively short expiry date?...

I think we're onto something with the membership card. Living outside HRM, I'm lucky to make it to more than 1 function a year. I like the BN discount, but even without it I'll still stop in every time I'm in the city & I'll still special order yeast from them.

[LiverDance]

A couple of thoughts:

1. I believe in being fair but look at the mark up we get on supplies!
2. You better be ready to have room for a shit tonne more people at meetings if that's what it takes to get a discount.

[GAM]

Tuesdays don't work for me. Just too busy of a day.

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Sandy

[LiverDance]

Tuesdays don't work for me. Just too busy of a day.

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Sandy

[jeffsmith]

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Totally agree.

[Jimmy]

Tuesdays don't work for me. Just too busy of a day.

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Sandy

Completely agree. There could be a forum member who doesn't/can't attend most events, however, contributes much more to the club than someone who has visited a monthly meeting to get their discount card. Really, shouldn't anyone who is a contributing member to the club have access to the discount, regardless of their form of contribution?

And Jeff, I hear what you're saying..but I'd think you guys are good. Just because you don't attend the Halifax meetings, doesn't mean you guys aren't holding your own meetings!

[Graham.C]

Tuesdays don't work for me. Just too busy of a day.

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Sandy

Completely agree. There could be a forum member who doesn't/can't attend most events, however, contributes much more to the club than someone who has visited a monthly meeting to get their discount card. Really, shouldn't anyone who is a contributing member to the club have access to the discount, regardless of their form of contribution?

And Jeff, I hear what you're saying..but I'd think you guys are good. Just because you don't attend the Halifax meetings, doesn't mean you guys aren't holding your own meetings!

Agreed on all fronts. However I think Jeff's comment applies more to the guys in CB, NFLD, or other areas that don't have a get together. We were lucky in having 3 people in the club so close to one another but so far from HRM to make our little group. Not everyone has that situation.

[jeffsmith]

However I think Jeff's comment applies more to the guys in CB, NFLD, or other areas that don't have a get together. We were lucky in having 3 people in the club so close to one another but so far from HRM to make our little group. Not everyone has that situation.

Yes, exactly.

[derek]

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

I get to a Tuesday meeting less than once a year, but I'd be pretty surprised to find I didn't qualify to be a brewnoser. I understand retail is tough, but giving 10% discounts to any customer who will return, is NOT costing money in the long run. If NG drops the discount, I'd be willing to bet they lose far more money than they save. It's the same stupid argument the NSLC uses against brew-on-premise - the people who would do that either wouldn't shop at the NSLC anyway, or they end up spending even more. The people who take advantage of a brewnoser discount - even if we've barely met them - are people who typically spend more money than their average customer (I know I spent more than $300 there before I even remembered to ask for my discount). Without the discount, they will likely either stop brewing or take their business elsewhere. Taking my business elsewhere just requires a little more advance planning, but I certainly don't need the Noble Grape.

[sleepyjamie]

Tuesdays don't work for me. Just too busy of a day.

Making meetings is not (in my opinion) what makes a Brewnoser.

Taking part in the community (Forum, making beer with others, having tastings, Supporting breweries and brewpubs etc.) counts in my mind.

Sandy

Same here. I've been trying to get out to meetings for the last 6 months but work, life and tuesdays just doesn't work for me. And I'm not risking getting pulled over by the cops after having a few samples of beer.
I have met some of the BNosers on here but never at a formal meeting.

I guess the real question is "what is Noble grapes" definition of "Brew Noser's membership"? Is it simply being registered on the forums? Or is it being an active member" And if so what is the definition of "active member""? Attending every meeting, attending 12% of the meetings, etc etc.?

[mr x]

I'd add more to this conversation except for this tiny phone, lol. I have agreed with and support almost everything said above.

[Brewnoser]

Well, we've always been 100% inclusive as far as membership goes. And I for one don't want ANYONE who wants to be considered to be a BrewNoser to feel left out for any reason. For example, we still consider people who have moved away to still be BrewNosers.

It's what has made the club last the 27 years it has. NO dues, no rules, no officers. No liabilities.

How about this - anyone who wants to take advantage of any discounts we can score for the club can get a card. Simply going to that much trouble is enough. Taking the little bit of time to get a card may be more symbolic than anything, but it is a validation. And it both eliminates the idea of "just anyone" using our club's name to get a discount, while giving vendors some satisfaction that the person is a member of the group.

Though I'd REALLY like to meet every single one of you in person at some point.

A summer picnic with 250 homebrewers and beer lovers would be total awesomeness. Chaos, but the good kind.

Jeff

[Dirt Chicken]

God damn, another graphic artist in the fold...

Actually more like an animator, but mostly drafting layouts and painting backgrounds...

[Jimmy]

A summer picnic with 250 homebrewers and beer lovers would be total awesomeness. Chaos, but the good kind.

Jeff

Hell yeah!

[Dirt Chicken]

A summer picnic with 250 homebrewers and beer lovers would be total awesomeness. Chaos, but the good kind.

Jeff

Hell yeah!

Sounds like a sweet plan for sure!!

[jeffsmith]

A summer picnic with 250 homebrewers and beer lovers would be total awesomeness. Chaos, but the good kind.

I'd be good with that, and if it happens to be on a Saturday, I might even be able to show up!

[KMcK]

The only definition I recall was 'come to a meeting and you're a member', without defining meeting. Many of us I've met at the Tuesday meetings I've also met at other times and places to drink and/or brew with, which I consider to be Brewnoser meetings (i.e. meetings of Brewnosers to undertake Brewnoser activities). I've met plenty of other people at these non-Tuesday meetings that I consider to be Brewnosers because I keep running into them at Brewnoser activities even if it's never a Tuesday night.

Now that we meet in cyberspace I have to consider some people I've never or only rarely met in person to be Brewnosers because they contribute a lot to the club through the forum and I've gotten to know them from their postings. It's the lurkers, whether registered or not, who I don't consider to be actual members because they don't contribute anything. Where we draw the line between these two extremes we need to discuss further. Whatever we decide that measure is, I'd like to use it to use it as the criteria for what we call 'Verified User'. Only Verified Users have access to the Group Buys section, so we should only mention the N.G. discount in that section. If we can work out a protocol similar to that and it's acceptable to N.G. we could then issue cards to a fraction of the people who currently may know about the verbal discount from seeing it in our forums.

[Keggermeister]

I agree with Kyle. Maybe come to a meeting,or three to receive your card.

[mr x]

'Meeting' is going to need to be redefined though, as Tuesdays only is a show stopper. I think we are well on our way to creating some other options now.

[ratchet]

I think at this point, "meeting" isn't solely reserved for the Tuesday tastings.

[Tony L]

Well seeing as I might never attend a meeting due to geography, I would still consider myself a BrewNoser. As for a discount, I do order things from NG, but would not take advantage of a discount and put local BrewNosers discounts at risk because of it.
And I did meet Chalmers... if that counts for anything. lol.