I like my job in journalism. I get some interesting invitations from some interesting people. Last Friday my inbox greeted me with “The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) is throwing a rally in Chico! Let us know if you’d be interested in a press pass or an interview with an AHA representative ahead of the event.” A press pass to a beer-brewing rally, hmm. Why yes, I believe quality control in home-brewing does fall into my bailiwick.

The event to “celebrate the joys of home-brewing and connect beer enthusiasts from all over California...” was held at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and featured a VIP brewery tour, beer samples, gifts, and prizes.

“People don’t get into home-brewing because they want to make bad beer,” says Matt Bolling, events coordinator at the AHA. “Home-brewing takes a lot of time and effort, so you want to make sure that you’re making a product that tastes good, and that you can be proud of and share with your friends and family.”

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