About Cascade Brewers Society
For over 35 years, Cascade Brewers Society is a sometimes formal,
but mostly informal club devoted to the appreciation and art of
creating fine alcoholic beverages (you know; beer, mead, cider, and wine).
The club meets regularly on the last Monday of every month from 7pm until about 9pm. The locations vary and are noted on the monthly events.
In addition to monthly meetings, the club sponsors many homebrew-oriented
activities.
Instructional events such as AHA’s
Learn to Homebrew Day
and Big Brew—National Homebrew Day
are held regularly; it's also common for members to informally gather and
brew together.
The club frequently runs the judging for various local homebrew
competitions such as
Sasquatch Brew Fest.
About once a month, a club member will host a gathering where everybody
can share their latest batches, usually themed to the season
(such as Octoberfest).
The club also organizes bus tours to microbreweries throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The big yearly event is the Club Campout, where members gather over a
summer weekend in the woods to enjoy great food and beer.
Membership in the Club carries many benefits, including:
- Subscription to the mailing list (great advice and information)
- Membership Card (10% off most purchases at Home Ferementer and Rising Moon Maker Store)
- Club branded merchandise to purchase
Membership is $30/year.
For more details, feel free to attend a regular club meeting or email
clubinfo@cascade-brewers.com.
If you would like to pay your dues, please click:
Important: Please list your email address, first name, and last name. Put these in the area that allows you to "add a note". We cannot track who pays without that information.
If you would like to become a member of the American Homebrewers Association, click this banner:
Executive Committee Roles
Downloadable copy of the roles for the Excutive Committee:
Club Bylaws
Downloadable copies of the club bylaws are available here:
For convenience, the short form is replicated below:
Doing Right by the Cascade Brewers Society
SECTION I
The Basics
Our name is the Cascade Brewers Society, but we also respond to CBS and
“the club.” We haven’t figured out a way to make money at what we’re doing,
so we are a non-profit association. We can mostly be found in Lane County,
Oregon. And these are the closest things to rules we have.
SECTION II
Why We Do It
We like making beer and we do it for our own enjoyment and edification. We
want to share that with others who might have an interest in brewing,
brewing history and the many styles of beer made around the world. On
occasion, we also like staging brewing competitions or entering those put on
by others. Simply put, it’s our hobby.
SECTION III
What We Don’t Do
Just because we like making beer doesn’t mean we’re reckless, criminals or
unable to do the right thing. In all our activities we not only practice but
expect responsible behavior when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
SECTION IV
Philosophy
We’re hobbyists, not bureaucrats. We don’t care for procedures or nitpickery.
Therefore, we agree to an informal governance arrangement in
which authority for decisions on club business is vested with the club
President and Executive Committee in the manner to be described in this
document.
SECTION V
Fearless Leaders
The club will have four officers: the President, Vice President, Secretary
and Treasurer. They will serve on the Executive Committe, which shall have a
minimum of five members but can be expanded to a maximum of 11, at the
committee’s discretion.
SECTION VI
Choosing Fearless Leaders
We understand that most members aren’t particularly interested in doing all
the nitty-gritty that goes into club activities, including deciding which poor
schmuck gets stuck with all the work. So selection of officers and Executive
Committee members will be done informally without a vote. Generally, it will
be a matter of finding a victim, er, candidate and convincing him or her to do
it and then heaving a big sigh of relief. We don’t pretend to be a democracy.
In the unlikely circumstance that the decision becomes contentious and it is
necessary to settle the matter formally, the selection of officers will be by
vote of the Executive Committee.
SECTION VII
Taking Care of Business
Authority to make decisions about how the spend the club’s meager
resources, who to appoint to various tasks, what sort of programs to
undertake and any other club business is given to the President. But to
ensure against dictatorship or the abuse of club resources, the President
shall be required to obtain the consent of at least two other Executive
Committee members before taking any action involving the spending of club
funds, use of other club resources or commitment of club members. A
record of all actions undertaken by the President independently shall be
made and submitted to the Secretary on the same day that the action is
taken. Also, all such actions must be reported to the full Executive
Committee at the first meeting following the action. The Executive
Committee can overrule the President’s action by majority vote of members
present.
SECTION VIII
Meetings, etc.
Only one meeting is required: an annual business meeting held in January.
This will include the selection of officers and Executive Committee members
and any other club business brought forward by the club leadership, including
setting the amount of annual dues, reporting on the club’s finances and
discussion of club activities for the year. Minutes of this meeting will be kept
by the club Secretary and submitted in writing at the next club meeting. Club
members may raise issues to be discussed at future meetings. Other
meetings will be called by the President or Executive Committee as needed.
Notice for meetings will be by e-mail at least 5 (five) days before the
meeting date. Regular mail notices may be requested, but those notices may
not arrive timely. Action at meetings may be taken only if a minimum of
three Executive Committee members are present, and except as otherwise
noted in this document, a majority vote of Executive Committee members
present is required for approval.
SECTION IX
Membership
Membership in the Cascade Brewers Society is relatively painless. You attend
a meeting or two as a guest, get an existing member to sponsor your
membership and pay a full year’s dues (even if there’s not a full year left).
Dues covers the membership of all members of a household of legal drinking
age living under the same roof. Also, you (and all household members taking
part in club activities) must sign “The Pledge,” indicating your understanding
of club expectations regarding the responsible use of alcohol and assuming
all responsibility for your actions. And finally, all members are expected to
lend a hand by helping out at one or more club meeting, event or activity by
seving as a host, organizing a workshop, volunteering for clean-up or some
such other contribution. Drinking beer does not constitute help.
SECTION X
Membership, Part 2
The Executive Committee can place a moratorium on new memberships if it
determines that such action is in the club’s best interest. If, during your
tenure as a member, you achieve the brewing equivalent of rock-star status,
you might be awarded a lifetime membership, which means you don’t have to
pay dues anymore. This can only be done by a vote of the general
membership at an annual meeting in which at least half of all members are
present.
SECTION XI
Bad Actors
If a member’s behavior is of such an offensive or abusive character that
your continued presence at club events is deemed detrimental, that member
may be either suspended or permanently expelled. It takes a majority of vote
of the Executive Committee to do either, and the vote must be taken at a
meeting after notice of the action has been given to the member in question.
In the case of suspension, the committee will decide the length of suspension
from club activities. In the case of expulsion, no dues will be refunded.
SECTION XII
Expectations
Members recognize that participation in Cascade Brewers Society activities
is entirely voluntary. Participation in these activities may involve the
consumption of alcoholic beverages which may affect perception and
reactions. Members will accept individual responsibility for their conduct and
behavior. The Cascade Brewers Society will neither assume nor accept
responsibility for an individual’s actions. Also, members agree that driving
while intoxicated is a serious violation of law and of expected behavior at club
events and agree that they will find alternate transportation if they are
unable to safely and legally operate a motor vehicle. Members agree they
alone are responsible for their actions before, during and after club events,
including, but not limited to, decisions about driving after consuming alcoholic
beverages and waive any claim, legal or otherwise, against the club and its
members, hosts and guests stemming from formal or informal club
activities.
SECTION XIII
Changes
Sooner or later, someone is going to want to change things. Helpful
suggestions are encouraged, and any member is welcome to put his or her
name forward for a position as an officer or Executive Committee member,
subject to the selection rules described above, to take part in decision-making.
Otherwise, changing these rules requires a vote of a majority of the
Executive Committee, regardless of the number of committee members
actually present, at a meeting in which proper notification has been made.
Members may submit suggested changes in writing to the Executive
Committee, which shall consider them at the next meeting.
SECTION XIV
Finances
The Treasurer shall keep the books of the club and report on its finances at
the annual meetings and at other meetings as requested by the President or
Executive Committee. Also, we don’t intend to live forever, so should the
Cascade Brewers Society ever be dissolved or cease to exist, its financial
assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be conveyed
to the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. In the event the Glen Hay Falconer
Foundation is no longer in existence or has lost its non-profit status, club
assets shall be distributed to a non-profit entity that is organized and
operated exclusively for scientific, educational or community service
purposes and has established its tax-exempt status under the Internal
Revenue Code and the Revenue and Taxation Code. Priority shall be given to
brewing-oriented educational organizations. The remaining real property of
the Cascade Brewers Society shall be made available to other home brewing
organizations established in the State of Oregon.