The Homebrew Digest is dead.

(A "press release"...)

Recently, the Homebrew Digest went out of commission. Immediately, work began to find a new home for the digest. I was first contacted by Scott Abene, then Karl Lutzen inquiring whether I had the wherewithall to host the digest.

Unfortunately, I am not O&E Online. I did offer to contact O&E to see whether they would be interested in helping us out. Expecting rejection, I sent a note to Greg Day, the system administrator. The reply came back: "Sounds good! Call me at..."

The long and the short of it is that the Homebrew Digest shall live once again. I have loaned a machine for as long as the Digest stays at O&E, and the Fermental Order of Renaissance Draughtsmen and Ann Arbor Brewers Guild have seen fit to pull together contributions toward purchasing the new, larger and faster hard drive required for this purpose.

Finally, Karl Lutzen and I will administer the Digest; me locally, Karl remotely. This will allow vacations to be covered without the Digest suffering. In the future, we will be determining a HBD Steering Committee to add additional voices to our's when making decisions regarding the Digest's format and content, and should yet another relocation be required (hopefully not in our lifetime!). This committee will most likely be by selection rather than election. Unfortunately, running the Digest as a democracy would require far more resources than we could possibly get for free.

Rest assured that, under my "tenure" as Digest host, nothing will intentionally be done to reduce its utility, freedom, or quality. But please keep in mind that you are dealing with fellow users and brewers who are donating their time and material to make the Digest run again. Unlike the last host, I have absolutely nothing to gain in this venture - in fact, I am losing the use of a fairly expensive computer system, some cash and most definitely a lot of my free time as well. I have no vested nor financial interest in homebrewing, and have no plans to create any (I just think everyone should brew, that's all...). Karl will be donating his time as well, gaining nothing but the notoriety of doing so (yeah, I know Karl has a vested financial interest in homebrewing through his and Mark's books, but I'm more interested in his experience and willingness to help. Had he not contacted me, the Digest might still be looking for a home.).

The Digest will remain an e-mail delivered compilation until such time as e-mail is no longer the predominent lowest-common-denominator form of communication on the net. An attempt will be made to reinstate Rob Gardner's original software, returning the digest to a once a day, Monday through Saturday publication limited to 50K per transmission. The undigested Homebrew Digest is no longer (even should it have to be sent via Majordomo). Regardless of the means of distribution, one goal is to return the cancel feature to the 'gest.

The pages hanging off of this one recognize those that have contributed their time, material, or money to pull this off. Another carries a progress report on the transition - most recent at the top. Following the full transition, this page will carry any announcements regarding the Digest. Other pages will be created as necessary and, eventually, they will either be added to the Document Echo or to the Digest server so that the information will be available to anyone having an e-mail account.

See ya!
Pat Babcock

I read rec.crafts.brewing for the first time in a very long time today (12/5/96 - And the local server was only current to 11/27...) The above answers the points regarding distribution vein and methods well, but it says nothing to the effect of the following:

I think the AOB/AHA gave themselves a very black eye on this matter, and with their handling of queries regarding this issue and the GABF restrictions/changes (and that last silly special issue of Zymurgy...). So be it. They're human, and sometimes "position" clouds judgement when reacting to a perceived "attack".

Don't let their responses cloud your judgement. Consider what the AOB/AHA has done in this country, and, in some cases, around the world. I brewed during the Dark Ages of brewing. I've used some nasty things to make beer. I've made some nasty beer as a result. First Charlie P and, subsequently, the AOB/AHA helped educate us and helped win legal status for homebrewing in many states.

Granted they're not perfect. Granted there are likely abuses within the organization - show me one in which there isn't! Abandoning the AOB/AHA will not erase the past several months, and will not bring the HBD back. Personally, I see that plan of action doing more harm than good.

To the AOB/AHA, I say: take notice, my friends! You have slipped into self-righteousness and have lost face. You are threatening your very existence with the impersonal manner you seem to have assumed toward your homebrewing membership - your very customers. I did not become a diamond member to see the AHA crumble into some kind of disconnected bureaucracy. Look back into yourselves and find your roots. You'll find us there.

© 1996 by Pat Babcock