In 1979, 200 people attended the first AHA National Homebrewers Conference, held in Boulder, Colorado. The conference is now recognized as the world’s most largely-attended conference devoted to amateur brewers.
The National Homebrewers Conference is a fun, educational gathering designed to enhance homebrewers’ brewing skills and knowledge and increase homebrewing camaraderie. Special seminars and events cater to beer enthusiasts and amateur brewers of every level.
Over its 41-year history, 152,429 brews have been evaluated since the inaugural AHA National Homebrew Competition in 1979 in Boulder, Colo. The 2019 competition judged 9,189 entries from 3,492 homebrewers located in 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 17 countries. The most-entered category was Specialty IPA, with 475 entries.
| Year | Location | Dates | Venue | Theme | Attendance | NHC Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Providence, RI | June 27-29, 2019 | Rhode Island Convention Center | Brew England | 2,500 | 9,189 |
| 2018 | Portland, OR | June 28-30, 2018 | Oregon Convention Center | Beervana | 3,300 | 8,405 |
| 2017 | Minneapolis, MN | June 15-17, 2017 | Minneapolis Convention Center | Homebrew Con | 2,600 | 8,618 |
| 2016 | Baltimore, MD | June 9-11, 2016 | Baltimore Convention Center | Homebrew Con | 3,000 | 7,962 |
| 2015 | San Diego, CA | June 11-13, 2015 | Town & Country Resort | Brew’s Up | 2,800 | 7,663 |
| 2014 | Grand Rapids, MI | June 12-14, 2014 | DeVos Place | Mashing in Michigan | 2,700 | 8,172 |
| 2013 | Philadelphia, PA | June 27-29, 2013 | Philadelphia Downtown Marriott | Brewing up a Revolution | 3,400 | 7,756 |
| 2012 | Bellevue, WA | June 21-23, 2012 | Hyatt Regency Bellevue | Brewin’ with Bigfoot | 1,802 | 7,823 |
| 2011 | San Diego, CA | June 16-18, 2011 | Town & Country Resort | Some Like It Hoppy | 1,926 | 6,996 |
| 2010 | Minneapolis, MN | June 17-19, 2010 | Sheraton Bloomington Hotel | Chillin’ in Minnesota | 1,312 | 6,287 |
| 2009 | Oakland, CA | June 18-20, 2009 | Oakland Marriott Hotel | Sippin on the Dock of the Bay | 1,100+ | 5,166 |
| 2008 | Cincinnati, OH | June 19-21, 2008 | Sheraton Cincinnati North | Brewin’ Down the Haus | 950* | 5,644 |
| 2007 | Denver, CO | June 21-23, 2007 | Four Points by Sheraton Denver Southeast | Homebrewing With Altitude | 824 | 5,052 |
| 2006 | Orlando, FL | June 22-24, 2006 | Wyndham Orlando Resort | Gator Tails & Better Ales | 620* | |
| 2005 | Baltimore, MD | June 16-18, 2005 | Holiday Inn Inner Harbor/Wyndham | Beer By The Schooner, Ale By the Yard | 857 | 4,128 |
| 2004 | Las Vegas, NV | June 17-19, 2004 | Riviera Hotel & Casino | Beer & Loafing in Las Vegas | 776 | |
| 2003 | Chicago, IL | June 19-21, 2003 | Holiday Inn O’Hare International | Sweet Homebrew Chicago | 769 | |
| 2002 | Irving, TX | June 20-22, 2002 | Dallas Marriott Las Colinas | Big Texas Toast | 247 | |
| 2001 | Los Angeles, CA | June 20-23, 2001 | Sheraton Four Points LAX | A Beer Odyssey | 261 | 3,000+ |
| 2000 | Livonia, MI | June 22-24, 2000 | Holiday Inn | MIY 2K | ||
| 1999 | Kansas City, KS | June 24-26, 1999 | Holiday Inn | Blues, Brews, & Barbecue | ||
| 1998 | Portland, OR | July 17-19, 1998 | Doubletree Lloyd Center Hotel | Northwest Homebrew Express | ||
| 1997 | Cleveland, OH | July 17-19, 1997 | Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel | The Great Lakes Homebrew Rendezvous | 800+ | |
| 1996 | New Orleans, LA | June 5-8, 1996 | Downtown Radisson Hotel | Homebrew Bayou | ||
| 1995 | Baltimore, MD | June 14-17, 1995 | Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel | Planet Beer | ||
| 1994 | Denver, CO | June 19-25, 1994 | Brew Storm | 428 | ||
| 1993 | Portland, OR | July 27-30, 1993 | Marriott Hotel | Brewing Frontiers | ||
| 1992 | Milwaukee, WI | June 9-13, 1992 | Marc Plaza Hotel | Just Brew It! | ||
| 1991 | Manchester, NH | June 19-22, 1991 | Center of New Hampshire Holiday Inn | Brew Free Or Die | ||
| 1990 | Oakland, CA | June 13-19, 1990 | Hyatt Regency | California Dreaming | 400+ | |
| 1989 | Cincinnati, OH | June 7-10, 1989 | Oldenberg Brewery | A Beer Extravaganza | ||
| 1988 | Denver, CO | June 8-11, 1988 | Regency Hotel | 10th Anniversary Celebration | ||
| 1987 | Denver, CO | June 3-6, 1987 | Regency Hotel | Year of the Beer | ||
| 1986 | Estes Park, CO | June 16-19, 1986 | Stanley Hotel | |||
| 1985 | Denver, CO | May 28-31, 1985 | Regency Hotel | |||
| 1984 | Denver, CO | May 29-June 3, 1984 | Fairmont Hotel | |||
| 1983 | Boulder, CO | May 31-June 3, 1983 | Hilton Harvest House | |||
| 1982 | Boulder, CO | June 3-5, 1982 | Hilton Harvest House | |||
| 1981 | Boulder, CO | May 22-23, 1981 | Chautaqua and Community Free School | |||
| 1980 | Boulder, CO | April 12, 1980 | Community Free School | |||
| 1979 | Boulder, CO | May 5, 1979 | Community Free School | 200 | 34 | |
| *estimated | ||||||
| 1989 |