Next San Jose Cooperative Brewery and Pub Event Set for Sun., Feb. 9

[Updated 2/7/14: Unfortunately, it was announced earlier today that this event has been canceled.]

The next big membership drive for the San Jose Cooperative Brewery and Pub is an official SF Beer Week event taking place on Sunday, Feb. 9 from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m at San Jose’s Hermitage Brewing Company (1627 South 7th St.). With a new board of directors recently elected in September, there is a growing push to spread the word about the San Jose Co-op Brewpub.

The upcoming event—Brewing Startups in Silicon Valley: Incubation, Entrepreneurship and the Cooperative Movement—consists of beer tasting, brewery tours, live music, a gourmet food truck, and a panel of speakers that include representatives from Hermitage Brewing Company, Strike Brewing Company, and Santa Clara Valley Brewing. The panel discussion will focus on the local brewing industry.

[Updated 2/1/14: Unfortunately, Strike Brewing Company will be unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.]

[Updated 2/4/14: Representatives of Clandestine Brewing and Lincoln Court Brewery will be joining the panel of speakers.]

Attendees will also learn the reasons why approximately 270 folks—including yours truly—have already paid $150 to become “Member Owners” of the San Jose Co-op Brewpub.

“We want it to be educationally and entrepreneurially exciting,” shares San Jose Co-op Brewpub member-owner Melissa Børglum. “What better place for the startup of a new and exciting concept than in Silicon Valley? And Hermitage Brewing Company has been supportive of us, and we like what they’re doing to help budding brewers start up with contract brewing. So we felt they were the logical choice to partner with.”

Attendance for non member-owners requires a $25 ticket that includes the panel presentation, two beers or a paddle of four six oz. tastings, a brewery tour, and a taco from the gourmet food truck No Way Jose. Admission is free for member-owners, but they must pay for any beer and food.

The event organizers expect “a fun afternoon of good beer, good people, and good discussion of the growing craft beer community – and how [anyone] can be a part of it!”

Tickets are available at EventBrite.com. Space is limited.

The following is the event description:

Are you… a homebrewer interested in starting your own brewery… a beer geek that has thought about opening their own tap room… interested in participating in a democratically run business? Come hear about the newest generation of local brewers to join the local craft beer scene.

The San Jose Cooperative Brewery and Pub, Inc., as a guest of and partnering with Hermitage Brewing Company, invites you to beer tasting and panel discussion of brewery entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley. Panelists include representatives from Hermitage Brewing Company, Strike Brewing Co., Santa Clara Valley Brewing, and the San Jose Cooperative Brewery and Pub. The event will end with a brief discussion of San Jose Cooperative Brewery and Pub’s efforts to open California’s first cooperatively owned brewery (membership shares available on site).

Your $25 “tuition” includes drink tickets good for two beers or a paddle of four six oz. tastings, a brewery tour, live music, and a taco from the No Way Jose truck.

Attendees who become a member who join the co-op on site will be entered into a raffle for a selection of awesome beer swag!

For tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/brewing-startups-in-silicon-valley-tickets-10230382349

We share your goals and welcome you to share our journey. This event is organized by Member Owners of the San Jose Cooperative Brewery & Pub, Inc.

About San Jose Co-op Brewpub: We are a growing group of dedicated members with a goal of opening California’s FIRST Co-operative Brewpub! We are passionate about customer service, great food (supporting local and organic farms where possible), craft beer, livable wages and democratically owned and operated businesses. Our idea of Co-op will apply to both the member-owners as well as the paid staff that operate the business.

[This post was shared on Examiner.com.]