Cellar Support and Requirements
Please read this entire webpage carefully. The only way we can pull this off with this record number of attendees is by careful planning and cooperation. Note the Cellar labeling requirements below. We will not accept any keg without the required label.
The cellar will not be open during the entire NHC but only at the following times. Anything that needs to go into the cellar may only be dropped off at these times.
Kegs may not be left in the Cellar for any reason. All kegs must be given to, and accepted by, cellar staff directly. Any kegs, bottles, or other things left sitting at a refrigeration trailer or the Dover Room to go into the cellar will become property of the cellar; no exceptions.

Locations
We have 4 specialized Cellar locations at the 2011 NHC:
36’ refer trailer located just north of Lion Fountain Court on Royal Palm Way
    Competition beer, seminar beer, and Hospitality Suite beer
48’ refer trailer located just outside the Grand Exhibit Hall to the south.
    Club Night beer, some Pro Brewers Night beer, Grand Banquet beer
    Opening Toast beer, Keynote speaker beer
Tiki Pavilion - After Hours Hospitality Suite walk-in cooler
    Hospitality Suite and seminar beer staging
Dover Room – Office and overflow.

Each location is designated with a bright red bar on the Cellar Locations map.

We can check in your kegs at the Dover Room.

However, if you have several kegs loaded in a truck or van, and if your kegs are for Club Night only, please take them directly to the 48’ refer trailer just outside the Grand Exhibit Hall to the south.

If you have several kegs loaded in a truck or van and if your kegs will be used in a Hospitality Suite prior to Club Night, please take them to the 36’ foot trailer just north of Lion Fountain Court on Royal Palm Way.

Open times for drop-off




Cellar labeling
Kegs must be labeled with criteria we provide before coming to the cellar. You must use the label spreadsheet from the link below to generate your keg labels before being checked into the Cellar. This label will identify you, your phone number where you can be reached while at the NHC, your homebrew club, and your beer. But more importantly your club location for Club night and the day of week and time of day for the keg to be in the Hospitality Suite, if it will be in the Hospitality Suite, will also be generated from this spreadsheet. This allows us to ensure your kegs get where they need to go at the right time.
Label Spreadsheet

We also require labels for all of the beer that we are going to cellar that is not going to Club Night or the Hospitality Suite. For speakers/seminars and other non-Club Night or Hospitality Suite related beer, please use the seminar label spread sheet here.
Seminar Label Spreadsheet

Keg Labeling Instructions
Whether you are bringing kegs or bottles (in cases) they must be labeled with criteria we provide before coming to the cellar. It’s actually extremely easy. Attached you will find our "Cellar label" Excel label generator. Here are your instructions:
    1. Select your club from the drop down list
    2. Select which event your keg is for. Is it specifically for Hospitality suite, club night or both?
    3. Fill in your name, contact phone and beer name/type/style.
    4. Print it
    5. Repeat as needed.
    The printed label is 2 inches by 5 inches. Once cut out, sandwich it between clear packing tape and attach it to you kegs handle or if using beer cases, attach to the long side of the box. The label should be facing out, hanging off the keg with the text facing up.

See pdf with color pictures and more detailed instructions including a visual step-by-step!

The Cellar will also be using 2 strips of colored tape on each keg or case as a quick visual indication of the day of week (red, blue, or yellow) and whether it’s required during the day (white) or in the evening (black).

Additionally, it’s a very good idea that each club uses a unique system to mark their kegs so they can be identified from a distance. These can range from colored tape around the kegs to ID tags hanging off them to any inventive means you concoct. Our only limitation we will insist upon is that there is nothing on the handles of the keg. This is for the keg-label only. Kegs will be delivered to the Hospitality Suites for each club’s time slot and to the Grand Exhibit Hall for Club Night. Having marked kegs will make your life much easier. Another important point, if you are going to be serving out of bottles and want them kept in the cellar you must label your cases. There will be no loose bottles allowed.

Suggestions for Your Club Kegs
Your kegs will not be handled that gently. Nothing that would damage a keg but certainly enough to rouse any sediment in the bottom of the keg. For the clarity of your beer's sake, I highly recommend transferring your beer to a fresh keg prior to bringing to the NHC. Additionally, its a very good idea that each club uses a unique system to mark their kegs so they can be identified from a distance. These can range from colored tape around the kegs to ID tags hanging off them to any inventive means you conconct. Our only limitation we will insist upon is that there is nothing on the handles of the keg, this is for the keg-label only. Kegs will be delivered to the Hospitality Suites of each club’s time slot and to the Club Night room. Having marked kegs will make your life much easier. Another important point, if you are going to be serving out of bottles and want them kept in the cellar you must label your cases.

Keg returns
Once a keg leaves the cellar and is delivered for use at the Hospitality Suite or Club Night, it becomes the entire responsibility of the owner. Kegs may only be returned to the cellar for the two reasons to follow. It is the owner’s complete responsibility to return the keg to the cellar during open hours. That said, the Cellar Crew will work with you to return those kegs that are allowed to be returned to the Cellar. At the end of Club Night, Cellar Crew will be stationed in the Grand Exhibit Hall (location for Club Night activities) for 30 minutes only, to accept kegs to be returned to the Cellar that are already labeled for the Hospitality Suite sessions on Saturday only. If it does not have the required label that already indicates it is for a Saturday Hospitality Suite session, it will not be accepted back into the cellar.

Keg return exemptions
    1. A keg that has been used for the Hospitality Suite and will be used for the upcoming Club Night.
    2. A keg that has been used at Club Night and will be used for the clubs upcoming Hospitality Suite.

Thank You
"Thanks to Eric Anderson and Kevin Cotter, from the 2010 NHC Cellar Crew, for the label spreadsheets, and the step by step labeling instructions. I found it hard to improve on such a good thing.

Thanks also to Mike McDole, 2009 NHC Cellar Master, for advice along the way.

Those attendees that are volunteering, we couldn't do this without you. Thanks.

And most importantly, thanks to my crew - Chad Stevens, Dominic Fountain, Chris Stawney, Alex Stevens, Garron Varner, and Peggy Kelly for giving up their opportunities to enjoy all that this conference offers to help out." -- Tom Kelly