Beer Of The Month Club: How Does It Work?

Beer of the Month clubs are a great way to discover new craft beers from microbreweries around the world. For a monthly fee, members receive a selection of beers, often including hard-to-find and limited-release brews, delivered straight to their door. The clubs typically feature different breweries each month, offering a variety of beer styles such as ales, lagers, stouts, and IPAs. Some clubs also provide detailed tasting notes, brewery profiles, and suggested food pairings. With flexible subscription options and the convenience of home delivery, Beer of the Month clubs offer a unique and exciting way to explore the world of craft beer.

Beer selection process

The Beer of the Month Club offers a wide variety of beers from different breweries and in different styles. The selection process is meticulous and involves a panel of experts, including brewmasters and beer judges, who sample and rate hundreds of beers from around the world.

The process ensures that only the highest-quality, most exciting, and innovative craft beers make it into the hands of the club's members. Here's a more detailed look at how the beer selection process works:

The Panel of Experts:

The Beer of the Month Club has a dedicated panel of beer experts, including brewmasters and beer judges, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. They are passionate about beer and are committed to finding the best brews for the club members.

Sampling and Rating Beers:

The panel rates over 500 beers each year, judging them on appearance, aromatic profile, body, balance, mouthfeel, finish, and overall character, flavour, and appeal. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it! Less than 20% of the beers sampled make the final cut, ensuring only the highest-quality beers are selected.

Travel and Industry Connections:

The panel members are always on the move, attending prestigious festivals, collaborating with microbreweries, meeting brewers and importers, and, most importantly, trying new beers. They also have strong relationships with breweries and importers, which gives them access to outstanding new beers that are still hard to find.

Focus on Quality and Variety:

The selection process prioritises quality and variety. The panel looks for beers that showcase exceptional craftsmanship, innovative techniques, and a diverse range of styles. They seek out limited-release beers, exclusive brews, and seasonal offerings that club members might not easily find on their own.

Member Feedback and Customisation:

The Beer of the Month Club values the feedback and preferences of its members. While the beer selections are pre-determined by the panel, members have the option to skip a month or customise their shipments to some extent. The club also offers the opportunity to reorder favourite beers at discounted prices.

The Beer of the Month Club's selection process is designed to bring members a carefully curated, exciting, and diverse range of craft beers. The panel of experts works tirelessly to ensure that every bottle or can that arrives at your doorstep is of the highest quality and offers a unique and enjoyable drinking experience.

Shipping and packaging

Shipping:

• Frequency: Beer clubs typically offer flexible shipping options, allowing members to choose monthly, every-other-month, quarterly, or custom shipping frequencies. Some clubs also offer seasonal options, delivering beers during specific seasons like spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
• Timing: Most clubs aim to deliver beers during the last week of each month, but specific delivery dates may vary. Some clubs provide tracking information or notifications to keep members informed about the expected delivery date.
• Carriers: Common carriers such as FedEx, UPS, USPS, or local carriers are typically used for shipping. This ensures that packages are delivered safely and on time.
• Age Verification: To comply with legal requirements, clubs require recipients to be of legal drinking age, typically 21 years or older. Adult signatures are mandatory upon delivery to ensure that minors do not receive the shipments.
• Address Types: Some clubs prefer daytime office addresses to ensure timely delivery. However, clubs like Clubs of America also offer residential delivery, making it convenient for members to receive their beers at home.
• Geographic Coverage: Shipping availability can vary depending on state and zip code regulations. Certain clubs, like Amazing Clubs, only ship within the continental United States, while others may have more extensive coverage.

Packaging:

• Specialty Packaging: Clubs use specialty packaging designed to prevent shipping damage and ensure the safe arrival of beers. This packaging is crucial for protecting fragile glass bottles during transit.
• Freshness and Breakage Prevention: To maintain freshness and prevent breakage, clubs like Clubs of America package their 12-packs of craft beer in special packaging. This ensures that members receive their beers in pristine condition.
• Eco-Friendliness: Some clubs, such as Clubs of America, use 100% recyclable packaging materials. This allows members to enjoy their beers while also being environmentally conscious.
• Surprise Elements: Certain clubs go beyond the standard packaging and include surprise elements. For example, The Original Craft Beer Club may include a bottle opener, tasting glasses, and snacks like peanuts in their packages, enhancing the unboxing experience for members.

Cost and payment

The cost of a beer subscription club varies depending on the specific club and the duration of the membership. Here is a breakdown of the cost and payment options for some popular beer clubs:

The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club

This club offers five different membership types to choose from, with prices starting at $37.95 per month, plus shipping and handling. They offer both monthly and prepaid subscription options. You can save money by prepaying for multiple shipments, and they often have discount codes available on their website.

Amazing Clubs Beer of the Month Club

This club offers a variety of membership options, including 3, 6, and 12-month clubs, as well as a Beer of the Season Club. Prices start at $37.95 per month, and they offer free shipping within the continental US. You can choose to pay for your membership in one installment or pay monthly. They also offer various discounts and promotions, such as saving $5 on a 3-month club or $30 on a 12-month club.

The Original Craft Beer Club

This club costs $42 per month, which includes free shipping and bonus gifts. The subscription includes twelve 12oz bottles of beer, with three bottles of four different beers from two breweries.

Rare Beer Club

The Rare Beer Club offers different membership tiers based on the number of bottles you want to receive each month. The base membership starts at $31.95 per month plus $13 for shipping and handling, and you can add more bottles for an additional cost. They also offer a discount for longer-term plans.

Clubs of America Beer of the Month Club

This club offers monthly subscriptions starting at $52.95 per month, which includes free shipping. There are no upfront membership fees, and you can customize the length of your subscription.

Customer service

Beer of the Month Clubs is a subscription service that delivers craft beers from independent and small breweries to customers' doorsteps. The service promises to provide customers with a selection of hard-to-find, premium-quality, and award-winning beers that they may not be able to source locally.

Most Beer of the Month Clubs offer a range of membership options, including different durations (from 2 to 12 months) and frequencies of delivery (monthly, every other month, quarterly, or even on specific months). Some clubs also allow customers to combine their beer club membership with other monthly clubs, such as wine, cigar, cheese, or chocolate clubs.

In terms of customer service, Beer of the Month Clubs typically provide responsive and reliable support. Many clubs offer satisfaction guarantees, ensuring that customers can replace or refund their purchase if they are not satisfied with the quality of the beer. Some clubs also allow customers to skip a month or pause their subscription if needed.

Additionally, Beer of the Month Clubs often provide detailed tasting notes, brewery profiles, and suggested food pairings along with their beer selections. This enhances the customer experience and allows them to learn more about the beers they are drinking.

The cost of a Beer of the Month Club subscription varies depending on the club and the duration of the membership. Prices typically range from around $30 to $50 per month, with some clubs offering discounts for longer-term memberships.

Overall, Beer of the Month Clubs aim to provide a convenient and enjoyable experience for customers, delivering a carefully curated selection of craft beers directly to their door. With a focus on quality, variety, and customer satisfaction, these clubs offer a unique way to discover and explore new beers from small and independent breweries.

Membership types

The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club

• The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club: Members receive 12, 12-oz craft beers from two different U.S. craft breweries, with four different beer styles.
• The U.S. and International Variety Beer Club: Members get 12, 12-oz craft beers from three or more different U.S. and international craft breweries, with four different beer styles.
• The Hop-Heads Beer Club: Each shipment includes 12, 12-oz craft beers, featuring hoppy beers such as IPAs, Double IPAs, and Imperial IPLs from two or more lightly distributed U.S. or international craft breweries.
• The International Beer Club: Members receive 12, 12-oz craft beers, with two different beer styles from lightly distributed international craft breweries.
• The Rare Beer Club: Members can choose between one, two, or three 750 ml bottles of two different hand-crafted, limited-release artisanal beers from the world's top brewers.

Amazing Clubs Beer of the Month Club

Amazing Clubs offers 3, 6, and 12-month clubs, as well as a Beer of the Season Club with new selections each season. They feature premium, hard-to-find microbrews from independent breweries across the country.

Original Craft Beer Club

This club offers a range of different styles of beer from craft breweries across the nation. The package includes a bottle opener, four bags of peanuts, and four tasting glasses.

Rare Beer Club – C&H Monthly Clubs

This club focuses on more extreme craft beer styles from all over the world. Members receive two different 750ml bottles of rare beers from various breweries.

Frequently asked questions