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U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 Beer Club Reviews

U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club Review 5 Star Rating

U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club

5 Star Rating
  • $35.95 per month plus $16 shipping
  • 12 bottles/cans, four styles, from two breweries each month
  • Monthly newsletter with tasting notes, beer profiles, food pairings, and brewery history
  • Free bottle opener after three shipments
Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

One of the longest running clubs on our list, and one of the most consistent quality, the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club provides a nice shipment of 12 beers every month, blind tested by a panel of brewers and beer critics. Sitting at the intersection of reasonable price and well-reviewed beer, the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club is the best on our list if you're seeking both quality and variety, without compromising your budget.

The Original Craft Beer Club Review 2 Star Rating

The Original Craft Beer Club

2 Star Rating
  • Shipments of 12 to 24 curated beers
  • 4 beer styles from two breweries per shipment
  • Tasting notes and brewery info included
  • Free shipping within the contiguous U.S.

At $47.95 per month for the base plan, the Original Craft Beer Club is one of the more budget-friendly clubs on our list. There's no specific theming to what you'll get in your box of four styles of beer from two select breweries in 12- or 24-bottle shipments. And, they provide little information on how they choose their beers, so how they determine the quality of their club is something of a mystery. With so little information on selection, and a subscription only payment style, the Original Craft Beer Club likely isn't for you.

Where Can You Find the Best Beer Clubs?

Why have beer clubs become so popular? You might be surprised. For starters, monthly beer clubs provide a consistent and reliable way to try out new and unique beer styles that may not be readily available at local stores or bars. This allows members to broaden their horizons and experience the diversity of the craft beer world.

Another advantage of a monthly beer club is the convenience it provides. Members receive a regular supply of curated beers, saving them time and effort in researching and purchasing new beers on their own. This can be particularly valuable for people who don't have access to a wide range of beers in their local area. Beer clubs typically ship their beers directly to the member's home, which means that they don't even need to leave their house to try delicious new flavors.

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Beer Club FAQ

Most beer clubs run somewhere between $30 and $45 per delivery, before shipping. The cost of shipping is also something to consider when looking at the total price. Many companies charge a flat rate fee for each delivery, while others provide free shipping to customers. Beer club shoppers will find the option to pay for the entirety of the club up front or be charged at each delivery.
The frequency of beer club deliveries depends on you. Some beer club memberships offer a ton of flexibility in term options. Choose from monthly, every other month, seasonal or quarterly deliveries depending on your needs and budget.
Most Beer Club memberships stand behind their products. But, due to State laws, alcohol sales are generally non-refundable. If a package arrives damaged or all together missing it's typically standard market practice to replace or refund for those particular problems. Please read the fine print before choosing a Beer Club membership.
Beer clubs can be a great gift for the beer lovers in your life and those hard to shop for family members. Imagine delicious, hard to find and unique, beers arriving each month to your gift recipient. Beer clubs can also make a wonderful business gift for your special client.
Depending on the club and the specific sourced brewery selected you may receive bottled beer, canned beer or both. That is typically determined by the brewery the club has partnered with.
Beer clubs source their beers from domestic and internal breweries - it often depends on the company you decide to go with. Companies look for hard to find and unique, delicious beer selections that are sure to impress even the hardest to please palate.
Each beer club will specifically identify what is included with membership deliveries. Most can anticipate 12 to 24 beers, a newsletter or tasting notes explaining where the beer was brewed, and, even perhaps, a bottle opener for fun.
Delivering alcohol does often come with a price tag. Many clubs charge a flat fee around $15 for each delivery while others cover the cost for members. Any associated shipping cost really depends on the specific club that is chosen but we hope this gives you a general idea.
While in the past, bottles were superior to cans, these days brewers have optimized their materials such that cans no longer impart a metallic taste. In addition, cans protect beer from the sun more efficiently, and are therefore less susceptible to skunking. While there may be nothing more satisfying than the pop of a freshly-opened bottle of beer, they're technically no longer the optimal beer medium; at the very least, you don't need to worry about cans included in your shipment.
Most beer clubs range between $40-$55 per month with shipping included. If it costs more than that, there better be a good reason.
Most beer clubs let you choose how many months you pay in advance, likely due to the fact that beer clubs are often gifted. If you end up loving your club however, you can choose to enable auto-renewal. A club for which an ongoing subscription is the only option is likely not the best club for you.
The good beer clubs give you all the information you need about previously chosen beers and their selection process; some of the best show you everything they've ever shipped. In short, be sure to check their past offerings before subscribing to a beer club.
All of the clubs featured here offer to replace any shipments that are damaged in transit. While it is undoubtedly a pain if it happens, you won't need to worry about getting ripped off.
Yes! ...sometimes. Some of the clubs on our list specifically curate high-quality beers that can be cellared, and allowed to mature for a number of years. As a general rule of thumb, darker beers age better, and if they can be aged, the informative guide included in most shipments will let you know. For most beers, however, they'll keep fresh for about two years if refrigerated.
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Continued from above...

Also, a monthly beer club can provide a sense of anticipation and excitement. Members look forward to the arrival of their monthly shipment, eager to discover new beers and expand their knowledge and experience of beer. Many beer clubs include detailed information about the beers they offer, including the brewing process, the ingredients used, and the history of the beer. This anticipation can add to the enjoyment of the experience, making it a fun and engaging way to explore the world of beer.

Here's a fun fact about beer to get you started: some anthropologists theorize that the shift from a hunter-gatherer society to sedentary farming was partially caused by one key technological innovation. That would be brewing!

These days, if we want a drink, we only need to decide whether we'll drive to the local bottle shop, or join in a growing trend and have it shipped right to our door. Since the 90's, monthly beer clubs have been an increasingly popular way to gift or receive expert-curated beer. So whether you're looking to explore new beer styles, discover the unexpected, or gift the same to a friend, family, co-worker or acquaintance, now is an excellent time to take advantage of the diversity of modern brewing, and explore something fresh with a monthly beer club.

There are, however, quite a number of beer clubs out there, and it can be difficult to compare them all. Some specialize in the highest quality (and highest priced) craft beer experiences, others offer interesting stylistic or regional themes, still others just ship you 12 good beers with no frills about it. After surveying the best (and a few of the rest), Top Consumer Reviews has found some key points to look for as you make your choice:

  • Theme: Look for how they theme their club. You could get 12 beers from the supermarket for a whole lot less than a beer club; a carefully-selected theme, however, can make a beer club both exciting and informative, so be sure to check for an interesting way that they tie it all together from month to month.
  • Quality Assurance: Anyone can put beer in a box and call it a day. It takes an expert, however, to curate based on taste, and if you're paying for a beer club you should expect no less. Be sure to look for information on how a club chooses their beers, not just what beers they send.
  • Past Selections: Some of the best clubs on our list let you know exactly what beers are in an upcoming box, and exactly what they've chosen in the past. If they aren't telling you these things... then it's probably a good idea to look critically at any claims to quality.
  • Extras: While secondary to the beer itself, some of our favorite clubs include gifts and interesting tidbits with your monthly shipment. When comparing similar offerings, any added extras may very well be the determining factor.

While many clubs seem similar, not all are up to the mark. At Top Consumer Reviews, we have searched with an eye for the interesting, intriguing, and quality-consistent, to find only the best Beer Clubs to fill your fridge. Whatever your specific tastes, we are certain you'll find a club that fits yours. Cheers!

Compare Beer Clubs

Select any 2 Beer Clubs to compare them head to head

best-beer-clubs
  • U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club
  • Hops Head Beer Club
  • City Brew Tours
  • U.S. and International Variety Beer Club
  • Rare Beer Club
  • International Beer Club
  • Beer Drop
  • Amazing Clubs
  • Beer of the Month Club
  • The Original Craft Beer Club
U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs Hops Head Beer Club U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs City Brew Tours U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs U.S. and International Variety Beer Club U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs Rare Beer Club U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs International Beer Club U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs Beer Drop U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs Amazing Clubs U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs Beer of the Month Club U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club Hops Head Beer Club vs City Brew Tours Hops Head Beer Club vs U.S. and International Variety Beer Club Hops Head Beer Club vs Rare Beer Club Hops Head Beer Club vs International Beer Club Hops Head Beer Club vs Beer Drop Hops Head Beer Club vs Amazing Clubs Hops Head Beer Club vs Beer of the Month Club Hops Head Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club City Brew Tours vs U.S. and International Variety Beer Club City Brew Tours vs Rare Beer Club City Brew Tours vs International Beer Club City Brew Tours vs Beer Drop City Brew Tours vs Amazing Clubs City Brew Tours vs Beer of the Month Club City Brew Tours vs The Original Craft Beer Club U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs Rare Beer Club U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs International Beer Club U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs Beer Drop U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs Amazing Clubs U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs Beer of the Month Club U.S. and International Variety Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club Rare Beer Club vs International Beer Club Rare Beer Club vs Beer Drop Rare Beer Club vs Amazing Clubs Rare Beer Club vs Beer of the Month Club Rare Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club International Beer Club vs Beer Drop International Beer Club vs Amazing Clubs International Beer Club vs Beer of the Month Club International Beer Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club Beer Drop vs Amazing Clubs Beer Drop vs Beer of the Month Club Beer Drop vs The Original Craft Beer Club Amazing Clubs vs Beer of the Month Club Amazing Clubs vs The Original Craft Beer Club Beer of the Month Club vs The Original Craft Beer Club
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