The Best Beer Clubs

Sunday, September 15th

2024 Beer Club Reviews

U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club

• $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

The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club is the original offering from Microbrewed Beer of the Month, and is the club that gave the company its name. Running since 1995, the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club has been running since mail order meant ordering through the mail.

A history of quality at a good price

The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club has been sending out selections from the U.S. craft scene for over 28 years. At $35.95 per month plus $16 shipping, its $51.95 price tag makes it moderately more expensive than other domestic craft clubs on our list. (But, the extra $10 or so a month appears to be paying for higher quality). While it is a shame to have to pay shipping, we strongly appreciate the clarity with which they lay out their pricing.

Some interesting extras

The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club comes with The Malt of the Earth, their monthly newsletter, in addition to brewery notes, tasting info, and suggested pairings. Half the fun of a beer club is the discovery, and we like that their newsletter contributes to that dynamic. You can also reorder favorites; however, these are separate from your monthly shipments. And - though small - the free bottle opener is a nice touch.

Clearly defined, rigorous selection process

The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club has a clear and well-explained process for picking your beers; sourced by their panel of expert critics, brewers, and judges, not only do they search competitions and showcases for the best, but run them through a blind-taste-test before they're listed in the club. We give this company kudos for not only the care that goes into choosing their curated product, but also for their transparency in what they share with customers.

Well-documented past selections

If you're curious as to whether the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club is right for you or your planned recipient, every beer they've ever chosen is listed all the way back to 1995. We appreciate that this club has the confidence in their product to display exactly what they've curated, unlike other Beer Clubs which don't even tell you how they choose.

The best un-themed domestic club on our list

With a clear purchasing process, quality offerings, and a reasonable price, the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club is the best domestic craft club on our list. If you're not looking for any kind of regional or stylistic theme, and just need a random selection of highly-rated beers, you'll likely love the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club. They earn our highest rating.

Hops Head Beer Club

• $39.95 per month ($16 shipping)
• Mix of 12 domestic/international bottles or cans
• Four bottles/cans of three different styles from two breweries per month
• Newsletter Malt of the Earth included
• Reorder favorite selections

Can't get enough of hoppy beer? What began as a preservative necessity (the addition of hops to the brewing process) has bloomed into a craft genre of its own.

Wide range of hop-inspired beers

Catering to this trend, the Hop-Heads Beer Club offers a wide-range of exploration within the genre, featuring the classic IPA and double IPA, India Pale Lagers, Imperial Pale ales, red ales... the list could go on. But what's important here is that if you're looking for variety in a hop-forward theme, the Hop-Head Beer Club goes out of its way to provide a curated exploration with quality coming first.

Good price for a themed club

The Hop-Heads Beer Club is one of the more reasonably priced themed clubs on our list, totaling at $39.95 per month, with $16 shipping. While it's unfortunate that shipping isn't included, we love the fact that their pricing options are clearly defined and easy to navigate.

Good quality well communicated

At the time of this review, their selection featured two hop-forward beers from Harpoon brewery (including their classic Harpoon IPA, a delicious East Coast IPA), and one from Carib brewery, both staples in the Massachusetts and South Florida beer scenes respectively. A major plus is that Microbrewed clearly indicates how they choose their beers: with an active group of brewers and judges, blind-tasting each selection, and scouring breweries and competitions for the best, most interesting selections. If you like what they send you, you can even reorder it separately through their website.

An extensive catalog of beer

To back up their claims as to the quality of the Hop-Heads Beer Club, the Microbrewed website lets you explore all previously selected beers (all the way back to 1995). We appreciate this confidence in quality, and clarity for the customer.

Value with a hoppy theme

The Hop-Heads Beer club offers some of the best value on our list for a themed Beer Club, and offers a wealth of information informing you of the quality, while surprising you with its contents. If you're looking for a hop-themed gift, or a treat for your own home, we strongly recommend the Hop-Heads Beer Club.

City Brew Tours

• $69.99 to $79.99 per month, depending on club length
• 8 beers monthly, each sourced from a single-city's scene
• Postcards and beer history from each city
• Tasting-chart accompanying each beer
• A visitor's guide to the featured city
• Virtual beer-tasting events

The blessing (and curse) of the craft-beer surge in the United States is that it is an intensely local affair. If you've ever moved away from a city with a robust brewery scene, then you know the disappointment of leaving your favorite beers behind. Previously Brewvana, City Brew Tours leverages U.S. beer regionalism into a pleasantly surprising upside with their city-focused monthly beer club, giving you a place-based taste of what each region has to offer.

Your beers in their natural habitat

While some beer clubs offer some general award-winning bests, and others allow you as much customization as your heart desires, City Brew Tours offers something unexpected: your beers in context. Each month, they feature the brewery scene of a particular city, and ship you the best beers they've got to offer, complete with brewery merch, a city and visitor's guide, detailed tasting notes, and an optional live-stream tasting event. In short, where some Beer Clubs offer beer, City Brew Tours does their very best to offer an experience.

A bit pricey

City Brew Tours' beer club is a bit pricier than competitors. While they offer only one box, their subscriptions vary: you can pay monthly for $79.99 per month, every three months for $74.67 per month, or every six months for $69.99 per month. Additionally, you only receive eight bottles per month as opposed to the standard twelve, for a significantly higher price. So, while City Brew Tours is probably the most interesting on our list, it also ranks up there in price.

A brew-tour in a box

City Brew Tours also offers in-person beer tours of cities across the eastern U.S., and this ethos informs their beer club, which includes an optional online group tasting with a brewer. While not for everyone, those looking to hone their palate may find an online tasting both convenient and informative.

A regional theme done well

There are far too many beers out there to be one best, and City Brew Tours nicely capitalizes on that fact with their regional focus. If you're curious about the beer scene of all sorts of U.S. cities, and would like a regional twist to your monthly beer club, City Brew Tours is the best you can get.

U.S. and International Variety Beer Club

• Mix of 12 Domestic and International Bottles and cans
• $40.95 per month plus $16 shipping
• Monthly newsletter, tasting notes, and beer info
• Free bottle opener with 3 shipments
• Reorder favorites separately

Why choose one when you could have both? This ethos informs the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club, which sources innovative domestic microbrews while sprinkling in a bit of old-world brewery flavor. Offered by Microbrewed Beer of the Month, the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club earns high marks for its nice variety at a reasonable price.

A good mix at a fair price

The U.S. and International Variety Beer Club offers a mix of two domestic and two international styles with each shipment, priced at $40.95 per month plus $16 shipping. We appreciate that with the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club, the pricing options are clearly communicated and easy to navigate. While slightly more expensive than comparable domestic offerings, we think that the marginally higher price is well worth the greater variety.

Some nice extras

The U.S. and International Variety Beer Club comes with a monthly newsletter The Malt of the Earth, which contains tasting notes, serving information, and brewery info and facts. In addition, you'll receive a free bottle opener with three shipments or more, which is a nice touch.

Past selections well-indexed

As with other beer clubs offered by Microbrewed Beer of the Month, you are able to see all past selections from the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club (which we appreciate). A quick glance reveals that the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club usually includes the same beers as the International Beer Club.

Great choice if you like domestic and international beer

So, if you'd like a taste of international styles, but are put off by the thought of six of the same beer in your monthly shipment, the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club is an excellent choice, one whose quality is ensured by a panel of brewmasters and beer experts.

Rare Beer Club

• Two 750ml bottles per month (starting at $41.95+$16 shipping)
• Monthly newsletter, tasting notes, and brewery info
• Personalized shipments: skip a month or select your favorites
• Monthly newsletter, tasting notes, and brewery info

The Rare Beer Club, offered through Microbrewed Beer of the Month, was founded by "Beer Hunter” author and critic, Michael Jackson (the writer - not the musician). With a bevy of books, articles, and TV appearances, Mr. Jackson introduced the world to the abundance of beer styles and histories, and was a key figure in popularizing craft beer. Posthumously continuing his legacy through the club he founded, the Rare Beer Club is the only club on our list that goes out of its way to source an exclusive assortment of 750ml bottle beers of the highest quality.

A high price for high-quality beer

The Rare Beer Club likely isn't for everyone, because these beers are expensive. While the base plan starts at two beers of two styles per month at $41.95 plus $16 shipping, the Rare Beer Club also offers a four bottle plan at $63.95 per month plus $19 shipping, or a six bottle plan at $84.95 per month plus $24 shipping. In short, this is probably one of the most expensive clubs on our list, but it's also the only club that specializes in 750ml high-end offerings.

Exclusive offerings

What sets this club apart from others is its exclusivity. In fact, many of the rare beers found in their club are made strictly for the Rare Beer Club. To give you an idea of the variety here, at the time of our evaluation this club was shipping a fig-infused farmhouse ale from Belgian brewery Brasserie de Blaugies, and CaliCraft's Ursa Major, a California brewed, coffee-infused imperial ale. If those sound pleasant to your palate, then this club may be right up your alley (or abbey, depending on who's doing the brewing).

Glassware, newsletter, and customization options

Each shipment comes with glassware and temperature suggestions, tasting notes and pairings, their monthly newsletter, and aging instructions (many of these beers are made to age well, and are perfect for those starting or looking for some variety in their beer cellar). What's more, if a past shipment was to your liking, you can customize which beers you receive, instead of just ordering them separately. You can also skip an upcoming beer, pack your box with more of your favorites, or skip a month all together.

A top quality club, but not for everyone

Chosen by Microbrewed Beer of the Month's panel of brewmasters, critics, and experts, this is a high-quality offering that is priced accordingly. If you're interested in gifting or receiving a curated sampling of the best of the best, then the Rare Beer Club is the one for you. However, at the high price point and low volume received, this is certainly not the club for those looking for a reasonably priced club, or just a good quantity of drinkable beers.

International Beer Club

• $43.95 (plus $16 shipping)
• A selection of 12 bottles and cans
• 2 styles each, 6 per can
• Monthly newsletter with tasting notes, news, and food pairings
• Free bottle opener with three shipments
• Reorder favorite selections

While there is no denying the creative energy and quality of United States craft beers, beer lovers have to respect the weight and quality that comes with tradition in the international beer scene.

International beers without the plane ticket

The Reinheitsgebot (German beer purity laws) were made in 1516; monks have been fasting through Lent on Bock's alone since at least the 1650s, when the Pope gave them express permission. In short, centuries of tradition and practice inform the international beer scene, and the International Beer Club from the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club offers a convenient way to taste that tradition (and current innovations) without an international plane ticket.

A bit pricier

While slightly pricier than Microbrewed's all-domestic plans, the International Beer Club ships you a nice 12-pack of international beers for $43.95 per month, plus $16 shipping: $59.95 total. At that price, you'll receive two styles per shipment, a newsletter with beer news, tasting notes, and food pairings, and a free bottle opener after three shipments. While the extras are nice, we also appreciate their clearly defined, easy to navigate pricing options.

Well documented quality

A big plus for us is the ability to see all beers from previous months, and reorder favorites; clarity and confidence in a product is an excellent way to receive good marks from us. Additionally, as all selections are sourced through brewery relationships and competitions, and are blind-tested by a panel of expert brewers and judges, you can be guaranteed that the beer you receive is considered quality by experts in the field. Keep in mind, however, that while you can reorder your favorites through their website, this is separate from the monthly shipment.

A taste-based international tour

Half the fun of a beer club is the discovery, enjoying the unexpected, and broadening your palate. While we would have appreciated more than two styles per shipment, the International Beer Club is a top choice on our list, and excellent selection for those looking to gain (or give) a slice of brewery tradition and innovation outside the U.S. craft scene.

Beer Drop

• Recommendation based on your favorite styles and flavors
• Five, eight, or ten cans per month
• Premium club options
• No commitment pricing
• Beers from partnered breweries only

Beer Drop caters to those with specific or particular tastes with their unique recommendation system that scours their available beers, and pairs them to your taste and price-point. Here's how this beer club stacks up:

Customizable Drops

Beer Drop will ship you cans of your chosen selection every month, with options ranging from five cans ($33 dollars per month), eight cans ($40 per month), or ten cans ($44 dollars per month). Keep in mind that shipping costs $7.99 across the board. However, for each plan, you can also pay a higher monthly fee for higher quality beer, with a "better” and "best” choice within each plan.

Higher price may be worth it

Their "best” 10 can per month, for example, is $60 as opposed to the base price of $44. While Beer Drop's base plan is slightly more expensive than non-customizable competitors offering 12 beers per shipment, the price may well be worth it for more choice in your monthly beers. Keep in mind that you can send a single box as a gift, a gift card, or pay monthly, so there is some variety in how you go about purchasing/gifting a Beer Drop box.

No commitments, but no more rewards

While Beer Drop has a flexible, no commitments policy, and the ability to cancel and refund subscriptions, they appear to have discontinued their rewards program. It seems they used to offer free beer after a certain number of shipments; canceling this program is a disappointing development for those looking for a continuous subscription with some perks.

Brewery partnerships: a mixed bag

Where other clubs source beers more generally based on quality or awards, Beer Drop partners with specific breweries in order to customize their selections, which means that they are only sending you brews from those partners - but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. All the breweries and beers on their list are high-rated and top quality. However, their geographic selection may be more limited than a club that doesn't operate on a purely partnership basis, so keep that in mind as you compare competitors.

Amazing Clubs

• About $46.95 per month for all plans
• Free shipping
• 12 domestic bottles per shipment
• "They'll love it!” guarantee
• Newsletter "The Frosted Mug” with each shipment
• Slight discount when subscribing to longer plans

With over 44 types of monthly clubs - and a considerable acumen, having been shipping clubs such 2003 - Amazing Clubs is one of the biggest providers of monthly club services on the market. But how do they stack up to the more specialized beer clubs?

Standard pricing

Amazing Clubs will send 12 domestic bottles from two different domestic breweries each month to your recipient. You can choose to prepay, or pay per shipment. Should you choose to prepay, they offer a 3 month option at $140.85, a 4 time-per-year "seasonal” option at $187.80, a 6 month option at $275.70, and a 12 month option at $539.40. In sum, all plans generally cost around $46.05 per month, with very slight monthly discounts should you opt-in for a longer period. You can also choose to pay per shipment, which is equivalent in price. Shipping is included in all Amazing Clubs' memberships.

A mix of styles and breweries

Each box generally contains four styles from the chosen domestic brewery, totaling three beers per style, and they index their past selections back to 2022. Reviewing their previous chosen beers, Amazing Clubs tends to favor award-winning beers, and those specifically chosen by the brewmaster/panel that writes their newsletter, "The Frosty Mug” (although no information could be found about the credentials of this panel or brewmaster).

What about their guarantee?

What does a "They'll love it!” guarantee mean? Well, first off, you can skip a month or two if you don't like the current selection. If you cancel your subscription, they'll refund you for any unshipped merchandise. And, if you find any beer for a lower price than you paid for it, they offer to refund you the difference. Scouring customer reviews, folks are generally happy with the customer service here, showing that Amazing Clubs has the infrastructure to back up their claims (which we appreciate).

Good for a gift, not for customization

What makes Amazing-Club's a good gift (the four random styles per month) is also its biggest downside (you can't customize style or amount). Taken in sum, Amazing Clubs is a good pick if you're looking for a gift for that beer-loving family member or friend, don't necessarily know what they like, and would like a slightly cheaper option. However, if you're an aficionado with an interest in more customizable shipments, or more thematically-interesting boxes, there are many more appropriate clubs on our list.

Beer of the Month Club

• $51.95 per month (no shipping costs)
• 12 bottles/cans with 4 styles per shipment
• Monthly newsletter Beer Expeditions and tasting notes included
• Happiness Guarantee

Offered by Great Clubs, the Beer of the Month Club is a fairly standard beer club that's been in business since 1994. They don't offer a ton of information about their selection process or history, aside from time in the business, and an assurance that all beers chosen are microbrews: sourced from small breweries.

Standard club for a standard price

The Beer of the Month Club is a relatively standard subscription: each month, you will receive 12 bottles/cans of four styles (from an unspecified number of breweries), with the Beer Expeditions monthly newsletter included. Beer Expeditions includes information about this month's beer and breweries with tasting notes and serving suggestions. At $51.95 per month, this is comparable in price to most mid-tier beer clubs on our list.

No past selections

The Beer of the Month Club doesn't index their previously chosen beers, and they do not detail their selection process in any meaningful way. While they do provide one sample of previously chosen beers, this selection is not dated, and a single example does not give an accurate view of the quality of the Beer of the Month Club.

A good refund policy

One thing we do appreciate about the Beer of the Month Club is their happiness guarantee. They offer to replace and refund any damaged or unused shipments. However their guarantee would be even more appreciated if we could view what went into choosing the product.

Nothing bad but nothing great either

In short, while the Beer of the Month Club offers microbrewed beers at a fair price, and has a good return/refund policy, there isn't a whole lot to distinguish them from their competitors. Other clubs are cheaper, or offer better volume; still other clubs on our list provide interesting themes for their beers, or more clearly communicate their selection process, for about the same price. In short, there are better clubs on our list in most categories, and while not bad, we don't really see anything extraordinary about Beer of the Month Club either.

The Original Craft Beer Club

• 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.

While the Original Craft Beer Club may be original, they don't appear to have any credentials to back that claim. Originality aside, the Original Craft Beer Club offers some reasonably priced beer shipped monthly to your door, so let's see what they offer:

No pre-pay options

The Original Craft Beer Club has some competitive pricing, at $47.95 per month for twelve bottles, and $95.90 for 24. However, the Original Craft Beer Club is a subscription only, without the option to prepay for a set number of months. Compared to more flexible offerings from competitors, the subscription-only model feels a bit underhanded, as it requires active cancellation as opposed to letting a pre-pay run out. That being said, the 24 bottles per month could be a plus for those looking for a higher quantity in their monthly club.

What's in the box? Who knows?

While we appreciate the range of styles they included - 4 beer styles over 12 to 24 bottles provides a nice variety and quantity - the Original Craft Beer Club does not provide any information on how they choose which breweries to feature. Additionally, they do not list examples of what was in their previous boxes, so there is no way to assess the quality of previous shipments. We would've appreciated a bit more clarity as to what goes into choosing their beers, and which beers were chosen in the past.

Changing websites, lost in transition

After a bit of digging, it would appear that part of the Original Craft Beer Club's lack of information is due to the fact that they are in the process of changing websites, and likely have yet to migrate all the necessary information. It is unfortunate that their technical changes have occluded the quality of their product; however, with no information about how they choose their monthly shipments, and no examples of the quality of previous shipments, it's harder to recommend their service. Independent reviewers note that the beers from the Original Craft Beer Club have been high-quality, but not necessarily exciting.

High bottle count, but little else

In short, if you're looking for a more inexpensive beer club with higher-bottle-count options, the Original Craft Beer Club will likely be a good purchase or gift. However, for those seeking exciting beers, themed shipments, or customizable options, you'd be best to look elsewhere