What are the Best Beer Clubs Available Today? Feeling like crackin' open a cold one to relax at the end of the day? Looking forward to your favorite lite, dark, or IPA? Beer is the most widely enjoyed alcoholic drink worldwide, and right now there are over 100 varieties of beer, ales, lagers, and more on the market. In one recent study, statistics showed that 79% of all beer consumed in the US was produced within the US as well. Another study by the US Tax and Trade Bureau revealed there are over 14,000 unique breweries in the US alone. And, you guessed it, lots of them offer beer clubs.
Average
City Brew Tours is a modern-styled beer club that's designed to get the finest beers from cities around the U.S. delivered straight to your door. This virtual beer road trip focuses on "under-the-radar" beers from different cities each month. Currently, there are 47 cities, 195 breweries, and 365 flavors that could be featured throughout your subscription period. The company has been open since 2008, but it was originally called Burlington Brew Tours. It got a revamp in 2012 and has been City Brew Tours since.
Two-step sign up
Getting started with City Brew Tours' beer club subscription is simple: there are only two steps. First, you pick the city you want to start your tour in. Some cities are sold out depending on when you browse, so you might only have one choice. (At the time of our review, we could choose between Washington DC and San Francisco as our starting point.) From there, you choose your subscription length. You can either subscribe for an ongoing monthly payment or prepay for 3 or 6 months.
8 beers per box
When you're selecting your starting city, you can use the "peek in the box" feature to see what you might expect from a beer club shipment at City Brew Tours. Every box showcases eight different beers from three or four of the top breweries in the city featured each month. You'll also get a guided tasting sheet and a postcard from the featured city. The subscription ships a mix of 12 oz and 16 oz cans, depending on the shipment and the brewery.
Unique small-brewery flavors
There aren't any beers you can buy directly here, but you can see previous beer club boxes at City Brew Tours to get an idea of the flavors. According to our research, one recent box included brewers from Rhode Island; the beers featured in that box included Single Slice by Long Live Beerworks, Sea Maiden by Grey Sail Brewing, a Lager by Narragansett, and Summit American Pale Ale by Tilted Barn Brewing. There was one can of each flavor to try in the box.
Prices from $69.99 to $79.99 per month
The prices for this beer club are a little costly for only offering 8 cans of beer per shipment. The most cost-effective subscription plan is the 6-month subscription length. This costs $69.99 per month, and you're committed for 6 months, but you don't have to prepay. The 3-month subscription costs $74.67, and the month-to-month option is $79.99. If you prefer to give City Brew Tours as a gift, you'll have to prepay. You can pick from 2 months at $169.99 total, 4 months for $317.99 total, and 6 months for $449.99 total.
Flat-rate $5 shipping
For each beer club box, there is a flat-rate shipping fee of $5. Keep in mind that you will need to sign for the package with proof that you are over the age of 21. This is one of the lower-cost shipping fees in our review, with many that charge $10+ for shipping and handling. However, currently, City Brew Tours does not ship to AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, IN, MD, MO, MS, NC, UT, WV, and VT. All other states can get their beer, though.
Fees charged if you cancel early
According to our research, you can cancel your subscription to City Brew Tours at any time. However, this beer club states that it may apply cancellation fees if you choose to cancel your subscription before the commitment term is complete. For example, if you cancel your 6-month subscription early, the fee is calculated by subtracting the 6-month discounted price from the standard subscription price ($79.99 per month) for the months you used (so if you used 4 months, this would be $319.96 with $279.96 subtracted). Then, City Brew Tours multiplies the difference ($40) by the number of months used, making the cancellation fee $160. Ouch!
High praise for shipped beer and in-person tours
City Brew Tours currently holds an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau and an almost-perfect 4.8-star rating from beer club customers on Yelp. Many customers can enjoy City Brew Tours in person too if you happen to be in the city where they're offering beers that month. Customers said the experience was top-notch for traveling and seeing different breweries. The club itself has a 4.7-star average rating on Facebook, with high praise for beer quality. So, it may be the case that you don't need to worry about canceling your subscription at all.
Best for those who want to sample across the U.S.
City Brew Tours is a solid beer club if you want to try beers from across the U.S. With different featured cities each month, you'll get a lot of variety. However, if you're looking for the most cost-effective beer club, you might be disappointed. This is more expensive than clubs that offer 12 beers instead of 8, and its high fees for cancellations might be less than helpful if you don't end up liking the subscription. For these reasons, along with the limitations on where City Brew Tours will ship, this beer club earns a balanced rating rather than something a bit higher. However, if you're impressed by the customer reviews and the unique cross-country approach, you should give City Brew Tours a look.
Continued from above...
Feeling like crackin' open a cold one to relax at the end of the day? Looking forward to your favorite lite, dark, or IPA? Beer is the most widely enjoyed alcoholic drink worldwide, and right now there are over 100 varieties of beer, ales, lagers, and more on the market. In one recent study, statistics showed that 79% of all beer consumed in the US was produced within the US as well. Another study by the US Tax and Trade Bureau revealed there are over 14,000 unique breweries in the US alone. And, you guessed it, lots of them offer beer clubs.
So, what is a beer club, and why join one? These are awesome membership-based services that let you subscribe and get beer delivered directly to your home. These clubs include tons of exciting new brews from around the US (and sometimes they include international flavors as well). Whether you're new to beer and want to try as many types as you can or you're getting bored with your local store selection and want to shake up your game nights a bit, these clubs are great for getting new beers in your fridge ASAP.
With shipments that range from monthly to quarterly or prepaid subscriptions you can send as a gift, there are tons of ways to enjoy beer clubs. Beer clubs are more than just drinking (but don't worry, you get to enjoy that crisp refreshing beer and a buzz too) - you can also learn about the beers and the craft of brewing when you become a member. Whether you're just trying to discover more about your favorite drink or thinking about trying to home-brew some beer, joining a beer club can give you a solid education on tasting notes and the brewing process.
Other benefits of joining a beer club include getting access to limited edition beers not sold directly to regular customers or experiencing new creations from microbreweries (which are small-scale breweries that make less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year, and they focus on creative brewing techniques with a hands-on approach). Whatever your favorite way to enjoy beer, you can find it at a top-rated beer club.
If you're not sure where to look first to get your next pint, don't worry - we've done the research for you, including a list of factors to help you narrow down your favorite beer clubs and breweries:
To help you find the best beer for your next sports game party or late-night relaxation, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the most popular beer clubs available today. This way, you can sit back and enjoy a pint (or two) as your new membership ships your next adventure in beer right to your door!
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What to Expect From a Beer-of-the-Month Club
There are clubs for reading books and clubs for learning to stitch, so why not a club that focuses on beer?
Beer-of-the-month clubs are designed to bring consumers a variety of beer straight to their doorsteps each month at a group rate, making it affordable and convenient. If you like beer, it is an ideal way to try a number of brands and flavors without ever having to leave the comfort of your home.
However, the number of beer-of-the-month clubs offered online is staggering and can leave the consumer confused as to which club would best fit their needs. So how does one select the ideal beer club?
First and foremost, do you like domestic or foreign, micro-brewed or mass-produced? Are you adventurous and enjoy trying new things, or would you prefer to stick with what you know and love? Once a decision is made about the kind of beer that is preferred, those preferences can be used to select a club which fits your taste criteria.
Next, decide how much you can reasonably spend for a membership. Most beer-of-the-month clubs offer several options when joining. Subscribers can select original flavors, which would consist of the kinds of beers most commonly sold on tap and by the bottle. These selections generally are pulled from various microbreweries in the United States. This kind of basic membership is the least expensive at around $20-25 per month depending on the club. However, for those who truly enjoy beer, an original selection may be a bit boring.
Other memberships, which include both domestic and foreign beers, often are the most tantalizing to the beer connoisseur, but also are the most costly at around $40 per month. It should be noted that the monthly membership fees do not include shipping and handling charges, which can range between $12-15 per shipment.
For the most elite beer drinkers, there also are several clubs which offer rare brands of beers, including limited-release brands by Elevation Brewing Co. and Jolly Pumpkin. These beers are not for the faint of heart. Creatively-prepared, they often can be placed in a traditional wine cellar and aged for a more refined taste.
Some clubs ship several times a month, so the additional shipping and handling can add up. Be sure to include the estimated cost of shipping when determining your beer-of-the-month club budget.
If you've never belonged to a beer-of-the-month club before, it might be a good idea to read reviews about each club out there, or ask friends and family for recommendations. Some clubs are members of the Better Business Bureau, which provides the customer with an extra layer of protection should they be dissatisfied with their club membership and unable to obtain a reasonable resolution to their grievance through the club itself.
Lastly, a smart thing to do when signing up as a member of any club is to fully read and review the terms of service, as well as the membership agreement. Some clubs require a minimum membership term, usually around three months. This is the minimum amount of time the member agrees to be in the club and pay the monthly dues and fees. Some also offer payment options and automatic-renewal options. Be clear on what the terms are before agreeing to them in order to avoid being deadlocked into an expensive club you may not be able to afford.
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