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Friday, June 20th
Another pick coming in from the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club site, the International Beer Club is a monthly subscription box from a parent company we've reviewed a few times. This beer club focuses entirely on international craft beers to give you a taste of somewhere exotic. All of the beer clubs at Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club, including International Beer Club, are vetted by a group of on-staff experts who taste and rate over 500 beers every year to pick the best ones for these beer clubs. But if international beers are your jam, then International Beer Club is going to be fun to check out.
Pick your subscription length
Joining the International Beer Club doesn't take long. All you have to do is click the red "order now” button or the "subscribe” button, depending on which part of the site you're browsing. You'll be asked if this is a gift, how many deliveries you want (anywhere from 2 to 12 or an ongoing membership), when you want your subscription to begin, and how often you want to get your beer shipment (whether that's monthly, every two months, or once every three months). When it comes to payment, you can either pay all at once upfront or choose to be charged as each shipment goes out.
12 international beers in each box
Every shipment from International Beer Club comes with 12 beers. All of these are in 12 oz cans or bottles and include two different beer styles with six of each style. You'll also get a collection of coasters and stickers on orders of 3 shipments or more.
Buy a-la-carte too
The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club also gives you the option to buy individual beers straight from their online shop outside the International Beer Club. You'll find a range of prices, from $3.15 for a can up to $40.95 for a bottle. Just keep in mind, the a-la-carte selection is a bit smaller compared to some other clubs that do the same thing. Our research showed only about 32 different beers available at a time. As for what you might see in your subscription boxes, we checked out a few examples from past deliveries, and you can expect some unique and bold flavors to show up on your doorstep like:
Priced at $64.45 per month
The per-box price for the International Beer Club is the same whether you choose an ongoing subscription or choose one of the plans with 2-12 total shipments. Per box, you're looking at $64.45 for each shipment (which includes the cost of delivery). If you'd prefer to prepay, you can pay $128.90 for 2 shipments or up to $773.40 for 12 shipments. This also makes International Beer Club excellent for gifting, as you can prepay for someone else to get a specific subscription period.
Difficult to find cancellation policy for prepaid members
Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club says that folks who go with the monthly payment plan for the International Beer Club can cancel whenever they like. But if you look at the cancellation details, the wording is pretty confusing, especially if you're thinking about prepaying for a few months in advance. So, we decided to ask their support team directly, and they let us know that if you prepay for more than two months, you have to stick with it for at least three months before you're allowed to cancel. It would be helpful to make this more apparent to customers somewhere outside of talking to customer service. On the bright side, you do get access to the replacement policy that promises any International Beer Club can or bottle that is damaged during shipping will be replaced at no cost.
Most reviews are on the beer club website
If you're checking out the International Beer Club and wondering what others think, most customers seem to love the experience, and the average rating is 4.7 out of 5 stars. However, if you're hoping to find more outside opinions from verified third-party review sites like Trustpilot, you might come up short as there aren't any reviews outside of the International Beer Club page for this beer club. On the other hand, if you look under the true parent company (Monthly Clubs), you'll find that this beer club has a perfect "A+” rating and accreditation with the Better Business Bureau. While the overall praise is solid, with lots of customers happy with this beer club as a gift, we'd love to see more buzz for International Beer Club outside of its own website.
Best pick for international beer fans
If you're looking for a specialized experience in international beers, International Beer Club is a great place to look. However, it is more costly than many competitors that offer 12 beers per shipment. Plus, you only get two beer flavors in each box which could leave you wanting more variety (especially if you don't like one of the flavors). With overall positive reviews, it comes in as a unique choice especially if you want to experience more international beer. On the other hand, if you're looking for the best deal and the best variety, you might want to look at our higher-rated choices instead. But with high-quality beer and the fun of international beers on the table, International Beer Club earns a good rating in our review.
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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