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.
Great
U.S. and International Variety Beer Club is one of the many beer clubs offered by the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club, which is in turn owned by the well-reputed parent company Monthly Clubs. This particular beer club focuses on sending you quality craft beers from around the world. The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club has been around since 1994 and picks the beers for its U.S. and International Variety Beer Club with a panel of trusted beer experts who travel to taste and rate the best flavors on the market.
Pick the number of shipments or join monthly
U.S. and International Variety Beer Club is simple to join. You just need to scroll to the bottom of the page where the site will ask if you're buying it as a gift or just treating yourself, and you'll get to pick how many shipments you'd like to receive or send. You can either commit to a pre-planned number of deliveries (2 to 12) or choose an ongoing subscription that bills you each month. As a bonus, if you want to commit to a prepaid membership period, you don't have to pay it all in a lump sum. You can still pay month-to-month, but this isn't the same as the truly ongoing membership. You also get to pick when you want the subscription to start and how often you'd like the beer delivered: monthly, every other month, or once every three months.
12 beers from the US and abroad
Each beer club box promises to have both US and international beers in every shipment. You'll get 12 bottles or cans and your box will include four different flavors of beer (three repeats of each). Half of the beers will be from the US and the other six will be from international breweries. You'll also get a list of detailed tasting notes, food pairings, and a history of each brewery. If you commit to a minimum of three months, you'll also get coasters and stickers.
32 beers in stock
If you're thinking about picking up some beers outside of your U.S. and International Variety Beer Club shipments, you'll be happy to know that the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club has around 32 different kinds available in the online store. While that number isn't quite as large as what some other beer clubs offer, there are still some interesting and uncommon choices that could be worth a try. To give you a better picture of what might show up in your subscription boxes, we took a look at a few past shipments. Here's what previous customers received:
Priced at $61.45 per month
No matter if you go with a continuous plan or pick a set number of deliveries (anywhere from 2 to 12), the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club charges the same rate per box. Each shipment costs $61.45, and that total includes shipping too. If you'd rather pay all at once instead of month-to-month, you can choose to prepay with costs starting at $122.90 for 2 shipments and going up to $737.40 for a full 12. This setup makes it super convenient if you're thinking about sending a gift since you can lock in a subscription for someone without needing to worry about future charges.
You can only cancel after three months
The cancellation policy for U.S. and International Variety Beer Club was a little hard to find, so we checked in with the super helpful customer service team to get the details. If you go with the monthly billing option, you can cancel whenever you want with no problem. But if you're thinking about prepaying for a few months, things get a little tricky. The FAQ doesn't explain it very well, but the helpful service rep let us know that if you prepay for more than two months, you'll have to stay in the club for at least three months before you can cancel (if you commit to a 6-month plan, whether you pay in advance or choose to pay monthly, you'll need to pay for at least 3 of those months before U.S. and International Variety Beer Club will allow you to cancel your membership). While we loved the helpfulness of the staff, it would be way easier if that info was more upfront before you pay. The good news, though, is that this beer club has a satisfaction guarantee that covers any broken or damaged beers in your box; they'll replace them without charging you anything extra.
Top pick with many who re-subscribe
You'll find that most of the feedback for the U.S. and International Variety Beer Club comes straight from its own website, where we found over 300 on-site testimonials. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with a strong 4.8 out of 5 stars. Customers posted photos with their favorite flavors and praised the selection and flavor of included beers. Many chose to re-subscribe after a gift period or short-term subscription was over. When we looked into the company's Better Business Bureau info, we had to use the parent company Monthly Clubs to find that this provider has earned an "A+" rating and accreditation with the BBB.
Best of both worlds
If you're looking for a beer club that offers the best of international and U.S. beers, this is the place for you. U.S. and International Variety Beer Club stands out with a highly praised variety of beers (with 12 in each shipment). Plus, with the flexibility offered for paying month-to-month whether or not you have an ongoing membership, you can decide how to get your beer without breaking the bank. While we'd like to see more on-site transparency for the cancellation policy, the high praise and "A+" rating from the BBB shows that most people don't generally want to cancel their U.S. and International Variety Beer Club memberships. For this reason, it earns a very high rating, only missing the mark a little due to being a bit more costly. However, if you're looking for some international flair, make sure you check out U.S. and International Variety Beer Club.
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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