2018 Beer Club Renewals

Renewing: Bruery RS (split)
Dropped: None

Nothing else really catches my eye or specifically my wallet thats worth dropping a dime on..maybe HpB one day might do a membership, just maybe... le sighh

 

I'm completely content with current format for HPB haha

 

Anyone have any Bottlecraft Lock and Key reviews? Seems interesting, but haven’t heard any info on whether it’s worth it or not.

 

I had it last year and just re-upped for next year. I like it. Last year it was $200 and this year it is $225. You get an allotment of beer each quarter. I always felt that if I get roughly $50 bucks of good beer each time, I'm fine with it. And that has happened. I have received Bottle Logic, Russian River, Jester King, Beachwood and other bottles that I have been happy with.

The other perks are just icing on the cake. 10% off on drafts has saved me maybe $25-$30 this year. The special members only taps are terrific (we had FO on tap for several days before it was opened to the public). And the members only store has put very solid beers in my hands for little effort.

My only small gripe was I wish that they would have had a members only type event this year for us to meet/socialize with our fellow club enthusiasts. Maybe some special taps, etc. So hopefully that will occur next year.

 

Sounds good. Thanks

 

left: hoarders

added to the waitlist of lost abbey 2019, and still hoping for hta sra invite (going on 4 years now)

im really impressed by the amount of folks that mentioned cellador here, haven't had any of their beers, seems to me i need to check it out

 

Keeping: Cellador (up to tier 4)
Leaving: Bruery Reserve Society
Joining: MT League

 

yes you absolutely need to.

 

can you elaborate on that a bit? what is better now?

 

It was infinitely better. First off lets talk about the plastic cup-ware. GONE. Almost every-time I visited there were good to great options for Member only selections in-house. The Bottles this year that weren't Pugachev or variants were better than the previous year. Communication between the Brewer and Member was also vastly improved and often very easy to deal with and a very quick turnaround. Just in general an overall better experience and something that kept me for next year and probably years to come. Can't say the same about Bruery and if MT LA fails to deliver - I will probably drop them next year.

 

Joined:
Wild Barrel
Lost Abbey

Considering:
Abnormal

 

I think the dust has settled.

Joined: MT League, Bottlecraft Lock and Key, Lost Abbey

Considered but couldn't quite pull the trigger: CASA

Considered very briefly but decided against, even though it's not even open: Abnormal

Most likely dropping: Mikkeller Viking (may split it when renewals come around).

 

What is the reason for considering dropping Viking? Was it not worth the price or the membership itself not very good or organized well?

 

Well, the main reason is because I've now signed up for these three other clubs. Only so much beer money to go around. I see myself spending quite a bit at MT with their exclusive fills and at Bottlecraft with early access to stuff.

As for the club itself - it got off to a pretty rocky start this year, IMO, although it has really turned around lately at least with regards to communication. The two things that are keeping me from considering renewing at this point: 1) the member bottles 2) the lack of any exclusivity

1) The bottles haven't been anything crazy, IMO. Not that everything will appeal to everyone, but I wouldn't be feeling like I was "missing out" on any of them so far.

2) There is really no sense of exclusivity. Yes, they claim member only crowler fills, but so far ones designated as such are only members only for a few days, maybe a week. After that, open to everyone. Early pick up of cans have been nice and they've recently opened web shop up to in-store pick ups (albeit VERY short pickup window), but almost all of the more sought after releases have lasted well in to the weekend. Maybe it's just burnout from the weekly releases, but it's been a month or so since I've purchased any of their IPAs. Going back to Bottlecraft early access (and locker storage, so I can pick up at my convenience), I see myself spending even less at Mikkeller.

Hope that helps. It's really not a bad deal at $200 because you get 15% off every purchase, so it could literally pay for itself if you shop there enough. I will most likely end up splitting it with others for the discount.

 

For those interested, Lost Abbey posted this about the club:
http://lostabbey.com/crusade/club/

 

Keeping: rare barrel (like many have said they need to step it up in 2018)
Bruery Reserve (moving to a split membership this year though)


Joining: modern times (they’re making all the right moves IMO)

 

I thought rare barrel really stepped it up in 2017. The beer has been much better than 2016.

 

Last year was the year of the recycle, between blends of ensorcelled, MOTM introduction, and second use barrels.

 

Joined: Modern Times, Cellador (Tier 2)

 

Ok. I'll play along.

Keeping: Superstition Guild

Joined: De Garde Keepers
Four Fires Family
Lost Abbey(splitting)

Dropped: Good Beer Company Stable
Modern Times League