2021 Beer Memberships: Adding, Keeping or Dropping?

Adding: none

Keeping: Barclay & Afterthought

Dropping: none

 

Adding: None

Keeping: Phase Three & Afterthought

Dropping: Solemn Oath

Undecided: Transient

 

Afterthought has a membership?!

 

I'm at the "really need to drop some memberships" stage (especially since a few of these are doubles). Revolution might as well be another club too. Could see dropping De Garde / Private Press to avoid shipping, but don't have to make that choice until next summer.

Adding: None

Keeping: Side Project, Perennial, Phase Three, De Garde,

Dropping / Already Dropped: Transient, Barclay

Undecided / Too New to Call: Funk Factory, Second City Meadery, Standard Meadery, Private Press

 

I'd only add Phase Three.

 

any reason why you are dropping Barclays? I had a couple friends who got membership this year and they’re pretty excited about the quality of beer and the sheer number of bottles

 

Probably consistent with the intention of membership wave has been how I've bought a ton more beer than I had in the past, but very little outside of the membership programs. There are maybe one or two programs I'd join if given the chance, but only if I'd drop one of the memberships I've already joined.

Also, if Rev, Dovetail or Keeping Together started memberships, those one or two I was considering would increase.

 

Really depends on what you're looking for out of it. It's essentially $100 to be able to pre-reserve bottles, get a glass & shirt, and a member party (which COVID ruined for the 2019-2020 membership year). The vast majority of member bottle releases are eventually sold to the public.

I love Afterthought beer, and think Mike is a great guy so I've been in it for a few years now and really just think of the membership as a bonus to help Mike get funds quicker for building out the business.

 

Keeping: Perennial, de Garde (might drop after this year), Private Press

Adding: None

Dropping: Main & Mill, Second City Meadery

 

• Adding: Barclays Dimensions of Time, SP La Coterie (they've gotta pick me eventually, right!?!?)
• Keeping: Phase Three (and praying it remains 2pp on the core member bottles)
• Dropping: None

 

Adding: None

Dropping: None

Keeping: Pollyanna

 

Funk Factory has a membership club? Got to get in that!

 

$100 gets you 2 harmony glasses, a T-Shirt, membership party, and first rights to buy all their beers. Renewal is in the spring, and the party was usually in the late summer / early fall. ‘19-‘20 was the first year I’ve joined, so I haven’t been able to attend what would have been my first member party due to covid

The beers are amazing, but with Afterthought’s small cult following, and the lack of popularity of wilds with the general public, I’m not entirely sure the membership is required yet to get most of the bottles. There are member exclusive bottles though, so if that’s a factor for you. I know there was a waiting list for membership, but unsure now.

I’d say on average we get an email every other month to buy a bunch of bottles. There are initial limits, and then the limits are dropped for members after about 2 weeks. One of each bottle typically costs $70-$100 per round.

 

Adding: None
Keeping: None
Dropping: None

I had one brewery membership a few years ago in order to have early access to special releases after missing out on two that I would have liked to have gotten. The place is nearby. During the time I had the membership I would have been able to purchase every special release (6-8 beers over about 3 releases) without the early access and without standing in line or other hassles. The same has been true for every release since.

 

I have been really happy with the Afterthought membership. You get first access to all the member beers, typically limit 2 per beer. After all members have had a chance to order you get the chance to order more before it goes to the general public.

While many of the member beers become available on the public store, a handful do sell out to members.

I don't make it to Lombard often, and they are pretty flexible with holding on to everything for you until you make it over there.

Also the glasses are really nice. I actually use it, unlike some glasses that just add to clutter.

 

Yeah, it started out as the magnum club a few years back in parallel with them tracking their Top 100 purchasers. They combined the two clubs last year (and thankfully no longer requiring buying magnums).

I assume it'll open early in 2021 (previously renewals were mid year but they extended the last membership year due to COVID)

 

Thanks!