2022 Beer Memberships: Adding, Keeping, and Dropping

I'm jealous of the Cigar City membership. I may have to mention to my son who lives in Denver or get it for him for Xmas.

 

Adding: None. There is just so so much good beer available in San Diego on a regular basis that I can't find the space for any more memberships than the one I'm keeping.

Keeping: Modern Times Theory.

Dropping: Only in the one membership, nothing to drop. I've dropped Alesmith, Lost Abbey, and Lost Cause (mead) in prior years.

 

Keeping:
SARA Cellar
Private Press

They’re both great, local to me, and I know and respect the owners/brewers. Couldn’t be happier with these memberships.

The only other membership I’d want to get into would be La Coterie, but I know that’s unlikely.

 

Keeping:
SARA
Private Press
MT Theory

Added:
HPB - Joined earlier this year, it's been simple, no BS, good beer for decent price

Dropping:
Nothing this year. HPB is probably more beer than I need but it's convenient and good. Theory has been a rough ride this year - quite a few stouts I wasn't impressed by and I've hated literally all the ipas they've put out. Hoping things improve. SARA and Private Press are amazing as always.

 

Okay. I didn't renew, since the member only bottles weren't their best offerings. So it wasn't worth it, imo. So far it's worked out this year, getting bottles at the public sale.

Definitely excited to get bottles of Ihop this year.

 

Dropping: Modern Times League, Perennial Societe du Chene

Adding: None, I'm drinking way more wine these days

Modern Times has put out really good stouts the last 2 years, but their hazies are not good and their sours are all over the map. Perennial was awesome, but my buddy who shipped for me had a kid and can't keep up with shipping.

 

Keeping
Bruery HS
Highland Park

Adding
None. Was thinking about adding modern times but I get my fill of pastry stouts from bottle logic and bruery

Dropping
None

Can’t really complain about both the memberships or the beers that I’m keeping. Both have been great and add in bottle logics bottles that are so easy to get. I’m a happy camper.

 

Keeping: PP
Dropping: Horus/MT

 

Keeping: HPB Bottle Friends. I go there enough times where that 10% discount is really worth it. I don't think it's a membership I'll ever drop anytime soon and is probably the best value you can get in the Southland out of all the other memberships.

Dropping: None.

Adding: Not planning on adding any memberships at the moment. Thought about joining League, but a lot of people I know already have it so I have access to those beers if I want it. Might as well save myself some money.

 

Added: Private Press

Would love to add: SARA Cellar and Homage.

 

Congrats on Private Press

 

Keeping;
Modern Times League
Cellador

Dropping:
None

Adding:
None

 

Keeping:
SARA
Private Press
MT Theory
HPB
Lost Abbey
Little Beast
AleSmith

Added:
None. Not even sure what I'd add at this point.

Dropping:
None

 

Keeping: Russian River

Dropping (most likely): Cellador

Adding: None

I've gone from 5 a few years ago to what looks like only 1 next year. I just can't justify continuing to stockpile beer. I just don't get through them like I used to.

 

Keeping:
Modern Times League (although came close to droppping it as the stouts have seemed very samey)
Casey (not buying as much from them the last couple of years but the numbers still work out)
de Garde (probably stealing a bit of my business from Casey)
Private Press (pure class)
Barclay (no idea what’s going on here tbh)

Joining
Barreled Souls (looking forward to having a membership not on the other side of the country. There’s definitely a gap in the market. Currently on hiatus Collected Works is the only one I know of on the East Coast.

Dropping
Garagiste (overall package was good for the money I guess but I just lost interest)

 

Keeping: Moksa - The beers are great but living nearly 2 hours away means I only get to the brewery every few months. Still worth what I get, just wish I could get it more often.

Reducing: Bruery - I dropped down from Hoarders to Reserve. My beer cellar (closet) is pretty full and I noticed I wasn't buying Hoarders only bottles that seemed to hit $35-40 each month. The biggest reason I am reducing is the number of Beer/Wine hybrids that I ended up with. I don't want a wine membership, I want beer.

 

Keeping: PP (did this earlier in the year)
Adding: MT league. Moved to the bay area this year, splitting with a friend back in Florida. Only interested in a few beers but anything I don't want I'll just give to friends at cost.

I dropped Cigar City, and Horus earlier this year and 3 Sons last year. Horus was just way too expensive to get the 3 bottles of BA stout I actually wanted. Cigar City didn't make sense for me to keep if I couldn't pick my bottles up in person. 3 Sons is not good.

Only memberships I'd really consider adding are SARA/Side Project/8th State. SARA because I could go grab those myself, and the other two because they're world class.

 

Dropping: CASA

Adding: none

Pandemic, inflation, kids.. I honestly didn't buy as much as I expected throughout the year, and since lots of breweries have increased distro to help support their businesses during these times, I can find more of their beer in shops than buying online n paying for s&h. Plus I've got so much cellared beer that I think my goal next year is to drink or rid of everything I've purchased n hoarded in my closets so my wife can stop yelling at me why the closet doors won't close, lol. So. Many. Stouts.

 

Turns out I only had until 12/15, but the renewal notice pulled me back in. More beers and a couple other perks for the same price when you renew.

 

Keeping: Firestone Walker Brewmasters Collective

Adding: Nothing yet, but considering Alesmith

Dropping: None