Funky Buddha Founders Members: Are You Renewing?

I'm not a member but it sounds that what you get for your $150 is really:

1 Snifter ($5)
1 Growler ($10)
1 Shirt ($30)
1 Specialty Beer ($30)

So let's say $75 worth of actual merchandise and the rest is perks. Kind of steep if you think about it in terms of the bottles you actually get. Sounds like it's really more of a charge for the perks and to be able to get their specialty beers.

I have mixed feelings about FB. I absolutely LOVE their Nib Smuggler and I love most of their specialty beers. Their regular offerings are not bad, but nothing that I would drive to the brewery for since they seem to almost always have their regular stuff on tap and the specialty stuff all goes to WoB or Brass Tap. Conflicted.

 

You also get a larger glass for same price as regular sized glasses they serve to patrons and extra hour of happy hour where beers are $1 off so you are basically getting a free beer every 4 or 5 beers with the larger glass. If you go there often enough the membership pays for itself. I am a Snifter Club member and I would definitely renew just for that reason. Would consider upgrading to Founders if possible.

 

That's cool but I don't think I would visit frequently enough per what I noted above. They are also about 45 minutes away from me which makes it complicated to get a drink during the week.

 

I'm only 2½ miles away and I've already renewed.
The membership is no longer called The Founders. The new name is the Imperial Club
although the original members will still be Founders.

 

Do you guys get the special bottles free, or have to pay?

 

1 bottle free. It was Verucca.

 

I'm going to renew and so is my brother. Things definitely did not start off great with the membership. But they are slowly improving and I believe it will get a lot better. I think the gallon growler idea wasn't good. I think a 32oz "Imperial" growler would be cool. And can be filled with anything on tap once a year while supplies last. Just stupid little perks to make you feel special

Also maybe little surprise tappings for Imperial members for a couple hours. Or imperial day where you can get Imperial last snow or imperial MBCP, etc. I'm not saying that they should do these things. Just saying it would be really cool perks to boast about. Beer is beer. Have fun and enjoy the ride. Cheers.

 

Funky Buddha founders club was the worst money I've ever spent in beer. I guess it's my fault for not realizing what we would be getting originally but I guess I assumed it would be worth it. That's on me.

I looked up other reserve societies (I'm pretty sure these are right but please correct if not) and there is a serious discrepancy in the quality of Funky Buddha's offerings and the others:

Bruery is $58.50 per quarter with guaranteed 3 bottles.
Crooked Stave $300 and guarantees you 10 750mL bottles + 2 glasses + 2 members only merch
Cigar City - $120 and guarantees you 5 barrel aged beers
Night Shift - $250 and guarantees you 14 750 mL bottles + 2 glasses + shirt + 2 tickets to year end party

Funky Buddha - $150 and 1 guaranteed bottle + work shirt + tap room discounts + 1 glass you can't take home + 1 ticket to year end party

 

Seems like if you are local and take advantage of tap room discounts and attend all the events, it's worth it. If you are an out-of-towner just trying to get bottles, then it's probably not worth it.

 

Membership is not open to out-of-towners. (or so they say)
I did it originally to help the cause. I think, nay, believe it will get better for next year.
Besides, I get a lot of love when I go there.

 

I've got to agree with GatorBeer on this one. For the $150 I spent, getting only 1 bottle that came with the membership was a huge disappointment, and did not feel like the promise I felt I was getting when I signed up. But these memberships aren't only about the bottles and I understand that.

Having the "exclusive right to pay money for bottles" is not actually a right worth paying for. As Founders members, with the amount of money we put into the brewery, they should have spoiled us rotten - by doing this you create brand loyalty (I was already pretty loyal after years of trekking up to the original Lounge in Boca). But you would have thought that instead of worrying of increasing outside customer acquisition, Funky would "take care of their own" - supporting the people that believed in the product enough to put $150 of their own money into the business venture. Founders Club Members would be a great launching pad to help push Funky's concept to new friends, family, and acquaintances and the membership would ultimately help spread the word about the terrific beer scene developing in Oakland Park. Unfortunately, I felt no connection to the brewery, just that I was "Member #____," another name on a glass and $150 in Funky's pockets.

I think we deserved 1 bottle of all of the releases with membership (this would have included MBCP, Nib Smuggler, and More Moro). While I am glad to have been given "exclusive" right to the Veruca Gose, I wish I had been able to have bottles of the beers that Funky had hung their hats on for so long (MBCP, Last Snow, No Crusts, Bonita) - these were the beers that made people want to drive 45 minutes up to the Lounge in Boca for so long.

Ultimately, I felt like I was just another member, no different than anyone else - which is fine except for the fact that the Founders Club Members brought in over $20,000 for the brewery with initial sign ups. I have been a loyal follower of Funky Buddha for the last 3 years, I was a regular at the Lounge in Boca, I frequent the brewery in Oakland Park and have attended all anniversary events at both locations. I will continue to support the brewery because of my love for craft beer and the uphill climb that breweries face on a day-to-day basis. I just felt like it was my money they were after all along to get things going with the brewery, instead of the relationships that they could have developed with me - to incentivize me to convince all of my friends, relatives, and craft beer lovers that Funky Buddha is not only a great brewery, but a great business with a tremendous staff.

Regretfully, I cannot justify spending another $125 in the hope that Funky Buddha figures out a better balance for the 2nd iteration of the Founders (Imperial) Club. I wish Funky Buddha the absolute best, but I don't know if I will ever have the excitement I used to get thinking about the amazing beers that Funky has the capability of creating. Instead, I will remember the feeling I have right now...that I was just another faceless customer in the taproom.

 

I missed the opportunity for the founders club, but am a member of the red headed step-child "snifter club" where for $50 a year you get an extra 2 ounces on each pour from a snifter with your name etched into it. You also get an extra $1 off from 7pm-8pm on weekdays, and a t-shirt at signup. Since I work so close and constantly go for an after work beer or 4 it is worth it to me to save the extra few $ and get the extra few ounces. If was given the opportunity to be a "founder" or "imperial" member, I would pay the extra $$ to do so.

 

Anyone know anything about the bottle club that's supposed to happen close to the end of the year? I'm hearing it's supposed to be pretty close to how El Catador Club is being run, reserving some exclusive releases for the club only.

 

Was too expensive for me to justify joining when I can get the same discount for only 50 bucks. Now if they had done the Founders club with more bottles I could have justified it, but 100 bucks more so your glass says Founder and you get a single bottle isn't worth it to me.

If they had promised 4 bottles then I would have done it, seems more than fair at 25 dollars a bottles. If they do a bottle club I will probably join it.

 

Now this is something i would be 100% interested in...

 

I'm going to re-up. Like almost everyone else, I think more bottles would have been nice - even just 2 more. Though I did enjoy Veruca a whole lot. And the party was pretty cool - I probably ate and drank half the value of my membership right there.

As for a bottle club, if they do that I wish they'd find a way to merge the clubs.

 

Have any Founders that have filled out the club renewal form gotten any response from FB with a link to pay for their membership renewal yet?

 

Not a founder member, but I did get this yesterday..so I assume founders are due shortly before or after this...

Dearest Snifter Member,


First off, we thank you for being part of the Buddha family. We hope you've been able to reap the many rewards your membership has given you!

Just about one year has gone by since we first opened here in Oakland Park, and as such it’s time for annual membership renewals.

You can either send me your credit card information or come in to the Buddha to pay for the renewal until June 15th. Please take note of this date, as June 16th we’ll start offering the spots not renewed to patrons on our long waiting list. In case you decide not to renew, you will be able to come pick up your Funky Buddha snifter anytime from now to 30 days after your membership expires.

Here are more details on the membership:


Price: $50

-Funky Buddha Brewery t-shirt

-Extended happy hour at the Brewery Tasting Room (one additional hour)

-2 extra ounces on Buddha beer pours in your 18oz custom snifter

-Funky Buddha Snifter Club keychain

-10% off merchandise



Thank you all so much for your continued support!

 

If there was a link to paypal or something this would be cool but it sounds like they are asking people to just send credit card info via e-mail to them which I would HIGHLY recommend not doing!