The best craft beer clubs provide beers that are difficult to get outside of that club from a variety of breweries in the styles that you most enjoy drinking. They have affordable shipping costs with flexibility in the amount and style of beer shipped and how often you receive it. Continue reading for our lineup of the best craft beer clubs.
Best Craft Beer Clubs of 2022
Best Overall: The Rare Beer Club Best for Specific Beer Styles: Craft Beer Kings Best for Customization: The Original Craft Beer Club Best for Beers From a Single Region: Beer Drop Best for Gift-Giving: Beer of the Month Club
What We LikeAccess to rare beersBeers exclusive to the clubFlexibility in monthly shipments What We Don’t LikeShipping not includedOnly 750-milliliter bottles If you seek a club that gives you access to beers that are nearly impossible to find outside of its membership, The Rare Beer Club is the right pick. The club promises exclusive rare beers from the world’s best brewers. The decisions for what to include are made by a panel of trusted brewmasters with many years of experience in the industry. An added perk is that some beers are created by breweries only for this club, which makes access to them the ultimate exclusive experience. This club provides a lot of flexibility in shipments and the amount of beer received. You’ll get two different beer styles in each shipment and you can choose two, four, or six 750-milliliter bottles at a time. Your shipments can arrive monthly, every other month, or every quarter. Before each shipment, you’ll receive an email announcing the beers set to arrive. At that point, you can make adjustments to your order like the option to add bottles, replace what is offered in the shipment, remove a featured beer, or skip the shipment completely. It’s not the least expensive club out there, but access to such rare beers, and some you cannot get anywhere else, makes the club a good value. The cost of the club starts at $37.95 per month plus $15 for shipping. The price increases for both the beer and the shipping when you select the four- and six-bottle club options. Your shipment should arrive the third or fourth week of every month, and the club notes that it ships to all states except Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Utah, and some zip codes in KY. What We LikeSingle-style clubsShipping included What We Don’t LikeRepeats are possible Craft Beer Kings is a good choice if you are partial to a specific beer style and want some say in the types of beers that arrive each month. Some more general craft beer clubs might deliver beers that you don’t care for, making this club is a great option for those who know what they like. There are single-style clubs such as the Hazy IPA , two-style clubs such as the IPA & Sours, or mixed clubs such as Dark Beer and Cali (California) Beer. Regardless of which one you choose, each box includes favorite picks of the latest beers and styles available from top craft breweries. You will be billed once a month when your box ships until you choose to cancel your membership. The cost of each shipment varies by club, but most of the subscriptions start at $64.99 for six cans of beer and some subscriptions have a 12-beer box option for $104.99. It’s nice to know that shipping is included in the price regardless of which club or how much beer you choose to include. Craft Beer Kings ships to most of the lower 48 states, as state laws allow. What We LikeFree shippingSome customizing What We Don’t LikeDuplicate beers This club is a good choice if you want the flexibility to skip a beer style here and there. In an effort to accommodate special requests, members have the option not to receive beer styles they don’t prefer and to request only bottles or only cans in their shipment. This can affect the number of shipments you receive a year, but the customization ensures you will receive more of what you want. This craft beer club offers top picks from across the U.S. by aiming to source beer from nearly every state. It sources beers only from craft breweries and brewpubs that are 100 percent independent. You will receive duplicates of beer styles in one box, but that can be a good thing if you like to give things a second try or want to share with family and friends. Each box contains a dozen 12-ounce beers from two different breweries and each brewery sends two styles. (That means you’ll receive three of each style of beer per shipment.) There’s no minimum commitment to join the club and you can select to receive beer monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly. Boxes start at $44.75 and shipping is included to all states, with an additional shipping charge to Alaska and Hawaii. What We LikeRare beersLow-cost shipping What We Don’t LikeLimited information on the website, including shipping details If you are a craft beer lover and don’t live near the top craft breweries in Colorado, Beer Drop will help you access some of the best beers in the country from microbreweries with limited distribution. You get to choose the styles you want in each shipment and you can opt for one of two upgrades, Beer Drop Plus and Beer Drop Ultimate. These will give you access to larger cans and growlers, some of which are taproom-only releases. Each month you receive a total of 10, 12-ounce cans, which is made up of two beers from each of five breweries. Club plans start at $39.99 per month, and shipping is $7.99 regardless of the subscription plan you choose. Beer Drop shares on its website that it cannot ship to every state but does not say where it does deliver. Reach out to the company directly for information. What We LikeOptions for frequency of deliveryNo beers with national distributionFree shipping What We Don’t LikeDuplicate beers This club promises to include award-winning beers in each shipment, which will make any craft beer lover happy. They also commit to never including beers with national distribution, which will allow you to try new beers and breweries. There are multiple club options that allow you to either pay in full or pay each time a box is shipped. An ongoing club membership delivers shipments each month until you cancel. Other options include three-, six-, and 12-month memberships. Prices start at $45.95 per month for a month-to-month plan and decrease slightly if you choose longer commitments. Each shipment contains 12 beers from two different breweries sharing two different styles. (That means you’ll receive three beers of each style.) Shipments arrive the last week of the month and you can include a gift message if you’re buying the membership for someone else. Shipping is free for all memberships, and Amazing Clubs states that it can ship to residential and business addresses in every state.
What Is a Craft Beer Club?
A craft beer club is a membership that allows you to have cans or bottles of craft beer shipped to you on a regular basis, most often monthly but sometimes bimonthly or quarterly. These beers are sourced from top breweries with limited distribution outside their local area.
How Much Do Craft Beer Clubs Cost?
The cost of a craft beer club depends on the number and types of beers included and shipping costs. The cost for a 12, 12-ounce beer club starts at about $43 per month, with some costing $99 per month and beyond.
How Do I Choose the Best Craft Beer Club for Me?
There are three main factors to consider when choosing the best craft beer club: your experience as a craft beer drinker, the beer styles you prefer, and how much beer you wish to receive each month. If you are new to craft beer and haven’t fully identified what you enjoy most, it’s best to begin with a less expensive club that offers a lot of variety. Long-time craft beer lovers will most likely be searching for new, unique beers that are difficult to source. In this case, a more expensive club offering rare beers or beers outside your local region might be ideal.
How We Chose the Best Craft Beer Clubs
We evaluated the best craft beer clubs based on the types of beers included in each shipment, frequency of shipments, customer reviews, number of beers included, expert selection, and flexibility in ordering and customizing the membership. The Original Craft Beer Club, for example, ships 12 beers at the frequency of your choosing and allows you to skip beer styles. Craft Beer Kings offers numerous memberships that provide only specific styles of beer in each shipment with no minimum commitment.
