Ever considered a craft beer club as a way to get beers you normally can’t get? There are many options out there but how do they differentiate from one another?
Here is a look at one that does that with its monthly selection of rare beers, the aptly named “Rare Beer Club.”
Background Information:
Some may remember this as once being called Michael Jackson’s Rare Beer Club and this is, in fact, the continuation of that club. The Rare Beer Club has been in business for years, serving up 750s of beers that are either in limited distribution or not available in distribution at all. This “beer of the month club” sends out a newsletter monthly with lengthy write-ups and taste profiles about each beer it is shipping. These write-ups remain available online along with a list of every beer that is shipped out, and the beer selections page is updated around the first of each month. Somehow, this is the only monthly beer club that does this; no one argues they don’t stand by their selection.
What is available this month?
Broederlijke Liefde by De Proef and Sly Fox Brewing: Broederlijke Liefde (“Brotherly Love” – a clever nod to Philly Beer Week) was designed by Brian [O’Reilly of Sly Fox] and Dirk [Naudts of De Proef] as a strong saison with quite full attenuation. The goal was to create a dry and delicately spicy beer with the addition of brettanomyces for even further complexity and a good dose of funk.
Cuvee de Jonquilles by Au Baron: Michael Jackson heralded Au Baron (alternately known as Brasserie Bailleux) as a “revivalist” brewery, and we can’t agree more. Though saison (Belgian) and bière de garde (French) are still very closely related styles, Bailleux’s beers straddle the line more so than most – in some ways a metaphor for the brewery’s position right on the border between the countries, and a trip back to an earlier time when the biggest difference between the styles was quite likely just the name.
Alternatively, you can substitute in any of the following past selections that are still available:
Cuvee de Fleurs by Southampton Public House (Strong Ale)
Cockeyed Cooper by Uinta Brewing (Bourbon Barrel Barleywine)
V Cense by Jandrain-Jandrenouille (Saison)
Triple Nightcap by Slaapmutske (Belgian Triple)
Draeckenier by Brouwerij Troch (Belgian Abbey Tripel)
So, what do I get when I order?
There are three different membership levels:
Platinum – (6) – 750 ml. bottles each month, three bottles of two different beers. $68.95 plus $18.00 S&H per month.
Gold – (4) – 750 ml. bottles each month, two bottles of two different beers. $51.95 plus $15.00 S&H per month.
Silver – (2) – 750 ml. bottles each month, one bottle of two different beers. $31.95 plus $13.00 S&H per month.
Beernews.org Special Discounts:
You can order a no-obligation membership or a prepaid membership. There is no cancellation fee. 100% satisfaction is guaranteed.
Here are some promo codes to get you started.
BEERPULSE10 – $10 off an open-ended membership
BEERPULSE15 – $15 off a prepaid membership of 6 months or longer
BEERPULSE25 – $25 off a prepaid 12 month membership
Handy Information:
There is flexibility in terms of how often you choose to receive beers and what beers you receive. Personal and gift memberships can be shipped monthly, every other month, quarterly or even on specific months. You can choose to get a total of two 750 ml bottles each month (one bottle of each beer), four bottles (two of each), or six bottles (three of each).
Rare Beer Club personal memberships are given additional flexibility through their Future Shipment Update (FSU) Program. Members are sent an email at the beginning of the month detailing the two up and coming selections and a form that allows them to either skip the entire shipment, skip only one of the beers, or add more bottles of either the featured beers or their favorite past selections. In short, you’ll never get a beer you didn’t want to get as a personal member.
Memberships can also be ordered to give as beer gifts as opposed to just for yourself.
