Saturday, September 7, 2024
Amazing Beer Club by Amazing Clubs Review
Best Feature:
Offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee
Worst Feature:
3-shipment minimum and can.t view previous beer selections
Best Uses:
Fun gift for business contacts and great friends
Pricing:
$33.95 per 12-bottle shipment (includes S&H)
Overview
The Amazing Beer Club is one of the top-rated clubs on AmazingClubs.com, a gourmet gift club company that has been featured on television shows like the Today Show and Extra, as well as in major newspapers like USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. As a member of the Amazing Beer Club, you will get to try a variety of premium craft beers from some award-winning microbreweries around the US that have all been carefully selected on your behalf by a panel of beer experts. The Amazing Beer Club has two basic options for membership: Beer of the Month Club or Beer of the Season Club. With a monthly membership, you can choose between buying three, six or twelve shipments and whether you want them delivered on a monthly or bimonthly basis. With a seasonal membership, you will receive a total of four shipments that are delivered every three months. Regardless of membership, each shipment will contain a total of twelve standard size beers (twelve ounces) with up to four different styles of beer from two separate breweries. A copy of the Amazing Beer Club's newsletter, The Frosted Mug, is also included. The newsletter details the history of each brewery, tasting notes on the different beers and discount offers should you want to re-order any of your favorites from that shipment.You can purchase a monthly or seasonal membership to the Amazing Beer Club online. A 3-month membership costs $101.85 ($33.95 per month), a 6-month membership costs $197.70 ($32.95 per month), or a 12-month membership costs $383.40 ($31.95 per month). Beer of the Season club memberships cost $135.80 ($33.95 per shipment). Shipping costs are included in the prices listed.
Product Report Card Grade
We give Amazing Club’s Amazing Beer Club a B+ because we like that they have a team of beer experts that hand selects the featured microbrews and puts together an interesting and educational newsletter. We also like that Amazing Beer Club offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and that they provide members with great discounts on reorders. However, we deducted points because they require a 3-shipment membership minimum, don’t guarantee 4 styles of beer in each delivery and don’t publicly archive all previous beer selections.
This Product
Most Popular
Honor Roll
Our Awards
Most Popular
Honor Roll
Date Reviewed
March 2013
January 2014
February 2013
Pros
100% satisfaction guarantee; good variety of domestic microbrews; rigorous selection process; informative and fun newsletter; reordering discounts; club customization program
100% satisfaction guarantee; access to amazing, rare craft beers (domestic & imported); rigorous selection process; club customization program; flexible membership; educational and fun newsletter; archives all beer selections; longstanding reputable business (BBB-accredited)
Variety of great domestic craft beers; rigorous selection process; flexible membership; no minimum commitment; reordering discount; fun and informative newsletter; club customization program
Cons
3-shipment minimum; no control over what craft beers are sent; shipment variety not guaranteed; doesn't ship to AK or HI; previous newsletters are not archived on website; gift shipments aren't sent out immediately
No input into what craft beers you receive; doesn't ship to AK or HI; doesn't offer gift notification by traditional mail; no reordering discounts; gift shipments aren't sent out immediately
No input into what craft beers you receive; only some previous beer selections archived on website; doesn't ship to AK or HI; gift shipments aren't sent out immediately
Pricing
$34.95
$46.95 - $88.95
$38.95
Shipping Included
Shipping Included
Shipping Included
Shipping Included
Bottles per Shipment
12 bottles (12oz)
Choice of 2, 4 or 6 bottles (750ml)
12 bottles (12oz)
Newsletter
Yes, all shipments contain the Beer Lovers newsletter with tasting notes and background information on the selections.
Yes, members of the Rare Beer Club will receive the club's monthly newsletter, Brew Harvest Review: Malt of the Earth, in each shipment. The newsletter provides tasting notes and additional background on each of the featured beers.
Yes, all shipments contain "Beer Expeditions", a monthly newsletter with information on the beer selections and reordering discounts.
Reviewing Previously Featured Beers
Amazing Clubs keeps a list of all the featured beers from the last year on their website.
All previously featured beers from the Rare Beer Club are publicly archived on www.beermonthclub.com.
Clubs of America only lists some of its previous beer selections on the public website.
Domestic or International Beers
Domestic
Domestic
International
Domestic
Variety
Shipments include 4 styles of beer (3 bottles of each) from 2 different US microbreweries.
Shipments include 2 styles of beer from 2 different microbreweries (US or international)
Shipments include 4 styles of beer (3 bottles of each) from 2 different domestic microbreweries.
Selection Process
Featured beers are selected by a panel of beer experts and nearly all of the beers come from award-winning breweries.
For each of its beer clubs, MonthlyClubs.com has a panel of beer experts conduct a blind taste test of over 500 beers a year. Less than 20% of beers they taste will be considered for use in the clubs.
A panel of beer experts conducts taste tests to select featured beers each month.
Reordering Your Favorite Beers
Yes (at a discount)
Yes
Yes (at a discount)
Membership Minimum
3-shipment minimum
2-shipment minimum
No minimum
Discount For Buying in Bulk
Customization
Yes, the "Variety Club" allows members to choose which of Amazing Club's 38 monthly clubs they want to try each month of their membership.
Yes, the "Design Your Own Club™" program allows members to combine any of the company's six monthly clubs that they want to try.
Yes, the "Mix Your Clubs" feature allows members to choose which of the 8 different clubs they want to try during each month of their membership.
Gift Notification Options
Email (instantly or on a scheduled day)
Printable Card
Traditional Mail
Email (instantly or on a scheduled day)
Printable Card
Email (instantly or on a scheduled day) Printable Card Traditional Mail
Shipping Options
Monthly
Bimonthly
Quarterly
Monthly
Bimonthly
Quarterly
Monthly
Bimonthly
Quarterly
Shipping Schedule
Shipments should arrive the last week of each month.
Shipments are sent between the 15th and 25th of each month and arrive within 7-10 days.
Shipments should arrive during the 3rd or 4th week of the month.
Shipping Restrictions
AK, HI, and UT
AK, HI, and UT
AK, HI, and UT
Approximate Cost Per Bottle
ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Good selection of hard-to-find beers from breweries around the US
- Beers are hand selected by industry experts
- Newsletter provides helpful information about brewery/beer selections
- Discounted rates on re-orders
- Reputable club with over one million satisfied customers
- Good as a last minute gift option since email notification can go out immediately to the recipient
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- No control over what craft beers are sent
- Not guaranteed to get at least 4 different styles of beer in each shipment
- Cannot ship to Alaska or Hawaii. Also cannot ship to PO boxes, FPO or APO boxes since signature is required by someone over 21
Key Features
Products
Wide variety of craft beers from all over the US ranging from pilsners and stouts to lagers and ales. These premium microbrews are selected by a panel of beer experts based on "flavor, color and limited availability".
Quantity
The minimum membership requirement is 3 shipments. Individual shipments will include 12 longneck bottles with up to 4 styles of beer from 2 different microbreweries.
Membership Options
Membership is monthly (Beer of the Month) or seasonal (Beer of the Season). Monthly memberships are sold in 3-, 6- or 12-month intervals. Seasonal membership is set at 4 shipments.
Cost per Beer
The cost per beer ranges from $2.83 (3-month membership) to $2.66 (12-month membership).
Newsletter
As part of your membership, Amazing Beer Club will also include its newsletter, The Frosted Mug, in each shipment. The newsletter will provide an overview of the two microbreweries and some tasting and background information on the beers that were selected. It will also offer discounts for re-ordering any beers that you liked from that shipment.
Gift Information
To notify gift recipients, Amazing Beer Club offers a free customized gift announcement (in color or black/white) with a personalized message from you that can be sent by email or traditional mail. Email announcements can be delivered immediately, but traditional mail delivery can take five days. You also have the option to schedule a future delivery date for the gift notification email or letter.
Shipping Schedule
Shipments are sent out the last week of every month. For monthly club members, you have the option of receiving shipments every month or every other month. If you are a Beer of the Season club member, you will receive shipments every 3 months.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Amazing Clubs offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. You can cancel your membership at any time and will receive a full refund for any unshipped merchandise with no questions asked.
Reputation
While the Amazing Beer Club doesn't have any consolidated customers reviews on independent (unbiased) websites, I did read a few very positive individual reviews on the club and saw that Amazing Clubs itself has received great online feedback (4/5 on epinions.com out of 133 reviews). The only things we find frustrating about this beer club are that you can't specify any types of beers or regions you are most interested in and that you aren't guaranteed to get four different styles of beer in each shipment. That said, most members were pleased with the quality and selection of beers they received. As you can imagine, the Amazing Beer Club makes an excellent gift because the recipient will be able to enjoy receiving multiple shipments of new and exciting craft beers to try that they wouldn't otherwise have had access to. Some reviewers even noted that when they received shipments, they invited friends over for a fun tasting party. Whether you buy a membership for yourself or someone else, the Amazing Beer Club definitely sounds like the gift that keeps on giving.
Reviews
Customer Responses, Reviews, or Complaints
Username: ellemorrison
Location: Cedar City, UT
Age: 48
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Amazing Clubs - Beer of the Month
Review submitted: 2014-01-09
I received the beer club as a gift from my in-laws - we enjoy beer and the club has been great. There is always a new variety in every shipment. Most of the beers are micro brews and they come from all over the country. It is fun to try new varieties of beer and to see where they are made. As with everything there are a few beers that have not been our favorite - but that is to be expected - not everyone likes the same kind of beer - I especially do not like the flavored beers - just doesn't seem like the right thing to do to the natural taste of beer. overall we have been very happy with it and if anything was damaged they did not hesitate to send a replacement.
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Username: erikparsons
Location: Aurora, CO
Age: 35
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Micro-brewed Beer of the Month Club
Review submitted: 2013-11-04
I was given a 3 month membership as a gift last year. Every other month I got a package in the mail with 4 different types of micro-brewed beer and a newsletter with info on each of beers like glass recommendations, a tasting guide and a little background on the brewery that made it.
Overall I really enjoyed it as I got to try a bunch of (mostly really good) beers that aren't available in my area; I definitely looked forward to getting my package every other month.
The only complaints I can really make are that there wasn't very much variety in the types of beer they sent. It seemed like they sent lots of pale ales and browns. But that may have just been me, they were good either way.
I would consider trying another one of the beer clubs in the future; maybe the rare or international club. And I would definitely recommend this as a gift.
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