The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club is a subscription from monthlyclubs.com that includes 12-12oz. craft beers from two different U.S. microbreweries. Monthlyclubs.com also offers The International Wine, The Premium Cigar, The Gourmet Cheese, The Gourmet Chocolate, and The Fresh Cut Flowers monthly clubs.
Within The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club, subscribers can also choose between 5 options: The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club, The U.S. and International Variety Beer Club, The Hops-Head Beer Club, The International Beer Club, and the Rare Beer Club.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of The U.S. Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club, $27.95 a month, box.
About The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club
The Subscription Box: The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club
The Cost: $27.95 a month + $15 shipping and handling
ACTIVE DEAL: $10 off a 4 shipment order
CODE: SAVE10
The Products: Twelve 12 oz. hand-crafted beers (3 of each) from "two different lightly distributed U.S. microbreweries."
Ships to: U.S. only, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah
Good to know: Not only can you choose from one of the six monthlyclubs.com memberships, you can also “Design Your Own Club” by combining any or all clubs into one. This is a great idea for December holidays and birthday gifts, Mother’s and/or Father’s Day.
The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club January 2018 Review
A detailed newsletter is included each month where you can read about the two featured breweries and the beer that you will find in your box. I love reading the stories behind each brewery and learning more about how they make each beer. The featured breweries for January are Ellicottville Brewing Company and Stegmaier Brewing Company (The Lion Brewery). Now for the beers!
Stainless Steel IPA by Ellicottville Brewing Company
Our first brewery of the month is Ellicottville Brewing Company. This family-owned business was inspired by a trip to Vail, Colorado where craft brewing was already a big hit. The brewery is located in Ellicottville, NY, sometimes called the "Aspen of the East." This beloved brewery has been around for 20 years and has four brewery locations across western New York state.
The first beer from Ellicottville is Stainless Steel IPA, an amber colored American IPA with 83 IBUs and 7% alcohol. The monthly booklet notes that this beer is great year-round, but I really got tastes of the summer with each sip. That could be because we are still in the thick of winter and I am craving warmer temperatures! This beer has a bold fruit flavor that makes it tastes almost tropical. There is a lot of bitter flavors but in the best way possible, much like a darker beer. I tasted a ton of hops along with a light sweetness. This beer was perfection!
Ski Bum by Ellicottville Brewing Company
Our next beer from Ellicottville is Ski Bum, another American IPA with 6% alcohol and 81 IBUs. This is another beautiful amber-colored beer that is perfect for the cold winter months. Right away I tasted a lot of fruit flavors, some tart and some super fruity and sweet. The next layer was strong toasted malt flavors, plus a big pine note that makes this beer all around very hoppy. I love hops so that was great for me! I could see myself drinking this with a spicy shrimp dish to warm myself up on a winter evening, or just enjoying this while watching some college basketball on a Saturday. Basically, this beer is smooth and great for all occasions!
Stegmaier Porter by Stegmaier Brewing Company
Our second brewery is Stegmaier Brewing Company from Wilkes-Barre, PA. Now, this brewing story is unlike many that I have read about in my recent boxes. Stegmaier Brewing has been around since the mid-19th century, started by Charles Stegmaier and his father-in-law. The brewery was sold in 1873 due to the economic crisis but was bought back by Charles and his son in 1880. The brewery thrived until having to shut-down in 1974. At that time, The Lion Brewery purchased the Stegmaier brand and continued to produce the favorite brews. What a unique history!
The first beer from Stegmaier is their Porter which has 25 IBUs and 5.6% alcohol. My childhood dog's name is Porter, so you can guess that we love Porter beer in my house. This beer is pretty dark, even for a Porter, with a strong roasted flavor that reminded me of coffee. There are hints of sweetness that taste like chocolate and caramel with each sip. The monthly booklet notes that you are going to want to let this brew come to room temperature before you enjoy, so something I could see myself enjoying on a cold evening with a yummy cheese plate.
Stegmaier Winter Warmer by Stegmaier Brewing Company
Our final beer for the month is the Winter Warmer which has 38 IBUs and 7.8% alcohol. I don't think I have ever tasted a beer and thought, "hmmm I taste butter," but that is in fact what happened when I first tried this one! I also tasted layers of caramel sweetness along with some bitterness from raisins, cherry, and fig. For a dark beer, this one is very sweet, but I still get some bold bitterness that really warms me up. Since this is a sweeter beer, the monthly booklet notes that this can be enjoyed with a spice cake or pie. All I want right now is this beer and some pumpkin pie!
Now that we are done tasting, here is a view of all the beers to see the difference in each! From left to right: Stainless Steel IPA, Ski Bum, Stegmaier Winter Warmer, Stegmaier Porter.
Verdict: This Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club brought so many unique flavors that were perfect for the cold winter we are having. I always love learning about the two featured breweries, and this month brought me two new stories that I loved reading about. For me, discovering new brews is so exciting, but learning about each brewery and how it came to be is what I think I love most about this box. This month's selections brought their own flair while still bringing together a unique curation that was each great accents to each other. As winter starts to pass, I can't wait to see what next month's beer selections will offer!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? As of publication, you will start receiving the February Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club box.
Coupon - Use code SAVE10 to save $10 off any prepaid 4 shipment order, code SAVE15 to save $15 off any prepaid 6 shipment order or code SAVE25 to save $25 off any prepaid 12 shipment order!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $42.95 a month including the shipping cost. I received a total of 12 beers which is a value of $3.57 per bottle of beer, much less than you would pay for these beers if you ordered them at a pub. Plus, the overall curation and exclusivity of each brewery is where I really see the value each month.
Check out all of our The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club reviews and the Beer of the Month Club Subscription Box Directory!
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What was your favorite brew from this month's The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club?
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