Notes from the Panel Archives - Craft Beer Blog from The Beer of the Month Club

Beyond the Bottle: Sorta Kinda Normal, Maybe?

June 16, 2021 by Ken Weaver

It feels weird to think we’re (hopefully) through the worst part of a pandemic. My wife and I managed to get our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine the very first day we became eligible here in California, and now we’re counting down the days after our second dose until the 95%-ish immunity kicks in. As of writing this, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated individuals could feel confident resuming normal activities again—even, dear god, indoor ones. Active cases here in Sonoma County have been hoving around 200 to 300, rather than the 7,000+ cases we’d seen during peaks in January. We’re this close to hitting our final reopening tier.

It feels like, fingers crossed, the end of a very long, dark tunnel. Our pod has ventured out to our local go-to spot (Moonlight Brewing Co.) a few times now—listening to live music and enjoying pints of their Reality Czeck lager and Bombay by Boat IPA, in well-spaced outdoor seating. Our ‘nephews’ played Legos and trounced us at card games. We ran into friends we hadn’t seen in forever. It all felt… so oddly normal. And the beer has never tasted so good.

How have things been shaping up in your area? If you’ve been vaccinated, how did that first beer out taste? What local places have you been missing that you’ve finally felt comfortable visiting again? Let us know on Twitter via the @RareBeerClub account. Also! Be sure to tip and treat your waitstaff well; they’ve been through a lot making these spaces available to us.

Beyond the Bottle: Light at the End of the Tunnel

March 25, 2021 by Ken Weaver

Out here in Sonoma County, we’re finally heading out of the ‘Purple Tier’ phase of COVID times. The Purple Tier is basically the worst tier of California’s four-tier, color-coded system in their Blueprint for a Safer Economy, and we’ve never known any other tier. Watching the local case numbers drop steadily over the past few months, as folks get vaccinated and peaks from over the holidays wane, it’s been pretty fantastic to see our daily new cases dip down to double digits. As of March 14^th, we headed down into the Red Tier for the very first time.

This isn’t a huge shift for all businesses. Breweries and distilleries no longer are required (for whatever reason this existed in the first place…) to have people order food before ordering a beer, though they’re still only open for outdoor service. There’s also reservations involved, as well as a 90-minute time limit for guests, but it’s at least a little bit of progress. Bars still have to remain closed, but restaurants are now able to open up for indoor service at 25% capacity. Local COVID levels are still ‘Substantial’ in the Red Tier—but, finally, things are improving.

Personally I can’t friggin wait to get a vaccine and take advantage of indoor dining again, and I’m so looking forward to eventually getting to sit inside a pub and catch up with people I’ve not seen in forever. How are things looking in your neck of the woods? Have breweries had any of their restrictions lifted? Are you seeing positive changes where you’re at? Chime in on Twitter via @RareBeerClub. Hope things are finally clearing up wherever you’re at.

Maui Brewing Company Special Offer

February 3, 2021 by Kristina Manning

As a follow-up to Maui Brewing Company’s Grandma’s Coffee Cake Imperial Porter which we featured recently as a Rare Beer Club exclusive, we’re pleased to have been able to work with the brewery to bring our members four additional limited-release, high-gravity beers. All four are perfect for this time of year, and we know you’ll love them as much as we did. Enjoy!

A list of the beers appears below, but we encourage you to visit the special offer page for full tasting notes and access to the order form.

Old Fashioned Barleywine – Barleywine aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ Bitters, Orange Zest, & Fresh Cherries. 9% ABV.
Wee Heavy Strong Ale – Wee Heavy / Strong Scottish-Style Ale. 11% ABV.
White Russian Golden Imperial Porter – Golden Imperial Porter w/ Maui-roasted Origin Coffee & freshly toasted coconut. 9% ABV.
Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout – Imperial Milk Stout aged in Bourbon barrels w/ Caramel, Vanilla, & Lactose. 11.4% ABV.

Flexible ordering allows you to order 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, or 48 total bottles, combining any of the six featured beers in any way to get there so that you can easily try them all.

ORDER ONLINE or at 800-625-8238 Mon – Fri, 7am – 4 pm Pacific. If your Rare Beer Club membership was a gift, you will be contacted by one of our team members for payment information if you submit your order online.

Learn More for full tasting notes, and to access the order form.

The order cut-off for this Special Offer is 12:00 PM Pacific on Tuesday, February 16th. Orders will begin shipping out about a week later.

Cheers!

Kris Calef
President, The Rare Beer Club^®

Beyond the Bottle: When This is All Over

December 15, 2020 by Ken Weaver

I’ll refrain from any form of 2020 recap. Pretty sure we all agree it could’ve gone better.

We’re still in purple Tier 1 (the worst tier) here in Sonoma County, with a little over 2% of the county having been tested positive for COVID thus far—such that we’re still pretty far away from bringing certain elements of daily life back safely. After feeling low during a large portion of this year, it feels especially good to know that it’s almost over. 2021 will likely do its best to make me regret typing that, but it’s hard not to look forward to this all being past.

On the beer front: I’m looking forward to having a pint at a bar again someday… INSIDE, even. Without a mask on, or in my pocket. Without constantly worrying about distances and others’ nose coverage. Presuming we find a vaccine that sticks, our bartender also won’t feel scared just to come to work. Brewery owners won’t be wondering if they’re shoveling money into a pit, adjusting to the latest reopening requirements, only for a new, different lockdown to emerge. Essential workers will be able to raise a pint more easily. We’ll be able to properly mourn all of this past year’s losses, with people we haven’t seen in way too friggin long.

It’s really, really hard not to look forward to these things. Here’s to a better 2021.

DIY Craft Beer Advent Calendar

November 17, 2020 by Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club

The holidays are packed with traditions. Things like Christmas trees, carols, cookie baking, drinking Christmas beers and winter warmers, and frantic, last-minute gift shopping keep us busy throughout the season, but it’s the little traditions that make it so enjoyable. Customary gifts, like advent calendars, are classic holiday mainstays that plenty of parents give to their kids. What’s not to love about getting a surprise piece of candy every day for 24 days? Count us in. But, what about those who want a little more in their advent calendar? Well, The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club™ has got the perfect homemade solution: a Craft Beer Advent Calendar.

Yes, you read that right: an entire DIY advent calendar full of sweet, delicious craft beer. The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club™ has noted the rising popularity of these great gifts, and we’ve decided that it’s time to ensure everyone knows how to make one for the beer enthusiasts in their life. When you give someone a Craft Beer Advent Calendar packed with tasty microbrews, you aren’t just giving them a craft beer Christmas gift – you’re giving them 24 days of great beers. Santa’s got nothing on you.

How to Build a Craft Beer Advent Calendar

Steps:

Decide on a design (square, rectangular, or triangular)
Cut shipping tubes or dividers
Glue shipping tubes or dividers together
Fill each tube with a craft beer bottle or can
Decorate
Enjoy

Building a Craft Beer Advent Calendar isn’t as easy as grabbing a random box in your house, throwing in your extra/unwanted beer, and putting some wrapping paper over the top. You need the right materials, some spare time, and a little bit of craftiness (or at least those “cut stuff up and glue things together” skills you hopefully mastered in kindergarten).

Start by deciding which design you want to use. There are three common options: square, rectangular, or triangular. You can find plenty of DIY beer advent calendar instructions all over the web, but making your own homemade Craft Beer Advent Calendar doesn’t require a Master’s in structural engineering. The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club™ has got you covered with the basics.

Tools & supplies for a square or rectangular Craft Beer Advent Calendar:

• A box or a case of beer
• Cardboard dividers
• Glue
• Scissors
• Wrapping paper
• A marker

For the square and rectangular options, you can easily use a moving box or a used case of beer, specifically the kind with built-in cardboard dividers – any case of bottled beer should have these. You can choose to lay the box on its side, or keep it flat on its bottom. Simply place your beers into the box, make sure they’re held in place with the dividers, and cover the top with festive wrapping paper. Mark the locations of each beer using the numbers 1-24, and you’re set. Feel free to pat yourself on the back and enjoy a celebration beer (NOT one of the beers from the calendar). If you want, you can add a 25th slot for a little extra something something. More on that below.

Tools & supplies for a triangular Craft Beer Advent Calendar:

• Poster/shipping tubes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Wrapping paper
• A marker
• Stickers (optional)

Now, for those with a craftier side, the triangular option offers a little extra fun. You’ll need to buy some long shipping tubes capable of fitting bottles or cans, and then cut these up into 24 even sections. Glue them together however you want, though we suggest making it triangular, as it’ll look a little like a Christmas tree. You could even put a star on top if you’re feeling particularly festive – we won’t judge you.

After gluing the tubes together, fill the tubes with tasty beers, decorate and cover the front with a little wrapping paper, and mark the tube openings with the numbers 1-24. You now have a triangular Craft Beer Advent Calendar to give to your best beer buddy. He or she’s gonna love it.

An important side note that must be mentioned: don’t be lame and fill your Beer Advent Calendar with a case of the same macrobeer. Be creative with the beer you choose by selecting unique beers from all 7 continents. Well, 6 of the 7, at least. We don’t think anyone is brewing in Antarctica (even though that’s an awesome idea). You could be extra festive and fill it with nothing but unique holiday beers!

Keep in mind that a Craft Beer Advent Calendar isn’t confined to Christmas time. Arbor Day, Flag Day, Bring Your Daughter to Work day, it doesn’t matter – you can make the 24 days leading up to any holiday special (and tasty) with your Craft Beer Advent Calendar.

Improving Your Beer Advent Calendar

So, how do you improve on something as awesome as a Beer Advent Calendar? It’s simple, really: you spread that cheer throughout the year.

A traditional advent calendar features 24 slots representing the 24 days leading up to Christmas, but who says that you have to follow tradition? Add a 25th slot, and give your friend a gift that keeps on giving: a membership to The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club. After all, who doesn’t want amazing craft beers from around the country (and the world) delivered to their door once a month throughout the year? No one, that’s who.

For the widest selection of beers, choose between our brand-new Hop-Heads Beer Club, our U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club, our International Beer Club, or get the best of both worlds with our U.S. and International Variety Beer Club. But, if you’ve got a beer lover who spends their time and energy hunting down the rarest, most obscure beers, we’ll suggest The Rare Beer Club™, our only club that features the world’s best hand-selected rare beers.

Now, go out there, build your own Craft Beer Advent Calendar, and make some lucky beer lover’s Christmas the best one they’ve had. And remember: if you really want to make sure they have the best Beer Year of their lives, give them a membership to The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club. Santa always likes those who are nice.

Beyond the Bottle: One Long-Ass Year

November 15, 2020 by Ken Weaver

Typing this in late October, I have no clue where anyone’s headspace will be when the club newsletter actually goes out. I’ll assume it’s been a really long year for everyone reading this. We’re still gonna be a long ways off from a widespread functional COVID vaccine (fingers crossed for 2021…), and most of our friends and fam—myself included—have been relying on our normal coping mechanisms way more than usual to get through 2020. Our kegerator has been getting a workout. We’ve been playing video games, or brewing, or working out, or doing chores, or doomscrolling way more than we normally might. What a friggin year.

I’ve definitely become more aware of my limits. After we hit a recent peak in wildfire season, I finally reached out to a therapist here in Sonoma County—something I’d been meaning to do back in February before this all started. Energy-wise, I’ve been scraping bottom, and that seems a pretty common vibe around here. We rely on the people around us for support, and when everybody’s going through months and months of shit together, it helps to try and be aware of when we’re hitting an unsustainable gear. Personally: my coping mechanisms were no match for 2020. Wherever you’re at, just remember you deserve a strong support system helping you through whatever the world’s throwing this week. Here’s to a better year ahead.

Beyond the Bottle: One Long-Ass Year

October 28, 2020 by Kristina Manning