Breweries have been slow to jump on the beer club bandwagon, and for good reason. It has been difficult or illegal to ship beer directly to consumers in many states, and brewery fans weren’t in the habit of getting their beer via subscription. Plus, using digital means to get their beer was almost unheard of. All of that is changing. Shipping restrictions are loosening, beer clubs are gaining popularity, and consumers are buying more alcohol online than ever.

Need more reasons to launch a beer club? Just read Clubs are the Biggest Untapped Opportunity for Breweries. Breweries who establish club programs now will attract wildly loyal customers and secure recurring revenue well into the future.

So, after reviewing the benefits of launching a beer club, you’ve decided to give it a try. Your fans will love it, we promise. Plus, you’ll relish the stability and freedom that comes with recurring revenue.

In this article, we’ll walk breweries through the process of building a club that works for their particular business and unique audience.

Who are these people? Determine your ideal club audience.

Who are your biggest supporters? Really think about it—who are the people that have been supporting your brewery through thick and thin? Who raves about the latest seasonal ale, brings in all of their friends, and sings your praises on social media?

Some breweries are concerned that they don’t want to leave anyone out by determining an audience. If someone wants to buy their beer, they’ll sell it to them. And that’s totally fine.

But for club purposes, breweries need to hone in on the people most likely to be brand advocates. They are the ones who will buy into the club experience and promote it to all of their friends. In marketing, one of the biggest downfalls can be casting your net too wide. As seasoned marketers know, if you try to sell to everyone, you end up marketing to no one.

To figure out your club audience, talk to your staff. Your staff is on the front lines and gets to see who the regulars are, what excites them, and what their interests are. Or, perhaps you get more business from tourists visiting from out of town or out of state. Are there common jobs or industries among your customers?

It’s also important to talk directly to your customers. What do they like about your brewery? Why did they come in the first place, and what makes them come back for more?

Take notes on customer demographics like age, education, and job title. Where else do they hang out, and what are their hobbies? Are they into sports or the arts? Which social media channels do they use? Where do they live? And of course, what do they like to drink and when?

By gathering this information, you’ll get valuable clues on how you can attract the right type of audience for your club and keep them interested. For even more information on defining your audience, check out this article from VineSpring’s partner MailChimp.

To ship or not to ship? Pick up vs beer shipping (or both.)

How are you going to get your beer to club members? There are two main options that breweries have when it comes to beer delivery: shipping or pick up. Neither is a bad option. It all depends on your audience, your goals, and your brewery’s ability to execute.

Beer Pick-Ups

Beer enthusiasts know and love the breweries in their area and are excited to support them. A brewery’s close ties to the community make it more common for them to build a robust pick-up option for their club members.

Organizing a club pick-up is an excellent solution to avoid the regulation headaches and extra costs caused by shipping restrictions. People love their local taproom, and many breweries find that their fans love an excuse to stop by and pick up their club allotment.

By reframing the pickup as a celebration instead of a chore, many breweries are seeing success. Plus, who doesn’t love having an excuse to stop by their favorite taproom?

Some breweries offer a free pint to their members upon pickup to sweeten the deal. Or even better, it’s common to see breweries throw release parties for club members. Members come in for the event, learn about the new release, cheers their neighbor, and bring home their share. Others, like VineSpring client pFriem, organize an alternative pick-up location. This is an excellent alternative if your brewery is a bit off the beaten path or you’re close to a few different markets. You’re essentially meeting your customers halfway.

Whether you choose to ship to your customers, opt to do pickup, or both, launching a club is a surefire way to attract a loyal and engaged audience.

Beer Shipping

Breweries who are looking to grow can look to shipping as a way to grow a fanbase in a new market. Breweries of all sizes have fans in all states. Friends and family across the country will be thrilled to sign up for fresh beer delivered to their doorstep.

The laws surrounding DTC beer can be messy and differ from state to state. Some states allow out-of-state alcohol manufacturers to ship to customers within the state, some prohibit it entirely, and some enable in-state breweries to ship within the state but not out-of-state breweries.

However, as we mentioned in our recent article on beer clubs, more states are opening to beer shipping.

The rules and regulations are subject to change, so it’s a good idea to check with compliance experts like Sovos ShipCompliant or Avalara as you look further into the possibilities of beer shipping.

For a deeper dive into direct-to-consumer beer shipping, watch the VineSpring and Sovos ShipComplaint webinar Clubs and Allocations for Successful DTC Beer Shipping. During the recorded webinar, you’ll learn how to navigate state regulations, avoid regulatory pitfalls, and get familiar with eCommerce best practices for subscription programs.

What type of club structure works best for your audience?

There are three main types of club structures—curated, access, and replenishment. We’ll review each one and its attributes.

Curated Clubs

With a curated club, members are paying for an expert from the brewery to compile a box for them. Think of a chef’s choice at a fancy restaurant, those handy playlists that Spotify creates for their customers or Stitch Fix’s clothing boxes with items hand-selected by stylists. There’s no need for the member to pick out anything; it’s all done for them, with their tastes in mind.

These types of subscriptions are great for people who have packed schedules and limited time. They have the money, but not the time to pour over which beer styles they should get and when. They want someone to do the selecting for them.

Curated boxes can also be great for newbies who may not know what type of beer they like or those who are curious and want to explore new options.

Often, curated memberships come with an explanation as to why these particular items are in the release, insight into how they are made, and what food pairings make sense. Anything you can provide to educate your audience, enhance the experience, and make it personal is welcome.

Access Clubs

Access clubs appeal to those who think of themselves as beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs. These customers, like collectors of rare record albums, get a kick out of owning (and consuming) hard-to-get items. They are on the search to discover the latest and greatest beers and gain bragging rights to all of their friends.

Do you create special concoctions that customers compete to get their hands on? Are your customers always looking for the next new thing? This type of club is ideal for breweries who want to nurture an audience that thrives off of being the first in line to taste your newest Saison, barrel-aged Stout, or Berliner.

Members of access clubs value individuality and rare finds. Breweries open up access to new concoctions and special releases to these members before anyone else. The members have the chance to learn about what you’re brewing up next and get the first taste of it first.

Replenishment Clubs

Sometimes you’ll make a beer (or three) that is so good that it is consumed so frequently that it doesn’t fit into the “curation” or “access” buckets very easily. These are the beers your fans want in their fridge all season or all year long. Instead of restocking at the grocery store or stopping by the brewery, the replenishment club goes directly to their doorstep and into the beer fridge.

Replenishment is great for those who don’t want to think about recurring purchases. They want to outsource ordering, the payment, and either have the beer arrive at their door or know when they can go pick it up.

This model is perfect for selling your flagship beers to frugal, no-nonsense customers. They like your beer, they don’t need anything froofy, and they want a bit of a break for being a regular and loyal customer. Engineer and finance types, rejoice—this is the cost/benefit analysis solution they have been looking for.

For this type of club, the brewery can require higher-quantity purchases or a commitment to a certain number of allotments. Everyone gets what they want. The members get the beer they love at a bulk discount, and the brewery gets recurring revenue and a happy, loyal customer.

Getting closer to launch

After you decide you want to launch a beer club, the next step is to define your audience, select your delivery method, and pick a club structure. It all depends on your brewery’s strengths and the types of audiences it draws. Once these decisions are made, you’re well on your way to crafting a lucrative direct-to-consumer channel that will grow your brewery, widen your appeal, and bring you closer to your best customers.

In our next article in this series, we’ll explore things to consider when choosing your subscription management technology and how to make your club more personal. Subscribe to Craft Matters to be the first to know.

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