Best Practices in Beer Club Management

Finding that extra special value with consumers with a Mug Club or such perk can be important, but creating it and managing it can vary toward what is the best way.

Ron Abbott says that Seedstock uses sign-up sheets if the membership is purchased in the brewery, or they can gather information electronically if it’s paid for online.

The 202 Mug Club for the Denver brewery is $250 and includes first pints at half-price each day along with a free crowler each month. There is larger beer pours in the mug (20 ounces vs. 16) and three parties for members each year with free food.

“We give away Mug Club key chains that our members show to receive discounts,” Abbott said. “The key chains change every year.”

Toward the end of the year, Seedstock will start to pro-rate pricing. Abbot said there isn’t a specific date, but generally pro-rating happens in October.

Bonfire Brewing members pay $65 when they join, and then $45 for each yearly renewal. The renewal period happens just once a year in April.

“Initially, all 60 mugs sold out very quickly, so we have an extensive waitlist,” said co-founder Amanda Jessen. “Existing members are given the chance to renew first. If they choose not to renew, we start moving down the list.”

Because the mugs only turn over once a year, and even then it’s only a handful, a simple spreadsheet has worked well for Jessen.

“We chose not to expand the number of mugs in the club to preserve the uniqueness of the program,” she explained. “There is one exception: each year at our anniversary party in November, we induct one new/additional mug into the club, which is sold via live auction with 100% of the proceeds donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.

“Our last few mugs have sold for over $6,000 each.”

Strange Craft Beer does not have tiers, with a membership cap of 150. The brewery’s owner and founder, Tim Myers, said if someone wants to sign up in July, they will prorate it for them if they request but only if they have mugs available.

“The value is the incentive and rewards for our most loyal customers,” Myers said of the mugs that are 20 ounces for a price of a pint along with 50 cents off 10-ounce pours along with a baseball outing, merchandise discounts and more.

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