Time & Tide: BA Bombers & Classic Cans

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I always enjoy beers from Tide & Tide.

I remember sinking a couple of pints of Kraken with Sam at The Rake in Bermondsey during our launch week, so in some small way it feels like they are part of our DNA.

It must have been good a good evening because I distinctly recall leaving without my credit card and having to return the following morning!

So let me tell you about the fantastic beer in this box.

BA Bombers & Classic Cans – View Box

Time & Tide have given us three limited release BA Stouts (Deep Water, Kraken and Orange Domino) all in big 750ml bottles that are perfect for sharing with friends over the festive period.

To complete the box we’ve added in three big 440ml cans of Double Jim, and the regular versions of Kraken and Domino.

It’s a great box and it packs the same volume as almost 11 regular (330ml) bottles of beer, so we think it’s great value too at £35.10 (£39 non-members)

Order Yours Now

This is a limited release of 24 boxes from a brewery that’s always been popular with our members, so you’ll have to move quickly if you want one.

It’s also going to be our last box of 2018.

I’ve decided to take a break until the New Year, but we’ll be back with another box before the end of January.

So I’d like to take the opportunity to wish you all a fantastic Christmas, and thank you for your incredible support over the last few months.

Cheers, and here’s to 2019!

Mark

Prairie Bomb! Makers Kit

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We’re excited about this one.

Praire Artisan Ales of Ohklahoma are one of the most respected craft brewers in the US, and this box delivers no fewer than six variants of their flagship Bomb! Imperial Stout – rated 100/100 on RateBeer.

Some have said it’s the best Imperial Stout in the world.

It took Prairie 3 years of experimentation to find the perfect balance of Cacao, Chilli, Coffee and Vanilla when they were developing the original version of Bomb!

In addition to the original this box includes Birthday Bomb! and 4 ‘deconstructed’ Bombs! that you can use to conduct your own blending experiments.

This is a truly special box of beer that’s perfect for a tasting session with friends, or a brilliant gift for someone you really, really love.

Even if that happens to be yourself.

I’ve only been able to get hold of enough of each beer to do 10 boxes, and it wasn’t cheap – so you’ll have to move fast if you want one. If you’re a member then don’t forget to make use of your discount code!

Click here to view the box

We’ll be enjoying a box of these over the festive period, and if you’re lucky enough to bag one for yourself we promise it will be a sublime experience.

Cheers

Mark

50% OFF Annual Membership!

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50% OFF Annual Membership!

 

Our members don’t just get a discount on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, they enjoy 10% discount all year round for a small annual membership fee.

This weekend we’re opening up the membership experience to everyone, with 10% off our latest box (while stocks last) when you order via Eebria.

Click here to bag a box

If you like the sound of curated boxes of high ABV beers (7%+), from some of the worlds best brewers on a regular basis – then for this weekend only you can become a member for 50% less than the usual price.

£6 gets you cheaper beer for a whole year.

It’s great value, because even if you only buy a couple of boxes you’re guaranteed to save money – and our course most of our members use it to save a lot more. You can join now and help us build an even bigger and better beer club as we head towards 2019 and our third year.

How do you get the discount?

Just head on over to our members page and sign up for the regular price of £12, and we’ll refund £6 back to your card when we process your membership and send you your discount code (within 24 hours). It really it as simple as that.

Become a member now

 

10 Parts Dutch: De Molen x Kees x Uiltje x Kaapse x Frontaal x Jackdaw

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The advent calendars are sorted, so it’s back to business-as-usual with a wonderfully eclectic box of high strength beer with an average ABV over 10%.

10 Parts Dutch

10 beers from The Netherlands, plus 2 from Sweden – a first Imperial Beer Club appearance for Jackdaw Brewing of Uppsala including their Zwaarte Draak (aka Black Dragon) Black Belgian Ale; which I’m told is a Westvleteren clone.

Sounds good doesn’t it?

We also have new treats from De Molen, including the Hazelnut Edition of their Hel & Verdoemenis Imperial Stout and a Bowmore BA version of Kaapse’s Gozer Oatmeal Imperial Stout – with the late addition of brett for an extra special treat.

Click here to see the full line up

So what else has been going on?

Well I’ve opened up a supply line for some top, top beers from the US.

If you’re taking the advent calendar then expect to see some of these popping out during December – otherwise keep an eye on your inbox for something really special in the next 7-10 days.

I know that most of you like to stock up as we head into Christmas, so we’ll be stepping things up with a few extra boxes – including some that will make great gifts.

The current box is a limited-release of 24, so don’t leave it too late if you want to order one.

Order It Now

If you’re a member then remember to use your code for your 10% discount – and if you’ve got any questions or suggestions I’m always interested to hear from you.

Cheers

mark@imperialbeerclub.com

2018 Advent Calendar; including Evil Twin, Mikkeller, De Molen, Magic Rock, Kees, The Kernel and more

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PRE-ORDER: 2018 Advent Calendar; including Evil Twin, Mikkeller, De Molen, Magic Rock, Kees, The Kernel and more

You asked for it, so here it is – the first Imperial Beer Club Advent Calendar!

When it comes to the beer we’re not for making compromises – so this is a no-holds barred double-helping of 24 beers – with each numbered bottle hand-wrapped in tissue paper by a specially trained elf*.

We’re not about to spoil the fun by listing out the individual beers, but it will be packed with flagship brews from some of the worlds best brewers, with ABVs ranging from 7-13% (average c.9%) – and no previously featured beers.

We wanted to give you the biggest, baddest beer advent calendar of 2018, so we’ve set the beer budget accordingly and we’re limiting numbers to a maximum of just 24 calendars.

STRICTLY FOR PRE-ORDERS BY 7th NOVEMBER

We’ll be allocating calendars on a first-come, first-served basis and giving priority to our members. If there’s any additional availability we’ll allocate calendars to non-members on the same basis.

How To Order

1. Reply to this email clearly stating that you wish to order our advent calendar at the relevant price (see below) and confirm the delivery address – the time and date we receive your email will determine the order in which we allocate calendars

2. If you’re a member and we have availability we’ll charge the card we have on file before confirming your order. If there’s a problem charging your card, or if you want to use a different payment method we’ll email you a payment link instead.

3. If you’re not a member we’ll put you on the waiting list, and allocate any remaining boxes from the 8th onward on the same first-come, first-served basis.

4. We’ll ship your calendar the last week in November so you’re all set for the 1st of December.

Pricing

The price for members is £159 inclusive of shipping, or for non-members it’s £179.

We know this makes it more expensive than other beer advent calendars, but it’s fully backed up by the level of the beer we’re packing, so we’re confident we aren’t going to be leaving anyone feeling disappointed.

It’s simply an amazing selection of beer.

We don’t have a calendar available for everyone who’s a member, so if you want one please don’t hang around – email us now to reserve yours

Just Landed: De Molen Borefts Beer Festival Specials

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Can you hear that?

It’s the sound of the Dutch Beer Klaxon, and it’s signalling the arrival of something special from De Molen.

De Molen Borefts Beer Festival Specials

2018 was the 10th anniversary of their Borefts Beer Festival, and to mark the occasion their brewers imaginations have run riot on a series of special one-off brews.

I’ve selected my 6 favourites to share with you in this box:

  • Said & Done Bowmore BA Nutty Caramel Salt Sour Stout – 10.4%
  • #3000 Black Barley Wine – 15%
  • Juicy Loesie Apple Barley Wine – 12.7%
  • Fair & Feat Tonka Quadrupel – 9.1%
  • Passie & Adriaan Double Porter – 7.9%
  • Fresh Hop ’18 DIPA – 9.2%

These beers are all excellent (as you’d expect from De Molen), and the selection includes their 3000th brew (#3000) and the truly unusual but utterly delicious Said & Done.

This is a limited release of 24 boxes, and I don’t expect them to hang around too long. It’s a great way to kick off (or complement) your Christmas beer stash.

Order Yours Now 

Whilst we’re on the subject of Christmas, how many of you would be interested in an Imperial Beer Club advent calendar?

I haven’t finalised anything yet, but if enough of you put your hands up for one then I think I can make it happen in the next couple of weeks.

Drop me a one-line email if you think this would be a good idea!

Cheers

Mark

Monster Madness from Torrside Brewing

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The cold dark nights are drawing in, and an evil is on the rise.

Yes that’s right, I’m talking about pumpkin beer.

I apologise if you’re a fan, but I simply can’t stand the stuff so I won’t be letting it anywhere near our boxes.

However we still have a humdinger of a beer selection for you to enjoy this Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Torrsides’ Monster Madness

Torrside are one of our favourite UK breweries, and their Monsters series delivers strong, often experimental beers made to the highest standards.

For this box we’ve chosen 12 of their biggest, boldest brews, packed full of warming winter flavours like toffee, whiskey and ginger – and an average ABV of almost 10%.

Highlights includes their classics Imperial Porter, With Strange Aeons Imperial Stout and the 2017 vintage of their American Barleywine, which is starting to age beautifully, and the box also includes plenty of new discoveries.

Here’s the full line up:

Power Stance: Peated Whiskey & Ginger Barley Wine – 12.5%
The Cake Is A Lie: Sticky Toffee Pudding Brown Ale – 11.0%
Take Me To Your Lemur: Madagascan Vanilla Barley Wine – 9.5%
Space Commander: Imperial Red IPA – 10.0%
Nicholas Parsons’ Very Nice Shed: Ginger Cake Barley Wine – 9.8%
Perfect Circle: Smoked Wheat Wine – 10.0%
Imperial Porter – 9.5%
American Barley Wine 2017 – 9.0%
Act Naturally: Fruit-Tea Infused Barley Wine – 9.0%
Monsters’ Lab: Torrist Saison: Brown Imperial Saison – 9.0%
Rauchwine: Smoked Barley Wine – 10.0%
With Strange Aeons: Imperial Stout – 10.0%

This limited release is just 18 boxes, so you’ll need to move quickly to get one.

Click here to order yours now.

Finally, a big thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to our members survey, it will really help us fine tune our selections going forward.

East by North East. Time to drop the hop-bomb.

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North by North East.
It’s time to drop a hop-bomb!

You know how one IPA never seems to be enough?

Well, if you enjoy hoppy beers then it’s time to restock your fridge.

If you’ve been with us for a while, you might remember that we last featured a beer by Steam Machine Brewing back in mid-2017; a magnificent Treacle Toffee Stout that ended up being one of the fastest selling lines in our online bottle shop.

This time it’s all about the hops.

Steam Machine founder Nick used to be a science teacher, and his wife and co-founder Gulen grew up in the eastern provinces of Turkey. The IPAs in this box are inspired by flavours they love from Gulen’s childhood, and their travels around the world together.

The box includes not one, but three 440ml cans each of the four beers in the selection:

  • Apricots by Post Turkish Apricot Milkshake IPA – 7.3%
  • 12 Month Road Trip Grape Must & Mosaic Brut IPA – 7.4%
  • Breakfast in Chiang Mai Mango & Coconut DDH IPA – 7%
  • Sunset with Friends DDH Imperial IPA – 8.5%

Deliciously different, totally quaffable, but don’t just take my word for it – they are all highly rated on Untapped.

Order yours now

Nordic Noir, Fruit and Funk.

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Nordic Noir, Fruit and Funk. Imperial Beer Club goes to Norway.

This week we’ve been to Norway to bring you a new box of beer, showcasing the talents of HaandBryggeriet.

View the contents of the box

There’s a lot to like in this box, but let me tell you about a couple of highlights you won’t want to miss.

Blueberry in an Imperial Stout is an automatic win, and if you’re anything like me the merest mention will be enough to start you salivating.

The bottle makes a pretty nice picture too.


Death by Disco is the lovechild of Haand, Frontaal and Cervisiam, a 10% Imperial Stout with notes of dark fruit and creamy lactose.  Sweet.

When a brewery makes a landmark batch they usually do something special, but even so Batch #1000 is something extra special.

The beer pours lighter in colour that most Quads, almost like a sherry with big boozy, fruit and nut aromas.  You wouldn’t feel short changed if you were only allowed to sniff at it, but the taste is exceptional. Sweet, malty and smooth like a fine dessert wine.

I’ll be amazed if it doesn’t make my 5 favourite beers of the 2018.

Check out the rest of the box here

The remaining beers in the box include an Imperial Wheat Stout, a Raspberry Export Stout, a Baltic Porter and a Traditional Nordic Ale.

It’s a smaller 6 bottle box, and there are just 24 available. 

If last weeks hoovering up of the De Molen Barrel Aged Selection is anything to go by, plenty of you are already tuned in to Eebria’s single shipping charge and doubling up your order; so if this goes the same way we don’t expect them to hang around for long.

Place your order now to avoid missing out

We’ve been indulging our dark side for the first few boxes, but in case you were wondering it won’t all be dark beers – in fact I’m working on the hoppy side of things for our next box.

It seems like things have gone pretty smoothly since the relaunch, but if you’ve got any feedback or questions I’m always interested to hear from you – so please let me know!

We’re back! Bigger, badder and better than ever.

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Introducing the new Imperial Beer Club.
Bigger, badder and better than ever.

I’ve been using the hiatus from beer deliveries to have a long hard think about the future of the club, and I’ve decided to make some changes.

Let me tell you about them.

Looking over the numbers it’s clear that beerflation has taken it’s toll over the two years since we set out on this beery adventure. It’s even more noticeable on imported beers where the weak pound means increases of more than 20% on some of the beers we featured in our early boxes.

I’ve also been asking you which breweries you’d most like to see featured, and it’s no surprise that international breweries like De Molen, Mikeller and Omnipollo feature heavily in your collective wish list.

I want to be able to share their beer with you.

I understand no-one wants price rises, but I think the decision by Ales by Mail to reduce the ABV threshold for the boxes was a mistake – and it’s clear from the subscriber numbers that many of you felt the same way.

The last thing an imperial strength beer club should do is water down the beer.

I want the new Imperial Beer Club to be even more adventurous, and I don’t want any beer to be off limits.

So to make that happen we have to make some changes.

No more fixed price monthly boxes.

Instead we’ll provide a rotating selection of limited release boxes, and you get to pick which ones you want.

1, 3, 7, 12 or 15 boxes a year? It’s totally up to you.

We’ll be offering a variety of sizes, price points and selections, so you can choose whatever suits your taste and budget, but most important of all we’ll have the freedom to go wherever the beer takes us.

You can still be a member.

If you decide to rejoin as a member then for a small annual fee you’ll get a 10% discount on any purchases you make.

Will all this freedom come at a cost?

We’re introducing a £5.99 delivery charge for each box, but please don’t be alarmed. It means the beer will be slightly cheaper (based on the same wholesale cost, and a fixed markup), and with the 10% member discount you’ll get the same great value as a subscription (based on 12 boxes at an average of £47/each over a year).

Buy more boxes, choose more expensive beer and you’ll save even more than before!

We’ve got a brand new distribution partner

In order to get the beer to you we’re partnering with Eebria, one of the largest distributors of craft beer in the UK.

We’ll be using their packaging, couriers and customer service team – which means we get to provide you with first class service and concentrate on sourcing lots of lovely beer.

So when can you start receiving beer again?

Well I’m pleased to announce that we’ve not just one, but two boxes available right now, and there will be at least one more box before the end of the month.

The first is called Dark Side of The Netherlands and features 12 dark beers from four of the best Dutch brewers, including De Molen, Kees, Uiltje and Frontaal with an average ABV of 10.4%.

It includes 14% ABV Mind Your Step Maple Edition from Uiltje (the strongest beer we’ve featured to date), and two previous Imperial Beer Club favourites that we rate as the best Porters in the world; Tsarina Esra from De Molen and Kees Export Porter 1750.

Click here to view the full selection

The second box is a De Molen Barrel Aged Selection, featuring six of their most special wax topped beers with an average ABV 12.25%. It’s a dream come true for fans of De Molen and it’s our strongest box to date.

Click here to view the full selection

So we’re back stronger than ever, but we’re also starting small in terms of volume, with just 24 of each box available to purchase. So don’t hang around if you want one.

Get your membership – cheaper beer for a whole year!

Even if you don’t want to join right away, for this week only you can order a box (or two) at the members price by using the code MEMBER10 at checkout – valid to 16 September 2018.

Click here check out the boxes and place your order

It’s wonderful to be back, and I hope you enjoy the first boxes. If they aren’t to your taste then don’t worry, there’ll be another one coming along shortly.

Cheers

Mark