Whether you want to sit on an urban rooftop, around a fire pit in the middle of the woods, or amidst the fields in a bucolic farm setting, the Hudson Valley has endless opportunities to enjoy craft beer, cider, or wine at the source. But…sometimes you just want to stay home (especially in a pandemic). Thanks to the changing economic landscape imposed by COVID, many of the region’s craft beverage producers have gone exclusive, rolling out club memberships that ship their limited edition specials, new releases, and classics right to your doorstep—usually at a discount. Here are seven local craft producers with exclusive drinking clubs you’ll want to join.
Angry Orchard Cider Club
Angry Orchard recently launched a Cider Club out of their Walden ciderhouse, making their experimental small-batch ciders available for delivery nationwide. The club offers limited-edition, seasonal cider collections made from an assortment of apples grown on their 60-acre orchard. For $75, members get quarterly shipments of three handpicked and handcrafted ciders from their collection of new releases, customer favorites, and vintage ciders. Tasting notes and stories, as well as a letter from Head Cider Maker Ryan Burk, come with each cider box. Other perks include 10% off all merch and a free flight of cider when you visit the taproom.
Graft Cidery Cider Explorers Club
Newburgh-based Graft Cidery, founded by siblings Kyle and Sara Sherrer, is known for their lip-puckering sour ciders and fantastical can designs. Their Cider Explorers Club allows cider lovers to receive a monthly shipment of three four-packs of their newest releases for $60. Members can customize their order from their exclusive access to Graft’s stock. You box with also include tasting notes, simple cocktail recipes, and access to virtual tastings with one of their cider makers. Get excited about your next shipment with sneak-peak emails revealing the cool, new limited-release ciders that will be available to you and customize your order or let the experts surprise you.
Fjord Vineyards Wine Club
Founded in 2013 by Matthew Spaccarelli and Casey Erdmann, Fjord Vineyards in Milton specializes in sustainably grown craft wines. Their Wine Club offers four bottles of red and white wine shipped to your doorsteps four times a year for between $70 and $95. Members receive 15 percent off all bottle purchases, first access to limited wines, invitations to exclusive events like their Annual Portfolio Tasting, and up to two discounted tickets to their annual Winemaker’s Dinner event.
WhiteCliff Vineyard and Winery Wine Club
The Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery in Gardiner is home to one of the largest vineyards in the Hudson Valley, growing over 20 winemaking varietals that have been carefully selected and tended over the past two decades. The Whitecliff Wine Club offers two options to enjoy their award-winning wines from home—both free to join. The Half Case membership requires members to buy six bottles of their choice in each February and August, while the full case membership requires members to buy 12 bottles in the pick-up months. Both memberships include free tastings at the vineyard all year round, exclusive event access, discounted public events, and discounts of 10-20% on bottles and cases. You can pick up your wine at the vineyard or have it shipped to your door.
Benmarl Winery Wine Club
Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, overlooking the Hudson River Valley, is the oldest vineyard in America. They produce sustainable, small-batch red and white wines. Members of their wine club get four bottles of wine delivered or picked up three times a year––they can be red, white, or mixed depending on the selections of the winemaker. Prices vary depending on the selected wines. Club members also have exclusive access to pre-released and sold-out wines. The club has wine tastings year round, with 15 percent off featured wines on their Tasting Notes. Benmarl Winery also offers club members two free tickets to their annual Barrel Tasting event, Hudson Valley Sangria Festival, and Harvest Grape Stomping Festival.
Yard Owl Brewery Beer Club
The Yard Owl Brewery in Gardiner was founded in 2012 by James and Michelle Walsh, the owners of the popular Mudd Puddle Cafe in New Paltz’s Water Street Market. The brewery specializes in Belgian-inspired craft ales, and also offers food such as cheese, charcuterie, and pretzels served with house-made pickled veggies, eggs, and beer mustard. Their Beer Club Membership allows members to order products like their craft beers, Karl Family Farm beef Jerky, hot sauce, and Yard Owl beer mustard and pickled products for pickup on Friday nights––either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. They will select your beer for you, or you can choose your own. Club members receive free access to their beer tasting and pickling events, and get 10 percent off private brewery tours and beer dinner events.
Sloop Brewing Beer Boxes
OK, so this isn’t exactly a subscription club, but Sloop Brewing’s curated beer packages are a fun way to get a surprise goodie box of brews delivered to your doorstep (NYS only)—plus a packet of ramen. Sloop’s team of brewers and beer lovers pick a mix of beers—both upcoming releases like the New England pale ale Lowkey JB and the cranberry- and-cherry infused From Downtown alongside classic crowd pleasers. For $50, the Sweet & Tart box comes with 14 cans: a six pack of the award-winning Americans-style hopped Confliction sours, a six-pack of Black Razz (a black sour with raspberries), and your choice of four 16-ounce cans of From Downtown sour or Coco Baked stout.
