Food & Dining bourbon columnist Steve Akley is launching a unique bourbon club July 1 that will offer discounts, events and behind-the-scenes access for bourbon lovers. Membership to the #ABVNetworkCrew Club is $48 per year with a July 1 renewal for everyone. The first 200 to sign up by June 30, 2019 will receive a discounted $36 membership. Anyone signing up after July 1 will receive a pro-rated membership. You can view a list of current beverage and dining discounts at the bottom of their website.
“Our relationships within the bourbon industry often provide the team at the ABVNetwork amazing opportunities to experience the best the world of bourbon has to offer,” said Akley in an email. “Behind the scenes offerings, access to the biggest names in bourbon, unique events and more. We decided to turn our relationships into a chance for others in the bourbon community to experience bourbon as we do.”
A portion of every membership goes to support five great charitable causes: Fisher House, Charity: Water, Boys & Girls Club of The East Valley, Prostrate Cancer Foundation, and Children’s Tumor Foundation.
The club is launching in the state of Kentucky and in St. Louis, Missouri and Grand Rapids, Michigan, and there are currently events planned in Grand Rapids, Key West, and Columbia, Illinois.
They are recruiting ambassadors in other cities to help grow their network. You can view the types of benefits the club offers below.
Events
The idea for the club literally was formed from friends wanting to join us on some of our bourbon adventures. Each month the club will feature one big events, and may have other “pop-up events” (announced the day of… things like a happy hour or tour of a distillery) sprinkled throughout the month.
Events already booked include a meet and greet with Steve Beam in Grand Rapids on June 13, a group project to design a bourbon under the name Bourbon Sasquatch to be released by Stumpy’s Spirits on July 21 and a trip to Key West featuring some of our distiller buddies January 23-26, 2020. Other happenings coming soon include a barrel pick at a yet-to-be-named distillery and a bourbon/cigar event.
Cost Savings
We have aligned with over 50 partners already offering cost savings either with your club card, or a coupon code (online purchases). Active members using their card/membership will literally receive more in benefits than the cost of joining the club. See the list of current partners/deals below.
Barrel Picks
Out of the gate, club members will have a chance to participate in barrel picks via random raffles. These are picks for liquor stores, bars and restaurants. Longer term, the plan is to do barrel picks exclusively for the club to be offered only to club members.
