Cork & Barrel

Cork & BarrelCork & Barrel
Cork & BarrelCork & Barrel
Store

2000 W 23rd St
Lawrence, Kansas, 66046-2758
United States

(785) 331-4242 | map
corkbarrel.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.17
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
26
pDev:
13.43%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by beerhandy:
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Reviewed by beerhandy from Oklahoma

3.55/5  rDev -14.9%
Huge well lit store , mostly macros but worthy it seems on some seasonals and other hidden gems..
The belgians were pretty much on a shelf at the checkout line so you had to move out the way when customers were being rung up. The had some goose island gems matilda and demolition also in the checkout line! Ofallon had a few beers the pumpkin is out along with six packs of there award winning smoked porter. The coolers had some good prices on bombers .Mojo and Hazed and Confused for under $3.Staff was pleasant but were asking me about the beers..
Oct 01, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 5 by ANYTHINGGOSE from Kansas

Dec 15, 2016
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Reviewed by DelMontiac from Oklahoma

4.71/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
I made it in to Cork and Barrel 10/06/2015 while on a journey of rock in the college town of Lawrence, KS. I was greeted by someone at the front and another asked if I needed assistance. That's really all I want, unless I ask them for anything else. The store is large, by my standards and is very clean and neat. I'm guessing that this store has really increased its beer volume since the earlier reviews here, because there is plenty to choose from. Most (or much) of the beer is in coolers all along the back wall of the store. I didn't count the coolers, but there are a lot! There are stacks of area brew on the floor back there too. As I followed the coolers around I was lead to a ramp leading to an upper deck of...yes, more beer! This is where you'll find the bombers, imports, and special releases along with some magnums and other plus sizes. Also, more coolers up there! I spent about $95 on 10 12oz bottles, 4 16oz cans, and 7 22oz bottles of limited type stuff. About what I expected. I found very few old dates to my surprise, but like every store they had that one little dusty corner over by the windows. I checked out with a girl who was a genius bottle packer. I didn't hear a single bottle clink for the 250 mile trip home and she didn't even use bags or wrapping. Nice! I will return.
Oct 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.97 by Thirstygoat from Illinois

Mar 02, 2015
 
 
Rated: 4 by AndyBeerGuy from Kansas

Aug 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by 22Blue from Kansas

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Enochase04 from Ohio

Jun 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Theogre83 from Kansas

Dec 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by jaydoc from Kansas

Oct 12, 2013
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Reviewed by homebrewhawk from Kansas

4.44/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
One of the best stores for beer in Lawrence. They make a point of getting pretty much anything available in the area. The thing that sets this store apart is the singles selection. Any craft beer on the shelf can be purchased as a single and they are refrigerated. You pay a bit of a premium, but well worth it in my opinion.

They are active on social media giving updates on new arrivals. They have frequent tastings as well. Also a great selection of wine, if that's your thing.
Jun 16, 2013
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Reviewed by DrLaFollette from Utah

5/5  rDev +19.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
In my opinion, it doesn't get any better in Kansas than this. Since the liquor laws have changed recently in Kansas, distribution is improving, if you can get it in Kansas, you can find it here. Obviously Boulevard is big here and Cork and Barrel gets a nice amount of all of Boulevard's special releases. Stores are also allowed to offer free tastings now. Cork and Barrel takes full advantage of this with their beautiful tasting station right in the middle of the store by offering weekly tastings and seeking customer feedback via social media on what to offer. The beer manager really knows his stuff and the knowledge of the staff has improved considerably over the last year. The beer loft as others have mentioned is amazing, I love the ten cooler doors of singles and the racks of bombers. And as the previous review mentioned there is a new glassware area attached to the store where you can find some of my favorite glasses, the Boulevard tulip glass and Speigelau tulip and IPA glasses. Follow them on twitter @CorkBarrel or on Facebook and you'll always know when new releases are coming in, if you have a question, post it there, they are great about responding.
Jun 14, 2013
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Reviewed by Jips from Illinois

4.64/5  rDev +11.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
They get everything distributed to Lawrence, plus they have an extensive mix a six/singles section THAT'S ALL REFRIGERATED. If they have it and it's not in there, they'll break up a 4 or 6 for ya. Big ole bomber wall too. Probably the best spot for hard liquor in Lawrence too, can fill all your alchy needs!

Service is fantastic, the vast majority of the staff are very into beer. When asked, know what new hotness is in and what will be coming soon. All their recommendations have been spot on too. There's usually a free tasting on Fridays, plus brewery reps regularly visit with their wares.

Will usually have decent discounts of some high volume selling items (Free State/ New Belgium) and will discount some that have been sitting a while.

Is my go to booze store in Kansas and KC area.
Jun 12, 2013
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Reviewed by JEdmund from Kansas

4.57/5  rDev +9.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Cork & Barrel has become my main place to shop (though I still prefer giving my business to Jensen Liquor) as they've really ramped up their efforts on craft beer. They now have a giant wall of refrigerated singles to choose from, as well as a giant wall of six-packs to choose from. They also now have a whole room dedicated to bombers and other specialties. Recently they opened another room to sell specialty glasses and other barware. And one of the best things they do---and for some reason they're the only store in town doing this---is use Twitter to announce what new beers come in. And for some reason they seem to get the new stuff first. Plus the staff now has a number of beer geeks who are friendly and eager to chat beer. Definitely recommend swinging by.
Jan 18, 2013
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Reviewed by shebby from Utah

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
If you are ever driving through Kansas or near Lawrence you need to stop here. Their new beer loft is amazing. They have ten cooler doors worth of singles organized by type. If they distribute it to Kansas, these guys have it. You can build your own six or four, heck if you even just want to grab one you can only take one (but why would you only want one!). Also a very nice selection of bombers accompanied by rating. Another nice thing about Cork and Barrel is that they use their social media well on Twitter and Facebook to update followers when they get something new in stock. Only complaint is that sometimes when I call the store whoever answers doesn't always know about the beer I'm trying to reserve or find out about. But whoever manages the social media definitely knows what's up and so now I just post my questions there.
Jun 20, 2012
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Reviewed by notpmock from Kansas

4.64/5  rDev +11.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
My favorite liquor store just got 10x as amazing with a huge expansion to the make your own six pack section including a massive about of coolers.If you live anywhere around Lawrence and you love beer you have to check this place out. The staff knowledge and tweets when something cool comes in (rye on rye, Bigfoot,extra).

It is hard to believe, but not everyone enjoys beer, luckily this store also has a good selection of wine, vodka, whiskey, our anything else one could want.

Special thanks to the clerk that recommended my first black IPA and told me where a keg of boulevard chocolate ale was being tapped (after the store quickly sold out)
Apr 04, 2012
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Reviewed by bigdonniebrasco from Kansas

4.45/5  rDev +6.7%
Ok, I am a firm believer in giving people (and establishments) a few chances before assigning judgment.

The store itself tends to have a decent selection of beers. BYO6, warm, cold, Belgian etc.

There is one person that works there that ROCKS! Her name is Janna (I think). She really knows her beers, she is quick to make an EDUCATED recommendation, and she's cute as hell to boot :)
Without her I would have never tried Modus Hopperandi!

I have made countless trips to this place because the person that answered the phone assured me that they had what I was looking for. Once there, guess what? NOT! This is a college town, the owners/managers of this place have GOT to try and hire some more people that know what the fuck they are selling!
Shame on them for ever hiring some cute little coed that didn't even know if they carried JACK F-ING DANIELS!
I politely questioned the manager about the girl who had no idea what Jack Daniels was, and his defense was "she's new"!

I would LOVE to know what the interview questions were!!

I spend a LOT every time I go to a bottle shop, and the only way I ever go to this place is when all the other shops are sold out!

Lawrence, KS is becoming a competitive bottle market, and unless this place shapes up, they will never have the business that they could!

12/21/10 edit...
I have had a few issues here and there with some of their newest employees, but I gotta say that Mike (the beer guy) and Janna really, REALLY take their jobs seriously! they both do a wonderful job of telling us "regulars" what is new, and what they think we would like! If you are in the Lawrence area you can't go wrong here!
Oct 01, 2010
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Reviewed by JeepCop from Kansas

3.8/5  rDev -8.9%
Visited Cork & Barrel today and overall it was a good stop. The service there was nonexistent until I made it to the register with a few bombers. Truth be told, I have no problem with this. I'd rather peruse the selection at my own pace in peace, than have someone asking if they can help me find something every few minutes anyway.

The selection of non-chilled singles were pretty good, and I like the fact you can make your own 6'er. If you want a better selection of singles (which are chilled) I'd go to On The Rocks on Mass Street. As has already been stated, be sure to look at the bottle dates because there was obvious dust on NUMEROUS bottles.

The prices were reasonable and the selection was good enough to bring me back. Overall, I'd be more inclined to hit On The Rocks over Cork & Barrel unless I just can't find is at OTR.
Jun 30, 2010
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Reviewed by Groenebeor from California

4/5  rDev -4.1%
Oh C&B. Oh how you have expanded your beer selection to be the best in town - at one time you limited yourself to 6 packs of the popular beers - but not anymore. Last April C&B has expanded on their buy your own 6 pack area and started carrying all kinds of brews in all forms - from Belgium to Germany, and from Oregon to Boston. Pretty damn good selection for the middle of Puritan land.

Prices are pretty good, although the Beer Geek corner as they refer to it could be cheaper by about 20 cents a brew.
Feb 07, 2010
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Reviewed by d0ggnate from California

3.7/5  rDev -11.3%
Made a few stops here on a midwest trip and found a pretty nice selection of local and non-local craft beers. The usual Belgians were on the shelves. Better than those, were the local and just outside local things that weren't available to So Cal residents. A few I spotted were Great Divide, Odell, Boulevard and Fort Collins Brewing Co. I picked up a few interesting bottles and stuffed them in my luggage, hoping they make it back to San Diego safely.

Cork & Barrel would be a go-to beer shop if I lived in Lawrence. Great bomber and 6-pack selection.
Dec 31, 2009
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Reviewed by boogles from Kansas

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
This appears in my short time here the best beer store in Lawrence, unless you are hoping for a limited release gem, and then I don't know what's best.

The selection is broad, and there are thing I couldn't get in Ohio (vice versa, indeed!). But I'm happy to know I won't need to drive to MO when i need beer.

Decent singles section, had more than Max of "high end" beers.

Bomber selection stinks.

In short, this is a great location, the one I will most likely frequent unless there are "special beers" I hear about, or unless I absolutely have to travel far south on Iowa Rd, which I've already learned is to be avoided at all cost.
Aug 06, 2009
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Reviewed by Goliath from Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -12.5%
Pretty standard stuff for Kansas. They have most things you can get at Jensen's or Mass. The downside to Cork and Barrel is no mix sixers. Also, the bomber selection was pretty pathetic. Just a few things in front of the checkout. They also had sale items up there that were definitely pretty old. A few Winter releases from last year, not really too cool. After walking around a bit they asked me if I needed any help, but they weren't very friendly. I think there were a few things that I would consider getting, but I'd rather go to Mass to get them.

Been back recently and they've added a warm wall that's got most things you can get in town. Sometimes a buck or so cheaper than other places in town. You definitely still need to watch the age of the beers, but the dust is usually a dead giveaway. The other positive is they get big allocations of limited release beers but no one buys it from them. So a month down the road if you decide you want a limited release that was gone weeks ago, just pop in to cork and barrel and buy 3 of them!
Aug 20, 2008
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Reviewed by bditty187 from Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -16.1%
Easy to find... with plenty of parking (which is a plus on both counts).

Inside the beer coolers are on the far back wall. In-between and all around really are bottles upon bottles of liquor and wine. The vast majority of the store is dedicated to wine and spirits with beer a distant third. But, still, the selection was very solid.

As expected there was amble BLVD Smokestack, a good amount of Avery and Great Divide beers which are both awesome, of course. Overall, there wasn't much domestically speaking that I can't get in Omaha and the stuff I couldn't get I wasn't too interested in.

I was quite bummed there wasn't more Belgian beers and I am totally lost why they are located near the checkouts? I did buy a six-pack of Avery Jubilation and 750ml of Gouden Carlous Winter. The $4.99 bottles of Sam Adams Triple Bock were tempting but I didn't seem them until after I checked out as there was located at another register.

Cork & Barrel would be a fine local beer spot and I am sure the next time I am in Lawrence I'll pay it a visit but I just won't expect to find much I can't get at home and/or really need to try. I'm not knocking the place... the selection is solid and the people working their where very pleasant.
Feb 26, 2008
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Reviewed by cer40 from Kansas

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
This is my regular liquor store as it is just about a block away from my house and offers the best selection in lawrence. The prices are very competitive for the area. They have mostly colorado micros with some of the bigger micros thrown in. The selection of top end beers is unparrelled in lawrence. Just got a bottle of great divide fresh hopped today but have also gotten duvel, chimay, left hand specialties and various others. I don't know about the prices on macros but they generally have enough micro beers on sale for me to walk out with a 12 pack of something pretty good for about 14 bucks.
Feb 04, 2008
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Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.86/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
This one is very easy to find at the corner of a major intersection in Lawrence. It has a fairly typical selection for Lawrence. Lots of good Colorado beers. I picked up bombers of Left Hand Warrior IPA, Left Hand Snow Bound, Fort Collins Big Shot and Great Divide Hades. They were all reasonably priced. They had some super-premium beers, too, like Avery the Beast Grand Cru ($7.99 for a 12oz bottle). Belgian beers are oddly placed near the checkout lines. One knock on the place is the lack of a build your own six pack option. Service was friendly and pleasant. I do wish they had given me a box for my 4 bombers, but they were carefully wrapped in paper bags. All in all, a pretty good store for the area.
Nov 28, 2007
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Reviewed by Mebuzzard from Colorado

2.4/5  rDev -42.4%
My first visit to this place in a while. Large store, used to be a Hastings. Lots of wine and liquor. Beer selection is fair. More of a selection of "packs" (6, 12, mix, 24, 39, etc.) than of different brews. Good to see Goose Island around. Nice price, too. About 20 doors of beer, over half micros or crafts. Bomber selection is awful and they don't allow creating your own six pack. no singles. Import selection is terrible considering the size. I picked up some Goose and got out of there. In comparison to the surrounding stores I've been to in Lawrence, this is above average, but severely lacking relative to Denver stores.
Sep 02, 2007
Cork & Barrel in Lawrence, KS
Place rating: 4.17 out of 5 with 26 ratings