The Charleston Beer Exchange

The Charleston Beer ExchangeThe Charleston Beer Exchange
The Charleston Beer ExchangeThe Charleston Beer Exchange
Store

14 Exchange St
Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-2575
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.69
Reviews:
136
Ratings:
210
pDev:
9.17%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by codewarrior:
Photo of codewarrior
Reviewed by codewarrior from New York

4.7/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Driving down the coast, we kept checking BeerAdvocate for interesting bottle shops near our route. After stopping at a few `A+' bottle shops along the way, we sort of ... well ... stopped getting excited about any bottle shop en route. Considering that the best bottle shop between NYC and SC had been Cape Fear Wine and Beer (which is a bar with take out ... and a damn good take-out list at that ... good lord), I was somewhat non-plussed when I heard that we could go 45 minutes out of our way to hit up yet another supposedly A+ bottle-shop.

Tucked away in a nest of impossible-to navigate cobble-stone streets in one of the oldest parts of Charleston, we hit the store at delivery time, edging past promising looking hand-trucks on our way in.

On the central island in the center of the floor was a large table, filled with all of the typical Stillwater bottles (Cellar Door, Stateside, Existent, etc), then some less typical ones, like both sides of the Two Gypsies, several of each of the 3 (at the time) import series bottles, and then a cadre of Barrel Aged Stateside and Barrel Aged Existent flanking either side.

After taking all of this in, one of the two guys working the store offered us a tour (our out-of-townedness was pronounced) and he and his sweet 'stache showed us the flanking walls of domestic craft (featuring BA stateside varients which had been hand delivered by Brian at a beer dinner they arranged with Stillwater and Evil Twin ... they showed me their autographed menu ... it was awesome), the growler station (featuring numerous COAST taps), and then walked us back into the import section which I hadn't yet noticed (it was a lot to take in).

Scouring the shelves and finding ... well, I'll pause here to list some of what I saw in the international section:

Cantillon 2007 Iris
Cantillon Classic Geueze
Cantillon Rose
Cantillon 100% Kriek
Mikeller Black Tie
Mikeller BA Black Tie
2005 - 2010 Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien
many, many Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru varients

... this is but a small sampling of the overwhelmingly phenomenal section I saw before me ... and it's heavily Cantillon skewed, because ... well ... I haven't seen any Cantillon on shelves in at least a year, anywhere ... and Cantillon makes me weak in the knees ... ok ... i'll stop ellipses stuttering ...

In any case we left with a COAST growler, a few Cantillon bottles, BA Stillwater offerings and some free stickers they were awesome enough to throw in, and as we left all I could mutter was `... A+'.

Just an awesome shop, seriously. Glad I had a chance to chat with the guys who run it, and I'll be stopping here anytime I'm within 300 miles from here on out ...
Sep 11, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
I've heard about this place for years, but only stopped in recently. It was surprisingly small but with a fairly deep selection. Growler fill station in the back, nothing too wild though. Deep import selection with many very obscure Belgian/Danish/Italian stuff from Shelton and elsewhere. A lot of glassware, especially various Duvel tulips. Spotted a handful of traditional lambics from Tilquin, Lindemans, and Lambickx. Interesting local stuff up front opposite the register. Picked up something from Captain Lawrence and Birds Fly South.

Service was fine, the clerk was friendly and chatted with us about beer week stuff and the local brewery scene a little bit.

Overall it was definitely solid and worth checking out. I heard they will be moving closer to Edmund's Oast, so i'm anticipating good things with their new space.
Sep 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.61 by SDRedDevil from California

Aug 08, 2016
Photo of Reinmogard
Reviewed by Reinmogard from Idaho

5/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Charleston can almost single-handedly thanks CBX for bringing craft beer onto the retail scene. Great selection and knowledgeable staff. Have brought many beer geeks to this place and they all rave about the knowledge of the staff. it's a pretty tiny place, but they pack a large diversity of selection with the square footage they have. A place not to miss if you like beer and are in Charleston.
Jul 04, 2016
Photo of StoutAar
Reviewed by StoutAar from Ohio

4/5  rDev -14.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Been to Charleston many of times & every time I go downtown I try to get in the nearby parking garage just so I can hit this place while we are out & about. Stumbled upon this place the 1st time a few years back & it's worth stopping every trip. Small store, very good selection friendly & helpful staff.
Jul 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4.44 by shadyside from Georgia

Jun 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by CavemanRamblin from North Carolina

Jun 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.49 by Mikemcgrath4 from North Carolina

Jun 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.44 by cadaugherty from Illinois

May 12, 2016
Photo of manbearpack
Reviewed by manbearpack from Texas

2.8/5  rDev -40.3%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3
This was a place I was definitely looking forward to on a recent trip to Charleston, but it was pretty disappointing. I knew the shop was going to be small, but the selection was pretty bland. It's a very small place and it only took a few minutes to look around, a shelf in the front with local brews and a growler filling station in the middle. The selection was a bit random, a bunch of variety from a few random breweries and a small variety of other stuff. We tried asking one of the employees some questions, but he gave us a bit of an attitude with snarky answers. If you are within a few blocks check out it, but its not worth going out of your way for.
May 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.51 by Bluecrow from New York

Apr 27, 2016
Photo of JuliusPepperwood
Reviewed by JuliusPepperwood from North Carolina

2.73/5  rDev -41.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 2.5
Swung by 1145am on a Saturday and the open time is posted as 11am, but they were closed. Sign in the window said back at 12pm. We shrugged it off and killed some time walking around the waterfront. Came back at 1205pm and they were still closed. We gave up and got lunch, came back an hour later and fortunately they were open.

This place is tiny. The longest wall is full of dust covered Belgian bottles that I (and apparently others) had no interest in. All other styles were relegated to 2 stacks of shelves and a refrigerated section. I saw no sign or area for singles, so trying to be respectful I asked the shop keeper what their policy was on singles . He grunts at me "it's singles, just get what you want".

Overall I was very underwhelmed. I thought it was unprofessional to not open when you're supposed to and be later then the time you posted you'd return. The clerk was curt with us about the singles and the selection was not impressive. I saw on their online inventory they had Foothills Jade but there was none in stock. I'd probably return next time I'm in town since they are the only bottle shop in the area but I'm calling first to make sure they are open and I'm asking if they actually have what's posted online.
Mar 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.9 by redfish2942 from South Carolina

Mar 12, 2016
Photo of ryanhooks81
Reviewed by ryanhooks81 from Georgia

2.41/5  rDev -48.6%
vibe: 2.25 | quality: 2.75 | service: 2 | selection: 2.5
Unbelievable. I've been going here in person and ordering online from cbx for 4+ yrs. I'm pumped up, ready to see what's available. Selection is definitely down, so I ask.

Q; "Man, I love this place, but it seems the selection is less than I've previously experienced."
A: "Oh great. Thanks for the underhanded compliment, I GUESS...

Maybe he's having a bad day.

Me: "Well, I'll still find some stuff I want. Will you be getting some more stock soon?
Him: "I would be doing that right now, but you're here" along with "I hate customers like you...just kidding..."

WTF?!?

Well, that is no longer "having a bad day." This guy was the biggest prick I have come across. I wont be going back. I wont be ordering. ill recommend friends don't order.

You know what? Its people like me that keep your little shop open, and spread the word. I like beer. If you dont,or think you're too good to talk about anything with a customer, maybe you should quit. wash cars or something.
Jan 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.32 by metter98 from New York

Dec 23, 2015
Photo of Rockjocknroll
Reviewed by Rockjocknroll from California

4.47/5  rDev -4.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25
Marc was super helpful finding great local beers to ship home...yes, they do the packaging and shipping with FedEx right there...no ups drops that might damage your goods! Great selection, growler fills, super friendly staff, the works.
Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.75 by Invinciblejets from South Carolina

Dec 12, 2015
Photo of TheDoctor
Reviewed by TheDoctor from Canada (QC)

4.57/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Absolutely awesome place to grab some bottles. This is a pretty tiny place with a very unassuming/historical look from the outside. Once you enter it is basically a longish room with some sixers up front, a growler station and a bunch of bottles extending back.

There is not a plethora of beer here compared to a Total Wine or something like that. What there is, however, is a great, curated-seeming selection of great local and international beers that you are unlikely to find in a lot of other places. Maybe I am just not paying enough attention when I shop, but the Int'l bottles included tons of stuff that I had never heard of or had only ever heard of. The service was excellent and extremely helpful and the beer I was recommended was great.

All-in-all this is a perfect place to stop if you are visiting Charleston (right near a lot of historic stuff--including its namesake) and if I lived there this would be a place I would drop far too much money. Hope to go back someday!
Oct 06, 2015
Photo of Nichols33
Rated by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +0.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Awesome bottle shop down by Waterfront Park. Got some excellent brews for our stay. Place is tiny but best selection I saw while in South Carolina.
Aug 28, 2015
Photo of Kappakoosh
Reviewed by Kappakoosh from Texas

4.73/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Small place, but don't let that fool you. I dusted off a bottle of Rodenbach Rouge in the back and brought it forward. So no shortage of selection here.
Aug 27, 2015
Photo of popmartian66
Reviewed by popmartian66 from Maryland

4.82/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Gem of a place in the heart of historic Charleston. Went there twice in a weekend to get growler fills and some rare/hard to find stuff to bring home to Maryland. Mark was very knowledgeable in both his inventory and the "story behind the beer". We talked at length about several beers they carried. Nice selection of local offerings and several world class beers too. This will be my first stop whenever I visit Charleston.
Aug 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.02 by Josh_Mason from Texas

Aug 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.54 by bostonbeans from Massachusetts

Aug 15, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by gadsdenj from South Carolina

Aug 02, 2015
Photo of DoctorZombies
Reviewed by DoctorZombies from Florida

5/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Best bottle shop in Charleston. Draft beer/growler fills too! Update 8/17/15 - Many local and South Carolina beers, sixers as well singles and bombers. Super friendly and knowledgable staff who are quick to help find that "special" beer, as well as make recommendations where to find scarce beer. Lack of close by parking is an issue.
Jul 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.34 by Mantooth from North Carolina

Jun 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by mecmd from Tennessee

Jun 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.68 by Btip1969 from Oregon

May 31, 2015
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Rated by KenFolk1269 from Georgia

3.21/5  rDev -31.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3
Horrible selection. Very small. Not good
May 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.23 by Bigdoc91 from Texas

Apr 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by seanchai from Virginia

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4.93 by 2Bstout from Kentucky

Apr 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by jaswilson2 from South Carolina

Mar 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.78 by kristougher from North Carolina

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.06 by mwar from Kentucky

Feb 24, 2015
Photo of Beerparrot
Rated by Beerparrot from Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
They didn't have Wicked Weed, but they had beers that were just as good and the knowledge of the staff led me to realize that.
Feb 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.82 by steveheady from South Carolina

Feb 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4.39 by Cynic-ale from Texas

Feb 09, 2015
Photo of rongcsc
Rated by rongcsc from South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev -4.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
Perfect Beernurd shop. The guys know their stuff!!! Not a fan of the location. It's a pain driving around downtown and parking can be troublesome.
Jan 16, 2015
Photo of Djm04f
Reviewed by Djm04f from Florida

4.92/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Awesome place. Picked up a lot of local stuff and some others that aren't available in Florida (Allagash, Evil Twin, Full Steam). Sadly, one of the beers I bought (an IPA from Coast Brewing) had gone skunky. Other than that, perfect beer haul trip.
Jan 06, 2015
The Charleston Beer Exchange in Charleston, SC
Place rating: 4.69 out of 5 with 210 ratings