Liquor Express

Liquor ExpressLiquor Express
Liquor ExpressLiquor Express
Bar, Beer-to-go

1812 University Dr NW
Huntsville, Alabama, 35801-5743
United States

(256) 539-4333 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.98
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
24
pDev:
20.35%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of _Zee
Reviewed by _Zee from Alabama

3.08/5  rDev -22.6%
vibe: 1 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 5
Can in to grab a product and was completely ignored by attendant. I walked up to the desk to ask a question said “Excuse me “. And I was completely ignored. The attendant never even acknowledged me standing at the desk in front of them .I’ve never had an experience like this before , I use to frequent this store but now I will choose others in the area.
Jan 09, 2021
 
Rated: 4.07 by Beer12345 from Alabama

Nov 16, 2017
Photo of LutherE
Reviewed by LutherE from Alabama

1/5  rDev -74.9%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 1
My friends, coworkers, and myself will not be coming back to this business because they do not allow weapons on premises. Don't get me wrong I respect that businesses have the right to have weapons on the property but it's the fact of not having any policies or procedures in place to protect the customers. My partner at work and me have been coming here to get beer and liquor for a while. Our troubles didn't start until a couple weeks ago we went in looking for a new beer and to get some liquor. We were confronted by an employee yelling from across the store telling us we can't have our weapons in there. I told him that they need to put a sign up if they wanted to no weapons in there and he said I understand and asked us to next time to leave our guns in the car. We had been told by previous employees it is okay because we had been coming there since they opened there new location. So the next day my partner calls and talks to an employee who is relaying information to the owner who told us it was okay but she would have to talk to "The Old Man" to get the final say so and that if he didn't want them they would have a sign up immediately. So I go there tonight to get some beer and no sign on the door I have my weapon like I usually do especially after work, because I carry one for work it's required, and the same employee confronts me about it despite my partner being told it wouldn't be an issue unless there is a sign up. I tried arguing a point with him but he wasn't having it so because of one employee this business lost over 10 customers probably more when my unit finds out about this next week. If this trouble employee is reading this or hears about it I welcome him to contact me and we have a talk about gun rights and gun control and then I can show him the facts. My main point is if an establishment bans weapons on premises, that's cool it's there right, and they don't have any procedures in place to protect customers how can you expect customers to feel safe in a gun free zone.

Update as of February 10 2016 1130 a.m. talked to the owner today to get a clarification on if you can or can not of guns in his store he said no but he wasn't going to post a sign because he didn't want to lose any potential business. His reasoning for not allowing guns in his store was because they have a lot of crazy people come off the streets and he was worried they would come in and take your gun and harm his customers. Then proceeded to ask me to take down all my reviews I have posted of course I told him no and then he lost his composure and said well if that is how it's going to be and hung up the phone. So since the owner will not warn you and put a sign I am going to. Spread the word to all your friends and family that you are not safe in his store they have a lot of crazies come in off the street. I have spread the word and my friends and family and my unit is no longer going to take there business there.
Feb 10, 2016
Photo of Patric65
Reviewed by Patric65 from Tennessee

4.73/5  rDev +18.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
This business has moved since the last review I read on here and has upgraded and improved in virtually every way possible.

This is by far the best craft beer scene in the region. With 95 beers on tap (according to the Tap Hunter app which they update regularly), a newly added tasting bar, and a massive selection of craft and international beers for sale you should be able to find virtually anything you are looking for. The staff is extremely knowledgeable(if occasionally somewhat aloof) and the recommendations I have received from them have been excellent. A great place to go and connect with other beer aficionados. Very clean, well laid out and an enjoyable place to spend some time and money.
Nov 27, 2015
Photo of thomasarose
Rated by thomasarose from Tennessee

4.22/5  rDev +6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Great selection, growler service very good, good be little better organized.
Jul 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.44 by FliryVorru from Japan

Feb 16, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by Sanmn420 from Alabama

Nov 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by AlaskanBear from Alabama

Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.33 by Pocketharpy from Alabama

Sep 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.15 by Hendrick24 from Wisconsin

Aug 19, 2014
Photo of DamnYankeeHeadHunter
Reviewed by DamnYankeeHeadHunter from Alabama

4.46/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
This place is not your normal "Liquor Store." My wife and I have been coming here for the past couple of years or so, and I must say that this place has got some great beer worth trying out. Not only will you will find a vast, and unique selection of beer here, but the knowledgeable staff is super friendly and will do their best to lend a hand in helping you make your selections. The prices are very reasonable and well worth your hard earned cash for a cold one, whether it be a local brew, domestic or foreign. Liquor Express has played a great part in sparking my ever growing interest in trying new and tasty beer.
Jun 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.87 by Justinbshelton from Alabama

Feb 06, 2014
Photo of zookerman182
Reviewed by zookerman182 from Alabama

4.58/5  rDev +15.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Best beer selection in my city.
They always get the newest and hard to find beers.
Wish they had a social media outlet to tell people when they got stuff in.
The bomber fridge is nice but the beers on tap make this place perfection.
My only problem is a lot of the beers they have are old because they stock so much.
The new good stuff flys off the shelves though.
Also love how late they are open.
Nov 26, 2013
Photo of Dracarys
Reviewed by Dracarys from Alabama

4.4/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Best selection of any retailer in the area by far, and it continues to grow with the Huntsville beer scene and out-of-state breweries buying in. 65 rotating taps with a local emphasis. There's typically a good singles selection and they're not sticklers about breaking up a 4/6-pack for you. Fairly extensive walk-in bomber fridge.

There will be boxes laying around at any point in time and there may be some things that you'd rather see stored cold, but it is a very small building and fridge space is limited. The organization outside of the "brewed in Alabama" section is uh...loose, so it may be difficult to find something right away on a first visit.

Staff is helpful and not overbearing, and there's always at least one person there that can give you a quality recommendation. They have also been updating their tap list and new inventory on their Facebook page regularly since the Spring.

Liquor Express should be the first beer stop for anyone passing through Huntsville.
Jun 21, 2013
Photo of docnose
Reviewed by docnose from Alabama

3.29/5  rDev -17.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
This is a liquor beer and wine store that has a wide selection of beer and a whole bunch of taps. They sell draft beer by the pint, quart, half, and gallon. You can purchase re-usable glass containers.

If you frequent the place then its pretty easy to build a rapport with the staff. Though any individual's beer knowledge may not be extensive most can at least tell you what's new.
Feb 11, 2013
Photo of richj1970
Reviewed by richj1970 from Alabama

3.44/5  rDev -13.6%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 2.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
This store has two positives. Lots of beer of tap for growler fills, and a wide selection of bottles.

Unfortunately, the store is completely unorganized. There is beer literally everywhere. In the floor, in the aisles, blocking some of the other beer, etc. There seems to be little rime or reason to how things are shelved. It just seems that things land wherever there is room. I have to wonder about the age of some of the stock given the amount on hand.

The area in back with the growlers smells of stale beer which leads me to suspect that it is need of a good cleaning.

I ended up leaving without buying anything. Just seemed like a waste of time trying to find what I was looking for, and forget browsing... I will check back later when I have more time.

Update: I revisited today (2/25/2013). Store was a bit less crazy. Less stuff piled up on the floor. A bit more organized selection. There is a lot of beer here. I ended up finding Founders Imperial Stout which I had been unable to find elsewhere locally.
Jan 22, 2013
Photo of ronny
Reviewed by ronny from Alabama

4.44/5  rDev +11.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
I have updated my review every year or so on Liquor Express, and it has jumped around a bit. Here’s my latest review of the Express.

This is my local beverage store and I do frequent at least twice a month, so I think my review is backed by sufficient data…

Great selection. Period. The claim now is over 950 beers with +65 on tap. That in itself should be enough. Now the Express may not compete with your favorite store in say, Seattle, but if you are in Huntsville, AL it is well worth the drive. Prices compare well with other stores in the NA area. As the name implies, there is more than just beer here. The wine selection is improving and the distilled beverage selection is quite reasonable.

My usual day to stop by is Saturdays. There is a pretty constant stream of customers coming and going.

The staff has changed out a bit and they are now a great bunch of folks. If you have a question or can’t find what you’re looking for, ask. These guys love to help out. They’ll share opinions with you and their recommendations are really worth listening to. I have been treated very well by the current Express staff. When one of the staff has made a recommendation on a particular brew, I do get asked about my opinion on my next visit. It’s a great bunch overall.

I do have one small complaint about the organization of the beer in the coolers. For the most part, it appears to be somewhat haphazard. I haven’t figured out the logic yet of what goes where. I’ll have to ask the next time I’m in there. Could be I’m just not getting it!

So to sum it up, if you live in or around Huntsville and don’t visit the Express, you’re missing out on a great beer store.
Nov 14, 2012
Photo of barleywinefiend
Reviewed by barleywinefiend from Washington

3.04/5  rDev -23.6%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5
A: Three visits in the past year. It's in the hood so to speak and my car was smashd in while I was inside. Considering I was born an raised in Hsv and now live in Seattle my beef with this low rent joint is warranted.

Q: Somewhat good. The beer here is from average to good. The standard macro can be found as the crappy Flying Dog but you will find a lot of local stuff and Founders plus some easy to get Bells stuff but beyond that it's nothing special.

S: The guy at the counter said he was the beer guru of HSV since free the hops yet could not tell me basic things about his products and distribution. On my other trip the guy made it a point to tell me they did not get RR, and acted like he was educating me. LOL. Ok dude, you probably dont even know where RR is, have not been there and cannot names three beers outside of PtE/PtY they make. They seemd to condescending for no reason.

S: Nearly 40 handles devoted to growlers to go. $30 for a 1/2 growler of Founders Impy Stout in Bama? LOL. Wow. I paid $35 for a full glass growler of Parabola in WA

F: No food.

O: Avoid. I hope Hsv gets a place to better serve them and their beer needs
Jul 29, 2012
Photo of lexzicat
Reviewed by lexzicat from Alabama

3.53/5  rDev -11.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4
As sketchy as a place named "Liquor Express" sounds, the store is surprisingly nice. There was a pretty good beer selection, but I was most impressed with the draft-to-go option. There was a decent selection of both local, Alabama-brewed beers and other craft brews like Rogue's Dead Guy Ale and Great Divide's Chocolate Oak-Aged Yeti. Unfortunately, you can't get anything smaller than a half-gallon (which I hear literally comes in a half-gallon milk carton) on most of the offerings. I was also disappointed that most of the beers were already cold and, upon asking for a Brother Thelonius un-chilled, they dismissed me without even looking in the back.
Aug 06, 2011
Photo of NODAK
Reviewed by NODAK from Tennessee

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Big fan of this store. I come down from Nashville about once a month or so just for what they have here. As many Tennesseans know, our selection in TN isn't very good...and Alabama unfortunately has quite a few breweries that distribute there that we don't get here. And for those beers, Liquor Express is the best store in the Huntsville area to get them.

Not only that, but they have an expanded growler selection of 40 taps that includes quite a few local selections as well as more established ones. They even had St Bernardus Abt 12. I'm pretty jealous of the scene in ALabama with all the craft brewers to be honest, and they have no shortage of taps for them. Straight to Ale, Back Forty, Good People, Yellowhammer, etc.

The beer selection itself in the coolers is pretty awesome. It isn't the best I've ever seen, but as far as the area is concerned, it's the best you are going to find. They boast 700 beer selections...and between the 6 packs and the cooler of singles, that's possible.

Cost is pretty average I suppose. Growlers do seem expensive to me. However, it's worth it to me to try new, local selections.

Oh, and the help is awesome. Same people every time and they like talking beer. Recommended!
Oct 10, 2010
Photo of Cyberkedi
Reviewed by Cyberkedi from Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
It looks a little seedy, but looks are deceiving. I was right impressed by their selection of beer, especially in Alabama with its tight liquor laws. I found quite a few beers that I have not seen in Georgia, and took home a couple mix-and-match six packs. The employees were a big help in guiding me towards the kind of beers I like, as well as towards local brews - and I enjoy supporting the locals! Some of the prices were a wee bit high, but none were outrageous. If ever you visit Huntsville, this place is worth finding.
Aug 20, 2010
Photo of jag0007
Reviewed by jag0007 from Alabama

4.3/5  rDev +8%
Kinda run down, but the people who work there are awesome and they have a selection of over 400 beers. Too bad its in the bad part of town. they can also custom order you any brew from any brewery. apparently, its how they have over 1/3 of their stock. they also have a 5% discount of a "build-your-own" 6 or 4 pack and if youre short a few bucks, no worries. they always accommodate for their customers. according to one of the attendants there, the managers motto is all about getting the customer coming back regardless of their financial situation. highly recommended.
May 18, 2010
Photo of titosupertramp
Reviewed by titosupertramp from Tennessee

4.44/5  rDev +11.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Like the reviewer before me said, this place doesn't look like much, but Liquor Express is the very definition of "looks can be deceving." Once you walk in, you'll be pleasantly surprised by their selection. They actually have an entire cooler dedicated to Belgian style beer(Ommegang, St. Bernardus ABT 12, Prior 8, Rochefort and many more.)

They also feature a large selection of singles and offer a discount for mixed 4/6 packs. I was surprised/jealous by how much they have that we're unable to get in Nashville. Great Divide, Bell's and hard to find offerings from Anchor Steam just to name a couple.

If you find yourself in the Huntsville area, I highly recommend stopping by.
Apr 25, 2010
Photo of Freethyhops
Reviewed by Freethyhops from Montana

3.38/5  rDev -15.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 2
This store doesn't look like much, but they boast THE widest selection in Huntsville at competitive prices. The staff is quite helpful and always friendly. They are always one of the quickest to bring in new beers and also bring in beers that many other places choose not to. They have even added a few Gueuze/Lambic that many places are resistant to order. Tons of cooler space allow them to keep a majority of their beers fresh in the cooler. Some of the beer is scattered when they are running short of room so make sure you look all around or ask someone. The biggest reason to stop by here is the on-tap selection. Although, the "growlers" are only cheap plastic milk jugs, they do the job to transfer the beer from the store to the house. They always have plenty of local stuff on-tap that can only be found in kegs.
Feb 05, 2010
Liquor Express in Huntsville, AL
Place rating: 3.98 out of 5 with 24 ratings