Star Liquor

Star LiquorStar Liquor
Star LiquorStar Liquor
Store

1209 Williamson St
Madison, Wisconsin, 53703-3754
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.01
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
36
pDev:
8.73%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by RobinLee:
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Rated by RobinLee from Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4

Feb 26, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.74 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Nov 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.44 by BarrelAgedG from California

Sep 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.63 by UWBadgerFan4Life from Wisconsin

Jul 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by Hendrick24 from Wisconsin

Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by Duff27 from Illinois

Jun 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Rilesmiles from Wisconsin

Dec 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Ri0 from Wisconsin

Dec 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by s_wit from Wisconsin

Nov 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by OBD from Wisconsin

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Canada_Dan from Colorado

Oct 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by JeffinPHL from Wisconsin

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by TX-Badger from Texas

Jul 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by OnWisconsin from Wisconsin

Jun 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by bpfrush from Wisconsin

Jun 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Jun 22, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Gotti311 from Wisconsin

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by egrace84 from Illinois

Jun 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by tyleeis from Wisconsin

Apr 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Stevedore from Oregon

Oct 24, 2013
Photo of 4DAloveofSTOUT
Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -15%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
This place had some blushing monk, so I thought I would stop by after my trip to great dane yesterday. Its only a mile away from great dane, so this will be a great stop!

Atmosphere: Was not really sure what to think. Nothing bad, but I just seemed a bit out of place as i walked into the store...for what ever reason.

Quality: Nothing to much to remark about in this category.

Service: seemed friendly, but very get in and get out kind of situation.

Selection: All beer was found in coolers. Really great selection of Wisconsin craft beer represented here. Small store, but alot of tough to find beers are noted in the coolers! Got the beer I was looking for and a few amazing surprises. They had breweries from Nebraska, Indiana, and Colorado well represented too!

Value: Just a bit on the expensive side, but not outrageous prices.
Jul 14, 2011
Photo of anell213
Reviewed by anell213 from Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +6.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Atmosphere: Such a tiny, sorta dumpy store, but oh so much charm. The first time I went in there, it gave me the feel of a small, rural liquor store where the hottest commodity is Old Milwaukee. Not the case at all.
Quality/Selection: Not a massive store, but they are built around and for craft breweries. If it's a craft brewery in Wisconsin or the midwest, it'll be at Star. They also always get limited/rare releases and also have a good amount of imports as well.
Service: Very helpful and fairly friendly. Know their stuff.
Value: Aside from Woodman's, maybe the best priced place in Madison. Example: 4-pk of KBS for $19.99.
Jun 14, 2011
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
2011 re-review:
Star had a few gems that we didn't see elsewhere around town, namely Nebraska Brewing Melange A Trois, Goose Island Night Stalker & Big John, Sprecher Black IPA & Kriek, O'so Dank & Dominator, fresh Dancing Man (released May 1). They had a list of daily beer tastings taped to the cooler doors for Madison Craft Beer Week, which was also cool. Yes it's a little small and dingy, but the selection makes up for that. Check it out after a stop at the Weary just a few doors down.

08-11-2008:
Stopped in here after the Great Taste.

Majority of beer is in the coolers, a couple displays were on the floor. A good selection of WI microbrew. Very low on the limited offerings such as Tyranena BGW, Central Waters barrel-aged, etc. There was one NG Unplugged, not sure if that's due to the Great Taste weekend or not. Ale Asylum, plenty of Lake Louie (current seasonal), New Glarus, Capital, Central Waters, Bells, etc. One rare-ish offering I saw was '06 CW Kosmyk Charlie, asking price was $6. Limited selection of craft singles, it would be nice to see more of those. Good import selection, limited to Unibroue, a few customary European selections. Cashier was a friendly fellow.
May 02, 2011
Photo of MilwaukeeCrusher
Reviewed by MilwaukeeCrusher from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.2%
This place is one of the smaller places I've visited, which means turnover probably is not a problem. The definitely get some high end beers in here, but not too many single bottles and variation suffers at a place like this in regards to lesser popular beers. Without a doubt though, if you want some of the heavy hitters of the brewing industry and don't really feel like searching around for them, this is your destination. The good service there will also help and if I lived nearby I would be a regular for high end releases.
Jan 13, 2011
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
looks like i've never reviewed lovely old Star...

this joint is conveniently located 2 doors down from the weary traveller and right before the co-op (heading from downtown)

its not the biggest beer-store in town but it ALWAYS has something to offer.

the quality has never been anything but on-par with no old bottles to note. its a neighborhood willy street joint and the service shows - everyone is friendly

the selection will please anyone offering 6packs from all the local heavy hitters with a focus on the special releases. there are a few coolers of 22oz/750ml and various other singles that frequently contains limited releases from central waters, southern tier (choklat, jahva, gemini, and all else), nogne, ommegang, and lots of others.

this store is convenient to me as its right on the way to my girlfriends and it always has something that i dont see in my other mainstays (rileys, steve's university)

prices are always fair

this also earns points for being the premier spot to wait in line for great taste tickets
Apr 20, 2008
Photo of BoitSansSoif
Reviewed by BoitSansSoif from France

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
I really dig this joint. It's a necessary stop whenever I'm in the Willy St. area, and it's a stone's throw from the co-op. The employees are cordial, engaging, and knowledgeable. The place is small, but variety and unique selection abound both in beers and wines. They are quick to help you find whatever you may be looking for, and they have succeeded in recommending a few good food-drink pairings when I was stuck. If you also do wine, Star offers a 10% discount on any wines that the Willy's St. Co-op's monthly newsletter recommends as a pairing for its recipes.
Jan 26, 2008
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Reviewed by JeffKrenner from Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -4%
I went in here on my rush through a few liquor stores stocking up before coming back to MN. Decent selection of local offerings, including many Central Waters, Lake Louie, Tyranena, Furthermore, etc along with DFH, Bell's, and other fine crafts. However, not much of the limited versions of the local brews. In other words there was no Central Waters BBS, no Lake Louie Reserves, etc. No one offered any help, but that was fine since I knew what I was looking for. They were very friendly at checkout. Prices seemed pretty much in line for what I saw at most other Madison beer stops.
Jun 30, 2007
Photo of DavidEddie
Reviewed by DavidEddie from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
This is a great place. It looks like they sell mainly wine, but they have a good selection of local brews as well. They had all the beer I was looking for to bring back to IL with me; Big Sky, Bells, Tyranena, Old Chub, and New Glarus. I received excellent service there.
The guy that was working was a beer geek like myself. He recommended I should try, Lake Louie's - Kiss The Lips IPA, Warped Speed Scottish Ale & Central Water's - IPA. He also mentioned if I had time, I should stop in at the Ale Asylum brewery for some outstanding beers.
If you are ever planning on stopping by Madison, I highly recommend this store. It's definitely worth checking out.
Oct 29, 2006
Photo of EvilKeith
Reviewed by EvilKeith from Alabama

3.65/5  rDev -9%
This was my first stop on a planned day and a half trip to Madison.

Star Liquor has a small and unassuming storefront. The place has a very co-ed ready feel to it. Posters for bands playing local venues line the window next to entrance.
The interior is small with a limited selection of wines and liquor, the emphasis appears to be more on the wine.
A short stroll to the rear of the store brings you to the beer coolers. There are a couple of Belgians, English Ales, and a couple of other imports.
The selection is fairly limited, but on this trip I did find the Wisconsin beers I was looking for. The truth be told I could have purchased all of the beers on my list here. Had it not been for the other ten places I planned to visit, I would have.
The staff was friendly, helpful and knew what was stocked in the back coolers. This place is not huge, hell it’s not even medium-sized. I did find the Wisconsin beers I was looking for. I have to give them that.

As a side note; I did visit their website. The cartoon-like drawings of the stores exterior and interior layout are pretty accurate.
Oct 15, 2006
Photo of objectivemonkey
Reviewed by objectivemonkey from Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +4.7%
So, I'm around for business, hop in late on a sunday to grab some beer, not knowing what to expect. Find the place to be a charming little hole-in-the-wall liquer store, but a very good one at that. Was asked within 2 minutes if I needed any help with anything, asked a few questions and could tell she knew what she was talking about. While the selection was small, due to store size, they fit in quite a good number of great beers. I picked up Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (yessss), Dogfish 120 Min., Bell's Rye Stout, and Sprechers Imp. Stout. So, stuff I don't normally see. And, other singles, good sixer selection, a whole ton of wine if you're looking to do a balanced shoping day... basically, a pretty cool place.
Apr 24, 2006
Photo of nflmvp
Reviewed by nflmvp from Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
Found this with a buddy of mine while visiting with him in Madison and then had it recommended to me by Cokes. THANKS!

Because I have to travel to get to STAR Liquor, I usually call in advance. One of their managers (Erin) has been great to work with. Not only does she cater to my needs, SHE KNOWS BEER! I've only been there three times and twice, my order has been ready for me when I got there....stored in the cellar!

Each time I've been there the bill has totaled over $200 AFTER I received a quantity discount of 10%. Add this to all of the other positives I've already listed and I find this place tough to beat.

It's not an overly large store but the beer selection is outstanding. I picked up a bunch of DFH...WWS, Raison D'Extra, Fort, Aprihop and Burton Baton. Also found plenty of North Coast, Founders, Sprecher, Lake Louie and many quality imports.

Top notch!
Apr 02, 2006
Photo of petercmartin1
Reviewed by petercmartin1 from Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +4.7%
Was down in Madison the other week, visiting my brother at UW. Didn't get a chance to stop by The Great Dane (bummer!), but stumbled across this little gem while driving down Willy St. It's a small store, with the majority of it focused on wine, but the back wall and 1/2 of one of the side walls is devoted to beer coolers (all the beer they sell is in these coolers, no warm beer). What I really liked about the store is the fact that 90% of their beers were micros and good imports. Very little macro stuff. Not much room, but they pack as much as they can into it. Great selection of Wisconsin and Midwest regional beers. Nice selection of singles also. May not be the greatest, or largest liquor store in Madison, but you are guaranteed to find a gem or 2 each time you go in, and the staff is great!
Oct 25, 2005
Photo of DaPeculierDane
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.2%
This is a nice little shop and its high point is definitely the service. If you ask them to find a beer or you, they usually will try and if they can't get it, they will somehow remember you the next time that you are in and tell you why they couldn't get it without you even having to ask. A good alternative is then recommended.

The selection is great for the size of the store but size is a limiting factor. On the flip side, the price is really very good for the size. This place can't be buying in bulk so I truly respect that they keep their prices down compared to similarly sized places.

This is a great place to buy Lake Louie beers. Their international selection is above average and their selection of Midwest brews is very good.

Star sells singles of many good brews including some from Great Divide, Bear Republic, Viking, Three Floyds, and BluCreek. From time to time they get in new top end international beers. Keep an eye out for them when you go to Star.
Aug 29, 2005
Photo of Golden2wenty1
Reviewed by Golden2wenty1 from Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev -7.7%
Stopped in while randomly cruising down Willy Street, never seen this little place before. Seems geared mostly towards wine but a decent wall and a half of cold beer cases. Good selection of Wisconsin Micros including Lake Louie, some regionals and a few imports. A small amount of singles, mostly imports, some Bear Republics too though. The jewel in my visit was one of the last three bottles of Dogfish Head's Liquor de Malt. Apparently this is the only place in the state to pick it up so I felt lucky stumbling in when I did. Not an outstanding selection but worth a look. All of Madison's shops have a little different selection and little gems to look for.
Aug 07, 2005
Photo of nchrist13
Reviewed by nchrist13 from Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +4.7%
the guys that work here are great, they're always good for conversation when you hit up the store. it's a rather small space and most of it is dedicated to wine, but they do have about 1.5 sides of the store dedicated to beer coolers (everything is cold, which is a plus). i've had good luck in the past special ordering sixtles of lake louie, they were the only place in town that called me back about those (steve's sounded confused and uninterested), and adam (the beer manager) is a great guy.

i gave the store a 3.5 for selection as it isn't huge. local is well represented, but far away stuff not so much so. but hey, you're in wisconsin, drink what we do. most of the good stuff doesn't pass state lines.
May 28, 2005
Photo of cokes
Reviewed by cokes from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.2%
A very nice little liquor store in Madison's eccentric Willy St. neighborhood. Out of the way (depending where you're at in Madison). But worth checking.
Staff is very friendly and knowledgeble. Willing to listen (and act) on suggestions.
It is a small store, so the selection is somewhat limited. But quality brews provail over swill. All the top WI micro make an appearance, as well as some other top breweries (Kzoo, Allagash, Dogfish). Some good vintages of singles as well.
Plus, it is one of the few places in town(1 of 2) that sell Lake Louie.
Quality all around.
Nov 04, 2002
Star Liquor in Madison, WI
Place rating: 4.01 out of 5 with 36 ratings