City Beverage

City BeverageCity Beverage
City BeverageCity Beverage
Homebrew, Beer-to-go

915 Burke St
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101-2528
United States

(336) 722-2774 | map
citybeverage.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.46
Reviews:
75
Ratings:
94
pDev:
9.19%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by joe1510:
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Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -1.3%
City Beverage is my kind of store. Walking in, directly to your right is the counter. The interior is sort of broken into two sections. The first, where the entrance is located houses wine, homebrew supplies, and a bank of cooler doors loaded with beer. A random cooler with some Oakham bottles, that I've never seen in bottles before, sat between the two sections.

The second section, that I will call the beer section, is stacked. It has a very home office/library feel. Dark wood shelving make up narrow aisles and each shelf is stacked full and high with quality beer. The locals and regionals are very well represented but so is everything else from around the country and world. After slowly working your way through the beer section you can go take a seat in some comfy seating across from the dark, short bar used for both a quick drink and growler fills. The employee that day was very well versed in beer and kept the store in tip-top shape. Prices were reasonable. This place is too easy to leave with too much beer. Be careful. Shop at your own risk,
Sep 05, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.63 by KensWorld from Florida

Aug 24, 2023
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Reviewed by Buckeye55 from North Carolina

4.76/5  rDev +6.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
An excellent shop with an amazing selection. Knowledgable and friendly staff. Has a bar/lounge area that looked like a good place to down a few.
Have only been to each a couple of times, but their prices seem higher than Stella Brew
Apr 28, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio

Sep 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.64 by OldSmaug from North Carolina

Jan 28, 2018
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Reviewed by DCgolfpro from Maryland

4.9/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Came in close to opening time on a Saturday morning. Walked in and was pleased immediately. Wood shelves held a large quantity of desirable beer. Service was great. Only thing preventing me from giving it a perfect score is prices were quite a bit higher than competitor Stella brew.
Oct 09, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by katmandu72 from North Carolina

Oct 07, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by ILMbrew from North Carolina

Jul 20, 2016
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Reviewed by GlacierSapien from Oregon

4.65/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
By far the best beer selection in winston. Be prepared to spend some time there as there is always awesome new beers and the place is packed full of just about anything you can get in nc. They constantly are having stellar deals on cases, and they even often have great mix and match cases of older beers for only $25.
Jul 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.57 by VeganUndead from Virginia

Jan 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.57 by Hendrick24 from Wisconsin

Jan 14, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by crazyninjamaster from North Carolina

Jan 13, 2015
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Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +6.5%
Holy hell, there is a lot of freakin beer in this place. Make sure you carve out a good chunk of time if you are going to visit. Separate room to the right, which has a small bar tucked away for on premises drinking, as well as growler fills. There is a lounge area set up around the bar, and it feels like a pretty good hangout place. There is a long wall of coolers for cold beer, as well as homebrew supplies and a ton of wine selections. I can't even guess at the amount of beer available, from local, domestic, and foreign, and in all formats. The staff was friendly and helpful while I wandered around aimlessly. This is a great store.
Dec 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by WS_Transplant from North Carolina

Nov 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Renegawam from North Carolina

Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by chmize from North Carolina

Oct 14, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by jcheez

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Mantooth from North Carolina

Aug 05, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by tiamat8086 from North Carolina

Aug 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by TarheelMH

Jul 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Cynic-ale from Texas

Jun 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by metter98 from New York

May 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Hodgin from North Carolina

Mar 13, 2014
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Reviewed by brian44556 from Kentucky

5/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
We stopped into this joint while traveling to the Sexual Chocolate release. Great bottle selection, well organized, great taps, awesome employees, and reasonable prices. We chatted with the guy behind the desk and ended up giving him some KY locals we had left over from the bottle share at Foothills earlier that morning and he hooked us up with a 2011 Event Horizon. Awesome gesture! If you are in town make sure you stop in.
Feb 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Soto from North Carolina

Nov 06, 2013
Photo of Irish57
Reviewed by Irish57 from North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
In the heart of downtown Winston Salem. A bit cramped, but great selection as well as a good selection on tap. Friendly atmosphere. Good selection of imports, micros and local breweries. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. My go to place for great beer.
Jun 25, 2013
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Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -8.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
The store is kind of cramped with a lot of stuff packed into it and has about 6 cold cases of beer as well as an entire other room for room temperature bottles. They have a few beers on tap and a decent amount of glassware. Tough for me to figure out the organization but fun to look around.

People working in the store were friendly and helpful and pleasantly gave ni attitude when I asked for a fairly hard to find beer - and let me purchase one since they do not do a list to get in line for it. Also, they were knowledgeable about the beers they were selling and made a couple of good recommendations (though they were beers I have easy access to where I currently live so I did not grab them).

This is one of the best selections in the triad area of NC - possibly only bested by Bestway in Greensboro. There is a good selection of both domestic and foreign craft beer but judging by a couple of the other reviews, it might be best to check dates before purchasing as I am not sure how quickly the inventory moves.

Prices are a little higher than other shops in the area for bottles but they do have a really nice selection. The draft prices seem on par with other places in the area.
Nov 29, 2012
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Reviewed by Hopstuff from North Carolina

4.86/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
These guys have been at the craft beer game since it was born. I love the fact this shop is family owned and family run and been passed down through that same family since it was born. Spencer is such a great resource. And the reviewer below should stop picking on the old man Sunny! (You said it all, when you mention Total Wine) Must stop if you are in the Winston area...their bi annual tent sales rock! And they always have stacks of sell beer, some out of date, but still good most of the time! City Bev Rocks!
Nov 28, 2012
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Reviewed by beerFool28607 from North Carolina

2.38/5  rDev -46.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 2.5
Small store, not well organized. I see that they have GF West Coast IPA cases on sale. I asked the older fella behind the counter how old it is. His response? "That beer will be good for another 8 months". The guy working the floor (old guy's grandson?) says, "We've only had it for about a week, I'm sure its older than that, but it will be good for a long time". As politely as I could, I said that freshness was very important with IPAs, and none are truly good for 8 months" He says, "Sure it is, see this stuff in the bottom of the bottle? It's the hops. That means it'll be good for at least a year"

I just laughed it off and winked at my buddy. Then I checked the case and it was dated "Nov 2011"

Now, I'm not the type to criticize over old stock (it was on sale after all). But to tell me that this 8 month old IPA will be fine for another 8 months? That kind of service is worse than no service at all--more deceptive than Hopstuff's blurry picture, above.

The prices are high, the selection is low, and the customer service is insulting. If you're thinking about stopping by, go to total wine first. You won't hear me say that often, but I would never give these people my money again. The only reason it's is so highly rated is lack of other options in the area. If you do check it out, be prepared to spend an arm and a leg and deal some nasty people.
Jul 31, 2012
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Reviewed by UNCCTDawg from North Carolina

3.81/5  rDev -14.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4
City Beverage is located in the heart of Winston-Salem and is in walking distance from Foothills (which is great). They have a great selection of wine & beer on hand. They also have around 4 to 5 taps in their tap room. They keep great stuff on tap aswell. City Beverage has a great atmosphere and I have been there many times, but I will say it it much more expensive than other craft beer stores that I have been to. City Beverages prices usually run about $2-$3 more per bomber than other stores in the area. Also, I have had a bad experience with the service there. There was a 12oz. bottle of random double IPA on there shelf with no price on it, and when I asked how much it was, I was immediately accused of trying to mix and match a six pack!?!? Other than that, City is fine with me.
Jan 04, 2012
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Reviewed by JamesVTT from Ohio

5/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I visited this place on a work trip, and as I'm originally from Oklahoma, I have to get and try beer that is not allowed to be sold in OK. It was a last minute search on the internet before I headed out, and I was lucky to have walked in 30 minutes before closing. First thing that struck me was how welcoming and friendly the atmosphere was. The beers were well stocked, with all of the labels headed to the front. The owner was there and was very accommodating. I'm excited to try the few beers I allowed myself to splurge on!

Please!! If you find yourself in Winston-Salem due yourself a solid and visit this place. You won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't!
Nov 22, 2011
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Reviewed by VaTechHopHead

4.43/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Went to City Bev after hearing so many people talk about it and I'm glad I did. First off they have 4-5 taps in the beer section and you can buy a glass, or two or three, of craft brew to sip on while you walk around and shop; awesome idea! The place is kind of quiet and nobody really bugs you unless you ask for help or have questions. The selection is probably the best within an hour or so radius and I think they might know that because some of the beers were $0.50-$2.00 higher than I have seen elsewhere in NC. With that said I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area; the people are nice, the atmosphere is great, and the selection is top notch.
Nov 21, 2011
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Reviewed by skinnybear from North Carolina

4.41/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Been talking about going for a time now. finally made it up last weekend.Had excellent selection.Drove all the way from pilot mt nc for some sam smith yorkshire stingo and some epic oaked and smoked got to talking with the clerk and he turned me on to some excellent local breweries one was foothills brewing co hoppyum.forgot all about the epic oaked and smoked but did aquire the yorkshire stingo 14.00 bucks.ther is so much going on in that brew I'll have to get another so i can review it for you guys.that being said i give city beverage an 9 out of ten.
Oct 26, 2011
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Reviewed by GJ40 from North Carolina

4.36/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I've wanted to visit City Beverage for some time and finally made it there while passing through Winston Salem.

The atmosphere is very much beer driven. They have some wine but beer is the priority. It's not a large place but it's packed with great beer from all over the world including a great selection of Belgians. Some is refrigerated but most is displayed on nice wooden shelves that meander through the store. They also have several taps in the back.

City Beverage is a little on the pricy side. I'm not sure it would be my regular but if you want something special or need something in particular, they're likely to have it.
Aug 26, 2011
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Reviewed by krausenman from North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev -0.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
A-The place was well stocked with wall to wall beer and wine. While you shopped the store piped jazz over the speakers that made for an ecclectic vibe.

Q-The beer was harder to find examples that appeared to be fresh. Some were stocked in coolers while others (larger bottles) sat out.

S-The clerk was friendly and knowledgable about what he had.

F-There wasn't any food.

V-The beer was somewhat pricey especially for larger bottles but for the grade of the selection and the freshness of the beer it's hard to complain about it.
Aug 08, 2011
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Reviewed by morimoto76 from North Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Definitely one of my top spots to check out in Winston-Salem, NC.

Atmosphere is great, allowing someone to stroll through at their leisure looking at the wine and beer selection. Good selection of imports and microbrews, including lots of local NC breweries. They also have a bar with a number of beers on draft if you feel like sitting down for a beer. And if you have any questions, Spencer is the man to talk with. I'm not a home brewer myself but there is also a selection of home brew supplies. (Not sure how extensive because I mostly go to buy beer)

Over all, definitely worth checking out the place. Only downside is the cost. If you've shopped in the triad area before, City Beverage is definitely higher than most.
Aug 02, 2011
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Reviewed by brstls4drmrs from North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Its great to stop by a store and drink a beer while shopping. The ambiance in this place is just great. Just a good feeling walking around looking at the many fine brews. Usually have a couple brews on tap to choose from and occasionally bring in a cash of something special.

They have a very good selection including a lot of local NC bottles. They also have a large selection that's cold and ready to drink including some growlers from breweries in other cities such as Asheville.

This place does tend to be a bit pricey compared to other places around. $1-$3 more usually. Despite that, still a must stop for any beer junkie.
Jul 26, 2011
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Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

4.56/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
I love that this place opens up at 9AM. Why? That means after we got inside Foothills -- for both regular and BA Sexual Chocolate this year -- we're able to sit down and have a coffee when they open at 8AM and then stroll over to City Beverage at 9 before the bottle sales start. The only drawback to this approach is missing out on the draft selection inside the beer store.

Very cool atmosphere inside the main beer area with a bar with several draft lines off to the right and a nice assembly of shelves with plenty of beer. Really nice import selection and plenty of glassware to go along with it. Service has always been great. While I haven't asked specific questions about their selection, whenever I've started chatting with an employee they've always been very enthusiastic about beer and have been enjoyable to talk to.

The only caveat I have to all of this is that the homebrew selection is fairly weak. I get this impression it's kind of an extra service, so I won't complain too much, I'd just say that if that's what you're looking for -- rather than a top-notch beer store -- I'd go elsewhere. That said, if you're looking to pick up some bottle caps or some rice hulls during a beer run, this is an added convenience.
Jul 19, 2011
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Reviewed by ipeeale from North Carolina

4.71/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I have been a frequent visitor to City Beverage for the last 4 years. Although it is a 1 hour round trip commute from my home it is a pilgrimage that I gladly take.

The selection is the best I have seen in NC and quite possibly anywhere. Living in NC it is nice to have access to some of the best west coast beers as well as an international selection. They also have a large slection of kegs and typically have 4-5 beers on tap to sample.

Most every Friday they will partner with a NC brewery to showcase something unique and tasty. On Saturdays a wine tasting is usually available. The wine slection is also very good.

Sonny, Spencer, and Dave are extremely knowledgeable and are always happy to provide you with suggestions for the type of beer you are looking for. They treat you like freinds and family so the visit is always refreshing.

I would recommend anyone that is looking for hard to find beers take a look at City Beverage.
Jul 16, 2011
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Reviewed by aleckpa from North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev -5.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I finally went to City Beverage after hearing such great things about it. I work 5 minutes away, so I had to stop in and check it out. The selection is massive. It took me probably 20 minutes just to glance over everything that was in the store. There were some brews that I haven't seen anywhere else in NC. However, I noticed two downfalls of this place. One, it is a bit pricey. The beers I saw in here were anywhere from $1-$3 more than other places. Two, there were old (not vintage) bottles of some brews, especially Avery's Maharaja for example. In conclusion, this is definitely a cool place to check out despite a bit pricey.
May 19, 2011
City Beverage in Winston-Salem, NC
Place rating: 4.46 out of 5 with 94 ratings