The Beer Shop

The Beer ShopThe Beer Shop
The Beer ShopThe Beer Shop
Homebrew, Beer-to-go

33 Harkness Ave
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, 01028-1000
United States

(762) 233-7472 | map
thebeershop.us
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.39
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
39
pDev:
15.03%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by lostinct:
Photo of lostinct
Reviewed by lostinct from Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Stopped in when I was on the proper side of the state line. They have a nice selection, including a few of the harder to find releases from Firestone Walker, Bear Republic, Green Flash, etc. If you're a big Belgian fan, you might not be ecstatic, but definitely a good array of American craft stuff and a friendly owner.
When the idiot distributors of Rogue here in CT screwed up a basic keg order, the guys up here helped me out to get what I needed. Definitely a place I'll drive 30 minutes to visit.
Sep 28, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of Lizziecakes
Rated by Lizziecakes from Massachusetts

1/5  rDev -77.2%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 1
Too bad, they really need better staff. Go elsewhere!
Feb 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4.57 by Cwarwick812 from Massachusetts

Jul 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.89 by Coltron23 from Connecticut

Apr 24, 2017
 
Rated: 4.3 by The_Bonedeath from Massachusetts

Oct 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.41 by hockeypuck from Maine

Jul 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by CayseyW from Connecticut

Mar 27, 2016
Photo of pattmettt
Rated by pattmettt from Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +11.6%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Great Selection, extremely helpful staff, Definitely worth stopping in for your regular beer or the hard to find whales.
Jan 31, 2016
Photo of fitzy84
Reviewed by fitzy84 from Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Finally stopped by this place which is right near my neighborhood. I was incredibly impressed by this facility. They offered an incredible selection, organized by beer style, from across the country. The place seems geared toward mix-and-matching and offering larger bottled beers, but there were a few six packs and sampler packs in the store. What I was most impressed by was their staff. Incredibly welcoming and asked as I was browsing if I needed any help. The staff seemed knowledgeable and wanted to help me make a good purchase (specifically a purchase for my father for his birthday). I will definitely go here more often.
Jun 05, 2015
Photo of connecticutpoet
Reviewed by connecticutpoet from Connecticut

4.8/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
All I can say is wow. I was amazed at the selection this place had available in such a small store. Hundreds of domestic craft brews from around the country, hundreds of imports. I have read some complaints about prices being high, but I noticed that the barrel-aged Narwhal was $3 less than I paid at a store less than a mile and a half away. Darn it.

My only complaint would be the way they arrange the beers. I have never been a fan of grouping beers together by style. I much prefer grouping by brewery. Maybe I will come to like it over time, because I will definitely be back.
May 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.54 by TOM1L21 from Massachusetts

May 02, 2015
Photo of bfitzge2
Reviewed by bfitzge2 from Massachusetts

4.44/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
A very solid selection and a very helpful staff. I wish they would expand their ability to refrigerate ipa's, but space limitations are space limitations. Always happy to stop by when I am in the area.
Apr 13, 2015
Photo of wobblypop
Reviewed by wobblypop from Massachusetts

4.82/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Relaxed vibe, helpful staff, great selection at reasonable prices. My only wish is that it was closer to my home! If you're in the area, be sure to stop by and check it out.
Apr 04, 2015
Photo of WillieThreebiers
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

4.54/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Small bottle shop on the back side of a shopping center with a great selection of largely regional craft. Organized by style, there are 2 aisle of single bottles and cans. There is also a walk-in cooler with additional offerings. Friendly knowledgeable staff, and reasonable prices.
Mar 08, 2015
Photo of porter_collie
Reviewed by porter_collie from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
If you want to make a decent mix-and-match in the Pioneer Valley, this is a great choice. Stopped by and it is like a Toys 'R Us for a BeerAdvocate. Top notch selection. Mix and match six packs are always more pricey than an off-the-shelf selection, but I found the prices reasonable. Beers seemed fairly fresh, too! Service seemed good, but I politely refused as I was happy to wonder about like the proverbial kid in a candy store.
Feb 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by gumper2 from Massachusetts

Dec 12, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Vegeta446 from Massachusetts

Nov 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Chuck_IPA_Mathus from Massachusetts

Nov 23, 2014
Photo of DA84
Rated by DA84 from Connecticut

5/5  rDev +13.9%
Great selection.. knowledgeable staff and singles galore! Wish all of them were cold as I am always anxious to try the new finds!
Nov 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Mersh from Connecticut

Oct 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.78 by Johnct from New York

Aug 21, 2014
Photo of freshcarl
Reviewed by freshcarl from Connecticut

3.64/5  rDev -17.1%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.5
I am not fond of bottles shops that organize by beer style, as this shop does. I find it to be very disorienting. The store does not make good use of thier space, the shelves when you first walk in are empty, with most of the beer around the corner out of sight initially. Some 6-packs, but mostly single bottles at a good price. It is a well curated selection, but don't go here if you're looking for that one specific beer...

I was impressed to see a keg of Be Hoppy in the cooler, and also brought home 2 bottles of Big Brekkie that have been gone from most stores for several months.

Overall, I would stop here on occasion, but not make this my regular beer shop.
Aug 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by ajendrysik

Jul 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by pisano from Massachusetts

Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by dustinjkline from Massachusetts

Jun 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by tylergoov from Connecticut

Apr 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Michael-Podgurski from Connecticut

Dec 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by JGLittle from Massachusetts

Dec 09, 2013
Photo of davewlfpckfan29
Reviewed by davewlfpckfan29 from Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -13.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75
Very small facility. Which I think can be a good thing.
They have mostly everything organized by what type of beer it is.

A lot of good and great beers here. Nothing super rare.
The dates on some of the stuff was not as fresh as you could find in other places.

The guy who owns the place was right there, and ready to help you find anything. He was very knowledgeable about what was new, up and coming.

Great selection of Massachusetts breweries.. A lot of Stone, Dark Horse, Uinta Brewing.
Some Shelton Brothers imports..
Like I said, a lot of good beers. But the prices were a bit higher than other places in Western Mass.
Sep 28, 2013
Photo of scotorum
Reviewed by scotorum from Massachusetts

4.09/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3
Went out of my way to check this place out based on other reviews.

The picture and my mind's eye expected a big space with a lot of cases etc. Two thirds of the building shown turned out to be for other businesses. While the size was a letdown, the contents were not.

Set up much like TruBeer in Easthampton. Singles and bombers on tall shelves with price labels beneath most of them. Thus designed to favor sixpack mixing and bomber buying. over sixpacks or larger quantities of single brews. They did, however, have some sixpacks on the bottom row of the shelves, and twelvers of a few newer releases such as SN Camp Mix, just no indication of how much they cost.

Prices were ok for most items. I noticed some blank spots in prices, often for especially desirable brews. Also, a few particularly high-BA-ranked singles seemed to have been deliberately placed at the very ends of many shelves, unpriced. It could be an attempt to trap the buyer into picking out one of those only to have it be priced higher than he would have been otherwise willing to pay, which has happened to me at certain other stores. Perhaps it's because they just got those in, but no matter how fast they will sell, they should still be clearly priced!

I simply passed by anything unpriced and did not ask. If they can't be bothered tp price it, I can't be bothered to ask how much it is. From my experience in collectibles I know that those who do not price their wares often do it so they can "size up" the buyer and ask for more from those they consider higher rollers.

I also noticed that many of the better items which were priced were slightly higher than elsewhere, perhaps because The Beer Shop is located in an upscale suburb of Springfield. Items which were, say, $6.99 elsewhere, such as Rochefort 10, were $7.15 here. Since I had just bought a bottle at Julio's in Westborough for $5.99 I was not about to buy one here for a dollar sixteen more.

My grousing about very slightly higher prices should not and I'm sure will not deter any BA from making one or more trips here. In many ways it's one of the most interesting and buyer-friendly stores for craft brew shopping (the clerk claimed they are up to 1200 different, which is well more than almost any other place in the entire region). And The Beer Shop deserves ongoing support as it moves towards completion of its first year in business.
Aug 01, 2013
Photo of macmacmacmac
Reviewed by macmacmacmac from Massachusetts

4.97/5  rDev +13.2%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
The beer shop has forever changed my life. Definitely my new favorite place ever. Great selection, service, location... I think the best thing is the knowledge of the owner. He's a beer genius. He always points me in the right direction when I'm not sure exactly what I'm in the mood for
May 28, 2013
Photo of FroggieG
Reviewed by FroggieG from Massachusetts

4.71/5  rDev +7.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
A gem of a store.
Locally owned & operated.

They stock over 800 beers, focusing on local craft breweries, but including the world.
A rather astonishing collection for such a small store.

The knowledgeable staff is slowly turning this wine semi-snob into a beer nut.

They hold free tastings most weekends, usually in mid-afternoon.

Last weekend's "elbow-room only" event (May 19) featured 5 local craft brewers sampling their beers. I'll be going back for more.
May 24, 2013
Photo of zahara15
Reviewed by zahara15 from Vermont

4.86/5  rDev +10.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Great selection and very helpful staff! The only thing that limits their selection is what they are allowed to sell in Massachusetts. NH and VT may have things that they don't...and vice versa.

I look for IPA's and they had many that I had never found before in New England!
May 04, 2013
Photo of TGigs15
Reviewed by TGigs15 from Massachusetts

4.82/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Beer store to pick up craft beer from local brewers and interstate brewers alike. If you want something they don't have, they are quick to help you out. In addition to 6-packs, they also have almost any keg you can imagine. If I need a good beer, there is no question where I'll be going.
May 03, 2013
Photo of Wishdiak
Reviewed by Wishdiak from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
A great little place with a great selection of great beer. While they don't have everything, they do have a lot and know a lot about all styles of beer. Tastings are held frequently, and prices are reasonable.

Plenty of Midwestern and West Coast Breweries are represented. Most beers are available in either 22-ounce bombers , or 12-ounce singles. Plenty of inventory in the $2-3/bottle range.

Among the things I picked up yesterday (12/31/12) were Avery/Russian River Collaboration Not Litigation, Firestone Walker Union Jack, and Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale,
Jan 01, 2013
Photo of jacquibob
Reviewed by jacquibob from Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
This is a great addition to premium beer stores in the Springfield area. The staff knows beer and is very helpful. Their selection is quite good and varied, with almost all styles represented and each style having quite a few choices. Not the kind of place to run into for a quick six pack, you need to take the time to look around, ask questions and make some great selections to try.

It is fun to grab an empty six pack (or 2) and fill with my favorites as well as some new choices that I can try. They are usually sampling something and love to talk beer.
Nov 30, 2012
Photo of DCav
Reviewed by DCav

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
A great new local place for great beer (and wine). The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, and offer great suggestions. A huge selection of craft beers, all grouped by style. The Beer Shop has a great Facebook page that lists tastings and upcoming events, and lists new beers that are in stock. The store itself is a neat little open space with simple shelving and counters, which adds to the experience and atmosphere. Stop in and say hello to Rich! Looking forward to making it my new go to place!
Oct 05, 2012
Photo of BjMc
Reviewed by BjMc from Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
So impressed with this store. They have a great selection and the one thing I couldn't find at the store when I first got to the place was there on the very following week. They asked me to write it down what I would like to have it and Boom.. they got it! The place looks really cool and you can find a variety of cans too, which is pretty much impossible to get around western MA. Can mix and match anything.
Very helpful staff, lots of local beers as well as Belgians, Germans, English etc. Hope they can keep it up.
Sep 28, 2012
Photo of sjareb
Reviewed by sjareb from California

4.08/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Stopped by looking for beers I can't find at home (So Cal) while visiting Western Mass.

Talked to the owner Rich who was pretty helpful answering my questions and making recommendations based on what I was looking for. Seems like they just opened up recently.

Solid selection at a small store which was nice (i didn't have to wade through a lot of beers to find what i was looking for). No BMC beers in sight :-). I picked up beers from Six Point, Clown Shoes, Boulevard, Alchemist and Brewmaster Jack.

Saw a few good beers in stock from the Bruery, Bear Republic, Founders and more. Also had a good seasonal selection when you walked in (Octoberfests and Pumpkin Beers).

I plan to come back next time I'm in town and maybe one more time before I leave as well...
Sep 21, 2012
The Beer Shop in East Longmeadow, MA
Place rating: 4.39 out of 5 with 39 ratings