Where do you go for your beer...

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by brett-drinks-beer, Feb 19, 2015.

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  1. jcos

    jcos Pundit (761) Nov 23, 2009 Maryland

    I can still be jealous!
     
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  2. bigdaddyjerry

    bigdaddyjerry Initiate (0) May 6, 2013 Maryland

    galaxy liquors... has some single 12oz crafts, i never buy 6 packs
     
    woemad likes this.
  3. WelshBrewer

    WelshBrewer Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2013 Oregon

    Brewery, Total Wine, Bottle shop in a pinch
     
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  4. BrewsOverHoes

    BrewsOverHoes Grand Pooh-Bah (3,485) Nov 17, 2013 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Usually ride up to Greensboro, NC and hit up Bestway and rarely Total Wine. And one small wine/beer shop in my town.
     
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  5. Dil_thebeerdrinking_do

    Dil_thebeerdrinking_do Initiate (0) Jan 21, 2014 Georgia

    to the store
     
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  6. fooliescraper

    fooliescraper Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2014 Illinois

    South Chicago Suburbs:

    My go-to shop:
    The Open Bottle

    Solid back-ups:
    Binny's
    Whole Foods
    Berkots

    If I am looking for something really specific I will use Beer Menus as a reference.
     
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  7. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    I do have a loyalty to one store and it's where I get 90% of my growlers but I like to visit several stores in the area to see how they handle their stock, specifically how fresh the beer is out on the shelves. I live about 20 min. from CT and there are some beers that distribute in CT and not NY. And for seasonal releases, which are about as fresh as you can get, I go to a store that's at least $1 - $2 cheaper than anywhere else. Why pay more for the same beer, even if you want to be loyal to one store. I like variety in both what I drink and where I get it.
     
  8. jageraholic

    jageraholic Maven (1,378) Sep 16, 2009 Massachusetts
    Trader

    That looks more like central Massachusetts except for maybe West Springfield.

    1. Spirited
    Lenox, MA
    Great selection of domestic and imported craft beers with some excellent rarities constantly coming in. 90% of 4 and 6 packs are in a glass cooler keeping the beer fresh better. Can be pricey.

    2. Kelly's
    Dalton, MA
    Largest selection in the area with some surprise rarities here and there. Also a fair amount kept cold in the cooler. Can also be pricey and definitely have to check dates.

    3. Liqours inc
    Pittsfield, MA
    Best prices and decent selection but most is kept room temperature on the shelf. Great place to find rarities sitting on the shelf but getting tougher every year.
     
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  9. bigdaddyjerry

    bigdaddyjerry Initiate (0) May 6, 2013 Maryland

    90% off your growlers????what did you have to do to get that deal.
     
  10. StartedwithSAM

    StartedwithSAM Initiate (0) Feb 17, 2015 Virginia

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  11. StartedwithSAM

    StartedwithSAM Initiate (0) Feb 17, 2015 Virginia

    :rolling_eyes:
     
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  12. cookiequiz

    cookiequiz Initiate (0) Apr 15, 2013 California

    Pretty sure '90% of' does not mean '90% off'. :wink:

    That said, 90% off would inspire loyalty.
     
  13. Monkeyknife

    Monkeyknife Grand Pooh-Bah (5,199) Jan 8, 2007 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My go-to shops in St. Louis

    • The Wine and Cheese Place for most of my beer needs.
    • Randall's Fairview Hts, IL for beers that aren't sold in Missouri. (DFH, Victory, Bruery, Lost Abbey, Anderson Valley, and Ballast Point as examples)
     
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  14. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,145) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    If I'm not looking for a specific thing or anything very exotic, the local grocery store is a good bet. Lots of local grocery stores make an attempt at stocking craft beer. It's the PNW, even convenience stores will usually have a little something beyond BMC.

    My #1 go-to bottleshop is Huckleberry's, a high-end grocery store about 6 blocks from me. Pretty good, not great selection, but the location is the number one reason I go there.

    Rocket Market, similar to the above, not so nearby, just enough variation to make a stop worthwhile when sorta in the area.

    There's a couple of TW's that are generally good in terms of selection, not so good for quality (lotta shelf turds, most not refredgerated). The one in Spokane Valley gets a little more business from me as it's more conveniently located, being right off I-90, but it's a good ten miles away, so I rarely go without happening to be doing something else somewhat nearby.

    Jim's Homebrew tends to go for bottles of things not otherwise available locally, but quality is hit or miss (like TW, things can sit around a while, but they're usually in a cooler), and the selection isn't what it used to be.

    Almost forgot Bottles, in Millwood. Nice bottle shop, low lighting plus lots of things in coolers. Selections not quite different enough from closer places to make the drive, and depending on the time of day it might take an act of god to penetrate the yuppie traffic jam that is known as Argonne Rd, but if in the valley and I'm passing nearby, it pays to stop by.
     
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  15. LostHighway

    LostHighway Pundit (962) Jan 29, 2007 Minnesota

    If I'm in Portland (about an hour+ from my house) I generally shop at the Bier Cellar on Forest Ave. I wish more of their stock was refrigerated but aside from that it is a great store.

    Closer to home my shopping is divided between the Rising Tide in Damariscotta and Rockland Food Service. Neither store has much in the way of real rarities but they are both very solid including seasonals. Once you get Northeast of the Freeport-Brunswick-Topsham vicinity these two stores are about as good as it gets short of going to Bangor.
     
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  16. bigdaddyjerry

    bigdaddyjerry Initiate (0) May 6, 2013 Maryland

    oh, completely read it too fast, i was gonna say. but oops
     
  17. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,145) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    You can't buy beer in a grocery store in Md? I did not know that.
     
  18. lambpasty

    lambpasty Initiate (0) May 3, 2013 New Hampshire

    I'm in northeastern MA:

    The Cork Stop
    North Andover, MA
    • New Place, small, and lacking in bomber selection, but the guys who run it are great and really know their beer. Does a mix-6 and delivery as well.

    Macaloon's Liquors
    North Andover MA
    • The owners run two stores nearby and generally have a decent selection, sometimes I have issues with freshness but typically good.

    Andover Liquors
    Andover MA
    • Great bomber selection.

    Market Basket (next to Home Depot)
    Rt 28 Salem NH
    • This location specifically has a surprisingly good selection most of the time

    Lincoln Liquors
    Billerica MA
    • Managed by a friend of mine, best selection available by far only rivaled by CBC. Huge floor with hundreds of breweries.

    Craft Beer Cellar
    Westford MA
    • A little bit of a drive at ~20 minutes but I have yet to not find what I'm looking for at a CBC

    Those are the ones I frequent most, there's at least half a dozen other decent bottle shops in the Andover/North Andover area though.
     
    #38 lambpasty, Feb 19, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2015
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  19. alucard6679

    alucard6679 Pundit (997) Jul 29, 2012 Arizona

    I'm on the wrong side of town for all the smaller "bottle shops", so I've been a regular TW customer for a while now, the Bevmo by my place is a bit of a joke.

    Sometimes I go to Magnum's, they have a pretty decent craft selection that is all refrigerated but I mainly go for their for their excellent selection of scotch and bourbon (why the hell can't I ever find a cheap hobby?)
     
  20. HorseheadsHophead

    HorseheadsHophead Grand Pooh-Bah (3,708) Sep 15, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My local Wegmans, Lewis Bros Market, and occasionally Tops or Miniers.
     
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