Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits

Hy-Vee Wine & SpiritsHy-Vee Wine & Spirits
Hy-Vee Wine & SpiritsHy-Vee Wine & Spirits
Store

6301 University Ave
Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613-5200
United States

(319) 266-3401 | map
hy-vee.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
15
pDev:
8.5%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of dcotom
Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa

4.37/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Reviewing the Cedar Falls HyVee in-store location. The new W&S store is clean, well lit, and well organized. Since the remodeling of the store, the beer selection has been expanded to include a full complement of craft beers as well as large selection of domestic and imported singles. The new location boasts a large walk-in cooler and a tasting room, plus a decent selection of glassware and home-brewing supplies. Sign up for their U of Brew club and receive advance notice of new releases, specials, and tasting events. Knowledgeable and helpful staff make for a complete shopping experience.
Feb 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.61 by Reinbeck11 from Iowa

Mar 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.74 by EricSloan from Iowa

Feb 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.2 by Catlin from Iowa

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by TGanyone from Iowa

Jun 18, 2014
Photo of ALC82
Reviewed by ALC82 from Iowa

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Hy-Vee WS in Cedar Falls is the best place around for selection of beers in the Cedar Valley. They have a friendly staff that is usually quite knowledgeable in regards to their offerings. Would be nice if they could bring in some of the more rare beers out there but as I understand it is hard to get a relationship started when most of these breweries are on a shortage of product w/ their current distribution points. Overall a great place to find/ try/ talk about beer options!
Dec 13, 2013
Photo of NicholasCasber
Reviewed by NicholasCasber from Iowa

3.7/5  rDev -7.5%
I'd suggest more options and less price, as would anyone. As a college student I'm looking to try more beer at a much more reasonable price. Granted, this may be the best around the Cedar Falls area for import and micro brews, however, still makes me feel like I'm spending quite a bit for a six pack.

The staff is fairly knowledgeable and is more than willing to help you import something that they do not have. They have just started carrying home-brew equipment, which I'm more than excited to give a try.

As aforementioned, I felt that this is the best for what is around in Cedar Falls/Waterloo for beer selection, however, I feel like it could be more, and that the location could be in a better place, possibly on The Hill.

Overall, I don't regret going to this place at all. Best of luck to you and your beer endeavors. Cheers.
Dec 11, 2009
Photo of wd40
Reviewed by wd40 from New York

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
Read in some of the earlier reviews that they carried beer from three floyds. Well they don't anymore! They did carry a lot of Goose Island, such as their IPA, oatmeal stout, nut brown ale, and honker's ale. I believe they may have also carried Goose Island's Matilda. They carried the more typical Belgians such as Chimay, Westmalle, Orval, St. Bernardus. They had a Sierra Nevada bomber of their pale ale for $2.39. Also Anchor steam and Anchor Liberty Ale. Carried some Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, Oatmeal Stout, and Old Brewery Pale Ale.

The beer is mostly in coolers on the left side of the store as you walk in, but also in some floor displays in front of the coolers.

Definitely had a lot of German beers, but I can neither pronounce or remember most of the ones they carried!

Good store. Large selection, but nothing rare or high end at least anymore (but maybe they get things seasonally, I don't know).
Jul 25, 2009
Photo of beerphilosopher
Reviewed by beerphilosopher from Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
Visited the Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits on University in Cedar Falls this last weekend while on business in Waterloo. Oddly, the picture I see doesn't look like the same store, but baybe it is ... anyway, here goes ...

My wife and I stopped in and were greeted upon entering with the site of a decently sized rack of singles with some good stuff on it - Flying Dog Barleywine, Gonzo Imperial Porter, K-9 Cruiser, DogFish Head 60 Minute IPA, and several selections from Abita, Millstream, and Boulevard to name a few. Not groundbreaking, but I can't get any of these in So. Illinois. Directly across from the rack of singles, we bound stacked sixes and cases of the afore-mentioned Flying Dog brews, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, and a couple brews from Millstream.

Walking straight back to the cooler on the left, we found a lot of really good singles in larger bottles, as well as sixes of a wide variety. Lots of micros from the region, as well as a ton of singles and bottles of good German beers. Not much in the way of Begians though ... don't recall even seeing the obligatory Chimay selection.

Over all, the store was very clean, well-stocked and pleasant. No one came over to assist us, but we didn't need assistance so that's cool. Next time i"m in the area, I'll definitely return. I didn't get a chance to stop in the store in Waterloo, but I'm sure I will.

Brought a couple six packs of singles home to sample. Life is good. The store is good. Beats anything in my stomping grounds.
Jun 24, 2006
Photo of badbeer
Reviewed by badbeer from Iowa

4/5  rDev 0%
I would love to rate this place higher as they do have a decent selection, however, it's nothing to write home about. Price is a little high, but that's probably due to Iowa's weird alcohol laws. Service I would also really like to rank higher, because the manage P.J. knows his stuff, but that is pretty much where the knowledge stops though. From my experiences the rest of the staff is definately lacking. If you stop by, talk to P.J. if you can, your experience will be much better and more helpful. The rest of the staff could help you find most things, but if you are looking for something special it's best to ask P.J. about if they have it or if it is coming.
Dec 14, 2005
Photo of Erdinger2003
Reviewed by Erdinger2003 from Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
I am a regular each month at this establishment as are other people searching for good selection. They are only limited by the social structure they inhabit and space to store beer. Over all I can look forward to a new beer every week and never have a macro brew. They also have a great selection of micro-brews from here in America. They cater to people who enjoy different beers often with their shelf of singles, it costs about a dollar or less for a six pack, but you can fill it with many different types; one of my favorite aspects of the place.
Dec 01, 2005
Photo of deaconblues
Reviewed by deaconblues from Wisconsin

3.94/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
This is about the only place around here that I like to buy my beer from. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and full of good recommendations. For the most part, they seem to have tried many of the beers and are eager to share their tasting impressions with you. I haven't been anywhere else around Cedar Falls that I can say that about, except for Roots Market. I am pleased by the wide selection of beers that Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits has, they are always increasing their selection, and the store is always very clean. You really can't go wrong here, whether you are shopping for something new or are after an old standard. They don't have everything, but they have a lot.
Jun 23, 2005
Photo of neonbrown82
Reviewed by neonbrown82 from Nebraska

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
On trip #2 to Cedar Falls from Iowa City I was finally able to find the Wine & Spirits store. If you happen to be from out of town, keep in mind that the store you are looking for is the Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits as opposed to a Hy-Vee Food Store. Unlike most Hy-Vee's that either have a decent beer aisle or a Regal Liquors attached to the store, the Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits is a stand-alone liquor store about half way between two of the full-range Hy-Vee Food Stores on University Ave.

The place seems to be well kept and clean. None of the bottles were collecting the slightest bit of dust. The aisles were nice and wide, unlike my prefered local store which is actually quite claustrophobic.

Service was kind and couteous. I mentioned I was from Iowa City and worked at John's Grocery so we had a brief chat about beer. The guy (P.J. I believe was his name) seemed to know his beer well.

The selection seems to be lacking in imports compared to a place such as John's, but for domestic micros it seems to have a very good and unique selection for Iowa. They had 3F's Gumballhead, which is why I stopped in, and a few other various breweries I didn't recognize from my stock here in IA City. It's a great store overall, I'd say. I'm always surprised by Hy-Vee. Great beer selection for a chain grocery store.
Jun 17, 2005
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%
I shopped at this place thrice before the guy behind the counter knew me by name. Three times. That's it. Now *that's* what I call service. Not only that, but he remembered what I had bought and asked me about and then, based on my opinion of that beer, he suggested other beers. Dear god, I thought to myself, this guy is actually knowledgeable.

The best selection in this area for domestic beers and German beers. Hill Street is still the place to go for Belgians.

I know it might seem strange, but the large Hy-Vee supermarkets, which are a part of a regional chain, all have very good beer selections, better than most liquor stores. If you're ever in Iowa and you're hard up for beer, go to your nearest Hy-Vee. If that Hy-Vee has a satellite liquor store, then you're in luck.

EDIT:
I'm upping the selection to a 4.5 as it has recently expanded and is insane. They have beers here you can't find anywhere else in Iowa, or in Illinois, and they're managed by a guy who really knows his stuff.
Dec 03, 2004
Photo of hero27
Reviewed by hero27 from Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
Located about 2 miles east of the University of Northern Iowa campus..right on University Avenue in Cedar Falls. The building and interior layout is really nice...with wide aisles and well-organized selections. Huge walk-in cooler with mostly American macros inside, but there are assortments of 12 & 6-packs of various American micros and specialty beers as well.

The real beer is in the standing cooler right ahead of you (and to the left), when you walk in. Very good selection of 6-packs of microbrewed domestics, all in a standing cooler to make sure the quality is good. I've tried nearly all of their beers since they've opened, and I've yet to get a bad bottle of anything..which is impressive by anyone's standards.

A few examples of their American micros..
Sierra Nevada, Rogue, Dogfish Head, Three Floyds, Bell's, Goose Island, Anchor, Shiner, Leinies, Capital, Flying Dog, Summit, Hornsbys, MacTarnahan's, Pete's Wicked, Great Divide, Fort Collins, Buffalo Bill's, O'Fallon, Left Hand, Pyramid, Sam Adams, Grant's, Boulevard, North Coast Brewing, Grand Teton, Millstream, etc, etc...

for nearly every one of the brewing companies listed above, there are at least 3-5 different selections. Quite impressive...

Have a decent European selection, with nearly all of the popular brews available. 3-4 different kinds of Fullers, 4-5 different flavors of Sam Smiths...assortments of Trappistes, Westmalle, Orval, Ayinger, Weihenstephaner, Warsteiner, St. Feuillien, Duinen, Urthel, Spaten, Grolsch, Tucher, Chimay, Duvel, etc.. there are quite a few more but I can't remember them all off-hand.

They have stand-alones of many of the aforementioned brews as well...Rogue, Sierra Nevada, Breckinridge, & Three Floyds bombers, Young's Chocolate Stout bottles & nitro cans, Boddingtons, Murphy's, Speckled Hen, etc, etc... I could go on all day. I know what you're thinking..it's HyVee, how good could it be? But stop in and see for yourself. I've probably been in 10-15 different HyVee Wine & Spirits locations, and this is the best one I've seen by far.

Overall, I am really impressed with their domestic selections, which they are adding to all the time. They regularly have beer samplings and do an excellent job of providing a wide assortment of seasonal beers as well.. Goose Island Christmas Ale, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Sam Adams Winter Ale, Schell Snowstorm, Anchor OSA, Mahr's Brau Christmas Bock & Jubelfestbier, Camerons Christmas Ale, Santa's Butt, Bad Elf, etc, are just a few they recently got in for Christmas.
*update: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine in for fall.
4/28/05: *update: Three Floyds Gumballhead now in stock as well.
1/03/06: *update: Flying Dog Horn Dog & Gonzo Imperial Porter available.

The employees are friendly and quite knowledgable. They're always willing to help you find everything you need and will make small-talk with anyone who stops in. If PJ or Dave are working, ask them any questions about beer you may have.. chances are, they'll be able to answer it.

I've been to a lot of beer stores, but this is the first one I decided to officially rate because it is far and away my favorite local beer store. The great location and impressive selection for a grocery store chain make it easily the most popular place to buy beer in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.

If you happen to be in the area and need to pick up some beer, stop by and tell Curt, Matt, Kelly, Steve and the rest of the gang that Eric sent ya..
Nov 16, 2004
Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits in Cedar Falls, IA
Place rating: 4 out of 5 with 15 ratings