Beverage Depot Ltd

Store

16601 Northern Blvd
Flushing
Queens, New York, 11358-2636
United States

(718) 539-4500 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.33
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
8
pDev:
11.11%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3.41 by CervezaNY from New York

Jun 02, 2016
Photo of VictorWisc
Reviewed by VictorWisc from Massachusetts

2.51/5  rDev -24.6%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 2.75
When scouting beer sellers in Queens, this one initially seemed like a local gem. Reviews, especially from three years ago, were stellar. Then I walked in and it was an immediate letdown. Since NY state has separate beer and wine/spirits sales (although there are a few "wines" here), one expects some attention to detail from stores that hope to do craft business. Here, three quarters of the store is stacked with cases, most of them BMC, with some variations. Brooklyn Brewery had this place marked on their map, but all they had was brown, IPA, lager and summer, three of them in sixes and cases. Also one Brooklyn on tap for growlers. Bell had four different varieties, but when I pulled a bottle of Two Hearted out, it was two months old. A six-pack of Jai-Alai cans that I initially got excited about was 80 days old. Other stuff on the shelf was even older. The store seems to stock a substantial amount of German beers--and I do mean amount rather than variety. There is some diversity of German Brewers but most are represented only by one or two styles, even Weihenstephaner. I thought I might find an Ayinger Maibock, but there was only one Maibock and it wasn't Ayinger. There is a decent number of standard Belgians, although almost no sours and only the Lambicus for fruit beers. Domestics represent a number of states, although the selection is thin, particularly with locals. Aside from Blue Point, there's hardly any New York City-area beer. The selection of Founders first appeared promising until I noticed that none of the dark styles made it. The darkest Founders on the shelf were Dirty Bastard and Red Rye. I suppose, I've been spoiled. Massachusetts, for all its distribution failures, distributes more breweries than almost any other state in the country. And most of MA stores are full-service liquor stores, not specialty beer or package stores. This had the feel of a mediocre packy with a few shelves of craft brews.

The arrangement within the store also leaves a lot to be desired. When you walk through the door, you face the butt end of a wall between two separate spaces. The left side is essentially open space with a fridge along the far wall and shelving covering the other three. It has the feel of modern store but none of the qualities. It's essentially wasted space. The initial appearance of three walls of beer also turned out to be deceptive. The partition wall is covered with shelving where most of the craft beers reside. The front wall has a few shelves, but only about 6 feet of shelf space are devoted to beer. The left wall, the longest, has only two sets of shelves with beer, but one seems to be Goose Island and the other has Orval and Rochefort on top shelf and nondescript mediocrity on the rest. Most of this longest wall is occupied by growler-filling taps, which are unattended. Given the turnover problems for some of the bottled beer, I was not convinced that trying a growler was such a hot idea. Nor was I impressed by the selection, especially for the price.

The right side is "bulk". Aside from the shelf-space facing the door and containing some Polish and Czech beers, there were no other singles or multipacks on the floor of that room, which is much larger than the one on the left (essentially, warehouse space). There are, however, sixpacks in the fridge along the right wall, although much of it is filled with BMC, just like most of the floorspace.

All in all, a disappointing trip. I was hoping to at least pick up some Bell, which is not distributed in MA, or Cigar City or some unusual, locally-distributed Brooklyn. I cam close to the first two, but the dates were offputting. I don't mind drinking two-month old IPA, but I don't want to be buying IPA that's already more than two months old. And the prices are higher than MA, which likely makes them some of the highest in the Continental US).
May 24, 2014
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Reviewed by donbet69 from New York

3.39/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3 | selection: 3.75
I live in Queens and this is one of the few places in my vicinity with any choice of amazing beer.

I will run out to this place if I need some good to drink in a hurry. Also, they are going to start doing growlers soon, so I look forward to what they can offer in that department.
Feb 01, 2014
Photo of henryspam
Reviewed by henryspam from California

3.35/5  rDev +0.6%
This place is just...acceptable. I am actually surprised that there aren't many good beer store in this area (flushing, bayside, douglaston). Space is poorly used- when you first walk in, you feel like you are in home depot. Stacks and stacks of buds, coors, millers and a relatively small section of micros and european beer.

That section is small but still carries the necessary big names. (3 philosopher, duvel, some trappist ale, and other common ones you expect to see.)Staff are just there to scan the price and be the cashier. And don't expect them to give you any good advice. I cashed out a bottle of ayinger and askd him any good recommendation of witbier and hefeweizen. He told me ayinger is pretty good (wow that is quite useful...)

Anyway, I still think this place won't dissappoint you if you know what you want. Price is fair (but no surprizes). I know the staffs are trying their best. So far there aren't much competitors around so this is some place you don't want to miss.
Dec 13, 2009
Photo of phunkykim
Reviewed by phunkykim from New York

3.85/5  rDev +15.6%
although this place isnt run by "beer guys" they are making an effort. I live around the corner - and they want to be better in the beer community. I was very impressed that they are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. If they dont have something in stock - he will order it for you. My husband is a huge great divide IPA lover and he always puts a few 6ers away for him when they come in. when they get samples or new beers to try - they give them to their beer lovers - and ask us what we thought of the beer - which is always great.
He knows that thy have a poor use of space. he is trying to expand his Micros and imports - but the buds/coors of the world warrant him to have the prime space for their beers.
For those who live in the area - this is a great find - i wouldnt travel in for it.
Sep 15, 2007
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.65/5  rDev +9.6%
Cramped feeling little place, in that beer near wasteland (IMHO) of Queens, NY. The good stuff is to the right as you enter, you will be able to find many of the typical/usual good beer selections available in the general area, Southampton, Omme, Bklyn, Rogue, Stone, Goose Island, DFH, Flying Dog. More decent stuff is kept cool in the rear coolers. No prices on anything which is annoying, what other business would put stuff out on their shelves w/o prices? They did have info stickers for many of the selections, which is a good thing. No need for a special trip here, just another decent place to find a reasonable amount of drinkable/B.A. worthy malt/hops/yeast/water products in the NYC area.
Jun 23, 2007
Photo of scooter231
Reviewed by scooter231 from New York

3.15/5  rDev -5.4%
A decent beer place if you happen to be in the area. It's large, quite large, but most of that space is poorly used, or full of soda or cases of... bud, and the like. The section that IS devoted to good beer is on the smallish side. Still, a decent amount of stuff in there. Lots of Ommegang Brewery beers, Stone, Rogue, Long Trail, to name a few. I've found many a good beer in here.

Service is a bit lacking. The guys behind the counter are quiet. They'll scan things for you to tell you how much they are (another negative- I HATE lack of prices- such a pain) and every once in a while pipe up if they happen to like the beer, but they by no means go out of their way to help you, or suggest things to you. Nice guys, but not beer guys.

Prices are varied- some things are a great deal, some things are way too pricey for me. A good amount of fridged beers to be found in here as well. Overall, a good place to go if you know what you want, and you know they have it. Good, reliable beers. But I wish they had more going on in there.
Jul 25, 2005
Photo of ommegangpbr
Reviewed by ommegangpbr from New York

3.3/5  rDev -0.9%
Of the beverage distributors I have been to thus far, this is my least favorite place... which is not to say that it's bad at all, it's just not exceptional in any way.
The quality is ok but not stellar. Very few prices are clearly marked, the organization isn't too wonderful... there is a pretty decent refridgerated selection but I've gotten a bad bottle from time to time.
The service has never impressed me. No one has ever gone out of his way to help me out, or let me know what's new (or old). The staff is efficient and reasonabley friendly but there's not much extra there. Every so often I'll receive a comment on my choice of purchase, but that's about all.
The selection is pretty solid. For the NYC region it's not stellar but any beer advocate will find something to make him or her happy.
Prices here are a bit higher than average in my experience. $6-$8 for 750mL bottles of Ommegang brews, $14.99 for a four pack of 11.2 ounce bottles of St. Bernardus 8, tripel and 12, $5 for Stone and Rogue bombers... nothing really outrageous but nothing compelling, price wise.
If I had a teleportation machine.. or a car... there are several places I'd choose before going here, but this place is the closest to where I live.
That being the case, it ain't too shabby.
Jul 19, 2005
Beverage Depot Ltd in Queens, NY
Place rating: 3.33 out of 5 with 8 ratings