Calvert Discount Liquors

Calvert Discount LiquorsCalvert Discount Liquors
Calvert Discount LiquorsCalvert Discount Liquors
Store

114 Shawan Rd
Cockeysville, Maryland, 21030-1325
United States

(410) 771-3232 | map
calvertwine.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.76
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
18
pDev:
8.51%
View: Place Reviews
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Rated: 4.11 by PA-Michigander from Pennsylvania

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by beerjamieson from Pennsylvania

Jul 12, 2014
Photo of FPEBrewer
Reviewed by FPEBrewer from Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Calvert is my store of choice for keg purchases. While they do not stock kegs at the store they have consistently gone above and beyond to help me order any keg I need. My family regularly has parties where we need to order 4 or more kegs at a time. The day before the most recent party the distributor failed to deliver one of the kegs to the store. The beer manager, Chris, went out of his way to personally obtain the keg from the distributor and got it to me in time for the party. Since my office has moved the store location is no longer convenient for me, but I gladly go out of my way because of the wonderful service I always receive at this store.
Jun 27, 2011
Photo of patreely12
Reviewed by patreely12 from Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
This place is right by where I work. I usually go to Shawan Liquors down the street, but I'd never been in here before so I figured I'd look to see how the selection was. The refrigerated section was typical. There was nothing there that I hadn't seen anywhere else. But, for some reason all the bombers and individual bottles were on the opposite side of the store. I don't know what the deal is with this, kind of confusing. The store was neat and organized otherwise (very good selection of scotches).

Anyway, they did have a couple of beers I was looking for (St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Harviestoun Old Engine Oil) so I was pleased.

The staff there is like a friggin' best buy or apple store. way too many employees with nothing to do except walk around and bother you. Look kid you're 18 and know nothing about beer leave me alone. If I look confused it's because I'm trying to find the good stuff. I think I'll stick to Shawan Liquors.
Jan 08, 2011
Photo of Jrut224
Reviewed by Jrut224 from Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
Calvert is probably the place that I go to the most when I'm looking for something "not out of the ordinary", or maybe even "a little special". In fact, I probably went there half a dozen times before I realized that they had 3 random bookshelves of bombers at the front of the store. Thought this was a little odd because the rest of the beer is on the back wall, and the two sections are separated by aisles of wine. Maybe most people realize this, or ask where the bombers are, but I managed to over-look it. That being said, their selection is not half bad. Having talked to different member of the staff on various occasions, I get the impression that most of them have a better knowledge of wine than beer.

But if you're in the area and need a quick 6pk or a common--above average bomber, this is your place. If you want a better selection though, drive 10 minutes and check out Beltway.
Jan 29, 2010
Photo of kb199
Reviewed by kb199 from Maryland

3/5  rDev -20.2%
Shawan Liquors is definitely a better bet, but these guys have an above average selection (it seems to have improved over the past three months). I have to agree that its mostly a wine store, but they do have one "beer guy" there pretty much every day to look for the unusual. They are willing to place special orders (Petrus Aged Pale for me), and even helped me carry three cases of beer out to my car. Overall, a decent selection (getting better), and great service, but Shawan Liquors reigns supreme.
Jan 27, 2010
Photo of thain709
Reviewed by thain709 from Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -1.6%
Decided to stop here after visiting Shawan Liquors which is just down the street. I was a bit disappointed.

This is mainly a wine store. There is wine everywhere.

As far as the beer...they have a few coolers filled with six packs. There are a few warm ones as well. The selection in six packs is pretty general...Clipper City, Troegs, Dogfish Head. Along the windows there are about 3 or 4 book shelves filled with singles. One is a "mix-a-six"...not a good selection...but cheap singles. The other shelves are 22 oz and 25 oz bottles from Dogfish Head, Stone, Rogue, BrewDog, and more imports.

I was not there long enough to ask for help...but I did see a few employees helping other customers...so the help is not lacking.

A decent store overall if you want a six pack or a bottle of wine...but if you want singles take the extra minute to go to Shawan Liquors.
Aug 09, 2009
Photo of mooseisloose
Reviewed by mooseisloose from Florida

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
It is always such a great pleasure to walk into a beer store and see the craft and specialty imports outnumber the BMC and macro by a good 2 or 3 to 1. First saw store as "Wine and spirits" hoped they had some good brew and wasn't disappointed. Less than a 1/2 mile walk from my hotel. Good selection even some goods brews with $2 knocked off the 6-pack price. Not pricey, reasonable prices for craft beers. Mostly all six packs though. No craft singles, if they sell singles didn't see singles pricing. I was there for a sixer however so didn't even inquire. Friendly staff. Selection mostly east coast brews, west coast brews and a few in the middle, Left Hand, etc. Good to stumble upon in search of a brew.
Jan 14, 2009
Photo of Bigeter
Reviewed by Bigeter from Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
Calvert Liquors is by far not my favorite place in Baltimore. Though, I must give credit where it is due. This store has an above average selection and the prices are quite reasonable given that the economy has driven up prices all over the place. You will always be able to find all kinds of microbrews here, but most of them are refrigerated. The store is extremely clean which definitely reflects on the managers' and owner's pride of running a high quality establishment. With all the positives of the store I will say that the service is terrible. If you are looking for something in particular its great, but the people there are just not friendly. They have superiority complex which shows. Sometimes walking in there and I think to myself "I get it your fancy and you know everything! Can you help me out at all?". They are a little snooty and consider themselves elitists. Now there are a few individual guys that are really helpful but sometimes you look at them and it's as if they've been berated by their boss. All in all entire store is still OK so it's worth the look if you're an experienced advocate.
Dec 14, 2008
Photo of qchic
Reviewed by qchic from Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -1.6%
My opinions of this establishment are on par with most of the other reviews. Being in a fairly new shopping center the store is clean and conveniently located off of I-83. Selection of microbrews is definitely better than average with a focus on the mid-atlantic "locals". Some Belgians, but you'd do better elsewhere for imports if hunting for something specific. The guys working there seem to know a little bit about beer, but I've never felt compelled to hang around and chat. Prices are gonna be only slighty higher, but not prohibitive.

As an avid Baltimore beer shopper, I must say that this place does not crack my top 3 stores. Shawan is far too close to ignore.
Aug 22, 2008
Photo of Aichelberger
Reviewed by Aichelberger from Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
As liquor stores go,this is an exception. It may not have the biggest selection or the best values, but in a state where you have to buy beer at a liquor store, it's nice to go into a store with this kind of ambiance. In the heart of Hunt Valley, this store sells fine wine and some great imports and craft beers. I can't say that they have something more than other stores (even the nearby Shawan Liquors), but the buying experience sure is nice. A lot of the usual local craft beers (Clipper City, Fordham, Dogfish Head, etc.) and many in refrigerated cases. That alone shows they know something about beer.
Aug 16, 2008
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.4%
Stopped in this establishment while my wife was shopping at the stores surrounding the store. A modest selection of selection are to the immediate left as you enter the store. The selection is nothing great, and it seems as if their main focus is on wine. They had several selactions that I have not seen in other stores in the area, but for the most part a place like State Line puts them to shame. Prices seemed a bit high, but not outrageous. I'm sure their location is high priced, The store is worth a stop if you are in area, but not worth going our of your way for.
Dec 30, 2007
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
A pre-Christmas visit in search of seasonal offerings.

Quality: The store is laid out is a very nice manner. Wine dominates the center of the store, with wooden racks holding all of the offerings. Craft US and foreign beers are arrayed along the outer wall in a nice fashion. A wall of cooler has chilled beer and sits opposite the craft side.

Service: It appeared that they were in the midst of an inventory, so there were many people working the floor. Service was fast and I was quickly steered in the right direction.

Selection: I saw a nice array of Belgian and Belgian-style ales, with Allagash taking center stage (and doesn't it deserve it?).A saw a wide array of US micros and imports, all nicely laid out in the shelves.

Value: The store is more wine-focused, so beer takes a bit of a backseat and has higher prices than Shawan, which is right down the road.
Nov 25, 2007
Photo of Budlum
Reviewed by Budlum from Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.4%
The first thing I noticed about this store was the upscale interior. It is most likely the nicest liquor store I've ever seen. As previously stated, the main focus is wine. The macros and a nice selection of micros and imports can be found in the large cooler. The real gems are located along the windows in the front of the store. One major downfall is that the non-refrigerated beer is scattered and not really organized. Careful scanning is the key. I walked the store without the intentions of buying anything. After another more scrupulous look I found an oak-aged Yeti from Great Divide and an Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock.

The staff here is very curteous, seemed very knowledgeable about beer, especially when the wine focus is considered and very helpful. Their service was in the little touches. Such as placing cardboard between the bottles so it didn't look like I carried beer in to every store for the rest of the day.

The prices are a little higher than some of the other local stores but I'll definitely stop in anytime I am close.

As a travelers note, the coffee at Caribou Coffee across the street is excellent.
Sep 30, 2006
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Reviewed by BabaJohn from California

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
This is a relatively new location in the new Hunt Valley complex. I've been quite happy with this place and it's become my main stop when I'm home visiting the fam. A pretty good selection of single craft brews and imports are immediately to your left upon entering. Straight ahead you will find a long wall of coolers containing not just the bad stuff, but quite a bit of tastey stuff as well. Oh yeah, the staff thus far have been quite nice. From some other reviews, it sounds like I need to check out Shawan, but still, I'd recommend Calvert. It also happens to be about 15 minutes from my house, which is about as close as anything gets from Upperco.
Jul 21, 2006
Photo of aluhain
Reviewed by aluhain from Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
I went down to Calvert tonight for the first time, and was rather pleasantly surprised. Having just moved to the area, this is really the first local place I've visted, but I definitely like what I found. Given the nearby stores, parking right by the entrance could easily be an issue depending on the time of day. The staff I found to be very friendly, and while I didn't really find the need to ask them about the beer itself, they gave me some useful knowledge about local liquor laws. Another useful thing I noticed is an inventory list of all their beers and prices that you can find on the coolers on a clipboard. I was impressed as I glanced through it.

The focus in the store is clearly wine. The majority of their space is taken up by that, with a far end for various types of liquor. The back wall is most all beer cooler however where you can get some singles, 4-packs, 6-packs, and cases chilled. The other long wall is composed of windows and the occasional display where you can get some singles from beers you can find in the coolers, as well as some you can't. It is worth noting perhaps that none of these warm singles seemed to have any dust on them.

The selection was pretty good, though I've seen better. They have a decent selection of microbrews, though some of their choices could be better spent elsewhere. They do have a quality, if somewhat limited selection of imports from across the big pond. Nothing terribly rare, but several very tasty choices.

The prices were often much lower than I'd expected. Spaten Dark 6-pack for a good dollar or two cheaper than I've seen at many places, with that trend continuing for many beers. Some like Allagash were rather more expensive than the norm however, enough so that no matter how much I like the Dubbel, I just couldn't see putting down the cash for it. Instead I settled for some dirt cheap Saranac and Guinness Extra.
Jul 06, 2006
Photo of cubedbee
Reviewed by cubedbee from Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.4%
This is at the new Town Center in Hunt Valley, right next to Noodles. I had gone shopping at nearby Shawan Liquors and was stopping in for lunch when I saw a nice looking liquor store, so I decided to go in. They have an entire wall of coolers with six packs, nothing exceptional, but most of the local micros like Clipper City, Dogfish, Victory, Troegs, etc. On the opposite wall from the coolers are singles on shelves. They had s small but nice selection, a lot of the trappists, some other Belgian beers, Fort, Smuttynose S'muttonator. This is a nice enough place, but other than those last two, I think you can find everything here, as well as a lot more, over at nearby Shawan.
Jan 18, 2006
Calvert Discount Liquors in Cockeysville, MD
Place rating: 3.76 out of 5 with 18 ratings