Filet & Vine

Hidden gen with a great selection and friendly folks to help you. Always worth the trip to see what they have available in what can seem like a craft beer desert sometimes.

 

I would call Filet and Vine my "home" bottle shop. It is the best place in the city to beer craft beer and if you are into the wine scene you would dig the place too. Not as big or as extensive in selection as Hop City in Birmingham or Atlanta, Filet and Vine nonetheless has an impressive selection of locals, imports, and the big players like Founders, Bells, Sierra Nevada, Victory, Lagunitas, etc. The staff is knowledgeable and will take the time to show you what they've recently got in. If you "like" them on facebook, you will get to see what has just arrived as they post updates several times weekly. Only negative is some of the IPAs have some age on them. But overall it is a great shop with friendly employees and good food too as they are also a meat and three place. Well worth a visit.

I pass through Montgomery a few times a year on business trips and this is the only place I've found in the area with a decent craft beer selection. Great variety of local beers, national big breweries, and quite a few unusual imports. The only negative is the IPAs must not turn all that quickly, as some of them are pretty dated. Very friendly staff that seems knowledgable about beer.

 

Surprising good selection for the area. Lots of locals and obviously they stock everything they can get their hands on as it becomes available. Friendly and helpful staff. This is the only place in montgomery that I'll be going out of my way to return to any time I'm in town,

 

 

 

 

With all things being relative, if you want to find good beer, at reasonable prices, and a fairly good selection, then this is where you need to go in Montgomery, Alabama. It was only a few years ago that the Prohibition-era laws were still on the books in Alabama, and so most craft beers were unavailable due to high gravity and container size issues.

Derk's is slowly adding more beer to the store, and "new" beers are routinely becoming available, such as Victory. Dirk's also has what may be the best wine selection in the city. It is also an excellent "Meat and Three" restaurant, if you like meat and threes. They are always busy during lunch.

One of the best meat and 3 buffet style places in Montgomery. The beer selection is very extensive and has fair prices. Hell, they even had Barrel aged Old Raspy. They also sell glassware and a lot of wine. By far the best place for good beer in Montgomery, it is worth the stop.

Derk's is easily the best place to buy craft beer in Montgomery. It's really the only place I go for beer. The selection is great. The prices are fair. I haven't talked to the staff for recommendations yet, but the cashiers were very friendly every time I've checked out.

This place has a wide variety of bottled beers. From some local stuff to regional microbrews, up to the big dogs like Founder's. They also have a good selection of Belgians and more pricey single bottles. It's the only place in town to find Lindemans, for example.

Overall, this place is great.

Ok, I'm somewhat deprived in Shreveport of places heavy on selection, so upon walking into Dirk's Filet and Vine in Montgomery, I was impressed.

I have been to stores with much greater selection, but not since living in Colorado Springs. One complaint would be that some of these beers have exceeded their "best by" date, but this is the cost of such a breadth of stock in an area only moderately disposed to craft breweries.

On talking to the staff, they are well informed about their stock. In addition, they lean forward in trying new seasonals and offerings from their suppliers, providing current intel on what's just come out.

The food is supposed to be outstanding, though I have yet to try it. it's a great market, with a variety of both beer and wine. What more need be said to be the best in Montgomery?

Derk's Filet and Vine was the only place in Montgomery to get any beer beyond BMC for quite some time. They were supportive of Free the Hops' efforts to expand the beer availability in the state, and they have taken advantage of the greater brew offerings. With the success of FtH, other stores in town have opened or expanded to compete with Derk's, but none have proven to be able to compete with the selection or the quality of service at Filet and Vine.

A - Derk's Filet and Vine is four shops under one roof - beer store, wine shop, 'gourmet' grocery and butcher, and neighborhood 'Meat & Three' style restaurant

Q - Derk's typically has the freshest selection of brews in the area

Service - I have yet to meet an employee that is unfriendly or unwilling to help with any request. The entire staff is obviously aware that service makes all the difference in their line of business (businesses -- see atmosphere). Derk (owner) is helpful in selecting new brews and knowledgeable in offering opinions of them.

Selection - Any beer that is available (bottles or cans) in the area will be found here. If they don't have it on the shelf, and it is available elsewhere in the state, they will "encourage" the local distributor to bring the brew to MGM.

V - best selection + competitive prices = good value

My friend's father is actually the owner of this store. Pretty nice little shop. Had the best selection that I've seen in alabama. The only frustrating thing is that they didn't carry any terrapin brews at all. But they had lots of bells and great divide. One attendant informed me that they were doing a bells tasting this week but she didn't seem to know much else about the beer. The only drawback was the prices, which were a buck or two more than competing stores. But I will definitely be back. Great stop if you're in the area.

EDIT
I finally got to talk to Derk and he is quite knowledgable about beers and breweries in the area.

Stopped by here after lunch at MBC after a recent trip.

Quality is good. A bit less than half the beer is in coolers and the rest of the beer is on shelves away from light. I did (knowingly) pick up some beer that on the older side (Abita Mardi Gras Bock) so be wary of freshness.

Service was good. I didn't have to wait long in line and everyone was friendly enough.

Selection was good. I definitely noticed they already had some good higher ABV offerings. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of locals (Good People, Olde Town (sp?)) and semi-locals (only Lazy Magnolia was the Southern Pecan), but they did have a solid selection.

Value is alright. I feel like the prices were a bit higher than normal but that may be because of taxes rather than the store.

Overall this place wasn't terribly impressive but they certainly do have a solid selection. Worth a stop if you're in the area.

My first trip to Alabama and I found Derk's Filet and Vine on BA. I decided to check it out even though it was a little later than most places in Montgomery are open. To my suprise when we rolled up the doors were open and the lights were on.

The store wasn't open....wasn't "open", however, my friend and I were welcomed with open arms. Derk and a group of his friends were having a small beer tasting to celebrate Alabama coming into the twenty first century and allowing 6% beers into the state. We were welcomed in as one of the group and invited to partake in the festivities...food, beer, friendship. what a great assest to the Montgomery community not only as a beer, food and wine establishment, but also as a sample of the local southern charm we have heard so much about.

You have to hit up Derk's shop if you are within a few hours of Montgomery. The prices are truly better than anywhere else in the state and they make a real effort to have everything legally available.
From California to Belgium and all over the US, Derk has a great selection and I will be back any time I am in the area. I was happy to see the great selection of Great Divide, North Coast, Tommy Knocker, Unibrou, and others.

Thanks Derk! I will be back.

Derk's Filet And Vine in Old Cloverdale is the "go to" beer and wine shop for Central Alabama. There is a nice selection of warm and cold beer available as well as a great wine selection. Also, if there is particular beer you're looking for Derk will make efforts to get it to his store. They have a deli and an eating area to enjoy a quick meal. I've shopped here a few times for my beer and have always been treated friendly and waited on quickly. I will go back often in the future. Easily the best beer selection in Montgomery.

Edit: 10/22/2009-- After the success of Free the Hops and the signing of the bill by our Governor, Derk's is even better now than ever. Without a doubt the best selection in Montgomery. Many high gravity beers and Belgians.

Derk's Filet and Vine is a wonderful beer alcove in Montgomery. Derk stocks a fine selection of fine beers that lean a bit more towards the imports than domestic craft. There is even a helping of single beers up front in a small beverage cooler. Service is good--he'll order things for you and always is happy to make recommendations. Over half of the beer is kept refrigerated, too, so it's all going to be pretty fresh. The best thing about Derk's Filet and vine is the pricing, however. He carries everything for almost a dollar or more cheaper than I can find it in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham. Great prices and a great selection make Derk's one of the best stores in all of Alabama, and definitely the best in Montgomery. Stopping at Derk's is a must for anyone in central or lower Alabama.