Libation Station

Libation StationLibation Station
Libation StationLibation Station
Store

4471 N Roan St
Ste 1
Johnson City, Tennessee, 37615-4487
United States

(423) 928-6667 | map
libationplaza.com

Beers sold as singles or in packages. Growlers filled to order.
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.26
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
16
pDev:
10.56%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.21/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Mid sized joint with a friendly and knowledgable fellow behind the counter....pretty darn large selection of the good stuff you are looking for, including loads of fresh cans of the local juiced n hazy creations...plus a load of cans and bottles from a host of local, regional and a smattering of national, and international heavy weights...business includes a growler filling option and a busy cigar sales area...very worthy spot if in this area. Im told this place has exceptional selection for the area...I was no complaining...well worth a visit
Jan 15, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by Davit from California

Jul 27, 2019
Photo of kidthunder
Reviewed by kidthunder from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
I echo the comments posted by JLSIV.

The best place to get quality beer in the tri-cities. One of my personal favorite offerings of Libation Station is the "mystery pack" - a paper bag wrapped 6-pack with an unknown selection of beers inside. May be a craft beer, may be a Heineken. A great way for me to leave my beer comfort zone by way of roulette.

Easily the best selection and best variety of beers for 60 miles.
Sep 04, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by MsShira08 from Tennessee

Jul 25, 2014
Photo of WillieThreebiers
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Best selection in east Tennessee. 4 cases of single cans and bottle and another dozen of 4 and 6 packs plus large self of bombers in center of the floor. A dozen taps for growler fills. Plenty of local and regional choices. And there is a cigar lounge in the back.
Jul 11, 2014
Photo of JLSIV
Reviewed by JLSIV from Georgia

3.74/5  rDev -12.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
The only beer place worth a stop in the Tri-Cities. Their selection suffers from the BS beer and ale laws in TN. That being said, the place is a Godsend for a beer lover in NE TN.

I was a little disappointed when they added the cigar lounge…I could live w/o the smell, but I am sure the cigar aficionados see the need for it the same as I do for beer.

One of the best Rogue collections I've seen out East. Also stocks good amounts of German beers, and gave a great price on case. I also had very good luck with the mini kegs, and the option to get one cold is great.

I too had some marginal stuff out of the growler, but it is probably hard to keep that going. East TN has some weird beer tastes, people will pay $$ for crap fake moonshine, but stick to Coors light. Not really the stores fault.

Very adjacent to I-26, take Boones Creek exit east about a mile.
May 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by RWLawman from North Carolina

May 02, 2014
Photo of RyanPoff
Reviewed by RyanPoff from Tennessee

4.26/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5
As soon as you enter Libation Station, you see coolers full of beer on the edges of the facility, a large selection of bombers in the middle, with a large selection of tobacco behind the counter and in the "Ligero" lounge at the back. The place smells like an aromatic cigar and gentleman's den. For what is essentially a beer store and a head shop, the presentation and smell can't get any better.

I have never needed help with anything other than filling growlers, but service has always been helpful, if a bit stretched because the place gets busy. It is the only store of its kind in the area. Other package stores sell craft beer, but nothing to the extent this place does.

My one major complaint is that the beer I've had from the growler stands has been a bit flat on the two occasions I've bought it. I bought some Highland Cold Mountain and it sucked on the growler compared to the bottles I bought another beer (don't even remember what it was) and it was so bad it went down the drain. They compensated me for it, but it was still a nuisance. I don't buy their draft beer anymore. Others seem to have had better results or are less picky. All of the bottled beer I've bought has been of optimal quality.

Selection is virtually every regional, along with virtually every Rogue in bombers, and some assorted foreign beers and macros. Some other beers from around the nation make it in here. Libation may not have quite as wide as selection as Brusin Ales in Asheville, but it's cheaper and has beers that are probably more relevant to the regular drinker.

Plaza Package sells the high gravity stuff that Libation Station cannot, but they share a parking lot and should be considered one shop. This is due to TN's draconian alcohol laws and not the shops themselves, so you can't fault them.

This is the top beer shop in the area and one of the top I've been to period. Markups are small over major supermarkets for equivalent products, usually less than 10%
Jan 01, 2014
Photo of dbell23
Reviewed by dbell23 from Tennessee

4.81/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
I am a long time customer of Libation. I don't shop there as much as I used to because of Tennessee's stupid beer laws. 6.25% is as high as they can sell and I like high gravities. The liquor store next door is a partner store and they have a great selection of high gravs but they are pricey. Monthly trips to Asheville take care of my high grav needs at a super price.

Both Libation and the liquor store have everything that is available in our area. That's why they get 5's in quality and selection. They have the best selection in this part of Tennessee. The growler station has a great selection but again, less than 6.25.

Service is almost always great. Sometimes a clerk from the liquor store fills in and they aren't as knowledgable as the regulars. The guys at Libation are always ready to talk beer and they know their stuff.

My problem with atmosphere is the cigar smoke. I don't smoke and they have a cigar bar in the back so you can smell it. It's not bad but I'm not a fan of smoke.

Overall, this is by far the best beer store in our area. When state laws change and they offer high gravity growlers, I'll visit more regularly but until then the grocery stores in Asheville supply my beer needs at grocery store prices.
Nov 09, 2013
Photo of beerohya
Reviewed by beerohya from Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
I have stopped there a few times recently mainly because of the reviews here and I have to agree with most, this is quite a beer destination. One side as noted with <6% craft/macro beer mainly and an awesome 28 tap growler filling station with great local and regional craft beer plus a good lineup of Rogue beers. The person minding this side was friendly and gave me samples and recommendations, nice to have that happen.

On the liquor side where all the "big" beers are, they had a huge selection of local and east /west coast craft beers along with tons of European beer. Everything from new Belgium triple, green flash, samiclause, chimay, farmales just a great selection and reasonably prices.

the folks working this side asked me if I found everything and let me know some of the special they had going on bourbon and such, nice. If your anywhere near here I would recommend to stop by, you won't be disappointed.
Sep 26, 2013
Photo of humuloner22
Reviewed by humuloner22 from North Carolina

3.34/5  rDev -21.6%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.75 | selection: 4
I have been in here a few times, only because I live in a different state and there is a liquor store next door. The liquor store part has an amazing selection of whiskey and every type of spirit that my state does not have. You also have to go to the liquor store side to get beer with I think above 6% abv. beer, which is strange, but that is the odd things you find in the South. The service on the liquor store side is much better than the lower abv. side. The day I went a surly clerk was in there and was not of much help. I asked a few questions about some things I was looking for and he acted uninterested. Other than him the store was alright, but they didn't really have anything I couldn't already find in my home state. But for those living in the tricities area they do have the best selection I could find around there and although this is a beer store review the liquor store side is top notch and you can find some real treasures in higher alcohol brews.
Feb 10, 2013
Photo of Imstillthegman
Reviewed by Imstillthegman from Delaware

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
Stopped into the store while traveling south to Brewgrass in Asheville. I was quite surprised by what I found. As other reviewers have mentioned, it kinda two stores. Lower abv brews are located in the "left" store along with a ton of cigars, while the higher abv brews are in the "right" store with the wine and liquor. Crazy TN laws....

The selection surprised me, especially seeing McNeills. Haven't seen their beer anywhere other than New England. They also had about 10 taps for growler fills. I picked up a growler of Depot Street Harvest Special...a sweet potato brew. Prices were reasonable. I will be back when in town again. This place gives me a reason to go visit some family that lives there!
Sep 21, 2010
Photo of SmasNadroj
Reviewed by SmasNadroj from Tennessee

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
Libation is my go to beer store for stuff under 6%. When I first found this place it was a godsend because we don't have any other beer stores around- at least none worth it. Next door (same owner) is plaza package store that has the best selection of above 6% abv beers around (in TN, +6% has to be sold in liquor stores)

Great selection- lots of micros and craft breweries, good amount of imports from germany and the uk, and about any kind of tobacco (cigs and cigars, not much pipe tobacco though) one could want. They have ten or so near-constantly rotating taps for filling growlers. They get new stuff in whenever its available and can order lots of different craft kegs in about 2 days time. (Nothing beats having a kegger with legit stuff)

This place is a regular stop of mine, as is plaza next door. Its about 2 minutes from I 26, off the boones creek exit so its well worth the "trip."
Apr 12, 2010
Photo of CpnYates
Reviewed by CpnYates from Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -16.7%
After reading the reviews on this and other sites I decided to make the trek down to Johnson City while in Bristol. The location is pretty easy to find, in a little strip mall of a major road, a couple miles outside of "downtown" Johnson city.

Anyhow walked in and got a how you doing from the guy behind the counter. He ignored us until we left.

I didn't think the selection was anything special- probably due to TN's arcane laws. What they did have seemed fresh, and I liked the idea of a mystery 6 pack for 6.99. The prices were pretty spot on, maybe 50 cents more than you'd pay at a large grocer. The growler refils averaged 11 dollars. the growler itself was 5. They also had a large, nice selection of high end cigars.

Anyhow a good selection, nothing outstanding.

Also stopped into the package store next door. They have a nice selection of High ABV beers but are waaay overpriced.
Apr 05, 2010
Photo of 1111k
Reviewed by 1111k from Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
I was very impressed with Libation Station. They had a decent selection of lower alcohol beers. Tennessee has a rule about selling anything above 6 % in a beer store. They have decent selections of micros in stock, a large selection of English christmas beers, some German beers (mainly the Ayinger line) and a couple Belgians from Bruges I had not encountered before. Ten taps are at the ready and I had a growler filled for $10 dollars. The taps ranged from domestic micros to imported german beer and a belgian wit. No macros were on tap which is good thing in my book. The higher alcohol Belgians are located next door in the liqour store (Plaza Liquor). Again, I was impressed with the selection and managed to find quite a few Belgians to purchase at prices I woudl expect in the $9 to $15 range. I noticed a few Jeroboams in stock as well. All said between the Libation Station and the Plaza liquor store next door there were probably 250 selections or more. The counter help in Libation was friendly and open for questions. I have no way to confirm this but was told by the sales clerk they have the largest selection of beers between Roanoke, Virginia and Knoxville, TN. But, I think Blacksburg's Vintage Cellar has them beat as far as numbers.
Nov 30, 2009
Photo of SFLpunk
Reviewed by SFLpunk from Vermont

3.99/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
The best place in the area to buy beer. The selection is great for both micro brews and imports.

Micros from MO, CO, NC, SC, TN, VT, and TX just to name a few.

Interesting and unique imports (i.e. not Import macros) from Asia, New Zealand, Belgium, and lots of cool German brews.

Offer about 10 different draft lines to fill growlers and had on everything from local Depot Street Brewery to some tasty German selections.

Small selection of high-end glass ware and a full, HUGE selection of tobacco (cigars, etc).

The guy was friendly but seemed like he was under the weather, so the service was just ok. But if you're in the area, this is the place to go, for sure!

EDIT 12/27/11: This place has seriously expanded, beautiful store, !HUGE! walk-in humidor, 27 taps for growler filling, large selection of under 6% ABV beers, friendly staff, and a private cigar lounge (members only).
Nov 12, 2009
Libation Station in Johnson City, TN
Place rating: 4.26 out of 5 with 16 ratings