Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor

Connecticut Avenue Wine & LiquorConnecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor
Connecticut Avenue Wine & LiquorConnecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor
Store

1529 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, District of Columbia, 20036-1103
United States

(202) 332-0240 | map

Closed on Sundays.
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.3
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
56
pDev:
9.3%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Zonian1
Reviewed by Zonian1 from Ohio

4.3/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Although I've been to Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor a few times over the past few years, I had never rated or reviewed this unusual spot. Time to fix that. I recently stopped in the shop in early Feb 2018 while on a business trip. As others have said, this store is tiny. They really only have 2 or 3 stacks of beer-oriented shelves. So they don't have room for a broad selection of beers. But they almost always have something interesting. There are sometimes hefty price mark-ups, so don't expect to find any bargains here.

On my Feb 2018 visit, they had several cases of 2017 BCBS and BCBBW on the floor. Price per bottle was $14.99 (about a 50% markup from what I paid in KY on Black Friday.) But since I was not able to find a BW on Black Friday, I picked one up. A shipment of Singlecut's Punk with a Stutter had arrived that day, and they had a couple of cases of Heavy Boots of Lead. Also some Modern Times offerings, and FW XXI ($15).

The shop is conveniently close to the north entrance of the Dupont Circle Metro stop.
Feb 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by PrestigeWorldwide from Michigan

Dec 10, 2017
Photo of grover37
Reviewed by grover37 from District of Columbia

3.94/5  rDev -8.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Small but well curated selection. Typically a dollar more than most places on most large format bottles. Rare bottles tend to hang around an extra day or two here, so sometimes you get lucky.
Oct 07, 2017
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
A small but very good place to find some rare beers. The prices are a bit on the high side, but worth not having to run around to find those rare beers.
Feb 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.43 by Squire from Mississippi

Jun 27, 2016
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.79/5  rDev -11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4
Small, but excellent selection of higher end beers. Prices match rarity. No bargains to be found, but all top notch. Easy to get to, very convenient to Metro and downtown businesses and hotels.
Jan 15, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by Iamjeff6 from Virginia

Dec 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by ChrisinRI from Rhode Island

Jun 23, 2015
Photo of NickyHouHou
Reviewed by NickyHouHou from District of Columbia

5/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
For any newcomer to the craft beer scene, one hopes to find a retail outlet that has very knowledgable staff, an eclectic selection of readily accessible and hard-to-find brews, and the patience to help aforementioned newcomers. That place is Connecticut Avenue Liquors, right in the heart of DC's famous Dupont Circle. It's no wonder DCBeer.com lists them as a prime location to purchase beer. On a search for a limited release brew, I phoned them for an inquiry. Not only did they have it, but they said they would put it aside for me. After I got there, I ended up finding some other fantastic limited release items. I also ended up talking with the manager, and... Well, let's just say that I ended up walking out with an EXTREMELY rare find! If you're ever in the DC area, it is worth the trip to Connecticut Ave. Liquors!
May 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.83 by djhowell from Wisconsin

Apr 30, 2015
 
Rated: 4.22 by lorenwhite7 from Virginia

Mar 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by 31Sam13 from New Hampshire

Mar 16, 2015
Photo of DCgolfpro
Reviewed by DCgolfpro from Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -20.9%
Of the dozen times I've been here I've only had a good customer service experience once and that was 5 years ago. Their selection has dwindled significantly now that the don't bother with the gray market items anymore. You also often find that the good beer is reserved for "regulars", although they won't define what that actually means. My guess is that it means, "employees".
Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by GeorgiaBeerGuy from Georgia

Nov 06, 2014
Photo of amstokesdb9
Reviewed by amstokesdb9 from Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -18.6%
I guess this place used to be better than it is now. I have been a few times and yes they do have some rare things but nothing to get really excited about, no out of distribution beers here anymore. I have never found the staff to be particularity friendly either, in stark contrast what past reviews said. The bottle shops in VA have better selecting, service, and pricing anyway. Overall, it's worth a stop if you are in Dupont but don't make a special trip.
Oct 21, 2014
Photo of doremite
Reviewed by doremite from Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%
From Boston. Gave it a shot curious what I might find in the DC market. Wasn't blown away by the selection. Walked out with some decent bottles but don't expect any rarities. Selection didn't strike me as overly creative but that said plenty of good stuff to choose from. Just nothing that really excited me. Jolly Pumpkin, Allagash, Bruery, Mikkeller, Goose Island respectable larger production type inventory. Also found price points pretty high. Perhaps 10% higher than I am used to at pricey bottle shops in Boston.
Aug 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by bigred89 from Maryland

Aug 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Shootpassbeerme from District of Columbia

Aug 02, 2014
Photo of LukeMarson
Reviewed by LukeMarson from Texas

3.5/5  rDev -18.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Obviously not the beer stockist it was, the selection was reasonable but nothing great. Some nice rarities hidden between some 75cl bottles and Belgian beers. Not many rarities (I did get Maine Beer Zoe and Founders Devil Racer TIPA) and not wide selection. However, if wine and liquor are your thing then you've come to the right place!
Jun 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by threedaggers from Kentucky

May 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by jtladner from District of Columbia

Mar 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota

Mar 08, 2014
Photo of alexk307
Reviewed by alexk307 from Maryland

3.45/5  rDev -19.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 2
Dragged my girlfriend all the way across the city to this place with the promise that they would have a good selection of rare beers and stuff I cant find around the area.

I was extremely let down. They didn't have ANY Founder's or Bell's. Nothing that interesting there and no traces of any of the other rare beers that have been mentioned in other reviews.

Good for a quick six pack of beer if you're in the neighborhood, but overall, a waste of time.
Jan 26, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Packlifenc from North Carolina

Jan 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by CuriousMonk from District of Columbia

Nov 19, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by polopaul20 from Maryland

Nov 15, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by BillRoth from Maryland

Nov 11, 2013
Photo of Prince_Casual
Reviewed by Prince_Casual from District of Columbia

4.72/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
I stopped by the store on a day off today to see what was available. They didn't have all of the brands mentioned in earlier reviews of the shop (no RR, cigar city, floyds) but I still call what they had 5/5. Long gone from other stores Evil Twin, bunch of Surly, awesome Oude/ Gueze selection. Of the stuff they had that I 'know the going rate for' for available Bruery, Firestone, etc I thought their prices were more than fair.

It was a weds morning so I didn't get (or request) much by way of service, as they was only a security type guy and the cashier but both friendly and helpful.

I'd say they wine selection appeared great if you're a >$50 a bottle type shopper. Not many places put $80 Burgundies on 50% off closeout but I guess space is tight. Also one of the more extensive vintage champagne selections I've seen.

I'll definitely make this place one of my stops in DC especially if I'm hitting the P St WFM, as a nice parking spot is appropriate for both. Fun old city neighborhood (at least during the day) with old book stores etc taboot.
Jul 24, 2013
Photo of Axnjxn
Reviewed by Axnjxn from North Carolina

4.64/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Extremely amazing selection of beer here that you should not be able to get in the area. I dont know how they had Surly, Alpine and RR when i went there but they had tons. I was shocked. Prices were very high but considering you cant get this selection anywhere else i didnt mind. if you dont mind paying top dollar for rare beers then this place is for you. They have mostly unrefrigerated bombers / 750mls bottles, as the emphasis is on rarity and not sixers/quantity. If youre in DC and a beer enthusiast you must stop here.
May 27, 2013
Photo of WillCarrera
Reviewed by WillCarrera from Ohio

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Atmosphere - Pretty straightforward liquor store atmosphere, pleasant place. It does have a great location, it's literally across the street from the DuPont Circle Metro station, so it's easily accessible from pretty much anywhere in the city.

Quality/Service - The service is great, the staff are really friendly and their beer guy is helpful with questions and knowing when/if certain things are coming in.

Selection - Ridiculous. Their beer section is small but very well-curated. I seriously don't know how they get some of this stuff, but I've seen Russian River, Alpine, Three Floyds, Pipeworks, Deschutes, The Bruery, Surly and Cigar City on their shelves. There's also a section for six packs in the fridge that has a solid selection as well.

Price - It varies, but generally slightly pricey, although there are more expensive places within walking distance of here. Local/broad distribution stuff is reasonably priced for the DC area, but the crazy stuff like Alpine and Three Floyds are extremely expensive and I usually only buy those if it's something I'm dying to try.

Overall this is one the best places for beer in DC, despite the price their selection is unbeatable and is probably one of the only places on the East Coast that gets some of the stuff in their selection, definitely worth a visit if you're in the DC area.
Nov 02, 2012
Photo of gglammi
Reviewed by gglammi

4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
I am very fortunate to have this place just around the corner from my office in Dupont Circle. It's a small place and their selection is not huge, but it's big-time quality over quantity. They get stuff that no one else in DC gets, such as Pliny the Elder and beers from Surly. They also have a great selection of Belgian beers. Supply and the rarity of some beers certainly dictate the prices, which can be high, but everything is relative. Al the beer guy is great, and sends out an email to let customers know when new stuff comes in. He'll even hold a bottle for you if you call and ask. The store is right across from the Dupont Circle Metro station North exit, so if you're in town, it's easy to get to.
Jul 27, 2012
Photo of Mscarpen
Reviewed by Mscarpen from Tennessee

4.74/5  rDev +10.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Was visiting the DC area and looked to the tried and true BA ratings for guidance. This place hit my top three "must visit" locations but was the last for me to visit due to the location of my hotel. Of the three I visited, Connecticut Ave Wine and Liquor easily had the smallest selection, but of what they DID HAVE, good lord!

Parabola, Sucuba, Juliet, Supplication, Fruet, and on and on. The beer department manager, Al, was both very knowledgeable and just a plain cool dude. He said they work to get the good stuff in and don't really have any limitations on the distributors they can bring in. He explained that if it was in their network he could get it. If it was outside, they still could but had to buy at retail, which explained the $29.99 price point for Supplication. But hey, I'd personally rather see them bring it in an make their margins than not bring them in at all.

Scored a Parabola and a Sucuba for $16.99 a pop and left VERY happy. Thanks again to Al for hooking me up.

In my book, the best bottle shop I found during my visit to DC!
Jun 20, 2012
Photo of ThisWangsChung
Reviewed by ThisWangsChung from Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
In my opinion, this is one if the better places to find beer rarities in the DC area.

First off, it's quite small, so on busier nights, expect to be a little cramped. There isn't a huge selection - but you can usually count on finding several great harder-to-find beers here. I found some RR Supplication - but it was $30, so I didn't bite the bullet. I did bite the bullet on bottles of Sucaba and GI Juliet, though (both $17). For lulz, they even offer a few BMC choices, and of course, they have a very solid wine and spirits selection, as well (I briefly considered getting a bottle of EC12 bourbon).

In general, their beer prices are on par for the DC area - but if you ever see something out of area like Three Floyds, AleSmith, or Russian River, expect to pay out the ass for it. Personally, I'd rather learn the basics of trading when I get the opportunity to do so, but it's damn good to know I can just ride the Metro up here and snag something special.

If you're looking to do beer shopping in bulk, look elsewhere - such as the Whole Foods Market nearby on P St. between Logan Circle and 16th St. If you're hoping to snag some of the latest hard to find beers, this is the place to go in DC. I'll definitely be back when I get the chance.
Jun 18, 2012
Photo of DWolf
Reviewed by DWolf from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5
In DC for business and researched beer stores near my hotel. Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor did not disappoint, nor the reviews which led me here. The selection isn't broad, but the offerings are pretty top notch. Al knows his beer and is very friendly and helpful. Upon speaking with him, and learning that I was looking for some things I couldn't get where I live, he was all kinds of helpful. The mark-ups were a little steep, but you get what you pay for, as the saying goes. Conveniently located in DuPont Circle, this tiny shop is definitely worth a visit if you are in our nation's capitol.
Mar 05, 2012
Photo of risenc
Reviewed by risenc from District of Columbia

5/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I used to live in Washington, D.C. and I came to rely on this place for getting hard-to-find beers; I live in New York City now, but I still stop by whenever I'm in town. Al is a great beer guy, and a great guy as well -- always has a few minutes to catch up. DC is fast becoming one of the East Coast's best beer cities (not a lot of brewers, but a lot of great bars and stores), and CAWLD is a critical part of that growth. They've usually got all the latest regional products, but they've got a great and constantly rotating selection of Midwest and West Coast brews as well.
Feb 03, 2012
Photo of Chaney
Reviewed by Chaney from District of Columbia

4.6/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Even though I have moments when I'm genuinely conflicted about this place and its mission of pulling "out of market" brews, placing them on the shelf many miles from their intended targets, and then charging an arm and a leg for them, I find myself gravitating to this place quite often.

Atmosphere: This is located right off the DuPont Circle Metro stop and is a hop, skip, and a jump away from some of my favorite restaurants and hangs in DC.

They have restructured in the last year or so and that is a very good thing. With the small amount of space that is allotted here, I'm glad the deli is gone. In its place... more shelves... for beer... gotta love it!

Quality and Service: Al, the beer guru, is the absolute bomb! He always remembers your face, and is passionate about some of the cool beers that he can get... and WILL get! My advice is to speak with him and get on his email list, that way you will always be aware of the cool beers that he works hard to attain.

Selection: This is NOT the place to take an out of towner looking for local brews. There is very little (if any) DC Brau, Lost Rhino, and Heavy Seas here. This place is about pleasing us DC beer geeks, and to that end, Al is a force to be reckoned with...

A non-comprehensive list of the beers that I've seen at this place: Most of the biggie brews from Lost Abbey, FFF, Surly, Dark Horse, and Cigar City (just bought a Zukov the other day). More: Heady Topper, Alpine: Nelson, Speedway Stout, Older Viscosity, Victory at Sea, and many, many others. Catch my drift?

Value: This place is expensive according to what I'm use to, no doubt. $20 for a bottle of Dreadnaught? Jeez... But look at it this way: If you don't have access to the beer and have to trade for it, it will cost you about as much in the long run due to shipping, hassle, etc...

If you're local and a beer geek... look no further.
Dec 23, 2011
Photo of manOfminneapolis
Reviewed by manOfminneapolis from District of Columbia

4.44/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
As far as DC liquor stores go, this place has a wide range of high-end brews. Both the coolers are stocked with a nice selection of less pricey beer. Unfortunately, the prices go up for harder to find brews, but I found that reasonable. The usual suspect 6-packs were in line with what I see around town.

Al is the beer guy there and I spoke to him briefly. He is a very nice guy, knows his stuff, and is big on customer service. If you have a question or want to if they are or will be carrying a certain item, call in advance or seek him out in the store.
Nov 20, 2011
Photo of fountainofyouth
Reviewed by fountainofyouth from District of Columbia

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
This place is conveniently located in Dupont Circle, right by the Metro and next to Kramerbooks. The place itself is small and a little cramped, with alcohol from floor to ceiling.

Staff is friendly enough, with someone checking to make sure you've found everything if you're searching for a while.

Superb selection of 22 oz. bottles, and pretty good in the way of six-packs. They go pretty heavy on the seasonals. There are several shelves stocked only with abbey ales and Imperial stouts.

Prices are very good considering their variety and the neighborhood competition. The store at 1 West Dupont charges $17 for a six-pack of Bell's Double Cream Stout, but it's only $14 here. Ayinger Celebrator was also several bucks cheaper for a four-pack.
Nov 01, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Nice little place not too far at all from the Dupont Circle station, so plenty accessible to travelers. By not too far, I mean about twenty steps from the northern exit to the station. Small place on the corner, beer is to the left and back once you walk in. Not a huge number of beers, but there isn't much of anything there that I wouldn't mind drinking.

Al is great and always extremely helpful. The e-mail updates aren't frequent, but normally contain a few gems. Connecticut Ave. is perhaps the best in DC at taking advantage of the liquor laws and bringing in plenty of out-of-market beers. While they're generally pricey, it's nice to have that option. Most of the time these beers are fresh -- e.g., in the past week I've seen Deschutes Inversion IPA and Surly Furious that were less than a month old -- though occasionally some things slip, so I wouldn't grab anything hoppy without a date code.

All in all, definitely a place worth stopping. DC has pretty good distribution, and this becomes excellent when you add in the extra stuff available here.
Aug 13, 2011
Photo of alf212
Reviewed by alf212 from Pennsylvania

4.46/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Stopped by today as I was visiting my parents and some friends in DC.

Definitely a small selection, really small but I have to say if I had the money I would have no problem getting every kind of beer they stocked (at least what was on their shelf, they also carry some other more generic brands like stella, BMC, etc in their cooler).
I mean they had Russian River, Cigar City, Lost Abbey, Mikkeller, Fantôme and some other nice Belgians, and this is D.C were talking about. I don't live there anymore but as far as I remember DC seldom/never sported these kind of breweries.

Quality was great but there are some draw backs: 1) DAMN PRICEY. some stuff was decently priced but then you'd have a couple $30 750 ml bottles. 2) Not all that much to offer. They only had 3 shelves of beer in a tiny little corner. The store is small though so whatever it's not like you're expecting a beer warehouse anyways.

If you're in DC you have to go to this spot and if you don't mind walking home or wherever with your beer, its right next to the red line Dupont Circle metro stop.
May 21, 2011
Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor in Washington, DC
Place rating: 4.3 out of 5 with 56 ratings