New Beer Distributors

New Beer DistributorsNew Beer Distributors
New Beer DistributorsNew Beer Distributors
Store

167 Chrystie St
New York, New York, 10002-2809
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.21
Reviews:
138
Ratings:
161
pDev:
12.11%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mgoblue5743:
Photo of mgoblue5743
Reviewed by mgoblue5743 from Florida

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
This is a small, kind of dirty store in the middle of no where that happens to have a terrific collection of craft beer.

The staff is very knowledgeable and they usually have some interesting growler selections.

The other downside (other than appearance) to this place is that they have raised the prices on their rare beers. For example, last year the Goose Island BCCS was $13, this year it is $20, even though Amity Hall (a nearby bar) had the same bottle for over $18. They also priced some cigar city stuff higher than anyone else in the city.

Overall, it's a great place, but you can expect to pay NY prices for any great finds.
Oct 18, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of frozyn
Reviewed by frozyn from New York

3.86/5  rDev -8.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5
As others have stated, this isn't the nicest set up in the city (understatement), but I've never had a bad experience here. If you take the time to look around, you can find some really good deals, and I haven't found a wider selection of imported beers (yet). Others have astutely pointed out to avoid IPAs, but take a look at the date if something piques your fancy as I've gotten lucky a few times.

Overall, worth a stop if you're in the area or if you're looking for imports.
Dec 20, 2016
 
Rated: 4.59 by Ctb6582 from Maryland

Sep 17, 2016
Photo of Jerseyislandbeer
Reviewed by Jerseyislandbeer from Jersey

3.97/5  rDev -5.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
My first stop in NYC for bottled beer to take home. It's a Warehouse & after 10 minutes a was asked if I wanted any help. What seemed to me to be a very good selection of beer from all over the world but I was after NY brewed bottles, which I found plenty and was able to split the 6 packs. Also found a number from breweries in CT as well as New Belgium, NC
May 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.37 by bgold86 from New York

Jan 25, 2016
Photo of neckbeardahab
Reviewed by neckbeardahab from New York

2.74/5  rDev -34.9%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4
there is some very old beer for sale here, I wouldn't buy anything that's not bottle dated or a one time current release. the brothers who run the place are honest about how long they've had things in my experience.
Oct 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.37 by StoutBoi from New York

Oct 02, 2015
 
Rated: 4.19 by dgilks from Australia

Apr 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by Figoeric710 from New York

Mar 20, 2015
Photo of Zekenyce
Rated by Zekenyce from New Jersey

4.79/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
My type of place. Great selection and maintained in ideal cellar conditions.

Best prices in town. Hands down.
Dec 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by jaymo18 from Virginia

Nov 06, 2014
Photo of JonahNW
Rated by JonahNW from California

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
Grimy, unassuming, very well-priced Valhalla for saisons, sours, Belgians
Nov 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by JohnG190 from New York

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by PVMT from New York

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Vizualize from New York

Aug 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Srkolodn from New York

Aug 08, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by sanhedrin from New York

Aug 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by rozzom from New York

Jul 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by markgugs from New Jersey

Jul 07, 2014
Photo of MisterBisco
Reviewed by MisterBisco from New York

3.32/5  rDev -21.1%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5
This is a curious place. Total warehouse feel. If you can hunt a staff person down, they range from snappy and unhelpful to warm and inviting.

Don't go for IPAs, unless it's something you know was released recently - the warehouse isn't temperature controlled, and their IPAs don't clear the shelves very quickly.

Some good values can be found, but overall found their prices to be average to pricey.

Worth stopping in if you're in the area, and it makes for a nice beer haul stop along with Whole Foods Bowery and Top Hops, both very close by.
Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by dtomes from New York

Jun 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Hutch517 from Connecticut

Jun 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by banger7 from California

May 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by timotao from New York

May 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by SimcoeKid from California

May 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by JohneHoodlum from Pennsylvania

Jan 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by SourAddict from Wisconsin

Oct 20, 2013
Photo of drewone
Reviewed by drewone from California

3.04/5  rDev -27.8%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3.25
Worth a stop as its around the corner from whole foods bowery. A large dark warehouse type space. Everything is out on shelfs, nothing is refrigerated. Don't expect service or to talk beer, but there is a wide selection and a few items that others don't carry. A wide import selection too.

No temp controller so i would generally avoid hoppy beers here unless I knew they were fresh.

One things I really like is you can buy a single of anything that sell, so I picked up quite a few 12oz that I wanted to try.

A lot of stock, so there seems to be a few things that linger here longer that other places, found a sixpoint 3bean (which turned out to be quite tasty).
Aug 22, 2013
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

4.04/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.75
Vibe: This isn't your typical Manhattan beer store as the back half functions as a warehouse and the front half features as a retail area. It's not uncommon to see kegs being wheeled out to the street for deliveries when you're shopping. The cashiers are located in a separate room behind a glass window and will manually add up your order.

Quality: This store has a large selection and doesn't have as much turnover as the nearby Whole Foods Bowery so sometimes you can find some aged beers without having to cellar them yourself.

Service: This is a family-run business so the staff is generally friendly. If you're there for a while, someone will usually ask you if you need any help. The only drawback about the store is that it's only open until 6 pm and closed on Sundays.

Selection: The store is a lot more organized than it was in past years and beers are mostly arranged on the shelves by country, most of which are available as singles. Just about all of the beers are stored warm, although there is a smaller cooler near the front opposite the cashiers and a small growler filler station. This store has hundreds of different beers and probably has the largest selection in New York City.

Value: Beer prices are very reasonable and slightly cheaper compared to other stores in the area such as Whole Foods and Top Hops.
Jun 24, 2013
Photo of Lare453
Reviewed by Lare453 from Florida

2.6/5  rDev -38.2%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 4
A a cement floor, no lighting, warehouse. It was hot as balls which can't be good for the beer.

Q there was a lot of beer, mostly fresh stuff.

S no one spoke English, there was one bald guy thre but he was very angry looking and didn't want anything to do with the customers. Pretty much a dick.

S lots of beer, the is a good import section but the were no gems in the domestic section. Bcbs for $8 a bottle.

V pretty expensive... Even for the city
Jun 20, 2013
Photo of BKBassist
Reviewed by BKBassist from New York

3.41/5  rDev -19%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
Essentially a warehouse/distribution center that also has a massive selection of bottles and cans.

Much of what has been said here is accurate. The selection is pretty incredible, from domestic craft to international macros and micros. The issue is freshness and storage conditions. The bottles are simply sitting out on shelves in a big warehouse. Definitely check your bottle dates on your IPAs and anything else you want fresh. But for your heartier styles this can be a true diamond in the rough.

I've never needed any service other than checking out, so I can't speak to that.

Overall, if you know what to look for, you can find great deals at this store, just don't go in blind.
May 22, 2013
Photo of cw577enfield
Reviewed by cw577enfield from Virginia

4.39/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75
WOW! One of the hugest craft beer selection I've seen in a long time. It's basically a warehouse of tall racks filled with beers that seems to reach up to the sky. Reasonably priced and it's where I got Black OPS at $19 each. I would advise to check dates for IPA since they don't exactly keep track of them. I found an IPA that's been on the shelf for two years after its original bottling date! Also, it's not exactly climate-controlled. No coolers, just bunch of tall racks. Nevertheless, it's a great place to hunt for hard-to-find bottles.
May 12, 2013
Photo of Nrbelex
Reviewed by Nrbelex from New York

4.81/5  rDev +14.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
A gem. Lisa and Harry are great, and the selection and pricing can't be beat, plus you're invited to break apart six-packs. Good hours, and occasional tasting events on their drafts. Wide selection, especially internationally. Extremely reasonable growler prices. More of a warehouse than a store, New Beer is truly one of the best beer spots in NYC.
Jan 16, 2013
Photo of brystmar
Reviewed by brystmar from Texas

3.71/5  rDev -11.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
*Was* my go-to beer store in NYC until I got more into the hobby. Regardless, the selection here is simply unmatched anywhere in Manhattan (and arguably in NYC), and their prices are rock bottom. It's not unusual for me to peruse the shelves at Whole Foods Bowery right up the street, then walk a few blocks down to New Beer to find the same bottles selling for 10% to 20% less. And compared to the ridiculous markups at places like Bierkraft, it isn't rare to save 50%!

However, there's no climate control anywhere in the store which means their arsenal of beers are subjected to significant temperature swings on a daily basis. For this reason alone, I will never purchase an IPA from them. Even worse, their inventory doesn't seem to turn over very often, and that means finding fresh beer is tricky (if not impossible).

Case in point: Founders' 2012 batch of Breakfast Stout arrived at most NYC retailers last week. New Beer had a few 4-packs of it on the shelves over the weekend, but upon closer inspection, *every* bottle in each of their 4-packs was from the 2011 batch. No fresh FBS anywhere in the store. I purchased a single 2011 FBS to try alongside the fresh stuff; it was oxidized to hell and vastly inferior to the recent batch. Shame on you, New Beer.

HUGE selection of Scandinavian imports. Tons of Belgians, including some sours. They typically have 4-5 taps for growler fills with brews ranging in quality from decent locals (Southampton, Capt Lawrence, Kelso) to highly-coveted gems (Founders KBS), but again, who knows how their kegs are stored...

Unprompted service is below average, but when you ask questions they typically know their stuff. Seems like a family business, and I've noticed they become more helpful after chatting with me on a few visits.

I prefer Top Hops. You might pay a few bucks more here and there (though not significantly!), but everything is properly stored, the service is a million times better, and Ted supports the beer trading community.
Sep 17, 2012
Photo of Guylefleur
Reviewed by Guylefleur from Lebanon

3.88/5  rDev -7.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Industrial layout, but it enables them they put a lot of beer on display. They have a very good selection of American Craft Beers, Belgian Beers and a decent selection from the rest of the world. Misses out on being world-class because they don't have any of the hard to find American craft beers. The Staff is willing and helpful. A couple of beers on tap and a toilet in the store which comes in handy if you plan on looking at their entire stock. Overall, worth the trip to New York's Lower East Side, a piece of history to toast your beer to.
Sep 08, 2012
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5
In town for the Whigs reunion show and New Beer is only a few blocks away.

Atmosphere: Look for the green awning. Once inside, expect a dimly lit store with checkout right upfront. Further towards the back, the cans lead things off. After that, and the can listing is impressive, the ales and lagers are segregated by country. Heavy focus on the US but the store amply stocks both.

Quality: A no frills, shop yourself store. At least one manager was walking the floor.

Service: The manager and two staffers were stacking, cleaning and running the place. I was greeted on entrance and didn't need any further help.

Selection: Top notch, rivaling and even surpassing the Whole Foods that is only a block and a half away. I can't really pinpoint which is better: the domestic or the imports as there are plenty of both. The can selection, including a few Japanese beers I'd never heard of. The bottles are plentiful and deep, if you can't find something here (and there is too much to start rattling off names) you are in trouble.

Food: The store smells snack food to go but this isn't a place that you'd eat at.
May 28, 2012
Photo of LeoPanna
Reviewed by LeoPanna from New York

4.8/5  rDev +14%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
How can people talk about Whole Foods in the Lower East Side without mentioning New Beer Distributors?!... This place is a craft beer drinkers OASIS.

I will tell you why this should be your go-to place.

#1 Prices.... you can't beat distributor prices combined with the ability to pull out single bottles from the pack. Old Rasputin for $2.50 a bottle? I'll take 3! Sam Smith pint bottles for $3-3.50? how can you say no? A whole wall full of rare and reasonable priced Belgian/Norwegian/Canadian beers? Hell yeah!

#2 Selection.... This place has it all. Well, not everything under the sun, but enough to try something new every time you visit. They have Eisbocks, Cans galore, plenty of Imperial Stouts, all the Trappists brews, Geuze and Lambic selections, rare beers from popular breweries (i.e Sierra Nevada, Troegs, Dogfish Head). . .

#3 Location... my favorite thing to do before visiting New Beer Distributors is go to Vanessa's Dumplings right around the corner. This is the best food deal in New York (8 dumplings and a Sesame Pancake for $3? come on)... If you like to budget and save money, this is a knockout duo, cheap good food and craft beer at distributor prices...

#4 Service... this place is family owned and treated as such. The main guy (don't know his name), isn't a beer snob. He knows about beer, but isn't a beer nerd/geek. This is actually great because it's humbling and brings you down to earth... He'll even order in beers if you request them. . .

#5 Temperature... nothing in fridges, everything is on the shelf, but the place is like a cellar (concrete walls, no heavy lights shining on the bottles). You get what you should as far as bottle temp.

The only downside? There is none. I don't have to deal with hipsters (BierKraft) or over-priced brews (BierKraft) or shitty snobby vibes from employees (BierKraft).

JUST DO IT
Apr 23, 2012
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5
The store has the feel of a wholesale warehouse with slightly dim lighting, that being said I like the place. It is a little dingy and oddly organized but one of my favorite places to beer shop in Manhattan.

They have a really good selection and everything is available in singles. I have found many a beer that no one else had still available at New Beer. Also, the staff seem to be quite the beer geeks and you often find some great beers that are pre-cellared for you (especially if you spend the time to really check the bottom shelves).

The staff is knowledgeable but not pushy, they can answer your questions if you have them but they are happy to let you wander and peruse the selections.

Prices seem to be on par with other stores in the area or sometimes just a shade cheaper.
Feb 24, 2012
Photo of peensteen
Reviewed by peensteen from Canada (ON)

4.34/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Low lit warehouse feel, not a ton of staff but the one or two people who were on the floor asked if I needed any help but I was more than happy to just browse around at their huge selection. All beers in 6/4 packs can be purchased as singles and a lot of beers here were a buck or two cheaper than the whole foods down the street. This was my second time visiting here and it's my favourite place to shop in NYC. Big selection of domestics and lots of Belgian and other imports. Found a few things here that weren't available at Whole Foods either.
Feb 15, 2012
New Beer Distributors in New York, NY
Place rating: 4.21 out of 5 with 161 ratings