Ramsey Liquors

Ramsey LiquorsRamsey Liquors
Ramsey LiquorsRamsey Liquors
Store

47 W Main St
Ramsey, New Jersey, 07446-1809
United States

(201) 327-0353 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.12
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
36
pDev:
8.74%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Jsalz21
Reviewed by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -33.3%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 2.75 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3
I've been going to this place since before I was old enough to drink, and now that i can, its pretty darn basic. It's a little dingy and the beer section is a awkward, and also kinda dusty to the point that I often wonder how old most of the bombers have been there. Most of the beer they have is pretty common, nothing too special that they won't have anywhere else, except for larger bottle stuff. If that's what you come here for you'll find a selection of imports and domestic, both of which are sometimes hard to find stuff. People that work there usually don't have much to say but I figure that's no big deal, as this is thats worth going to if you just need to get something pretty common and its on main street so...there you go.
Jan 24, 2017
Photo of SammyJaxxxx
Reviewed by SammyJaxxxx from New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -13.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Ramsey liquors is still a good store, but it used to be great. New owners took over about 9 months ago. While they have improved the look of the store, the knowledgeable people are gone and the selection is just average. The staff is very nice and helpful.
Sep 09, 2015
Photo of papat444
Reviewed by papat444 from Canada (QC)

4.09/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Pretty good selection but sadly they did not have Carton though the guy said they were hoping to rectify that soon. Staff was quite knowledgeable and there was lots of beer to choose from.
Jul 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by muskiesman from New Jersey

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by bobv from Vermont

Jul 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by markgugs from New Jersey

Jun 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Latarnik from New Jersey

May 26, 2014
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.75
The wife was working nearby in Franklin Lakes and I mapped out beer stores in the area. Ramsey is only a couple of miles down the street, so let's go... unimpressive from the street/parking lot and even once you go inside, but keep exploring!

This place has a small but outrageously impressive selection, mostly in bombers: 2011 Human Blockhead, Hebrew RIPA on Rye and Funky Jewbelation, Brewdog Tokio, Avery Samael 2011, Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Outta Kilter, Lost Abbey, Port Brewing, North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve 2009, Firestone Double DBA, Epic Big Bad Baptist... and more.

They also have a good amount of six-packs, both refrigerated and room temp, but you really should go for the bombers. There is some seriously vintage/rare stuff here!

Prices are very reasonable. For example, Double DBA is $13.99, which is at least ten dollars cheaper than in NYC. There is a helpful beer guy around if you have questions...
Jan 26, 2014
Photo of BeerLover99
Reviewed by BeerLover99 from Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
This is one of those stores that you would never think
has a fine craft beer selection and you would pass
it 100 times and not give it a second thought.

I'm glad I took a little drive and checked it out.

Very nice selection of 6 packs and bombers from
the East Coast and few gems Stone, etc. The
"good stuff" is located at the back left hand corner of
the store. (Dogfish Head, Great Divide, Founders,
Long Trail, Firestone Walker, Troegs, Yards, Oskar Blues,
Brooklyn, Sixpoint, Victory, Blue Point, etc.) They also
have a nice variety of imports from: Belgium, England,
Scotland, and Italy.

I would recommend this to other BAs and will
most assuredly putting this quaint shop into my
craft beer rotation. (MATT, the beer guy is a
great guy and will offer honest suggestions).
Sep 30, 2011
Photo of njmoons
Reviewed by njmoons from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
I wandered into to Ramsey Liquors just killing time, and was very pleasantly surprised. It is a large (not warehouse) community liquor store, and tucked in the back corner is a excellent selection of import and micro beers. There is also a great selection of glassware (although at 6'3" I can barely reach most of it). Last time I went I just came home with 2 beer glasses.

So they have a lot top offer when compared to the average store. Also their sorting of the beer makes more sense than most. One shelf has Belgium's (a huge selection) another British Isles, another Micro's etc. Seems like I can find what I am looking for faster.

So - not the biggest selection in NJ, but an excellent selection for a local store, and they carry beers I have not seen elsewhere.

Well Done!!
Feb 15, 2011
Photo of drewd0g
Reviewed by drewd0g from New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
I love how in NJ you can buy beer at the liquor store....this place is great. Loaded with Wine, Liquor, and Beer. The beer section is a little tight space wise, it's at the back of the store. It's not really an issue, but when the store is crowded (holidays) it can put a strain on your browsing. But a minor problem if it is one. the quality of beers available covers a wide range, they have the usual BMC products, a cooler full of many different styles of beers. On the shelves they carry some good sour's (lambic, gueze, etc.) Cantillon, Boon, Etc... they have a very wide selection of the beers available. They also have several different magnum size bottle available (saw a gigantic double bastard for ~$90. didn't check the exact volume tho, but it was large) and every time i'm in there someone always asks me if i need help. The guy with the mustache seemed to know his stuff too. Good Store, Check it out if your driving through northern New Jersey. It's the Ramsey / Lake St. Exit off of hwy 17. stay on lake street until you cross the train tracks and it's in the shopping center on the right.
Jan 01, 2011
Photo of infi
Reviewed by infi from New York

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
A retro-looking store on the outside with formidable selection on the inside. Tucked in the back corner are the shelves of numerous bottles of various breweries of the world, but mostly US and Europe. The selection is basically identical to DeCicco's Ardsley with a few standout bottles. The biggest plus for this place is definitely their price, with an average -$1-2/bottle, which is beautiful in the long run. But on the other hand, there were some bottles overpriced than what I've usually seen, like $12 for a 4-pk of 10/11 BBCS. Regardless, it's worth a visit; a great untold secret.
Oct 29, 2010
Photo of cpanossian
Reviewed by cpanossian from New York

3.7/5  rDev -10.2%
I work in the area but never ventured over to the little town of Ramsey. One of my colleagues is knows the area very well so we took an extended lunch break today to check out the beer selection at Ramsey Liqours.

I got to say I was both thrilled and relieved at both the quantity and quality of craft domestic beers and old world beers they stocked.

This area of Northern NJ is a veritible desert of quality beer retailing. In some ways that's good - I'm not compelled to go out beer hunting after work everyday.

While not the greatest selection in the Westchester County NY / Northern NJ area - I think that claim can be made by De Cico's in Ardsley NY - Ramsey Liquors did have a well managed and discerning selection of top quality German and Belgium beers as well as must-try domestic crafts like The Bruery (CA) and Saint Somewhere (FL).

Nothing too rare, but a lot of must-trys for the curious.
Oct 19, 2010
Photo of r0nyn
Reviewed by r0nyn from New York

4.65/5  rDev +12.9%
Having worked in Mahwah before, I was surprised to find a quality brew store so close by. A few exits down off of Route 17, Ramsey Liquors is located right off of Main Street.

Doesn't look like much on the outside, but thankfully we don't rate stores based on their looks. Inside is, as expected full to the brim of wines and spirits. Everything is neatly organized with helpful signs and tags. The whole place, while actually of a decent size, has a very homey feel to it.

The craft beer section is tucked away in the back corner of the store right next to the coolers. I was a little apprehensive at first because all I saw were a couple of shelves, but there's a small passageway to the back stock room that's lined with craft as well. A store employee asked me if I needed help finding something within 10 minutes of my arrival there and answered my questions about KBS (a winter release, darn!) and a few other beers. A friendly and personable customer experience.

The quality of the brews is quite good, with everything having reasonably fresh dates. The few beers that did have some age and dust on them were the big imperial stouts, and that is certainly not a problem at all. The selection is really where this store shines. Each shelf is labeled with the country of origin and there are several excellent examples of region beers on them. A lot of great Belgian stuff, including Boon, Achouffe, Cantillon. Tons of American breweries as well, including Rogue, Stone, Victory, DFH, Avery, Founders, North Coast and more.

The value is very, very good at this store, with many of the brews being priced lower than across the border in NY. I was on a budget, and it was very hard to leave with only a few bottles since the pricing there was extremely reasonable.

All in all, this is an excellent craft brew store with great value and a top notch selection of beer. I will definitely be revisiting this place.
Oct 19, 2010
Photo of soilworkkm
Reviewed by soilworkkm from New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
Went down here to snag some beers unavailable in New York and hit the jackpot. Convieniently located in a little strip mall, the place doesn't look like much from the outside but there were a number of treasures to be found within. Compared to NY prices, this place was a bargain bin though I am not sure how it stacks up against other NJ stores. There is a nice selection of bombers as well as a decent sized cooler with sixers including Founders, Terrapin, Allagash, Heavy Seas (had a number of the mutiny fleet series), Great Divide, The Bruery, Southern Tier, Captain Lawrence, Flying Fish, River Horse, Mikkeller, and Unibroue. In addition they had the usual suspects like Stone, Dogfish Head (they even had some more 'rare' releases like My Antonia and Namaste), and Sierra Nevada. Staff was very friendly and helpful, they also had a white board that listed new beer releases for the week. Will certainly be stopping back here!
Aug 09, 2010
Photo of mltobin
Reviewed by mltobin from Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
A stones throw from the NJ Transit stop and the towns local Starbucks is Ramsey Liquors. To the back left side of the store is their beer selection. First thing you see is belgians from La Rulles, St. Bernardus, Duvel, De Dolle and others. Behind that is the us brews, uk brews, finnish, austrian and some other countries. New Holland, Capt. Lawrence, Founders, Elysian, Stone, Flying Fish, Long Trail, Hoppin` Frog were some of the US brewers that are represented here.
The staff is helpful and pleasant, ready to give their opinion on a beer that you may not have sampled yet. This shop was a half hour round trip detour for me the other day, but well worth it.
Apr 22, 2010
Photo of aerozeppl
Reviewed by aerozeppl from New York

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
Went to my Aunt's for lunch and stopped by afterwards. It does not look like much at all....until you go into the back left corner. Nice wood shelving holding some really nice beers. Nice selction of Belgians. Tons of american craft not available in New York. Grabbed some New Holland stuff. Terrepin. Bar Harbor. The prices were great to me living in the land of being raped by NY distributors. I thought everything was reasonable. I saw a bomber of an NY beer for 8.99 that I have seen at multiple places for 19.99. A great little stop. In fact after next weeks Captain Lawrence release I will be going here. Oh yeah they have CL too!
Apr 11, 2010
Photo of richbrew
Reviewed by richbrew from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.9%
Not so much in my neck of the woods, but I stopped in while I was breezing through the area. Good sized liquor store. Brew's are way back left.

Decent selection of both imports and domestics, mainly all bombers and a small sixer arangement mostly in the cooler. Searching through the shelves in the back is like venturing through an old speakeasy. They had beers in stock that my regular shops never have/had which was nice. Grabbed a few of my wants with a few surprises thrown in after analyzing the shelves a few times over.

Prices like eveywhere run a dollar or 2 more on some things and a dollar or 2 less on others, so it pretty much balances out between shops.

Overall nice shop to drop in once and again if you're in the area.
Apr 09, 2010
Photo of pzrhsau
Reviewed by pzrhsau from District of Columbia

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
Quality: Very good mix of expensive beer and common stuff.
Service: The staff there helps out a lot, they are always ready to give you assistance whether it be answering your questions or getting stuff from the back.
Selection: Best selection I have seen in the area. I have found beers there that I hadn't seen anywhere else. They have a great back area with rows of shelves where they put the bottles of their craft brews. It's like being in a library for beer.
Value: Little on the pricey side as far as I have seen but good for what you can find.
Feb 21, 2010
Photo of DanielDanza
Reviewed by DanielDanza from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
Stopped by this place on the way to dinner. The selection, not particularly evident at first, is pretty impressive. Picked up a 750 ml Three Philosophers. They had a nice selection of Belgian and Belgian-style ales which suits my tastes nicely. They definitely have something for everyone, including some pretty rare stuff. Ommegang was very well represented with Hennepin, Rare Vos, and Chocolate Indulgence appearing in addition to Three Philosophers. They had Stone Cali-Belgique, Arrogant Bastard, IPA, etc. All your other expected micros and macros are plentiful. Service was cordial, prices are what you would expect for the area.
Aug 30, 2009
Photo of donniecuffs
Reviewed by donniecuffs from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
When you enter this place looking for beer, you might think that you had made a mistake, because the front of the shop is all about wine, but then when you hit the back and make a left, you'll come across an impressive somewhat hidden stock of micros, and a decent number of warm 22oz singles. This is one of the few places I was able to find the rare Stone Cali-Belgique IPA, and the workers were all to eager to go in the back to see if there were any more bottles besides the ones on the shelf...which I quickly snagged. I would go back to this store if for no other reason than the people who work there.
Jul 27, 2009
Photo of Kopp
Reviewed by Kopp from New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +12.9%
I love this place... I go to the nearby college so while at school, this is my liquor store of choice. It isn't much different in price compared to a Bottle King, is more convenient, and they have a whole big shelf of craft beers as well as a bunch of six packs, so a bunch of my friends started going there too. Decent wine selection too from what I could tell. Service was very good, I'm there pretty frequently and got to talking with a few of the people who work there, and they were all very helpful, even some of them suggesting what to try and telling me what they and what most of their beer enthusiasts were drinking. One even went in the back for me because they had a beer he told me I had to drink, so that gains points in my book. They also have some sales at times too, always a plus.

Overall it's a really good place, its convenient, clean, great staff of workers, really good selection, and well priced.
Mar 23, 2009
Photo of Yetiman420
Reviewed by Yetiman420 from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
I was in Jersey on business and had a morning to bounce around to some of the better beer stores according to BA.

I rolled the dice and headed a bit north out of my way in hopes of finding some Captain Lawrence since they were technically closer to NY.

I didn't find any Captain Lawrence, but I did find an outstanding collection of imports and domestic craft beers. They have pretty much every one of the great regional beers you'll find at the top rated BA beer stores in the area.

I picked up four bottles of Boaks Monster Mash Imperial stout for less than what Oak Tree (the benchmark for NJ beer stores) charges.

This place also has a ton of local, home-town charm and I think it would be a pleasure to make this your regular beer store. I chatted up the guys working there and they seemed to be very knowledgeable about beer (even giving me a "mmmm...tasty" comment when I put my four Boak's on the counter).

If I'm this far north again, I'll make sure to plan a return visit.
Mar 15, 2009
Photo of koopa
Reviewed by koopa from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.9%
Ramsey Liquors is my Northern NJ Beer Store of Choice. Its about 10 minutes from my work so I tend to swing over there during lunch breaks to pick up bottles to take home.

The store looks like a total dive from outside as its in a strip mall and the door doesn't face straight out towards the front parking lot. Lots of stickers and posters all over the windows so it just kinda looks crappy from the outside.

Once you get inside you see a fairly expansive non-chain liquor store. Lots of nice choices for all types of wine and spirits. Staff is very friendly and each person tends to have different strengths / knowledge.

Matt is the guy you need to talk to if shopping for Beer. The beer section in the back left corner consists of a nice selection of domestic micros, lots of european imports, and lots of macros.

Prices are expensive (22oz bombers range from $3.99 - $12.99....750ml bottles range from $6.99 - $29.99)

Here is a small sample of some of the US Micros and Belgians they carry: (plus they have a full wall of English Beer, Germans, etc.)

Dogfish Head
Lagunitas
Weyerbacher
Unibroue
Elysian
Rogue
Stone
Schneider
De Dolle
Westmalle
Victory
Cantillon
Avery
Mikkeller
Captain Lawrence
Liefmans
Green Flash
Legacy
Southern Tier
Bear Republic
St. Bernardus
Left Hand Brewing
Sep 06, 2008
Photo of jkane101
Reviewed by jkane101 from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
Now that I'm working close by I had the opportunity to go to Ramsey Liquors during my lunch hour. THANK GOD for this place...there are few decent places to buy craft beer in Northern NJ and this store offered the biggest and best variety by far. It may not have quite the selection of Half-Time or Oak Tree but then again I don't have to drive an hour!
Good selection of bombers along with a stellar selection of imports. Lots of quality in the cold cases also.
One thing I didn't see was the ability to buy singles..or mix a six pack.
All in all a great place to buy quality micro-brews.
Mar 15, 2008
Photo of DavidSeanNJ
Reviewed by DavidSeanNJ from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
Ramsey Liquors has become my new GO-TO stop as of late. Beer is all the way in the back left of the store. First you will see a nice selection of Belgian Beers, then the American 22 oz bombers.

Spotted:

Stone
Green Flash
Avery
Southern Tier
Southampton
Rogue
Arcadia

TONS of others...

More Belgians when you turn around the corner, as well as some English and other European beers. Great selection of "rare" and hard to find beers for us here living in North Jersey. Great spot- service was non-existant though, but I know what I'm looking for.
Jan 06, 2008
Photo of whitehouse50
Reviewed by whitehouse50 from New York

4.65/5  rDev +12.9%
this place is wonderful with an amazing selection, the best that i have seen in northern new jersey. this place will become my top spot for specialty beers since south plainfield is just a bit too far for me to make regular trips down there.

the assistance there is great too. they guy there recomneded a some beers i had never seen before and kind of got me into some trouble, i ended up spending $42 on 6 bottles only ranging from 11oz to 750 mL. not that this place is pricey but they have great stuff.

Ex: the hefe-weizen made by Brooklyn brewery and Schneider and Son, Aventinus (aged from 2004), great divide oak aged yeti imperial stout, JW Lees Port cask aged ale, a 10 year old porter, Deus, Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA. Smuttynose Very Old Brown Dog, Stone, Rogue, Unibroue, Chimay, St. Barnabus 12, and many more.

they also have some glasses for sale on top of the beer shelves. nothing too crazy, its hit or miss, they were dusty so i guess many people dont see them, i picked up a Aventinus Weiss glass $4.

i can easily see myself driving up to 45 minutes to get here. Definitly worth a stop.
Aug 15, 2007
Photo of lackenhauser
Reviewed by lackenhauser from Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
A somewhat hole in the wall appearance from the outside but head to the back of the store to peruse one of the better beer selections in North Jersey. Theres a wide arrange of beers, from most major US micros and locals from NJ, PA and NY. One of the better selctions of Heavyweight beers I have seen-get them before they're gone. Fantastic Belgian selection. I even found some Finnish sahti to try. Service was helpful and seemed well informed. I think I threw them when I had 12 bottles of "real" beer but asked for a 30 pack of BUD "to wash it down with". Hey I was heading to a concert what can I tell you. Prices were a bit high depending on what youre looking for. All in all a great place to try. I dont think you will find anything that bowls you over but theres a damn fine selection to stock up on.
Jun 06, 2006
Photo of HimerMan
Reviewed by HimerMan from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.9%
Extremely easy to find in Ramsey - literally next to the train station. Does not look like they would have a good selection - but walk to the back left of the store and there are tons of beers.

While I was here in 2004 they had Westvleteren 8, currently they have all the rest of the trappists. Wide assortment of other Belgians, DFH, Avery, Stone, Rogue, Weyerbacher and many other typicals. Several cask conditioned beers, barrel aged...etc. Aged Old Engine Oil (still available) and many locals - they used to have one that was only available there (but I never bought it).

Price is not the best here, especially on liquor - expect to pay 10-15% markup vs the other major stores (ie - Bottle King, Joe Canals, or any other larger store). They do however, have a rather impressive vodka, gin, whiskey and wine selection. Small store that is really packed with good stuff.

Their resident beer guy is very friendly and can help you find what you are looking for, and even special orders stuff overnight.

I still go here around once a month to see their new selections.

Worth a look, definitely better than most beer places.
May 30, 2006
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
Stopped here on the way back from New York State on a short vacation with my wife. Being from the prohibtion-mentality state of Pennsylvania, a chance to visit to a beer store in another state is worth a day of shopping in department stores. They had a nice selection, but I though a little pricey. I was able to find a Coresendonk Gift set with glass for a Christmas present, and my first six-pack of Hop Wallop. It was worth stooping at while in the area by I won't make a special trip there. You could tell their main focus was wine
Mar 06, 2005
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
The only thing I didnt like about this place were the Republican signs in the front window. Over looking that one obvious personality defect, this place is well worth a vist if youre in the general neighborhood. High quality brew, nice clean, well stocked store. Pleanty on the shelves and pleanty in the cooler. The help was helpful and the prices reasonable. Picked up my first ever Abbeye des Rocs, looking foward to popping that baby! They had tons of interesting and high quality brew. Also have what looks like a very well stocked selection of wine. But why would anybody want to drink that stuff?
Oct 31, 2004
Photo of slander
Reviewed by slander from New York

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
People been talkin'.
I look at the Lake Street exit every time I'm up and down Rte 17 but there's always something keeping me from visiting Ramsey Liquors. It's too early in the morning, or I've been on the road for 3 hours and just want to go the hell home, or I'm in a rush to get to somewhere or other but, finally, I found the time...
It's a big old liquor store with an exstensive wine selection, but of course, I'm here for the beer. It's tucked away towards the rear of the store, on a few large shelving units and a bunch of coolers. I stood giggling at the sight of Unibroue Edition 2004's and the Weyerbacher Heresy sharing space. Been looking for the both of them and hadn't seen either of them. Like they'd been ducking me, 'til now. Hmmmn, Allagash Quad, Uerige Sticke, Celis Grotten, Lee Harvest Ale '97 and the 4 new cask versions, and Mastreet Aht's for $2.99 a clip. Solid collection of Belgians & Germans, and a bunch of good regional micros (Smuttynose, Victory, Weyerbacher, Dogfish Head, Troegs, Magic Hat, Yards) and I dreamed that I saw Avery's there.
A bunch of people asked me if I needed help ("Yes, I need a bottle opener and a snifter, please"). De' got the goods.
Sep 03, 2004
Photo of RonfromJersey
Reviewed by RonfromJersey from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
In another life I came here regularlly for cases of Bud nip bottles... Both the store and I have changed.

A very good selection of import singles of all sizes. A good selection of US micros (though except for Boulder, nothing I have not seen elsewhere in NJ). No 12 oz US singles though. I would have made a mixed sixer fom the three Boulders available.

Turnover seems good. Store well organized.

Was asked if I need help three times. Always impressive.

Wouldn't journey there just for the store, but will stop in when I visit local friends.
Jun 05, 2004
Photo of Dantes
Reviewed by Dantes from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
I had to try this one out after reading about it on the BA Mid-Atlantic Forum (thanks El Guapo!). Tucked away in another anonymous NJ strip mall, this moderately-sized liquor store obviously caters to a well-heeled clientele. The modest exterior doesn’t signal the very nicely laid-out interior filled mostly with wine in nice wooden racks and a nice selection of liquors. The Port selection is particularly remarkable, if pricey! The beer is tucked away in the back, left corner and against the back wall in the coolers.

Quality: Everything in this store is very clean, well-kept, and orderly. There didn’t seem to be any “orphan bottles” or anything out of date. Turnover seemed pretty good. In fact, one employee told me they’d gotten visits from 3 BA’s over the last week or so! Prices in general were on the high side (liquor included); but there were some exceptions (3 Monts was the standard $5.99).

Service: There were three guys in the store, none of them the “beer” guy (Matt), but nonetheless, they were helpful and willing to chat a bit about the selection etc. I will say that they might have thrown in an extra beer or a glass (which BA’s often say happens) since I spent a lot of money and “sold” a sixer of Storm King; but since that’s never happened to me before, I guess I can’t complain. They were quite interested in BA though!

Selection: This store offers almost nothing in the way of macros. They also offer one of the better selection of singles (especially Belgians) that I’ve seen in my area. On the other hand, they are a bit weak on “regular” UK ales; offering a smattering of Young’s and Adnams, but not a lot else, even in the cooler. They do stock more seasonal and “specialty” UK ales from Adnams, J.W. Lees, Gale’s etc. The selection is very eclectic overall, I guess trying to pack the most punch into a small space. A shopper remarked that she liked the Lancaster Milk Stout (which I’ve never seen in NJ before) and I told her to look for Mackesons, since the store didn’t have any! They also had the new Allagash Four, the Morimoto Imperial Pilsener (which I’ve been looking for for a long time), Deep Shaft Stout (ditto), and new Avery offerings (for which I just traded!). They seemed particularly strong in the stuff imported by B.United and Shelton Brothers. They didn’t have many cases on display, but they did have a large stack of 2004 Bigfoot cases, just outside the bathroom! Interestingly (for me at least) is that their selection seems remarkably complementary with Gary’s in Madison, with little overlap.

Backwash: An odd but interesting little store, with lots of goodies to offer, but sad in a way that I have to drive 45 minutes to get stuff that SHOULD be available closer to home. I will also repeat that they have some really rare and desirable Ports, including some vintages I haven’t seen around for more than 5 years. You’ll pay for them though!
May 11, 2004
Photo of ElGuapo
Reviewed by ElGuapo from New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
Nice little joint right off of Route 17. Plenty of parking to be found here. The store is clean and well organized. The high-end liquors and wines are quite numerous, but I was there for the beer. Lots of singles: Belgian, German, English. They had Celebrator, Aventinus, Sticke, Unibroue, Samuel Smith, De Dolle, Westy, Rochefort, Westmalle, Orval. Yah, they covered the basics. They had a few nice gift packs as well. Micros are decently represented. Troegs, Yards, Smutty, Dogfish Head, Victory, and a few others. Prices are a bit steep on some of the singles, but definitely pretty good on others.
The service is excellent. The guys were quick to strike up a conversation and pop open a Biere d'Art with me. Very cool. They let me know about the new stuff coming in, and I will have to make a second trip.
May 05, 2004
Photo of yen157
Reviewed by yen157 from New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
Wow, I am shocked that nobody has been inspired to write these guys un in BeerFly before. They are located on the main street in Ramsey (West Main actually) set back from the road in an unassuming strip mall. You walk in an know that these guys mean business. Even though I didn’t have a chance to look at the rest of the store, their wine and liquor displays look serious and well thought out. Besides the ubiquitous back-wall cooler, I wasn’t sure where to start my search for the beer. I ended up in the back left corner of the store face to face with a formidable bookcase of bottles of European pedigree. I thought, “wow this isn’t too bad”. I noticed some glassware sitting on the top shelf and turned the corner and found more quality singles. I pressed my luck, turned the corner again only to find even more good stuff only to exclaim “Holy crap” in approval. Right next to that is a large 2004 bigfoot display followed by a back room full of cases which I quickly informed was not part of the selling floor so I turned my attention to the cooler. Micros, they were all there, at least the quality ones one should find in a store with a great selection in NJ. These guys really went out on a limb to put together a nice collection. Some cold singles are available cold, too.

The service seemed good as the workers were very attentive. I could tell one gentleman I spoke with took a lot of pride in the selection. They only scored a "4" because I didn't really talk to them at all and attentiveness only takes you so far. I have a feeling though that they know their stuff. Next time I'm in and have more time I'll converse a bit and revise the rating.

I’m not sure about the freshness and turnover since that is always a concern when the selection is so good, but besides an ’02-’03 Flying Fish gift pack everything else looked OK. They did have some oddball stuff like Uerige, ‘t Smisje Calva Reserva, and Oerbier Reserva along with lot of other stuff you only run into a few places in the Garden State. If you are looking for new beer to try or to stock up on some old favorites and live in the area Ramsey Liquors is a must stop. If I loved anywhere in the area this would be my local liquor store without a doubt.
Apr 12, 2004
Ramsey Liquors in Ramsey, NJ
Place rating: 4.12 out of 5 with 36 ratings