Liquors 44

Store

238 King St
Northampton, Massachusetts, 01060-2332
United States

(413) 586-3007 | map
liquors44.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.77
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
21
pDev:
9.28%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JGLittle:
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Rated by JGLittle from Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%

Feb 27, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.28 by smi69 from New York

Jul 09, 2017
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Reviewed by Johnct from New York

3.77/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.75
It's just a liquor store... with an unusually large selection of really good craft beer. Not what I expected to see when I walked in but now I stop by here every time I go to Umass. Don't be surprised to find Lost Abbey, DFH 120's and WWS's, and a whole bunch of others. Worth stopping if you're nearby
Oct 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by dfecteau from Massachusetts

Jan 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.91 by rjp217 from Massachusetts

Dec 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Stagga_Lee from Massachusetts

Aug 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by DaveR514 from Canada (QC)

Jun 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by markdrinksbeer from Massachusetts

Jun 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by ScotNH from New Hampshire

Apr 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Bob6518 from England

Feb 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Okisailor from Massachusetts

Jan 17, 2014
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Reviewed by scotorum from Massachusetts

3.99/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4
There are three stores, in Northampton, Amherst and Holyoke. Pretty much the same selection at each. Wine dominates, but about a quarter of each store is devoted to beer.

Basically this description applies to all the stores: fifty to a hundred feet of six foot high multi-shelf racks of sixpacks and larger singles, around a hundred feet of coolers and a 75 foot long wall of cases with stacks of twelvepacks in front. Clearly they mean beer business.

Not likely to get anyone asking to help you, but that's just fine with browsers who already have some idea of what they are looking for. The checkout clerks are fast, efficient and reasonably friendly.

A totally satisfactory selection of the nationally distributeds and popular locals, with a few good sales. Last month they featured Cisco of Nantucket Island, including a selection of four or five different at only $16.50 a twelver!

Better yet, their regular prices on some items are the lowest in the region. Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout or Imperial Stout for $8.49 a fourpack? No one I have seen yet beats that!

Decent bomber and 750 selection. The really advanced imbiber may be left wanting. But everyone else will likely find something worthwhile.
Jul 01, 2013
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Reviewed by SFLpunk from Vermont

3.61/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Was in town (8/13/11) and had originally planned to go down to Table & Vine, but plans changed and I had 20 mins to hit up a beer store. I hopped on BA and found this place right around the corner from where we were and decided to check it out.

Pretty good stuff, all around. Not the biggest selection, but a great regional stash of MA/New England beers. Found all of the Element beers I was looking for, 21st Amendment, Boulder Hazed cans, Pretty Things, Grand Teton, some so-so Goose Island stuff, Avery Maharaja (score), Sculpin (score), Firestone Walker (a boat-load of Parabola 2011, Double Jack and Rsv Porter) and St-Bernardus Abt 12.

Their Belgian selection was basically Chimay, Duvel, St-Bernardus Abt 12 and a couple breweries I've never heard of but didn't look good. Didn't see any other "craft imports."

Big stacks of "sale" 12'ers (Stella, Heineken, etc but also Butternuts and some other micros like Otter Creek).

Worth a look if you're in town. I found a lot of the things I was looking for, but I was searching for NE beers that I can't get in VT. Someone already mentioned this, but I like how the price tags have the Case, X-pack and Single prices all printed on them. Really helpful.

Also, the guy at the counter was super nice, helpful and quick since I was in a hurry.
Aug 16, 2011
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Reviewed by WutAlesyou from New Jersey

3/5  rDev -20.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3
Your average liquor store, decent selection of local breweries, some out of state beers and foreign bottles. they have recycling centers inside. Great idea! Plenty of parking, service is helpful and place is well organized. Sometimes a little disappointing to not find a bigger selection of some of the close by local breweries on their shelves. GeeZ, they want me to write so much before i can click on review. Yeah, so selection of beers is decent, i dont care for anything else they have there so I never checked.
Jul 04, 2011
Photo of Chico1985
Reviewed by Chico1985 from Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
A pretty decent place I usually stop for whenever I'm driving by. Selection can't touch Table & Vine, but is bigger than Whole Foods and Four Seasons. Stuff that would fly off the shelves quickly elsewhere usually are here for a bit longer (Sculpin, FW14, BCS Rare, Founders seasonals). Best selection of cases probably in the area, with most of the prices for the cases, packs and singles listed clearly. Prices are about even with the rest of the area, maybe a bit more expensive for some things. Unlike the Hadley and Holyoke stores, the stock seems fresh for the most part, but it never hurts to check the bottle date if there is one.
Feb 25, 2011
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Reviewed by cbutova from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.1%
Updates on in November 09: I live right next to this place. The staff has seemed to up their game and deserves a 4.0 rating. The selection is fine, they get most of the bigger releases and mostly any Stone release. Anything super limited is out of the question but they do get Breakfast Stout and sell cases of it super cheap. Quality is fine, I have shopped here for the last three months and never had a problem.

Original Review from August 09:
Liquors 44 is another place I drive by on my work route and it is better than I thought it would be. They basically have two shelves, one import and one American and then a cooler section. The selection is pretty good, the cooler selection is above average for around W.Mass. They have a pretty good selection of Stone, Brooklyn, Victory, Dogfish, Ballast Point, Founder's, North Coast and other big American Craft breweries. Can also find most of the local Mass. breweries on the shelves or in the coolers. This place is good to go for CASES, case prices are listed for all the beers and it seems like you save a good amount of money if you purchase a case. It is nice to have case prices listed which is missing in almost all stores I have been to in W.Mass. Occasionally they have glassware deals which is also nice. A pretty good selection of 12 pack samplers from the bigger American micros too. Only problem here is it seems like some of the import stuff might be pretty old and dusty but then again I have seen that in most stores I have been to. Store employees walking around all over the place but don't expect them to offer help, not sure about their beer knowledge either but I would assume they don't have many specialists. Checkout is nice and quick and they have a huge parking lot right off a main road in Northampton.
Aug 12, 2009
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Reviewed by indiapaleale from Maine

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
I'm not sure if the Liquors 44 in Northampton has changed since Table & Vine down the road closed their doors. I wasn't living in the area so I don't have a comparison, I can however say that this place is better than average.

Beer is one whole aisle and quite a few coolers. The selection of micros is quite good. Some highlights include: Stone RIS, Hop Wallop, Ten Fidy and Gordon, Founders, Harpoon 100 barrel, Yeti, Oblivion and tons of New England six packs.

Coolers had all the BBC bombers, Smutty Big Beer, growlers of BBC and Opa Opa and again lots of six packs. Actually, this place has a ton of cold good beer. I was impressed by that.

They have a somewhat average selection of imports, not all that many Belgians but they did have St. Bernardus 12 last time I was in as well as some other Trappists and O'hara's Stout and Red.

Not much help from the staff but I didn't expect it. This place is also great for returnables. The older gentleman who works the bottle returns is very nice and a great guy to chat with.
Jan 10, 2009
Photo of fitzy84
Reviewed by fitzy84 from Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -16.4%
Being accustomed to the one on Route 9 in Hadley, I was not keeping my hopes up for something different. However, I found that although still similar, this Liquors 44 in Northampton was better.

Located right on King Street (Route 5) in Northampton, this Liquors 44 seems much smaller that its Hadley counterpart. As usual, things like wine and liquor are predominant in the aisles. However, the non-freezer beer section I found was much more in depth than in Hadley. Typical micro-brews brews like Stone, Rogue, Ommegang were around. Imports were also dominant.

But when it comes to bulk, for a smaller Liquors 44, this one had more than the large, laid-out one in Hadley. Now quantity over quality still has its issues. Compared some places in the general area, you could just drive down to West Springfield and go to Table and Vine. Or go to Amherst and shop at the Spirit Haus.

Very young demographics working there. I did not notice anyone over 30 working there. So if I had a complex question (not to stereotype) who knows if it could be answered. The only advantage was that they did have lots of people working there so they at least have a good numbered staff.

Prices seemed typical and similar to the other Liquors 44. Nothing cheap but nothing too expensive. Overall, not bad but I would go elsewhere.
Jul 30, 2008
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Reviewed by unknownoffender from Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
I stopped in here specifically with Berkshire beer in mind. You'll find that back in the cooler and they had a good selection of their bombers and also some growlers. As for other beers, you'll find some decent craft, micro, and imported beers, but not an overwhelming selection of them. Two of their staff helped me during my time in the store, and both were very friendly. We didn't get too much into the beer discussion, but I really appreciated the way they gave me a box and helped pack my Berkshire beer in ice so I could check it at the airport. (I was flying home that day and trying to keep my beer chilled since that's what the brewery recommends.) After all is said and done, I'd return to Liquors 44 the next time i'm in the area. Yeah, there might be a few places that dedicate more of their store to beer, but being from the midwest I was quite happy to find all the beer I wanted and can't get in Illinois.
Dec 15, 2006
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Reviewed by twelvsies from Maine

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
This is your average liquor store. Beer isn't really emphasized, but you can find a decent amount of quality brew. Lots of macros but also a good amount of local craft beer including Smuttynose, Berkshire Brewing, Otter Creek, etc... They have a small shelf area where you can get a few of the more standard Belgians but nothing really surprising. There's also another 44 in Amherst but it's basically just a clone of this one. It doesn't seem to be on the site... maybe I'll add it. Anyway, if you're in the area and you want a decent sixer this place will suffice, but don't go out of your way or expect to find that gem of a beer you've got your eye open for.
Mar 08, 2005
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Reviewed by BadBadger from New York

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
Liquors 44 is an adequate place to find some good micro and craft beers. The imports are rather limited. While the majority of the store is dominated by wine and booze, there is a nice selection of regional micros and larger popular breweries such as Stone and Rogue. You will have to look hard to find the beers brewed in Western MA area (e.g., Paper City, Berkshire) they are only in the coolers, not on the shelf. While there is some for every palate here at this store, if you are looking for something particular, your best bet then is at the competitor-Table & Vine.
Enjoy
Jul 04, 2004
Liquors 44 in Northampton, MA
Place rating: 3.77 out of 5 with 21 ratings