If Trader Joes had a better selection, I would...

The TJ's in the Cleveland market (closest to me, sadly - 45 minutes away) - have a decent beer selection and great prices on most of the beers, esp. their own branded / contract brewed ones like Mission St Pale Ale, etc...no complaints here....now, if only their "sister" company Aldi's, upped their craft beer game, that would be more awesome!!

 

I don't shop there for the food, but I have dropped in to buy an occasional beer. Considering that they don't refrigerate anything, have the same typical selections as my local bottle shops, parking is a nightmare AND getting around in the crowded store is a chore, I tend to stay away.

 

Love TJ's and do all my grocery shopping there. But I don't buy my beer there. I'd rather see that money go to local retailers with whom I have a relationship.

 

My TJ has a great beer selection.

 

I purchased a case of Ten-Fidy at Trader Joes last year

Everything else I have purchased has been from local bottle shops.

 

yeah, i'm curious about those saying TJ's doesn't have a good selection. maybe it's just our area but we tend to get good stuff. not a huge array, but good stuff. usually get all the FW limited releases, Stone limited releases.. gonna be getting Modern Times soon. not too shabby

 

I as well. Granted there isn't a vast selection or a variety of choice, but they carry local beers that I buy all the time. Also they'll have beers like Revolution Deth's tar for $17 instead of $20 at other places for example.

I love the Josef Brau beers too. The Winter Double Bock was killer for $5.45 a 6er. You can't go wrong with that!

 

Back in Ohio TJ's was my go-to for picking up bottles of Franziskaner and the like. I haven't yet been to our local TJs in MI as there hasn't been a true need. If their selection was better and it matched the typical lower prices, and it could be paired with grocery shopping I'd be in for at least some purchases there. I do like spreading the love to the 'mom and pop' shops versus the larger chains.

 

When TJs first opened here, they would almost chop your arm off for trying to grab a single. Now, they actively encourage singles and mixed sixers.Always a solid selection of local, regional, and national beers, as well as there house brand stuff, at very good prices. I don't make special trips to TJs just for beer, but usually grab something while I'm there.

 

Maryland is no day at the beach for us beer drinkers either

 

Mission St IPA is a real bargain. $5.99 a six pack, unbeatable, truly.

Their Stockyard Oatmeal is also very decent. Black Toad 'dark ale' is not half bad too.

I even enjoy their Josephbrau Heffe, though it's obviously not a great one.

 

Mine gets all fresh Stone, Modern Times, Pizza Port, Port, Sierra Nevada, Coronado etc. releases for way cheaper than everywhere but Costco, so I am happy.

 

Firestone Walker no longer does private label brews for TJ. They were replaced by Golden Road. Whether the names have changed I don't know, I haven't been to TJ in a few months.

 

This is interesting. Since when has this been the case?

 

Oh, they've changed the beer names:

Announced June 2, 2014 - Golden Road brews new house-brand beers for Trader Joe's
but apparently slowly be phased in.

 

I didn't know those were GR! Gosh, that's a damn shame Mission St is no longer in production. They are still available though, so I wonder how old these bottles are: probably quite old at this point.

Real shame. Those Ol Burro beers are terrible. And $6.5 for a 16oz four pack IPA? That 5 12oz beers, of inferior quality to Mission St IPA, and for 1.5 more dollars. Not buying.

Bad news, I thought Mission St was a very decent IPA, and an impossible bargain to beat.