Where do folks shop?

The new Mountain IPA is pretty good. I see it in cans but have only had on tap. Balanced hop flavors (pine/fruit/citrus) but not a big hop bomb. Has much more bitterness than the modern tropical IPA's but not overpowering at all.

 

Both the Mountain Ale and IPA cans are worth picking up- I generally avoid the bottles, though. Big quality difference for some reason. I especially love the Mountain Ale cans- they average 10 bucks a four pack for that 7.4 abv, heavy funky brown ale. It's a nicely updated version of the old Shed growlers IMO. The IPA is just a good, clean, 'standard' one (piney, citrus, not too malt-forward) and the lower price keeps them fresh on the shelves.

 

Belmont CBC since I live in Belmont is a mainstay. Still looking for a place with good prices and a good selection of 12 packs that isn't too far out of the way.

Atlas Medford seemed ok, but quite IPA heavy. Marty's Newton or Cambridge Wine and Spirits if I'm already there. Fort Point Market if hitting Trillium downtown.

I just picked up a mixed case of Lamplighter with some Major Tom at the brewery. I'm right down the street pretty often, so that could be a more regular stop if I keep liking their stuff.

 

The cans are worth a grab if you have cooler space. I like them better than both draft and bottles. They're not trendy, but that keeps the cost down too.

Something else worth grabbing is the Ten Bends Northern Heights cans. Those ARE trendy, but very delicious. I don't know if Big Fatty's carries them yet, but they should. Ten Bends has been killing it lately.

 

I got a four pack of Northern Heights after the Double Sunshine release at Hunger Mt, good stuff!

 

Kinda been mostly a directly from the brewery guy for the last year. Trillium, Tree House, Jack's for limited stuff, and Idle Hands.

My main bottle shop has been CBC Belmont. I like Inman Wine & Spirits for a close proximity, pick something interesting up shop. I don't really venture further in search of treats. In the last year, I've really stopped trying to hunt down the rarities. I go to Wegman's (Burlington) when I run out of Post Shift or House Lager because I need those in my fridge at all times or else I feel super empty inside. To each his own, but I'm at a place where I am very comfortable with drinking a few things I enjoy a lot. My new tick rate has definitely gone down big time.

 

When I was truly a man from Belmont(y) I was at CBC all the time. furst place I could buy a mix 6 and I was horrified that I was paying $16 or so on a six pack.

Fast forward almost a decade and I'm staring lovingly at my $51 12 pack I grabbed at lamplighter yesterday

 

I had Mountain ale for the first time in years during Thxgiving, what an awesome classic beer

 

Amen on Crafted. They're slightly more expensive than CBC, but I'd rather give the littler guy my money. It's only a two-man shop, and it's super well curated.

 

When i lived in Somerville i used to go to Ball Square and Downtown wine and spirits for craft stuff. For simpler stuff I would go to Woodys or Contan. Now I go to CBC Belmont since it's on my way back from work, and occasionally CBC Newton and Gordons right next door since my buddy works at Gordons and CBC Newton tweets images of all the new things they get in.
(BTW if anyone's looking for a 2016 big bad babtista, they still have a bottle at gordons)

 

I've only shopped at Atlas maybe twice, do they do mix-a-six? That's virtually a must for me these days.

I'd also have to drive there so it's a bit out of the way, I can walk to Ball Square or it's a quick few minute drive for me.

I've been following him, but not to find out his secret NH liquor store spot. I'm just creepy.

I walked by Woody's the other day and it was gone. There were a bunch of people cleaning and moving stuff inside. Either it's being renovated or it's becoming something else.

I used to live on Josephine and remember when Ball Square was maybe less than half the size that it is now.

I live over in Teele now and still go there just about weekly.

 

A quick shout out to Porter Square Wine & Spirits (formerly Liquor World, as the sign out front still says).

Great selection, including some occasional rarities (I picked up a bottle of Anchorage Deal with the Devil on some random Tuesday night, and a Lou Pepe geueze a couple years ago). Almost always a buck or two cheaper than Pemberton down the street, and they don’t stock as much so what you get tends to be fresher. They also seem to get most deliveries a few days earlier.

They also put out what they have in stock: No secret handshake required.

 

if you are talking about the Woody's on Broadway, that whole row of storefronts is being torn down to build a 55-unit, 5-story condo building. I believe it will still have retail on the first floor. I heard a rumor that Woody's may reopen further up Broadway. I'll miss being able to tell people about the "**** Block" joke - Woody's Liquors, Pini's Pizza, and Wang's Chinese Food!

 

RIP Big Fatty's in Burlington. If only it could be as awesome as this one. That Maple Habanero wing sauce! Also a Crowler pit downtown would be the shit....

 

Aside from breweries themselves, my regular stops are Julio's in Westboro, CBC and 5th Avenue in Framingham, Sudbury Craft beer in (duh...) plus Cotuit Liquors when I'm on the Cape. I'll go to Total Wine on Black Friday for BCBS, and I stopped in at Danny's (formerly Kappy's) in Sudbury yesterday and managed to get a Founders CBS, though I really wasn't impressed by the rest of their selection - seems way shorter on EVERYTHING since the changeover. I'll go to Vin Bin occasionally, and maybe one or 2 others.

 

What? The **** block is being disassembled?

 

Nope, I was talking about the Woody's over on Somerville Ave. I think? In between Porter and Union.

Good to know about the name, "**** Block", never heard of that. Also didn't know they were tearing that down.

 

Qq