Aldi and beer

I agree with @herrburgess about the Wernesgrüner - if you're looking for a fairly fresh imported German pilsner at a great price, it can't be beat.

At least here in CA, that's where the fun stops. The remaining US and German selection is extremely small and sketchy at best. Definitely not their focus.

 

I’ve never bought beer from Aldis, but they do carry Foothills beers if that’s your thing. The rest look like bootleg beers, a six with windmills on it with a funny name that takes off on Heineken. I buy wine every now and then, but their meats are first rate except the steaks which are 2nd choice on the cut. And fruits and vegetables, Hell, I can ever get fresh Amoroso rolls from Philly somehow.

 

try the Wernesgruener Pils. have a feeling you might like it

 

I will after my 30 days beer hiatus, do they date this beer?

 

We have several Aldis around but I’ve never been in one. HEB is where it’s at in Texas.

 

Yes, at least on the bottles. You can turn them in the unique six-pack carrier to see the back label of the bottles with the best-by date.

 

That is because they need to obtain what the PLCB classifies as a Restaurant License:

“Restaurant (R)–Restaurant Liquor License

▪Most common retail license type.

▪Can sell beer, wine and liquor.

▪Requires 400 square feet of serving space.

▪Food and seating for at least 30 people must be available at all times.”

https://www.lcb.pa.gov/Licensing/ResourcesForLicensees/Documents/Retail Licensee Seminar 8.22.18.pdf

Apparently there is a bill being proposed in Harrisburg to further improve aspects:

“Under this proposal, grocery stores or convenience stores could purchase a convenience permit for a one-time fee of $25,000. This would give them the ability to: be exempt from the 30 seat requirement for a restaurant license, allow the purchase of beer and wine at additional registers, sell beer and wine for off-premise consumption, allow individual beer and wine sales containing more than the 192 ounce (beer) and 3,000 milliliter (wine) limit, place wine and beer products anywhere in the store, and to hold educational or cooking classes featuring alcoholic products for sale. Rep. Dowling says it’s all about convenience to the constituents.”

https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/4...r-wine-sale-requirements-in-pa-grocery-stores

Perhaps you might want to write your state legislators to support this new bill?

Cheers!

 

Edit: They purchase Eating Place (E) licenses:

Eating Place (E) –Retail Dispenser ▪Can sell beer and malt/brewed beverages only.▪Requires 300 square feet of serving space.▪Food and seating for at least 30 people must be available at all times.▪Must have a current and valid health license from issuing authority.▪Food MUST be prepared on the licensed premises.

 

Broegel Original Bock

 

The Aldi near you still carries Wernesgruener? That was my most purchased beer and in the store near me it always seemed to be changing expiration dates so it seemed to be moving well.
But half a year to a year ago it just disappeared from the shelves.

They kept the label on the shelf up until a couple of weeks ago so I held out hope and always asked about it.

I figured it disappeared everywhere. Now I'm disappointed to find out it's just a local problem.

Broegel is not bad. I like it more now that I think of it as more of a Belgian beer. Judging by it's label the times I bought it I thought it should be a knock off of Shiner Bock.

But I was disappointed that it didn't.
But now that I'm thinking of it differently it definitely has the sweet estery flavors I'd expect from a Belgian beer.

 

It's far from a Shiner clone. The label is almost identical to Shiner but I think Broegel tastes more like a Belgian Brown ale than a Shiner clone.

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3517/222637/

I rated it +22% rDev. So I liked it more than most. Made in Belgium.

 

The nearest Aldi store is about 800 miles away, so.....

 

There’s one right down the street from me and I’ve been in there maybe twice in the 15? years it’s been there. I thought it was dirty and the food selection was poor, especially the produce. They closed for a bit and rebuilt it about two years ago but I have not been in since then and I do not know if they sell beer. The parking lot is full when I drive by there, so there are people going there. Some folks rave about it but I’ve never been impressed enough to go in there. I get that the prices are low, but it’s my experience that you usually get what you pay for in a grocery store. Your mileage may vary.

 

Wernesgruner is still in the Aldi stores around here.

 

I go to Aldi once a year for the maibock and that's it.

My Aldi also carries a couple locals, Two Hearted usually being one of them.

 

There are three Aldi's near me. None of them sell beer. An Asst. Manager at the one near me said they wouldn't sell enough beer to deal with the hassles of a liquor license.

My understanding is that, in PA, you aren't actually buying beer & wine from the grocery store; you're buying it from the “restaurant” within the store. IIRC the Giant-Eagle my son shops at has a separate check-out for alcohol.

 

Due to NY laws, the only Total Wine on Long Island is similar, but the beer part of the operation is totally separated from the wine and spirits space. You actually have to walk in a separate entrance, and there's no connection between the two once your inside. The beer shop even has to operate under a different name - New York Marketplace & Brewery District.

 

This post is on point with my view of Aldis. I don’t need them in my life, and they’re building a new one very close to me.