Best selection in Maryland ?

Discussion in 'Mid-Atlantic' started by SUP3RDAV3, Mar 16, 2013.

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  1. SUP3RDAV3

    SUP3RDAV3 Initiate (0) Feb 15, 2013 Maryland

    Does anyone know of any stores in Maryland beside Perfect Pour and TotalWine that has a great selection selection? Not that there is anything wrong those locations,just looking for something new.
     
    #1 SUP3RDAV3, Mar 16, 2013
  2. aleckpa

    aleckpa Initiate (0) Dec 20, 2010 North Carolina

    I've always been satisfied with Honeygo Wine & Spirits and The Wine Source. You may pay a couple more $ than you would at Total Wine, but they seem to always have "new" releases and great staff.
     
    #2 aleckpa, Mar 17, 2013
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  3. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,191) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    The best selection in the state hands down is State Line particular for foreign imports.
     
    #3 Smakawhat, Mar 17, 2013
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  4. tgeorgf

    tgeorgf Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2009 Maryland

    +1 for State Line. Shawan Liquors in Hunt Valley is great too. Also, Wooden Keg in Hagerstown always has great staff and an interesting selection.
     
    #4 tgeorgf, Mar 17, 2013
  5. gillagorilla

    gillagorilla Pooh-Bah (2,691) Feb 27, 2013 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah

    Perfect Pour is way overpriced, but their selection is pretty much unbeatable. I haven't made it out to State Line Liquors though. It is Spring Break, so I might go up or I could hit it on my way to DFH on the 29th. Wine Source, Shawan Liquors, Wells Discount Liquors, PINEHURST WINE SHOPPE (great guys and great growlers), and Beltway Fine Wine/Total Wine are the best places. Also, Harford Beverage Co. is a great hole in the wall that has no idea the stuff that they have.
     
    #5 gillagorilla, Mar 18, 2013
  6. Allsmoke

    Allsmoke Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2007 Virginia

    Old Line opened up a few months back. I've only been there a few times, but they have a pretty good selection, and the staff are very friendly. It's on Route 1 in Beltsville. It's only 5 minutes from where I work in Greenbelt, so I get up there on lunchtimes occasionally. The only downside is they haven't yet started breaking up sixers for individual sale. They said it would be coming, but their inventory system doesn't handle it yet. Still plenty of big bottles, or if smaller bottles are not in packs, they are available.

    I like it. They also have a restaurant attached to the premises, and have a good selection of draught/firkins there too if you want to have a pint while shopping for pints
     
    #6 Allsmoke, Mar 18, 2013
  7. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The other posters have pretty much covered the best places in the state. However, I would also recommend Fishpaw's Marketplace in Arnold. Also, if you happen to be out West for any reason, McHenry's Beverage has a surprisingly good selection for the area as well.

    Unless I happened to live right around the corner, I would not shop at the Perfect Pour. Their prices are very high, and I find them to be one of the most unfriendly stores in the state. However, they do have a very good selection of beer, there's no denying that.
     
    #7 John_M, Mar 18, 2013
  8. scraff

    scraff Initiate (0) Apr 18, 2003 Maryland

    Jason's Wine and Spirits is a very good store in Ellicott City. Dawson's in Severna Park is supposed to be awesome, but I have not been there. And just to beat the dead horse, Perfect Pour is unparalleled for selection. Pricing for 6 packs and some bombers are only $1-$2 more (not horrendous). It's the perceived "special beers" is what drives me (and everyone) nuts. Stateline I believe is close to the same selection as the PP, but prices are way more reasonable.
     
    #8 scraff, Mar 18, 2013
  9. wd09601

    wd09601 Crusader (416) Jul 29, 2012 Maryland

    Jason's is awesome.
     
    #9 wd09601, Mar 19, 2013
  10. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    As someone who lived on the West side for the past 5 years, I feel as if I have to chime in about Jason's. It's a nice enough store, and as it was close to work I'd stop by from time to time, but in no way does it have anything like the selection you can find at State Line, PP, Shawan, TW, Honeygo and Fishpaws. It's a store I'd recommend if the OP happened to live nearby, or was visiting family or friends out that way, but God knows I would not recommend that anyone go out of their way to visit Jason's.

    Frankly, Pine Orchard has a comparable selection and better prices (they frequently run sales in the Sun, and you can find on-line coupons and on their advertisement page). It's just a couple miles down the road from Jason's, and over the past few years, I've found myself increasingly bypassing Jason's to shop at Pine Orchard. Also, for anyone who is into wine as well, Pine Orchard has one of the best, well priced wine selections in the State.

    I don't mean to knock Jason's, but if the OP drives over there, expecting to find a selection comparable to Total Wine or PP, he is going to be hugely disappointed.
     
    #10 John_M, Mar 19, 2013
  11. CSpoons

    CSpoons Zealot (501) Nov 13, 2012 Maryland

    State Line in Elkton(kinda out of the way for most people) and Wine World in Abingdon.
     
    #11 CSpoons, Mar 19, 2013
  12. Starkbier

    Starkbier Initiate (0) Sep 19, 2002 Maryland

    Another vote for Old Line, but also the little Village Pump Liquors is quite impressive too!
     
    #12 Starkbier, Mar 19, 2013
  13. jeevo

    jeevo Pundit (976) Nov 1, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    What's the best place to pick up beer i Annapolis? And is BCBS available in Maryland?
     
    #13 jeevo, Mar 19, 2013
  14. jimmy666

    jimmy666 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2010 Maryland

    Either BayRidge Wine and spirits(Annapolis) or Fishpaws in Arnold. As far as BCBS I don't think you will find any around ( that stuff disappears fast when it hits the area).
     
    #14 jimmy666, Mar 19, 2013
  15. mwrecording

    mwrecording Crusader (481) Nov 14, 2009 Maryland

    Yeah BCBS generally disappears the week(if that) it comes in but my understanding is that Perfect Pour in Columbia always has a pretty pricey bottle or two.
     
    #15 mwrecording, Mar 20, 2013
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  16. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yes. I would call them to be sure, but last I heard, they still had some bottles available, for $12 a piece I believe. Of course if the PP realizes they are the only store that has any left in the area, they might have jacked the price up even more. They're that kind of store.
     
    #16 John_M, Mar 20, 2013
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  17. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,191) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    The thing that State Line I find is interesting is they are very isolated, and I don't get the impression their store is visited that often by serious beer huting heads. They have great prices being out in the rurals, far enough away from the expensive city areas of DC and Baltimore. Perfect example... 6 pack of Nugget Nectar in DC 12-15 dollars.. State Line... 8.99

    Also it's a place I have gone into and found some real obscure brews and also some good gems. Mostly because it doesn't look like the place gets picked clean all the time. I think PP might have more domestic variety than State Line, but the prices at State Line are just perfect, and there's LOTS of broken up mixed packs for you to cherry pick which wont cost you an arm and a leg. Once again the import section is just what blows my mind, I haven't seen that much Belgian diversity ANYWHERE, obscure Italian brews, and this store is really in the middle of nowhere!

    The place is great, but it's almost too good to be true, it's like an enigma to me why all this great mostly affordable stuff is way out there. Maybe because it's on the border? I am not sure.. or it's an entrance to a secret beer portal that nobody knows about :wink:
     
    #17 Smakawhat, Mar 20, 2013
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  18. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think that's a fairly typical reaction for most folks visiting for the first time. The first time I stopped by, back in 2007, I know my first reaction was "well this can't be it." However, I've stopped by many times since then, and you'd be surprised how crowded the place can get on occasion (not to mention how much money some customers will plunk down on their purchases). Also, good as the selection was when I stopped by back in 2007, I think it's probably pretty much doubled since that time. For that matter, you don't find a lot of old product on the shelf (I've never seen anything that was past it's best by date). I don't think that would be the case if no one was shopping there.

    I remember several years ago I stopped by right after they got in their NN allocation. They had this huge pyramid of it in the middle of the store, and I remember thinking "Damn!!! They'll have NN into the middle of summer." Except when I stopped by roughly a month later, it was all gone. So yeah, I think they really do have a fairly large, loyal customer base.

    One last comment. You know I go up to a lot of SEPA events, and so I get to talk to a fair number of SEPA BA's. I have never met anyone who hasn't heard of State Line, and in most cases have visited multiple times. It's that kind of store (one that everyone knows is a great craft beer destination).
     
    #18 John_M, Mar 20, 2013
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  19. Big_V

    Big_V Savant (1,206) Nov 30, 2012 Maryland
    Trader

    Try Chat's in DC (capital hill). Good selection. They stock DC Brau. Talked to the owner and supposedly getting OTWOA!
     
    #19 Big_V, Mar 20, 2013
  20. jeevo

    jeevo Pundit (976) Nov 1, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    Thanks for the responses everyone. Much appreciated. My buddy is working down in Annapolis for a few weeks and will stop somewhere to pick me up some stuff. A place in DC has some, so he might just go there for me.
     
    #20 jeevo, Mar 21, 2013
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