Craft Beer Cellar in Portland

The new store will be a short walk from my office, so I'll probably visit on occasion, but they'll only be getting the business that the gas station a short ways up the street would otherwise have wound up with - the occasional mid-day six pack on those Fridays where there's no beer in the office fridge.

I'll definitely still be doing the lion's share of my shopping at Bier Cellar - Greg's always been great to me, and I really can't imaging anything CBC could offer that'd tempt me to switch.

 

I live in MA and would frankly prefer to buy my beer from grocery stores & big box retialers rather than "beer boutiques".

I'd also like for beer to be sold at whatever a free market (or retailer) deems appropriate instead of controlled "tariff" pricing per the state. Personally, what CBC claims to offer as a value-added niche retailer doesn't matter to me as a customer. I'm capable of deciding what beer will satisfy my needs (quality, value, freshness) at any particular moment.

 

CBC won't last - terrible location, especially for locals... Too much of a pain in the ass to get to with traffic, tourists, parking.

 

I don't live in Portland, so I'd love to be able to buy beer, at least the everyday stuff, at the grocery store, but the overwhelming majority of the time, I can't find anything I'm interested in drinking on their shelves. I actually had this happen to me on Saturday - I was buying groceries and hoping to make my trip into town quick - I literally couldn't find anything I was interested in buying, and wound up making a special trip to the next town over to a bottle shop to find something.

Then again, I also buy my meat at a butcher shop and my seafood from a fishmonger for similar reasons, so I'm probably an outlier.

 

The stores are independently owned and operated and so much of beer availability and selection is dictated by the state you live in that I'm not sure why it even matters that it is a chain. There's no chain bulk buying or anything like that going on. Unless you don't like the aesthetic of the store, which is really the main thing that ties the stores together (other than the not carrying brands owned by BMC), I'm not sure why it being part of a chain would influence anything. It's really just a local store with a proven blueprint. More craft stores = more competition and usually drives more local demand = better stores and beer availability IMO.

At least a few of the stores do have 12-packs, although you're right they are usually not featured.

(Note: I'm biased and affiliated with CBC).

 

Belmont and Winchester are both owned by the founders of the franchise, but the rest are independent.

 

I really can't think of any reason to go shopping here with the great service and availability at Bier Cellar. Plus, there's another liquor store with a pretty decent craft beer selection a stones throw away. Plus, after reading the interview that was posted with the owners, it is clear they are no where near as knowledgeable about beer as Greg from Bier Cellar is. Can't see this place doing so great.

 

I'm pretty conflicted on this one. I've been a big supporter of Bier Cellar from day 1 but I'm also a fan and supporter of the CBC folks (Belmont & Braintree in particular). I think the location of this particular branch is pretty bad. Not only for the parking situation but also Downeast Beverage is a block and a half away. In my mind it doesn't quite jive with the attitude I get from the other locations which is to find a place where there is a need and fulfill it. Waterbury VT needed a store in the downtown area, certainly. Portland... There are 2 good stores (1 great one in Bier Cellar) right there.

 

The prices are higher than I can get for the same products elsewhere, there is a stunning lack of refrigeration in the locations I've visited, the stores mainly seem to not carry full brewery catalogs only 1-2 offerings from a brewery, and I don't think the boutique buying experience adds anything to my beer shopping. I personally see no reason to shop there.

 

After re-reading the interview, i'm even more put off by the owners of this store. "JP: And we're the employees for now. We certainly wanna hire local staff who are awesome and know everything about beer, but we wanna be involved as much as possible, at least the first six months, so we're in it so we can listen to all the customers." So after the six months they're gonna dip out and just collect money? I don't know. I understand the point of opening a business is to make money, but it seems to me that these guys are simply opening a CBC because craft beer is the cool thing right now. We'll see how it goes, but I don't have high hopes for them.

 

CBC does not come across like a chain to me. Been loving the Westford location ever since it opened. I used to truck into Belmont CBC & down to Julios in Westborough often, now there is really no need to. Shop there for 95% of my needs. Plenty of other options around for Goose Island on every corner.

No idea of the location/situation up in Portland, but I am pretty sure most would consider another craft beer bottle shop a good thing, right? It's not like its a Dunkin Donuts opening up 100 yards from another D&D!

 

The article was clearly set up to paint them in a positive light but their answers to the questions only made them less likeable. Not likely I'll be supporting two guys just looking to fund their retirements and don't seem to have any real passion or knowledge of the product.

 

Bier Cellar is and always be my go to when in Portland!

Forget Portland where's the franchises for Southern/SE Mass? 95 corridor south of 128/93 split. Norwood/Foxboro/Mansfield/Easton areas are prime for one. CBC seems to draw a line in the sand at Braintree. Sorry off topic but did not want to start a new thread.

 

I find it interesting that the original CBC group gave a franchise to someone who isn't into beer. Seems bad for the brand. I really thought this was going to be great for craft beer (central locations with guaranteed good beer) but now I'm not so sure. I guess it won't matter if they get some beer geek employees but it just seems odd that the original group didn't look into or care who was opening one of their store. I mean the first line of their franchise info page is "
If you're a serious Beer Geek . . . [read on] . . . we'd love to talk to you!"

 

Nailed it. That is the main issue I can see with it and certainly an important one. I am not a Portland resident but I do make my fair share of trips to the city and am in that area just about every weekend throughout the summer. I think the Bier Cellar is a great store with awesome employees. I would and will still go here often when I am looking for local brews. With that said, every single CBC I have been to (Belmont, Braintree, Newton, Westford, Winchester, Portsmouth and Waterbury) are absolutely fantastic with regards to customer service and quality. They go above and beyond to bring you anything and everything you need. I would expect the same quality from the new Portland location and would recommend taking a wait and see approach with this one, especially if you aren't familiar with CBC.