King Henry in Manhattan

It is Exciting and Fun. You have just inspired me to make different post on Beer Talk.

 

I've heard pricing at Top Hops isn't the greatest...

 

It's not, but if something comes into the city they usually get it.

 

I've been there a few times and have always been happy with their pricing. While they tend to be slightly more expensive than New Beer, you've gotta consider that almost everywhere in NYC charges more than New Beer.

Top Hops is typically much cheaper than other bars/stores that gouge (IE: Eagle, Bierkraft) and usually even beats Good Beer's prices. Granted, I've never tried buying a "hyped" release (KH, BCBCS, FMB) from them, so I can't speak to their practices in that regard. The owner does love & support the local BA community, though, which is a big plus for me.

IMO, Top Hops is one of the more reasonably priced craft bars in the city.

 

I've never been there personally, that's just what I was told by a friend who has been.

He mentioned REALLY rediculous growler pricing, specifically.

 

The growler pricing varies. Some is expensive, some is not. The cost for a glass, though, is usually very good.

Moreover, the true value is in the bottle selection. It's excellent, it's all kept correctly (i.e., mildly chilled, not exposed to sunlight, etc.), it's pricing is comparable to WF and only slightly more expensive than New Beer, and you can drink it there for a $2 capping fee (as opposed to the roughly 100-200% mark-up for a bottle at most bars).

Essentially, it's a good bar with a ludiscrously extensive and extremely cheap (compared to other bars) bottle list that also happens to function as a very good bottle shop.

 

Glad you said this... Almost got a plane ticket from Chicago to NYC for some KH...close call

 

I went to Beer Authority 2 weekends ago, and they said they had it on the bottle menu and I almost shat myself..until the woman told me they sold out of it the night before. You people suck. :-(

Haha although this now opens up the idea that they get this consistently, as you are all talking about how this happened a full week after they apparently sold out...interesting.

 

Also, Top Hops refrigerates like 99% of their stock—sans excess lighting! Really nice touch (admittedly not sure whether intentional…)—which is expensive, whereas New Beer practically only refrigerates their seltzer and shit, leaving their beer to rot, essentially.

 

Top Hops pricing is slightly more than Whole Foods and Good Beer and well below that of Eagle, Bierkraft, Beer Table Pantry, etc. That being said, Whole Foods hasn't hosted a 50 person BeerAdvocate bottle-share shitshow for free either. TH is a great place and has earned my business many times over the $1-2 per six pack/bomber I may pay extra.

I don't think the growlers are especially out of line either.