So my sister lives in NYC. She is coming to Oklahoma to visit and has graciously offered to bring me back some beer (this is a new thing). She doesn't like beer and really knows nothing about it. I don't want to send her on a wild goose chase after some Whale. Any recommendations of stuff she could find in most good bottle shops to send her after that I can't get down here in OK? Stouts/IPS/Sours preferably Also recommendations for bottle shops in the area of the Upper West Side? Cheers!
To be honest, any whole foods in NYC will have a pretty good selection without costing an arm and a leg. In my experience most NYC bottle shops will charge 20%-200% over retail and make a lot of beers really not worth it. I'm not too familiar with the UWS, however, Noble Grains on the UES (95th and 1st) has a good selection and decent prices (depending on where she lives, it's probably a simple crosstown bus + a couple blocks walking). You would be better off trading/seeing if she could go to a brewery like Singlecut or Otherhalf and bringing you a growler and/or bottles or cans from the brewery. Sorry if this isn't particularly helpful.
I'll second BourbonJersey on Whole Foods as they've kept their prices fair and she'll know where to go. The question would be what to get. They've got Westbrook from South Carolina now (at least the White Thai last I saw, for @ $2.49), and of course Brooklyn. You'll have to do the research on that yourself; of course some NY BA's might pitch in Singlecut/Otherhalf yes yes as well, but I'd advise against growlers as you're asking an apprentice to handle it. If she goes to the Greenmarket at Union Square I'd recommend a bottle of something from "From The Ground Brewery", perhaps their Hudson Farmhouse Ale ($10/22 oz.).
Tell your sister to get you SingleCut Is This the Real Life. It should be available at any decent shop right now and it is delicious. I also think Long Trail's Space Juice is at some Whole Foods and there are a few different Pipeworks beers that are out that are pretty fresh. Tell her to look for anything Grimm since you like sours and IPAs. I think you keep it simple, she'll find what you're looking for.
The UWS Whole Foods is pretty limited compared to Broadway Dive, but worth a look. Note that Broadway Dive and Dive Bar also fill crowlers: https://www.beermenus.com/places/339-broadway-dive and https://www.beermenus.com/places/203-dive-bar-nyc - a better option for transportation than growler bottles.
Can always check out the Whole Foods at Columbus Circle or Beer Culture on 45th too, no? Those aren't too far from the UWS.
I agree, don't go to the UWS Whole Foods. Go to the Columbus Circle one. UWS Whole Foods has a disappointing selection.
There is also Beer Shop in the high 70's/low 80's. Bottles and growlers with good selection but overpriced by a fair amount.
Tell her to go to Broadway Dive and ask for Nick, and explain the situation (you live in OK, are looking for beers that don't get distro there, etc.), and he will tell her what to get. He really knows the lay of the land.
Beer Shop NYC on Amsterdam near 80th? The selection is nicely curated and the prices are pretty high.
+1 to Bway dive. The staff are also great and would likely be happy to help her pick out some beers. They're sometimes filling crowlers of great stuff as well.
