Where do folks shop?

Does Hannaford still have the mix and match 6 packs? We were in Maine, and I was like a kid in a candy store making mixed 6 packs.

 

The location about 20 minutes from me does (a VT location). You can also grab singles of anything unless it is in a closed box. Usually some decent stuff you could grab (e.g. Lost Nation cans, 14th Star cans, Jack's Abbey, Zero Gravity).

 

Wish we had something like that in NJ. Wondering if the new liquor laws will permit this.

 

So I tried Rapid, Redstone, and liquor junction today, in that order.

I highly recommend both Rapid and LJ.
Redstone on the other hand was a Dissapointment. High prices, like others have mentioned. Selection was about on par, if not worse for me, as the others. Also Lagunitas willettized stout choices:
Redstone- 1pp/ $3 a bottle
LJ- 6-pack/ $9

 

I'll have to try Rapid. I always go to Redstone when I visit the fam. I guess I don't know enough to compare LBS retail prices since I usually go to breweries. I have definitely learned to check dates at Redstone, though! Some of that stuff sits there a long time.

 

The Hannafud's in Keene has a mix-six rack but, over time, it's devolved into pretty much just AmBev and Smutty - it used to have Sierra Nevada and Harpoon, too. It's not refrigerated and, often as not, the bottles are within a few weeks of their best-by date.

 

Typical VT vs NH distro

 

This place was my hidden gem a couple of years ago. Their prices are great and their selection just keeps getting better. No longer a hidden a gem but still my goto bottle shop.

 

I shop at a ton of places and I'm not going to attempt to categorize them all, but shouts out to Fort Point Market as my overall favorite. All beer, no bullshit.

(all beer, and also like catfood and ramen if you want to be literal, but you know what I'm saying)

 

Almost never go to the liquor store now that Proclamation, Long Live, and Buttonwoods are within ten minutes of my house, but its High Spirits when I do. They carry everything you could need, with the occasional awesome surprise. For instance, walked in the other day for a six-pack and walked out with a 2013 BCBCS, a 2012 BCBS, and some BA Ten Fidy.

 

Wow nice to hear! I've never been there to encounter this instance, but a good store indeed. They are the de facto Whole Foods beer section, being next door and all.

Also agreed on the nearby breweries, all are making great stuff and don't need to stray too often...

 

Maybe it's because I live here and take it for granted, but the mix six at Maine Hannafords are usually the last stop beer makes before going to the discount store or down the drain. Some Hannafords have a better craft selection than others. If you are in Maine again, I can give you a few options for much better varieties of beer.

 

Being from New Jersey, and seeing that many beers I would otherwise not have access to, I was still the "kid in a candy store". I am sure if you are local to the area, that is a last resort type thing. Hell, I was shopping for bacon and eggs when I came across the Mix Six rack. I still had to stop back before I headed home to get 18 different bottles that sounded interesting to me.

 

Understood. I would probably do the same thing. That's not to say there aren't any "good" beers in a mix six rack , and I understand that if you are on vacation or something you probably don't want or have the time to hunt down beer shops. This is why I posted about trading locals for locals. There are a ton of good beers( daily drinkers) that I can get that you can't just because of geographically being outside of the distribution area and vise versa. Just out of curiosity what were some of the beers you found on the mix six rack?

 

This was well before I started keeping track. Mostly Maine (Portland, etc) brews that we just don't see in NJ. Some have made it this far south in recent years (Sea Dog comes to mind).

 

Yesterday morning the Hannafords in Keene had Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo IPA with a bottled on date of 07/21/17. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there last week. Where had it been for the past five and a half months?

 

Wegmans in Chestnut Hill and CBC in Fenway usually have what I’m looking for.

 

In another thread I mentioned that I found 11 day old Torpedo at a Hannaford. Mixed in with Torpedo and Pale Ale with dates as far back as June....

 

Trying to calm the beer expenses after the holidays. I Picked up some Hop Bullet at hannafords in South Burlington dated 12/13. Just cracked one open and tasting great.

 

Colonial Spirits in Acton is my go to Beer store! Love that you can buy singles. Also, Sudbury Craft beer is convenient and typically has a nice selection of beer!