Raise your hand if you like buying beer.....

So maybe you've been reading my blog for a little while and you've become interested in trying some of the beers that I've mentioned or written about. Maybe your taste buds have been stimulated by my review of the Southern Tier Creme Brulee or your interest has been piqued by my incessant mentionings of the awesomeness of Berkshire Brewing Company. Maybe you're ready to progress from just reading about beer to actually going out, opening up your wallet and dropping a week's paycheck (if you're me) on a fridge full of goodies. But where do you go? 


Don't worry friends, I gotcha covered. 

A snapshot of Redstone's Craft Beer collection

There are a few really great beer finds in the Greater Boston area, though one in particular stands out as my personal favorite: Redstone Liquors in Stoneham, MA. This gem is hidden next to a Shaws supermarket inside a shopping plaza that is behind another shopping plaza, all located on on Rt. 28. Don't worry though - once you get there the first time, you will never have a problem locating it again....  it's so flippin' awesome that the (large) part of your brain dedicated to beer will lead you back there like it's following some sort of beer spidey sense. One of the main reasons I love Redstone so much, and I discussed this briefly in my review of their Grand Tasting back in September, is because they are extremely dedicated to forming good relationships with their customers. The guys who work there, with the exception of one or two, are extremely knowledgable about beer and extremely excited about craft beer as a hobby, and, well let's just face it, as a major lifestyle choice. They're all very helpful, not only in helping you locate the specific bottles you're looking for, but also will provide suggestions and truck-loads of information if asked. Even better, they'll answer your emails, put beers aside for you,  go out of their way to get in brews that you're looking for, and occasionally even put a special beer aside for you once you become buddy-buddy with them. Just last week, for example, Kamal let me know that he had put a Founders Nemesis aside for me, just because he thought I might like it. Clearly you can see that their incredible customer service is reason enough to stop by this hole in the wall, and I haven't even begun to mention how phenomenal their selection of craft beer is on a day to day basis. Trust me, you're going to want to set aside a few hours and a few bucks the first time you walk in here because it is very easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of their selection and end up, after much deliberation, purchasing more than you may be able to afford (then again, I'm living on a teacher's salary, so my budget may be more limited than most). Bottom line, Redstone Liquors is a must if you're looking to expand and extend your craft beer collection... and if you don't want to take my word for it, check out North Shore Magazine's "Best of the North Shore" List from 2010 where they took first place in the "Best Beer Selection" Category. 


Other great beer stores in this area include Andover Liquors in Shawsheen Plaza on North Main St., Andover, and Marty's in Newton. Both have pretty great selections, though Redstone definitely beats them out as far as customer service is concerned. Marty's in particular has an extensive selection of craft beer, including things that are typically hard to find. They also sell gourmet foods and fine wines. Andover Liquors also has a very nice selection of wine, though I'm not going to elaborate, because we're here to talk about beer people! Either of these two stores are worth stopping by if you are in the area or making your go-to beer store if you live close. I personally hit up Andover Liquors a lot because they are right down the street from me and sell bombers of Berkshire Brewing Co. for less than $4. This store doesn't seem to be a craft beer mecca either (meaning that people don't go out of their way to buy beer here) so they often have rarities after the bigger, more well known package stores sell out. Further north of town, Leary's Fine Wines in Newburyport and the Hampton Village Market in Hampton, New Hampshire are good stops for the craft beer enthusiast on vacation or living too far away to travel into Boston. The best beer store in all of Massachusetts, however - or so I've heard - is Julio's Liquors in Westborough....unfortunately, I have yet to make the trek out there, but when I do, you'll be the first to hear about it.....


For more information about the stores I mentioned and to find more package stores in your area, check out Beer Advocate's Beerfly Search Engine. Cheers and happy shopping!