Explore The Beer Selection At Total Wine

Total Wine & More offers a wide range of beers, with over 2,500 options available in-store and online. The selection includes popular national brands, microbrews, craft beers, and imported beers from around the world. Beer can be purchased in a variety of pack sizes, including 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, 15-packs, 24-packs, and kegs. Some of the beers available include Budweiser, Miller, Coors, Heineken, Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, and many more. Total Wine & More also offers a variety of beer styles, such as ales, lagers, IPAs, stouts, and specialty styles.

Beer types: ale or lager

When it comes to beer, the two broadest categories are lager and ale. The difference between the two lies in the technique used to ferment the malt and the type of yeast employed.

Lagers are fermented using bottom-fermenting yeast at cool temperatures over a long period. Ales, on the other hand, are fermented with top-fermenting yeast at much warmer temperatures, resulting in a shorter fermentation and aging process.

The birth of the Pilsner style in the 1800s introduced lagers to much of the world. Before this, almost all beers were ales, as yeast was not yet known to be a key ingredient, and cold fermentation was difficult to achieve.

Today, both ales and lagers are widely produced, and many breweries experiment with different types of malt and hops to create a diverse range of beers.

Lager Styles

Lagers account for the highest worldwide annual liquid volume consumption due to the popularity of crisp, pale lager beers. Here are some common lager styles:

• American All-Malt Lager
• American Amber/Red Lager
• American Double/Imperial Pilsner
• Dortmunder/Export Lager
• American-Style Lager
• California Common/Steam Beer
• Japanese Rice Lager
• Maibock/Helles Bock
• Marzen/Oktoberfest
• Munich Dunkel Lager
• Munich Helles Lager

Ale Styles

Ales are known for their fruity and sometimes spicy characteristics due to the production of esters during fermentation. Common types of ales include:

• Blonde Ale (Golden Ale)
• Amber Ale (Red Ale)
• India Pale Ales (IPAs)

Specialty Styles

In addition to the main categories of lager and ale, there are also specialty styles that depart from traditional brews, offering unique styles, flavours, and aromas. These beers fall into their own niche categories and add to the diverse world of beer.

Specialty styles

Total Wine & More offers a great assortment of specialty styles, including the following:

Stiegl Grapefruit Radler

Available in 4 x 16.9oz cans.

Greenhouse Pink Grapefruit Hard Seltzer

A 4-pack of 12oz cans.

Modelo Chelada Mango y Chile

A 24oz can.

Guinness Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Stout

A 4-pack of 14oz cans.

Suntory All-Free Non-Alcoholic Beer

A 4-pack of 12oz cans.

Flying Embers Tropical Hops Variety Pack

A 6-pack of 12oz bottles.

Total Wine & More offers a wide range of beer options, with over 2,500 beers in stock, so you're sure to find something to your taste.

Popular beer brands

Total Wine & More offers a wide selection of beers, including popular national brands and new, unique microbrews. With over 2,500 beers available, you can find a range of lagers, ales, and specialty styles.

Some of the popular beer brands available at Total Wine & More include:

Lagunitas

Lagunitas Brewing Company is known for its unique and innovative craft beers. Some of their popular offerings at Total Wine & More include the Lagunitas Maximus Colossal IPA, A Little Sumpin Sumpin, and the Daytime IPA.

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is another well-known craft brewery with a range of beers available at Total Wine & More. Their Torpedo Extra IPA, Hazy Little Thing, and Pale Ale are among the favourites.

Founders

Founders Brewing Co. offers a variety of beers, including the popular All Day IPA, Backwoods Bastard, and Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS). Their beers are highly rated and often featured in Total Wine's selection.

Stone

Stone Brewing is a craft brewery with a focus on bold, flavourful beers. Their offerings at Total Wine & More include the Stone IPA (India Pale Ale), Stone Delicious Double IPA, and Stone Hazy IPA.

Heineken

Heineken is a popular international lager brand. Total Wine & More offers Heineken in 12-packs of 12oz cans or bottles, providing a crisp and refreshing option for beer lovers.

Stella Artois

Stella Artois is another well-known international lager brand. It is available in 12-packs of 11oz or 12oz bottles at Total Wine & More, offering a smooth and crisp drinking experience.

These are just a few examples of the popular beer brands available at Total Wine & More. With their extensive selection, you can explore a wide range of beers to find your new favourite.

Beer glassware

When it comes to beer, the glassware you use can significantly impact your drinking experience. The right glassware can enhance the flavour, aroma, and overall presentation of your beer. Here are some common types of beer glasses and the beers they complement:

American Pint Glasses

The classic, utilitarian American pint glass is a staple in bars and restaurants across the United States. It holds 16 ounces of beer and is slightly wider at the mouth than at the base. Its simple design makes it suitable for a wide range of beer styles, and its relatively low manufacturing cost and ease of cleaning and storage make it a popular choice.

Imperial Pint Glasses

Imperial pint glasses are similar to American pint glasses but hold a full 20 ounces. They feature a small lip at the mouth and are commonly used for British ales and lagers, such as pale ale, India pale ale, brown ale, porter, and stout.

Pilsner Glasses

Pilsner glasses are tall, slim, and slightly wider at the mouth, showcasing the sparkle, clarity, and bubbles of pilsners and other light beers. They typically hold 12 to 14 ounces of beer and help retain the beer's head, keeping the aromatics intact.

Tulip Glasses (Belgian Glasses)

Tulip glasses, also known as Belgian glasses, have a bulbous body and a flared lip. This design captures the head, promotes the aroma, and enhances the flavour of Belgian ales and other malty, hoppy beers. The short stem facilitates swirling, adding to the sensory experience.

Thistle Glasses

A thistle glass is a modified version of the tulip glass, resembling Scotland's national flower, the thistle. It has a short stem, a bulbous bottom, and an elongated, sharp, angular top. Thistle glasses are perfect for Scotch ales and wee heavy beers.

Goblet/Chalice Glasses

Goblet or chalice glasses feature a large, round bowl and a thick stem. Chalices tend to have thicker bowl walls, and both types can be highly decorative, sometimes featuring intricate etching or precious metal inlaying. The wide-mouth design encourages big, hearty sips and is ideal for heavy, dark beers like Belgian IPAs and strong dark ales.

IPA Glasses

IPA glasses are designed to aerate hoppy beers, releasing volatile aromatics with each sip. The tall, slender, tapered bowl concentrates and directs the hop aromatics to your nose. Some IPA glasses are nucleated at the bottom to enhance carbonation and create a steady stream of cascading bubbles.

Stout Glasses

Stout glasses, designed in partnership with renowned brewing companies, accentuate the roasted malts and rich coffee and chocolate notes characteristic of stout beers. The angled shelf and narrow mouth promote head retention.

Weizen Glasses (Wheat Beer Glasses)

Weizen glasses showcase the colour of wheat beers with their thin walls and elongated shape. They lock in the signature banana and clove aromas of wheat beers and provide ample space for a thick, fluffy head. A weizen glass typically holds about half a litre of beer.

Stange Glasses

Stange glasses, derived from the German word for "pole," are narrow, straight, and cylindrical. Like champagne flutes, they concentrate soft hop and malt aromas while preserving carbonation. Stange glasses have a thick-bottomed base for added stability.

Teku Stemmed Beer Glasses

The visually stunning Teku glass is widely recognised as one of the finest craft beer glasses available. Designed by an Italian sensory expert and craft brewer, it features an 11.2- or 14.2-ounce tulip-shaped bowl, an elegant long stem, and a remarkably thin lip. The stem prevents your hand from warming the beer, making it ideal for lambics, sours, gruit, fruit, and heather beers.

Beer Mugs

Beer mugs come in various shapes and sizes but always have a handle to prevent heat transfer from your hand to the beer. They tend to have thick glass walls for durability and insulation and are classic pub glassware, suitable for American, German, English, and Irish beers.

Beer Boots

Beer boots, also known as "das boots," have become popular at beer festivals and parties in the United States. They are often used for drinking games or as a macho display of drinking prowess. Their origin lies in Bavarian beer culture, where a Prussian general is said to have promised to drink beer from his boot after a battlefield victory. Today, they are commonly used for drinking Märzen/Oktoberfest beers, witbiers, and assorted German beers.

Gluten-free beer

Total Wine & More has a wide selection of gluten-free and low-gluten beers available for purchase. Gluten-free beer is typically brewed with sorghum instead of barley or wheat malt, but it can also be made with other grains such as rice and oats. For those who require or prefer gluten-free beer, there are now many options that offer just as much flavour and pleasure as traditional beers.

Total Wine & More offers gluten-free beers from popular brands such as Green's, Glutenberg, Mikkeller Peter Pale and Mary, Lakefront New Grist Gluten-Free, RedBridge Gluten Free Beer, Epic Exp Srs Glutenator Gluten-Free Beer, Bard's Gold Gluten Free Beer, and New Planet Raspberry Ale. These beers are brewed with gluten-free ingredients and are safe for people with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

In addition to these options, Total Wine & More also carries several gluten-reduced beers, which have been modified to minimise gluten content. While these beers may not be suitable for everyone, they can be a good option for those who are not highly sensitive to gluten. Some of the gluten-reduced beers available at Total Wine & More include Stone Delicious IPA, Dogfish Head Tweason'ale, and Estrella Damm Daura.

Total Wine & More provides detailed information about each gluten-free and low-gluten beer on their website, including the ingredients, flavour profiles, and awards won. The company also offers a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages, imported beers, and beer kegs to meet the diverse preferences of their customers.

Frequently asked questions