Best Beer Buying Options Near You

Depending on where you live, there are a variety of options for buying beer. In some places, beer can be bought almost anywhere, including grocery stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. In other places, there are more restrictions on where beer can be sold, with dedicated liquor or beer stores being the only option. Online beer delivery services are also available in some areas, which can be especially convenient if you live in a densely populated area or are unable to leave your home. These services may be subject to shipping restrictions in certain states or regions.

Local delivery services

Drizly

Drizly is a popular choice for alcohol delivery and offers a wide range of options, including craft beer, wine, liquor, and extras like snacks and mixers. They partner with local stores to deliver your order in under 60 minutes, making them a great option for last-minute get-togethers. Drizly is available in many metropolitan areas across the country, and their prices and delivery fees are competitive.

Minibar

Minibar is another excellent choice for alcohol delivery, especially if you're looking for quick service. They offer a variety of wine, beer, and spirits from local vendors, delivered to your door in 30 to 60 minutes. Minibar services over 70 cities across 22 states and frequently offers discounts on their beverages.

Saucey

Saucey is perfect for those who want a wide selection of beer, wine, and spirits delivered in a hurry. They promise to deliver your order in 30 minutes or less in select markets and also offer 2-day shipping to California and New York. Saucey services several major metropolitan areas across the US, making it a convenient option for many.

Craftshack

Craftshack is an excellent choice for craft beer enthusiasts, offering a wide range of beers, spirits, ciders, and seltzers from all over the world. Their impressive selection can be easily navigated using their filters, which allow you to browse by style, brewery, and more. Craftshack services depend on local shipping laws, so be sure to check their availability in your area.

Swill

Swill lives up to its slogan, "The Liquor Store In Your Pocket," by offering a vast array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for delivery. In addition to beer, wine, and liquor, they also deliver energy drinks, soft drinks, and even coconut water. Swill is available in select markets, with the option to schedule deliveries for a specified time or instant delivery in some areas.

Tavour

If you're a craft beer connoisseur, Tavour is the perfect platform for you. They specialise in highly-rated and hard-to-find craft beers, offering a constantly evolving selection from top breweries across the country. Tavour is a subscription-based service, but users can pick the beers they want to receive, ensuring a personalised experience.

These delivery services offer a convenient and efficient way to stock your bar, ensuring you never have to venture far for your favourite drinks.

Beer subscription services

There are several beer subscription services available, each offering a unique selection of beers. Some services specialize in a specific type of beer, such as IPAs or stouts, while others offer a variety of beers from different regions or countries. Many services also allow subscribers to choose the styles of beer they want to receive, ensuring they only get beers they know they will enjoy.

• Craft Beer Club: This is the most popular beer subscription box for craft beer enthusiasts. It sends monthly shipments of new and interesting craft beers from around the country, many of which have limited distribution. The Craft Beer Club is also one of the more affordable options, costing $48 per month plus shipping within the continental US. Each box features 12 beers: three of each beer in four different styles from two different breweries.
• Beer Drop: This service offers different plans, but with all of them, subscribers can select their favourite type of beer and specific beer styles that go into their monthly craft beer subscription box shipments. Beers start at $5 per beer, and monthly drops of microbrewery offerings start at $50 per month, plus $8 for shipping and handling, for five beers. Beer Drop also allows subscribers to add beers to their next drop anytime and offers an email preview 24 hours before shipping to make any last-minute changes.
• Brewvana by City Brew Tours: This service is perfect for those looking for outside-the-box brewing. It offers interesting beers from a single beer-brewing region, highlighting one new "undiscovered" beer city each month. Each shipment includes eight different beers: two beers from four breweries in the featured city. Brewvana also offers interactive live streams and a drink-along podcast to enhance each month's tasting. The cost is $70 per month for eight beers with a six-month prepaid subscription, $75 per month for a three-month subscription, or $80 per month for a standard monthly plan. Shipping is a flat rate of $5 across all plans.
• The Hop-Heads Beer Club: This club is perfect for those who love hoppy beers. It sends three different hops-centric beers—four of each—every month, including IPAs, Double IPAs, Imperial IPLs, Sessional IPLs, hoppy Pale and Red Ales. The Hop-Heads Beer Club starts at $42 per month, plus $16 for shipping.
• The Rare Beer Club: This club is the most selective, featuring only two 750ml bottles of beer per month from the world's hottest microbreweries. It sends two separate styles of craft beer per month, carefully chosen using rare production techniques and ingredients. The Rare Beer Club offers three buying options: two 750ml bottles per month ($44 plus $15 for shipping), four 750ml bottles per month ($66 plus $19 for shipping), or six 750ml bottles per month ($88 plus $24 for shipping).
• Beer of the Month Club: This club offers five distinctive beer club subscriptions, including The U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club, The U.S. and International Variety Beer Club, The Hop-Heads Beer Club, The International Beer Club, and The Rare Beer Club. Each shipment includes 12, 12-oz craft beers, brewery profiles, and tasting notes.
• Beer52: This UK-based craft beer discovery club offers exclusive, small-batch beers selected by experts. Each month, subscribers receive eight beers, the Ferment magazine (the UK's No.1 craft beer magazine), and two snacks. Subscribers can also customize their preferences and rate and review beers to earn points and rewards.

Online retailers

FreshDirect

A $5.99 delivery fee will get you pretty much any beer you'd find at a well-stocked grocery store. While most other sites don't charge delivery fees, they tend to be pricier upfront, so FreshDirect ends up being a fair deal.

Craft City

Craft City is on the opposite end of the spectrum from FreshDirect. While there's some overlap between the two sites when it comes to more popular craft beers, smaller brewery labels make up the bulk of Craft City's impressive inventory (which includes over 100 different brews). You'll have to pay FedEx ground shipping fees (and a $3 "Adult Signature Delivery Fee") but it mostly evens out, especially when you consider the massive selection.

Craft Shack

Craft Shack has far more than beer on offer, but the online retailer is always quick to carry craft breweries' latest launches. The scope of their core craft beer inventory is pretty impressive, with over 75 labels. Shipping ranges from $19.99 to $29.99, depending on where you are in the continental US and the size of your order.

Beer of the Month Club

Beer of the Month Club is a monthly subscription service for beer. This service is great because you are consistently getting new craft beers to try, but it is not as customisable as other online beer ordering sites and apps. When you sign up, you choose a particular club to be in, such as the Hop-Heads Beer Club or the International Beer Club. Depending on how much you would like to pay, you can opt for 2, 4, or 6 beers each month.

Tavour

Tavour is a subscription-based app that lets customers fill up their box with desired beers which are then shipped out all at once. This is great as a gift box for the beer lover in your life. It is a little odd but is excellent for people who want to experiment with different beers to find their favourites. Tavour is the future of beer ordering with its trendy app and $14 delivery fee.

Craft Beer Kings

What makes this beer-ordering site craft beer royalty is the number of hype beers you’ll find here from breweries across the country. Plus, you can craft your own monthly subscription boxes across a variety of styles from hazy IPA to sours to California beer to dark beer. Craft Beer Kings even has a tab for exclusive collaborations. Build your own box or sign up for a subscription and prepare to have the red carpet rolled out to your front doorstep.

Local liquor stores

When it comes to the United States, the laws regarding alcohol sales vary from state to state. For instance, in Minnesota, liquor stores are the only option for purchasing beer, while in Tennessee, beer can be bought almost everywhere. In New York, beer is commonly purchased from grocery stores, breweries, and dedicated craft beer shops. Pennsylvania has unique laws where the amount of beer purchased from a gas station, bar, brewery, or grocery store is limited to 192 fl oz, but there are also distributors that can sell unlimited quantities.

Online options are also available for those who prefer to have beer delivered to their doorstep. Platforms like Drizly, Saucey, and Minibar offer local delivery services, although they may charge a delivery fee or have limited availability in certain areas. For those looking for a wider selection, online retailers such as FreshDirect, Craft City, and Craft Shack offer a range of craft beers and specialty microbrews, although shipping fees and restrictions may apply based on your location. Subscription-based services are also an option, with companies like Beer of the Month Club and Craft Beer Kings offering monthly deliveries of unique beers.

Bars and restaurants

If you're looking to enjoy a beer outside your home, bars and restaurants are the classic choice. Many bars and pubs purchase their beer from local beverage distributors or breweries, while some brewpubs and brewery taps produce their own.

When it comes to finding bars and restaurants that serve beer, online resources can be very helpful. Websites and apps like BeerMenus can help you locate nearby establishments that serve craft beer. You can also use Beer for Driving to find bars and restaurants that carry non-alcoholic beers, such as Heineken 0.0, Coors Edge, and Guinness 0.0. These platforms often provide information about the beer selections available at each location, so you can choose a place that suits your preferences.

In addition to these online resources, you can also try searching for bars and restaurants in your area that are known for their beer selections. For example, if you live near Berkeley, you might try Headlands Brewing, which offers a variety of beers on tap, in bottles, and in cans. Alternatively, if you're in the mood for a meal with your beer, you could check out the Sutter Pub & Restaurant, which offers a wide range of options, including beers on tap, bottles, casks, and cans.

If you're looking for a quick beer fix and want to avoid the hassle of going out, local delivery services like Drizly, Saucey, and Minibar can bring beer straight to your door. These services typically offer a range of options, from domestic beers to microbrews, and can be a convenient way to get your favourite drink without leaving your home.

Frequently asked questions