Lone Hill Liquors

deuschbag

California

5/5  rDev +5.9%
quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$$

this place has a selection sent from the gods. but they kinda stike back at some of the prices. but anyway, upon walking in this store i thought it was a pretty big place..then i saw the great divide and dogfishead selection. i almost froze seeing the drednaught ipa, and other top offerings from three floyds and great divide. everything from st. bernardus, rochefort, westemale, founders's, anderson valley, victory, alesmith, rogue, russian river, moyan, marlin, samuel smith, stone, uniborue, ect...
about half of the "best of ba" is at this place alone. too many names to mention. stan the clerk is a really kind and cool person and also know's his beers. we got into talking about westvleteran and how he had a buddy that bought a case of it and sold for $20 a pop. he also mentioned some festival to us this upcomining weekend and gave us a flyer for it. that was cool of him. my only complain about this place is the insane price for some itmes. it's excusable for the rare and hard beers to find but overall it's a bit pricey. mainly the three floyds and bell's. the oaked aged yeti was one of the first things to catch my eye, but once i saw that it was around the $13 mark for the 22. oz i decided to pass. 6 packs of alpha king and bell's expidition stout were in the high mark as well(expidition was $21.99 for a sixer). in the end, this place is fantastic. one of the best liquor stores out there. thank you, lonehill

07-29-2006 10:40:14 | More by deuschbag

instrumentality

California

4.6/5  rDev -2.5%
quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$$

I happened to be driving in the general direction of Glendora anyway and, based on a recommendation from SwillinBrew, made a point of stopping here.

Upon entering, I took a quick look at the beer selection and immediately went to the guy behind the counter (George) and asked if they had any baskets. He said no and asked me why, and I replied, "Because I'm going to be stocking up." He immediately cleared some counter space for me to lay bottles down and said I could use some boxes as well if need be.

I don't know if my eagerness tipped them off or if they're just generally nice guys, but the manager (Stan) actually walked up and shook my hand. I mentioned I had heard about the place, he asked how I had heard, I mentioned BeerAdvocate, and his eyes lit up. He said if he could be of any service, I should let him know. I didn't need any help, but I appreciated the offer.

The atmosphere wasn't anything too exciting - just a standard liquor store with standard swill on display in the front...it's not until you move towards the refrigerators that you really begin to get a clue as to how amazing this place is selection-wise.

The selection was incredible: Three Floyds galore, some Belgian goodies, and several other "Best of BA" selections. In addition to the variety of beer choices, the packaging options really caught my eye: Gulden Draak and Piraat (as well as a couple of others, I think) in what I believe were 1.5L bottles, and 4-packs of St. Bernardus Abt. 12.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, I had a substantial stash of beers waiting to be rung up at the counter. The staff continued to be helpful throughout the purchase process and then helped me carry one of my boxes out the door. This ended up being the most dough I've spent on a single beer run to date that didn't involve shipping & handling, and I could easily have spent 2 or 3 times as much if I was slightly more insane.

I rarely make it to the Inland Empire, but I imagine that from now on, any time I'm headed that way, I'm making a special pit stop in Glendora.

Update: I've been back since, and the service was equally good, if not better. I had a lengthy conversation with Stan about BeerAdvocate and beer in general, and he made several recommendations on beers I had never tried (and in some cases, never heard of). Turns out that he's partial to IPA's and Belgians, so we were pretty much on the same wavelength. I ended up going out on a limb and mostly buying beers he recommended, along with a sixer of Wittekerke witbier, which I ended up donating to a friend without getting to see what it was all about for myself. Looks like I'll just have to go back again!

07-05-2006 21:06:36 | More by instrumentality

chelovek

California

4.8/5  rDev +1.7%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Well the previous two reviews some up the joint pretty well. I saw a post that said this place had Deadnaught IPA so I scooted my butt down there in a hurry. Manager is a cool fellow, he said that the place just started carrying higher quality craft beers and that it was paying off. The place is only 10 minutes from my house I couldn't be more pleased about it. A fine collection of beers ranging from the Three Floyds beers I spoke of to some Belgian offerings. A bit pricy but where else are you going to find Gumballhead and Dreadnaught IPA in Southern California? A fine joint that will feel my presence often. Thanks to the previous posters for the tip on this place.

I must add an addition to my previous visit review. I have returned many, many times only to find more good stuff in stock that makes my mouth water. Owner and manager are really doing a great job to bring outstanding beers under one roof. Hats off to this joint...again.

07-03-2006 01:09:24 | More by chelovek

SwillinBrew

California

4.3/5  rDev -8.9%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

I decided to head up here so i could get some 3Floyds for Memmorial Day. I'm fricken glad i did.

There was about 5 coolers, to the right after you enter, that had micro/craft brews... (more coolers if you count the macros.) Most all the local west coast breweries were represented as well as a good selection of the english, belgian and german brews, oh and cant forget canada with their unibroue. You will find something you like, trust me! The first cooler was the most interesting. In it were 6ers, 4packs and bombers from 3-Floyds, Great Divide, Bells and Founders. This was the reason I came, to buy what cannot be bought. I picked up many including dogfishhead 60 and 90 minute IPA and dreadnaught. This is simpley a ballsy store and i take my fez off to them. To order several pallets of brew and have it delivered to your store, because it's not distributed out here, so others can drink them is Fu$#ing amazing and just ballsy. I doubt after the shipping and handling is paid, not much profit is gained so i interpret that as an act of a true beer advocate! Sure the price is higher, but cost have to be covered - try doing a trade with equal cost beer then add the S&H, you'll find it's cheaper to get it here.

The proprietor, Stan, wasnt in but I did talk to Carrie and she was really nice and helpful. She went in the back to look for more 90 min IPA for me and we chatted about BA... nice gal. (Stan isnt in until after 1pm)

Good job Lone Hill !!! I will be back sooner than later!

EDIT: Selection to 5 from 4.5. They just keep getting more and more that is nowhere to be found in CA.

05-31-2006 00:55:56 | More by SwillinBrew

Boilermaker88

California

4.35/5  rDev -7.8%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

**open to a chorus of angels** Finally, a liquor store that sells a wide range of quality craft beers that's only about five minutes from my house!! Amen, brother beer-lovers!
I checked this particular store out about 18 months ago and it didn't meet the criteria for submission in BeerFly. Oh, how times (and the addition of a good manager) have changed. Lone Hill Liquors is a bit of a hole-in-the-wall store located next to the Stater Bros supermarket on the corner of Rte 66 and Lone Hill Ave. Once inside, bear to the left past the champagne and sparkling wines and you'll see a long row of coolers housing a wide array of local, regional, domestic, and foreign brews. What drew me to the store was a call I made and talk I had with the manager. He told me he and the owner had decided to upgrade the quality of the beers they carried and it had really taken off in the past 2-3 months. As of right now, they are one of a couple LA area stores carrying Three Floyds beers, Dreadnaught, Robert The Bruce, Gumballhead, and Alpha King specifically. They also got in Bell's Two-Hearted Ale and Founders Red Rye. Granted, the prices are pretty steep (I paid $15.99 for a 22oz Dread and $13.99 for a six'er of AK, prices were similar for the others), but the fact that they landed here in SoCal in my backyard made it worth it.
The local/regional brews aren't slighted at all with Stone, Alesmith, Ballast Point, Green Flash, North Coast, Marin, Moylan's, Great Divide (Hercules DIPA and Titan IPA) and a few others well covered. Domestics other than the 3F included DFH 60 and 90 Minute IPA's, Shipyard, Victory's Storm King, Prima Pils, Golden Monkey and HopDevil. There's a solid selection of foreign craft beers available with St Bernardus Abt 12, prior 8 and Tripel, Rochefort 10 and 8, Fantome saison, AdR Grand Cru, Aventinus and Aventinus eisbock, the Weihenstephaner line-up, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Celebrator, and a bunch of English beers on hand. Simply put, the selection and quality are the best in the area. Prices for the local stuff is more reasonable.
The guy behind the register wasn't all that much help other than ringing up my purchases. The manager (Stan) was quite helpful on the phone, giving me the run-down on the upgrades to the store and the current selections.
Overall, I couldn't be happier. What a great New Beer(Store) Sunday I had. I've now got a 'go-to' store in my backyard. I encourage all local BA's to check out Lone Hill Liquors. You won't regret it.

05-08-2006 17:46:44 | More by Boilermaker88