Grape & Gourmet

Norfawkers

Virginia

5/5  rDev +5.3%
quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$$

Yes it is a bit pricey but there are good reasons. You're paying for quality, pure and simple. The owner knows his stuff and goes out of his way to get the best and keep the selection as diverse and well-stocked as possible. He's also a fan of the IPA's as we are but he's quite knowledgable about all things beer.

Grape and Gourmet offers regular tastings and monthly store-wide discounts at their cheap and cheery events, which offer free snacks and additional tastings. They also maintain a twitter account that updates the newest releases and upcoming events.

In the Hampton Roads area, there is no comparison to Grape and Gourmet's quality and selection diversity. For everyday purchases, go to Wine Plus but for something special, give Grape and Gourmet a try.

06-13-2010 15:41:14 | More by Norfawkers

Hanzo

Virginia

4.61/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Always a great experience at Grape and Gourmet, very welcoming environment, friendly and knowledgeable staff, great selection and they do a beer tasting every thursday...what more can you ask? My favorite part is they are great about communicating when new beers come out.

I put them down as reasonable in the value category as most of their beers are well priced but some are a little on the high side. Also docked them a bit for having some IPAs that are past their prime on the shelves at regular price, I am really not a believer in the dropping off of an IPA after a month or two, but some are six months old sitting around, it would be better to discount them to rotate the stock.

05-25-2012 13:35:23 | More by Hanzo

CWinchell

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Found this place while visiting my brother in Norfolk. I am so glad I decided to come by. As others have posted Va beach is a little lacking in the take home beer department. Being from out of town I was curious to see what was available here that I couldn't get back home.

Not only was the owner extremely helpful but I managed to find some ridiculous IPA's that I hadn't tried or seen before, all at very reasonable prices. The owner was super friendly and you can tell he is a man who loves his profession.

Whether or not you live here or if you ever find yourself in the area, do yourself a favor and check this place out. Knowing that I can come here on my next trip to VA will make my family visits so much more enjoyable!

02-21-2012 22:24:51 | More by CWinchell

vfgccp

New York

5/5  rDev +5.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

The go to place in the area for craft brew, and wine if you are into that. Awesome staff, Kevin the owner is awesome to talk to about beer and his wife who runs the wine part is super funny. Really good people! They offer a free weekly beer tasting the often features some really great beers, it is a great way to expand your beer experiences. Overall selection is great, and very diverse. Prices are fair, and if you add in that you get the free tastings it really adds to the value. Definitely the best of the best in the VB area.

02-04-2012 02:36:16 | More by vfgccp

ViennaBeer

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 3 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

I stop in once or twice a year when I'm back at the Beach and am always wowed.

5s across the board with the exception of atmosphere. Given the selection and service, who cares? They have everything I could want in terms of limited domestics, everyday 6 packs, and hard to find local offerings.

Most impressive are the level 10 obscure imports. Pricey on these items, maybe, but where else can I find them to compare? NO WHERE within 3 hours. This aspect of their selection shows they certainly talk to the relevant importers as much as they speak with the wholesalers. That may sound unimportant, but as a retailer myself I can appreciate the time and difficulty G&G endures to obtain some pieces of their outstanding selection.

Despite my very infrequent visits, Kevin, the man in charge, always remembers me and takes the time to talk (or rant) beer with me.

I can't say enough good things about this oasis in a *relative* beer desert.

01-31-2012 01:10:34 | More by ViennaBeer

teromous

Virginia

5/5  rDev +5.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

A: This place is awesome. I buy most of my beers through them, because they carry such a large variety of beers (and wines). They have beer and wine tastings *weekly* and it's always a great time. It's a real "mom and pop shop" which I think is cool.

Q: They always take care to place their beers and wines on shelves (except some of the bulk cases that sell out fast), and don't mind if you take them out of the 4 or 6 packs to make your own. You can tell they really care about their products. They can get many of the quality craft beers that I can't find anywhere else.

Serv: They have great service. They always greet me when I enter, and are always ready to let me know when a certain beer is coming out, etc. They know a lot about breweries and have the latest news as well. One important thing, is that they are honest. They will tell you whether a beer is good or bad, but won't judge you on what you choose to buy. This is important, in the event that you want to try one of the bad beers anyway.

Sel: They have a great selection of everything. What I like, is that sometimes I can get seasonal beers from past seasons. They also take care in posting ratings and info tags for beers so you can make a more informed decision. One key thing to mention, is that in addition to wine, they also carry a good selection of mead and cider. It's rare to find a place that carries these.

(Food): They do carry an assortment of cheeses, chocolates, etc but I don't think it's fair to rate them on this because their selection is more of a novelty that you can buy if you're putting together a gift or something.

Value: I've noticed that their prices are cheaper on some things, and more expensive on others. Mostly the wine is more expensive. It's my opinion, that value is not just a ratio of goods vs price, but the service and experience that you get from the establishment as well.

12-21-2011 17:23:36 | More by teromous

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

4.64/5  rDev -2.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$$

Like many specialty beer stores, the price is a bit high (higher than you'd pay for the same beers in the high-end supermarkets -- assuming you can find them there at all), but the selection is out of this world!
The owner is an ex-Navy guy who clearly experienced many a brew from all over the world, and has made the beers he tried abroad and loved available to the unwashed masses.
There is something for just about every taste, from all over the world and covering every style. There are literally hundreds of examples stacked 6-ft high across the length of the shop -- if he doesn't have exactly the brand you want, he'll find you something very close (I do recommend you talk with the owner if you have questions, although the employees are fairly knowledgeable as well).
For the wine lovers, his wife has provided an impressive collection filling the other half of the store, but that's for a different review.
They have tastings every Thursday for those looking to try new beers before slapping down their cash; or, if you want to just broaden your horizons, you can take a chance and buy something new off the shelf (it would take years to properly taste all their offerings).
Bottom line: You'll have to pay a little extra for the selection you get here (of course...), but if you're looking for new beer experiences, this is your place!

10-13-2011 17:13:45 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

travisnd

Virginia

4.66/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

Finally went here looking for some pumpkin ale's that I couldn't find elsewhere. I had emailed them the day before asking about their updated inventory and received a response within 24 hours, which was nice. When I arrived, the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. Though only thing I didn't like was how spreadout a lot of the beer was. I had a difficult time trying to figure out what was what, other than that, it's a nice store. The prices were what I expected to pay, comparatively speaking. Will be going back soon!

10-04-2011 18:02:58 | More by travisnd

Cyrano41

Virginia

4.94/5  rDev +4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

They have the largest selection of beer in the area without a doubt! It is a wine shop by name, and maybe a good one, but the beer is not just an afterthought here. I can't put a number on the available selection other than it takes up a wall over 50 feet long with shelves 5-6 high with 1-2 bottle to the front type of display. The beer manager is very knowledable and extremely helpful. The once a week beer tastings are a very nice feature and offer a way to expand your palate without breaking the bank.(They're free!)I look forward to trips to this shop and highly recommend it to anyone. The only negative is the shock and awe effect when perusing the stacks.

09-06-2011 15:57:59 | More by Cyrano41

Brewzer1010

California

4.24/5  rDev -10.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited 8-11-11 while on a brief trip to VA Beach. I had heard about thursday tastings so I made sure that was the day I visited. Gabe (I think) who hosted the tasting was very informative about what was being poured (Life and Limb II, Heavy Seas The Greater Pumpkin, among others), and although our conversation was brief, I enjoyed talking beer with him. For what seems to market itself as a wine and specialty shop, the beer selection was impressive. Tons of stuff I don't see in CA (Bell's, Founder's, Southern Tier, Schlafly, Hoppin Frog, etc.), and lots of it. I happily stocked up for the weekend (6ers of Two Hearted and Oberon, a few Southern Tier bombers and a couple other randoms), at what seemed to be a reasonable price (not sure how it compares to other shops in the area). I will definitely be visiting this place on future trips to the area.

08-23-2011 00:13:41 | More by Brewzer1010