House of 1000 Beers

cw577enfield

Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

WOW! Loved this place. Stopped there on my way to VA from Pittsburgh. It's where I found my first bottle by Russian River (Consecration) and Alesmith (Speedway Stout). Great selection of beers and outstanding bar with extensive tap listings. The best part about tap listings was projected on a flat-screen TV above the bar. Very 21st century! The young guy behind counter was very helpful and friendly. The only downside was their price for certain "hard-to-find" bottled beers.

Would recommend this place to anyone who's in the area of P-town!

05-12-2013 17:14:51 | More by cw577enfield

basickness

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75 | $$$

the place has a ton of beers. cant be mad at it. the guy behind the counter was really helpful in finding me some things... i was already drunk and there for the first time and didnt hate the patience to look through all the beer, so he was able to pull a couple of the style i was looking for with relative ease. kind of pricey, but it is what it is. i'd go again for sure.

05-10-2013 17:01:13 | More by basickness

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev -7.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | $$$

Stopped by on a late Saturday afternoon.

As you come in from the side parking lot, it takes a moment or two to get your bearings. There's a very large cold box in the back, that runs far to the right, over by the bar area. There is also shelf after shelf of beer on display as well, and the effect is nearly overwhelming. This place definitely has a large selection of beer.

As I was wandering aimlessly around, in obvious confusion, I think either the owner or the manager asked if I needed some help. (he was sitting at table to the left with a beer, watching some hockey with a friend) I told him I was just browsing, checking out the craft selection, but seeing as how he asked, I then asked him how the store was organized. The shelves and cold boxes are organized by brewery, but he mentioned that they also have an IPA/DIPA and stout section as well. So that was helpful. This place really has a pretty impressive selection of beer, with what appeared to be an emphasis on local and regional breweries, but with plenty of nationally recognized brewery stuff as well (FW, Bruery... even some bottles of RR Supplication). In addition to the impressive bottle selection, the back bar area boasts some 40 different beers on tap as well. The better draft options, at least on this day, included FW double jack, founders imperial stout and Fatheads IPA. I had a glass of draft double jack while at the bar, and it tasted pretty fresh and delicious. Service at the bar was swift and friendly, and draft prices were pretty reasonable ($5.75 for a 13 ounce glass of DJ, and I think a glass of Fatheads IPA was $5).

OK, this is a great place, but it's not without its faults as well. I highly recommend that anyone shopping for IPA/DIPA's be sure to check the "best by" date. I was tempted to get some bottles of flower power, until I saw how old they were. Same with the 12 ounce bottles of double jack. Bottles of Sculpin had an "enjoy by" date from back in September (which is why I give this place only an "average" service score). Also, while some of the prices here were OK (HOTD Fred for $7, for instance), I was bit taken aback when I saw that bombers of Double Jack were going for $15. That's easily the highest price I've ever seen for this beer, at least at a bottle shop. Also, I didnt' see any 6 packs on sale here. Maybe you get a break if you buy a 6 pack (I didn't see any signs to that effect), but otherwise everything is priced by the bottle. Bottles of Union Jack were $4, and bottles of Double Jack were $5.50 I believe. Even if you get 10% or 15% off for a 6 pack, that's still a pretty hefty price for a 6 pack I think.

The few negatives aside, there's no doubt I'd be a frequent customer if I lived nearby, as the selection here is great, and the 40 taphandle draft list is a huge bonus. Glad I had the chance to stop by....

03-17-2013 18:45:14 | More by johnmichaelsen

jhamilton214

4.72/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

My new favorite. Very extensive selection on tap and bottle. Not much in the way of food so don't come with an empty stomach.

I watched the hockey game there the other day. Two televisions in the main bar. Not overly crowded.

I've only just started going to this place but feel welcomed. It's not stuffy. Not a biker bar. I'm close to 50 and don't feel out of place with the younger or older crowd. Also, I'm new to craft beers and I don't feel left out of "the club". I've asked a couple patrons for suggestions and they've been open and helpful. I love that I can sample any of the 40 plus brews on-tap.

01-22-2013 21:10:01 | More by jhamilton214

shaw87psu

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 1.5 | $$

Great place to drink a beer with friends or to buy something for later. Two separate bar areas to enjoy your selections with friends. The great patrons here are a diverse mixture. Forty plus beers on tap! great deals on six packs. Seasonal Beer Area makes it easy to find that one must have. Great, friendly staff! Very helpful if you are searching for that specific brew. Some Russian River, Heady Topper, Dogfish, etc.... Don't come if you are hungry, Not much in the way of food, other than some munchies.

12-28-2012 00:06:16 | More by shaw87psu

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

4.81/5  rDev +8.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Nothing special about the atmosphere until you get used to the place, so trying to leave my bias out of this particular rating. If I walk in for the first time, I can't tell right away that I want to stay and enjoy myself for quit some time. It has it's appeal to me now, but judging from my first visit, I really did not know what I stumbled across. Lucky me.

Very high quality, in terms of service, beer selection (draught and bottle), and overall experience. Nothing to complain about, unless it gets too crowded. Even then, it's awesome.

Service is impeccable. After getting to know some of the proprietors/employees, my experience has been most positive. More on this below.

Selection is great, considering what you can and can not obtain here in PA. Selection is very high for what is available, absolutely no complaints whatsoever.

For some, the food issue could be a deal breaker. But for me, I really don't care. Recently, Ho1kb has employed various Pitt area food trucks to set up shop some nights during the week and this is enough for me.

In terms of value, it's a bottle shop, so if you want to buy 24 bottles of your favorite beer, it's going to cost more than it would at a case place. For me, I enjoy making my own 6ers, mixing and matching, and purchasing bottles I have never had before and would not have a chance to try otherwise.

I first visited this place just over a year ago and have visited regularly ever since. In the area, it's my first choice among places to have a few beers and pick up a few bottles. PA liquor laws being as they are, I have my case places, and I have my bottle shops. At 46 beers of draught, and literally (probably) thousands of bottles to peruse while visiting, House of 1000 beers is my #1 spot to have a few beers/pick up a few bottles I do not want a case of otherwise. Really enjoy the folks who work there, not only for their knowledge of beer, proclivity to remember what styles I prefer, overall friendliness/approachability, but also to enjoy a beer with once in awhile. I particularly enjoy the feature that allows me to try a beer I have not had before and enjoy it while I shop for bottles. I can't wait for my next visit. Cheers.

12-12-2012 04:13:06 | More by rodlavers

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$$

What the!? I certainly was not mentally prepared for this place when I stepped inside. To say this place has a wide selection would be like saying that fire is hot. Or, that the Earth is round. There are so many beers here, and so many that you will see nowhere else in the Pittsburgh area. Russian River? Yep. Deschutes? Yep. Uinta. Port Brewing. Lost Abbey. Red Racer IPA. Uncommon Brewers. And on...and on...and on... I think I would have spent about $500 if I would have picked out everything I wanted to try. The prices are high for several things. But hey, it's cheaper than buying a ticket or driving to some other place to find some of this stuff. If this is out of your way, it is definitely worth a trip, in my opinion. They also have about 40 beers on tap (available for growlers too), so you can't really go wrong here. Just watch out for older bottles of stuff. (I blame the local beer nerds for not clearing out the stock here in order to help keep things moving. Heh.) This place is frickin' amazing.

08-30-2012 17:31:51 | More by RblWthACoz

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -23.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3 | $$$$

I've been looking for a store like this for a while now. Fatheads has a decent selection but it's too expensive, and I'm not a big fan of driving to downtown Pittsburgh for a few 6-packs. 6 & Save is perfect for anyone that wants to try a ton of different micros for a great price. The majority of their selection is at room temperature. They also have some of the same bottles cold, and they have a small section of very rare micros and imports. I can't see myself ever sitting down and drinking any beer at the store, but I'm extremely impressed by the variety and reasonable pricing of their beer. Do yourself a favor and stop in the store if you're anywhere within a 45 minute drive of New Kensington, PA.

Revising my original review from February 2007... the year is 2012 and this place has expanded, I'm sure the owner is drowning in money. What used to make this place great was the great selection and reasonable prices, well throw the reasonable pricing out the window. Prices on-average have gone up 150% to 200% since I started here. I've spent probably $2,000 here since 2007, but I've become frustrated recently and seldom stop here anymore. I'm spending a lot of time to find other options. Gateway Grill in Monroeville has half decent pricing on select brews. I continue to look for other options to avoid the constant price gouging.

A general comment for craft brew fans... WHEN YOU OVERPAY FOR BEER, YOU ARE HELPING TO RAISE THE MARKET PRICE FOR EVERYONE. IF IT LOOKS TOO EXPENSIVE, PASS AND TRY IT ELSEWHERE. COST CONTROL IS A JOKE AT THE PRESENT TIME. YOU MAY FIND THE SAME $5 BOTTLE FOR $2 AT THE NEXT STORE.

06-24-2012 17:53:56 | More by soulfly1492

GreenJetta912

Pennsylvania

4.94/5  rDev +11.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $

The atmosphere is cool. Their focus is beer. There's a real garage-party feel to it but it's a wonderful departure from the 'fancy' craft beer places that imply only yuppies drink good beer. They let you write all over the walls, of the bathroom, shelves, and anywhere (conveinent when you can't remember your draft club number). Tag it up! Definitely a regular Joe's type of bar.

They know their inventory/proper glassware, ect. and frequently clean the tap lines ensuring that your IPA doesn't taste like Imperial Stout. The rarity and overall quality of what they have (inventory) there is top notch as opposed to some bars who claim carry hundreds of beers but end up being all Budweiser products. There are the regular domestics but aside from that they don't stock crap.

You cannot improve the service. Everybody there has tried at least half of what they stock and are very knowledgeable beer geeks, very diverse workforce (old, young, nerdy, male, female) which makes for a broad range of opinions.

Selection- Dude, they have 1250+ different beers on the shelf. It takes me 45 minutes to pick out a six pack. Because of the sheer size of the inventory, you can sometimes find 2-3 year old vintages of bottle-conditioned ales. Look hard there's some killer beers here.

You can find some screaming deals here. $9.95 mixed six packs section filled with great beers. This section alone is better than most stores and 2-5 bucks cheaper for a mixer. Some items are deep discounted in the bottle shop (e.g. $1 Anchor Christmas ales in April) as well as 'kick this keg' specials and growler specials that are no bullshit. Certain things are marked up oddly too much but overall it's much cheaper than most places who mark everything up too much because they know they are the only place in the area.

Quite possibly the best bottle shop that I've ever been to. You can't get better. Great events (tastings, verticals, 'buy the draft, keep the glass' specials, just to name a few)

04-24-2012 20:02:51 | More by GreenJetta912

Bung

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$$

Drove up from Greenburg, after much research this was going to be my one Pittsburg area bottle shop stop. Sleepy looking northwest suburb.
Shelving and a tasting like area to the left, shelving, coolers and a bar area right. Belgians have there own area, everything else is sort of arranged by style or region of origin. Selection is very impressive. A lot of west coast stuff you don't see much out east. Looked like a neat place to have a draft, though the place seemed full of old guys drinking their macros. Draft list was on an a flat screen and it all looked good. Service seemed enthusiastic at the counter and bar.
Prices are high, anyone thinking these are reasonable needs to get around more. Worth it for the hard to find stuff, otherwise probably not. It says something when the counter guy chuckles at my $80, 5 beer purchase. Supplication and Eclipse 50/50 caused this, both being about 30% higher than they should have been. But I paid it, so that's that.

04-01-2012 00:31:57 | More by Bung