Whidbey Beer Works

Whidbey Beer WorksWhidbey Beer Works
Whidbey Beer WorksWhidbey Beer Works
Store

710 SE Fidalgo Ave
Ste 103
Oak Harbor, Washington, 98277-4001
United States

(360) 675-8570 | map
whidbeybeerworks.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.65
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
13
pDev:
5.16%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BigBlacke:
Photo of BigBlacke
Reviewed by BigBlacke from Florida

4.65/5  rDev 0%
This store is exactly what Whidbey Island, WA needs. The selection is outstanding and prices are reasonable (considering its the only store of its kind around). All bottles are priced individually, so you can hop in there and get a 6 pack of all different kinds of beer. The location is a bit squirrley though. It is located on a small alley just behind the main drag. Needs more advertising for sure. Not many people even know its there. Friendly service, basically a mom and pops store. Everyone that knows about Whidbey Beerworks is a loyal customer. Very Impressive!
Oct 05, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

4.39/5  rDev -5.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25
Shopped there yesterday during covid19 times, so masks up.

It's a nice little place, well organized, easy to find stuff, good selection of things that you generally can't find everywhere, a few barrel aged beers they have multiple vintages. Of the IPAs I looked at, nothing was over three month. Prices clearly marked on everything.

Talked with the owner, got some recommendations (so far they've been good), he gave me samples from the tap of stuff he had in cans or bottles. Nice guy, fun to talk to. Definitely would recommend the place, definitely would go back.
Sep 14, 2020
Photo of vladdswrath
Reviewed by vladdswrath from Washington

4.74/5  rDev +1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
A great shop with tons of West Coast beer and import varieties, more than I have seen in any other place in this part of Washington. The owners tend to leave you alone to do your thing, but any question at all and they are more than happy to assist. My wife and I only get in there about every other month or so, but they remember us...and often will hold something for us after gauging our interest via facebook. If you find yourself in Oak Harbor, be sure to stop in and see them!
Apr 13, 2015
Photo of hayseed
Reviewed by hayseed from Washington

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Awesome place to pick up some truly great beers. Ran by beer lovers for beer lovers. Is there a markup? Of course, Oak Harbor is pretty out of the way for most distributors but if you live here or are just visiting Whidbey Island, then this place is a "must stop". The owners usually have some pretty good beers on tap for growler fills and they do a great job at getting pretty much anything that is distributed in the PNW. I'm going to really miss this place when I leave.
Dec 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Donkster46 from Washington

Nov 12, 2014
Photo of Gaffattack
Reviewed by Gaffattack from Washington

5/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I just started going to this local gem. I bought a growler a few days ago there and I got to sample some as well. The service was great and very informative on the beers there. Beer was fresh as well and tasted great. Huge selection of beers and well categorized. I was able to find what I wanted easily and other stuff I impulse bought because it looked good. I love this place and they will definitely be seeing a lot of me.
Sep 09, 2013
Photo of Lazaro
Reviewed by Lazaro from Florida

4.58/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
A great little beer store located in downtown Oak Harbor, just off Pioneer. This is a mom/pop place run by a couple, and also occupied by their huge black lab, Molly.

Upon entering, you'll be greeted by one of the owners. They will usually let you be if they don't know you but will not be shy about striking up a conversation if you ask for their input. Dru in particular knows his beer and loves talking about it. Both owners are very knowledgeable on beer and especially on whatever they have for sale.

There is an incredible selection of beer, especially when you consider how far you are from any real big cities (almost 2 hours from Seattle). They recently stopped carrying Russian River (no longer readily available anywhere in WA). They stock beers mostly from Washington and California but also some outside of there including Oskar Blues, Dogfish Head, Shiner and stuff from Germany, Belgium and the UK. They also have 5 or 6 taps from which you may fill your growler. They all rotate with the exception of Mac and Jacks African Amber. You can usually find a beer every week or 2, though some of the taps get stuck with a keg of something that might not be very popular for a month or more, though this does not happen often.

The prices are pretty fair for the most part... I can't really complain here. 12oz will usually run you somewhere near 2 dollars with the odd exception, such as Dogfish Head's 120 minute for 15 bucks. Bombers from about 5 dollars and up.

Overall, if you are in the area, this place is most definitely worth a visit. I can't think of any place within an hour of here that comes close to Whidbey Beer Works. With their great selection, fair prices and knowledgeable proprietors, you'd be hard pressed to do better
Mar 04, 2013
Photo of canucklehead
Reviewed by canucklehead from Canada (BC)

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%
Great place to buy beer in a location that needs a good beer store ( Whidbey Island). Use google maps to find the street as it is a short one that is inbetween two north south streets. Parking is pretty good outfront and the storefront is bright and distinctive.

Inside is a lot of different beers mostly arranged on metro racks ( there is a fridge in the back). I was a bit overwhelmed by the selection coming from Canada but soom with the friendly owners recommendations started filling up beer boxes and empty six pack holders. All beers are priced individually which makes mix and match a breeze. The pricing seems reasonable as I got a bottle of The Abyss( most places in Seattle were sold out ) for $12 . I also saw it in Port Townsend for $14. Look for the sale beers at floor level as there are some good deals to be had ( especially in the higher ABV beers). Lots of imports and a nice glass ware section. The owner gave us a case discount of 10% eventhough the beers were mixed.

Colour me impressed
Jun 11, 2010
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

4.2/5  rDev -9.7%
A neat little store in a surprising location, Oak Harbor isn't exactly a beer mecca, I found a bunch of stuff that would otherwise require a trip to Seattle to find. The store is arranged by style, so if you're looking for a specific thing it's easy to find. I grabbed a variety of styles and breweries and (and they even had Genny Cream Ale in sixers, I've never seen it out west before) there was much more I wanted to get. Service was very good, the owners were very friendly and knew their products. The prices were a bit high on some things, but overall seemed fair. This was my first visit and it won't be my last. If you"re in the area WBW is worth a stop.
Apr 01, 2010
Photo of Briken
Reviewed by Briken from Washington

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%
As just about the only place locally to get something beyond the grocery store varietal, I was very excited to learn about this place. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. They have a great selection with biweekly tastings on Saturday. I was only slightly uspet that the list on their website includes seasonal and limited issue beer they do not always have. I guess I should have seen that coming though.

The owners are very friendly and helpful. They love to make recommendations, if you ask them to. They told me they do whatever they can to get as large of a selection possible for this area. They also have a big dog that occupied my son while I spent quite a bit of time perusing the shelves.

I wobbled back and forth regarding value. It depends on what you are looking for. Some brews are about the same price as other places while some are a bit more expensive. I decided on reasonable because for the majority, they are.

If nothing else, I will go back again and again because it's the only place to go for something different without going to Seattle.
Mar 15, 2010
Photo of hops1337
Reviewed by hops1337 from Mississippi

5/5  rDev +7.5%
Went to deception pass today and decided to go on over to Oak Harbor and check out this beer store. Wow this place is great! I could easily spend $500 in here on any given day! Probably the best beer store north of Seattle and just as good or better than bottleworks. They had Lost Abbey, Russian River, Port Brewing, Victory, Firestone Walker and the one i was most surprised to see on the left coast, Southern Tier. And really thats just scratching the surface. One could easily find stuff here that is not available anywhere else in any of the surrounding towns. They also had a good selection glassware. If you live within 50 miles of here its definitely worth going out of your way to swing by. Oh did i mention that the service is also great? Well it is. Im sure the owner would bend over backwards to order anything you want, if it wasn't already on the shelf. Nice people, great beer and great service. What more could you ask for?
Mar 14, 2010
Photo of BDJake
Reviewed by BDJake from Washington

4.65/5  rDev 0%
After sampling every beer on the shelf at the supermarket, you may tend to get bored with the selection on hand and yearn for something else. Unfortunately, there's not much variety at these stores, and I myself felt blue after a trip in which I realize there was nothing I have not tried yet. This is where the specialty stores come in. Being the only store of it's kind on all of Whidbey Island, it is a welcome alternative to the BMC-dominated shelves at the local supermarkets. Several aisles sorted by variety in both American and imported types, an ever-changing selection due to availabilty and customer requests, and the ability to purchase beers ala carte as opposed to having to buy entire six-packs of a certain type really struck a chord with me. The couple who started this business is extremely knowledgable when it comes to craft beer, always friendly, and willing to place special items on order at any customer request. Free bottle-opener keychains are offered with each purchase, and overall the service is among the best in ANY business I have dealt with. It's located on a back street behind the main road through downtown, kind of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it spot, but it is worth the trip if you live in the area. The prices are reasonable, not too high on most selections but overall rather affordable given the nature of the establishment, with the occasional sale or promotion at any given time. Word of mouth is strongly recommended, since the store is not extensively advertised, but most customers are loyal to a hilt. Also of note, there is even a sign inside the store stating that if you're looking for macros, you're in the wrong place. After seeing that, I was sold.
Oct 15, 2009
Photo of sigsmaster
Reviewed by sigsmaster from Washington

5/5  rDev +7.5%
The Economy? Who cares when you feel you just have to treat yourself. Dru and Greg are great people to talk to about what else.... BEER! The selection is great; I have never tasted and enjoyed so many fine beers. The tastings every other weekend is great because for a small price I get to try something new without worrying about buying something I may not like. Great things I have to say thank you to Dru and Greg are: thank you for introducing me to Mori Moto and Double Dead Guy, Rouge and Stone breweries. And most of all BELGIUM ALES!
Oct 22, 2008
Whidbey Beer Works in Oak Harbor, WA
Place rating: 4.65 out of 5 with 13 ratings