Craft Beer Cellar

seanwhite

Massachusetts

4.56/5  rDev -4.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

Great spot in Belmont (just outside of Boston and some good eating spots right near by).

I went for the release of Slum Brew, a new brewing company out of Somerville, MA, that was doing their initial launch tasting of their new brews.

I also was able to pickup a bottle of Lunch IPA, and a Full Sail 6 pack.

The store is in a small space, but it sure as hell packs a big punch. They have a wide selection of imports, as well as local and non-local domestic craft beers, that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else. I really enjoyed meeting the owners and visiting this joint. I will surely come back.

11-21-2011 17:00:57 | More by seanwhite

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev -2.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Heard about this store through the article in the BA mag. Great store! Very warm and welcoming. Similar to the Publick House Provisions store in terms of quality and beer related items (artisanal beer snacks, etc.) but maybe just a bit more friendly (not knocking PHP at all).

It was jammed with people as there was some festival going on right outside in the street, and a rep from Harpoon was there giving tastings. Yet, I still didn't have trouble getting help. The only thing I couldn't find that I wanted at the time was some Mikkeller, but they took my info and were happy to look out for some with their distributor for me.

Selection was great - I did see plenty of stuff that's hard to find elsewhere and the prices were totally fair. Displays are orderly and clean - and again - just a warm feeling between the carpeting, lighting, and staff.

There's also a small display of choice wine in the back.

Wish this store was closer to me...but it won't stop me from driving the 30 minutes on occasion.

Definitely worth checking out.

12-03-2010 15:31:55 | More by jbertsch

Chowdahead

Maine

4.65/5  rDev -2.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited this shop for the first time in early Dec when I came down to Somerville to visit some friends. Had heard good things but it was actually better then my expectations.

Located right in Belmont town center. It was a Saturday afternoon a few weeks before the holidays so parking was a little bit of an issue but I was able to find a space after a bit. A small shop when you enter with warm selections on nice looking shelves to the right and a couple of large coolers with chilled selections on the left. Domestic beers were up towards the front of the store and imports toward the back.

Selection was top notch and everything was extremely organized, well laid out and easy to find. I was able to browse the beers and when I had a question the owners were more then willing to help and discuss the beers and breweries. Prices were right in line with other top beer retailers I have been to in MA.

The selection was not quite as extensive as Julio's but it was very close (which was extremely impressive considering the Craft Beer Cellar is about 1/5 the size of Julio's). I am psyched this store opened as now I will be stopping in to stock up on beer I can't get in Maine every time I come down to visit friends in Boston.

02-19-2011 00:57:33 | More by Chowdahead

Imstillthegman

Delaware

4.72/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Very nice little shop. Lots of locals, which I was hoping for, and many other craft or imported beers. Nice selection of glassware and even some t-shirts. I managed to drop a bit money here, both in locals and glassware. Glasses, btw, were nicely wrapped and boxed separately to avoid breakage. Very nice touch and much appreciated! Definitely will visit again when in the area. Well worth the drive from Boston.

05-16-2013 14:03:38 | More by Imstillthegman

KBrennan1000

Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Craft Beer Cellar is the kind of store I dream about. Small shop (square footage-wise) with a serious selection of beer. Glassware and tshirts from several breweries, along with a nice little collection of beer-centric books for sale. The area towards the back where tastings are held was well set up and out of the way of most foot traffic so as not to impede shoppers. The layout of the beer section was a little confusing to me, though if I wasn't on a bit of a time crunch I probably could have figured out the pattern. The store had a slightly crowded feel to it but that could partly be because of all the people crowding around the tiny Boston Terrier puppy who was making friends with what seemed to be a large black Newfoundland by the register. It was pretty awesome. I do think that the small space was well utilized, though. I'm curious to see what a slightly larger Craft Beer Cellar would look like but this was without a doubt a place I would enthusiastically spend my paycheck every week. I hope they open a shop closer to me.

09-04-2012 18:30:57 | More by KBrennan1000

BrittEBurke

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

My only complaint about Craft Beer Cellar is that it isn't closer to my house. Fortunately, there is plenty of parking around the store. When you walk in the door, you enter craft beer paradise. Given the size of the store, the selection is fantastic. Everything is clean and organized and the prices are clearly marked. You can mix and match your own six pack which makes it the perfect place to go if you want to try a new style or brewery. Kate and Suzanne are welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. They are happy to offer advice but you never feel rushed. The website is well maintained so you can check what is in stock before you arrive. The Twitter account is also a great source of information about what is going on in the store and is checked frequently. If I had to pick one store to buy beer from for the rest of my life, it would be Craft Beer Cellar.

08-13-2011 14:14:06 | More by BrittEBurke

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This was a recommendation from a total stranger. I was not disappointed. There were hundreds (perhaps a thousand+) of beer. There were NO macro-beers there and only a small rack of wines. Otherwise, it was all micro-beers, with an emphasis on the regional (and often obscure) beers.

There was a significant number of European beers. I particularly liked the selection of lambics.

The staff was very helpful. As I was setting aside the beers, the person at the counter rang in my purchases. So, when I came by to pay, they already had my bill ready and the beers boxed. Impressive. They were also knowledgeable about the beers and the styles. Not to sound sexist, both of the staff were women--I thought that was pretty cool.

Lastly, the prices seemed reasonable to me--not cheap but not abusive either.

12-04-2011 23:19:35 | More by smcolw

jslot38

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I challenge any member of this site to visit the Craft Beer Cellar and not walk out with a case of bombers... its very hard not to. The selection for this joint is paralleled only by Julio's from my experience in the area.

I've travelled out twice to the store, and both times I've been impressed with the selection, diversity of styles and regional representation. They have you covered when it comes to locals, including the new guys like Slum Brew, Backlash, Baxter, Idle Hands, Wormtown and new-to-bottle Cambridge.

There is no non-craft brews to be found, no wine, no spirits, which means the focus for both the staff and the customer alike is on the craft beer. And its everywhere here, including four seperate sections - American (with locals seemingly to the front), Cold (including 6'ers and Bombers), International, and Belgian (including some tough to find guys).

Prices are in line with the area (metropolitan) and the quality of product you are getting.

As a side note, their twitter account is very active, and their website is always up to date. Considering this place is a 30 minute drive for me, this is a big plus. I know exactly what they have and when. And the staff is very friendly in store. They also hold plenty of beer samplings with brewery staff on hand.

Overall, this place is a beer lover's dream. A must visit in the area, and definitely holds its own to the other area stores including Julio's, by which I measure all stores.

01-06-2012 22:38:13 | More by jslot38

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

4.86/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This is one of the best places if not the best place to buy beer in Eastern Mass. the atmosphere is great. you walk into a very clean, neat store with nearly all of the shelves against the wall and a very open feel. there is no macro swill taking up cooler space(there is no macro at all) they have a few wines, but everything else is beer. good selection of domestic and a pretty darn good import selection as well. the quality is obviously high since they don't carry junk beer. the service was great. I was greeted when I walked in and offered assistance. My questions were answered, and they offered to put me on there ailing list. Also If you are into special releases follow them on twitter. this place is definitely worth stopping in.

06-06-2011 18:01:34 | More by rowingbrewer

BeTheBall

Massachusetts

4.86/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Beautiful and attractievly stocked store on a busy downtown street. Found free 2 hour parking around back, and a rear entrance came in quite handy. Two very friendly and pleasant women asked right away if I needed help, and turned out to be very knowledgable on beer. No BMC at all!! Never seen this before; a bold attitude and marketing plan. I love it. The selection was quite impressive, and I bought 2 mixed six packs, many of which I had not yet tried. There as a cooler section along the left, then further down many bombers and 750's of all styles, and origins. On the right, all beer for the 1st half of the store; warm six packs and bombers. A small display of othe beer related products. Despite the sort of busy location, and about q 10 mimute drive from work (Gordons and Marty's are closer), I will go back. Love the concept and layout, service, and selection.
That being said, the prices are priced a little on the high side, but is Belmont? Check it out.

06-10-2011 17:52:39 | More by BeTheBall