Good Beer

BKBassist

New York

4.66/5  rDev +11.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Tough to review this, because unlike Top Hops, which I feel straddles the line between bar and bottle shop very well, Good Beer is very much tilted towards the bottle shop. And it is my favorite bottle shop in NYC.

Excellent selection of American craft, from year round offerings to limited releases. Limited releases are announced and handled well. International selection is perfect for me, large but not overwhelmingly so.

Service is great, the owner is super friendly and knowledgable.

I've not eaten here but the food looks excellent.

Pricing is in line with NYC pricing. Often some of the best prices on single 12 ozers.

My only issue, and in all honesty, it's probably what the owner intended, is that I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing a group of friends for a drink here, the atmosphere is very un-bar like. I only compare to Top Hops because they tow the line so well, IMO. That being said, I often will get a pint when I am shopping and browse or sit in the limited seating. I think it's very comfortable for that.

So overall, my favorite bottle shop in NYC, just not the place to actually come for extended sessions on premises.

05-21-2013 17:44:42 | More by BKBassist

circuscyaneus

New York

4.64/5  rDev +10.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Atmosphere was good I came in about 8PM on a Thursday and there was probably ten other people in the store either drinking the tap beers or looking around. The store is extremely clean with a small counter in the middle that holds a few drafts. The drafts seem to rotate on a fairly consistent basis, they bring in a new one every few days, and range from fairly common like Lagunitas to some harder to find such as 21st amendments bitter american. Their bottle selection was great with the better part of the store filled with shelves of room temp six packs and the long wall being filled with cold mainly loose bottles and some four packs. Behind the counter there was a few small tables to sit and enjoy the tap beer. The staff was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I will definitely be returning.

05-06-2011 08:19:10 | More by circuscyaneus

toneloc

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$$

This is pretty much what a craft beer store should look like. They have a high quality, comprehensive selection, so you should have no problem finding what you are looking for, or finding something new to try. I believe all or most of their bottles were made available on shelves and in the fridge too. The bottle prices were reasonable for NYC, especially considering the relative scarcity of good craft beer stores. The growler prices were reasonable, and as mentioned below, the selection is thoughtful and varied, and you can try a flight for 8 bucks. I didnt try the food, but thought it was a good idea to serve food, so patrons can spend some time with their flights and buy great beer at a relaxed pace. Definitely worth coming back.

05-21-2012 20:53:20 | More by toneloc

valdesd1

New Jersey

4.58/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

When you walk in the first thing you notice is the numerous coolers of craft beer lined against the walls. They have all the beer arranged from where in the world it was brewed, pretty neat to say. The guys working there were really knowledgeable and approachable. They were friendly to my gf and I in suggesting what beers to try. However it is a small place and you'll have a hard time finding a place to sit and relax if it is busy. I even got a little upset at the register once I saw some guys take our table. The guy who served us the beer did a nice thing and walked over to the people to diffuse the situation and we gladly got our seats back. I thanked him very much. Overall nice place, wish I was in the city more often otherwise I'd be here more often.

05-19-2011 06:58:17 | More by valdesd1

rousee

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I happened to stumble upon this place as I was walking through the east village on a Saturday morning at around 11:30. I was actually surprised it was open and when I saw they had a bar set up--I was happy to know that they had a bathroom that I could use as well. There is not much open in this neighborhood at this time of day so it was kind of a godsend.

The store is pretty new and is spotless inside. The decor is just some nice hardwood floors and a pretty bright interior. Their selection was fantastic as I was able to pick up a couple Cigar city beers that New Beer Distributors didnt have and a Japanese craft brand that I had never heard of before. The prices were maybe a tad on the high side but for hard to find stuff--I wasnt complaining.

The guy who was running the store was totally cool and he and I had a great conversation about what brands were available/not available in our respective markets.In addition to offering growler fills, they offer draft beers that can be consumed on premises. You cant consume the bottles on premise for some strange reason. I ordered a Captain Lawrence gold triple and it was quite good and fresh tasting. I stayed for about 45 minutes and would definitely give this place another try. I might have stayed longer if it wasnt so early as I didnt really want to be drinking a bunch at that time of day.

A great place and a very cool concept. Highly recommended.

02-22-2011 16:43:51 | More by rousee

jrobidoux

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

This place has everything which everyone else here has mentioned, and is a great place to visit to pick up and discuss some good beer. Wanted to mention though that they carry Narragansett's, which is a triple thumbs up from me. They had the lager and the bock when I was there, the lager's being about eight bucks for a six pack of tall boy cans. Which in NYC is an insane price for good beer in my opinion. They also offer growlers which I think is pretty cool, though I haven't tried any here yet, the offerings were solid though. Will be back...frequently.

03-30-2011 13:57:01 | More by jrobidoux

LordSMAF

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

New inside and extremely clean. Beer selection is restricted to the 8-10 brews they have on tap. There is an EXTREMELY impressive selection for sale to take out. One wall and the aisle are filled with room temp 6-packs (you can purchase single bottles as well). The other wall, which is quite lengthy and runs down the entire side of the place holds cold beers in fridge units.

Nice, mellow atmosphere. Knowledgeable, mostly friendly staff. When we went it wasn't quite a "bar" atmosphere but it was a bit earlier in the evening.

Great variety of beers on tap. Different styles from different states. You can also order a flight to sample a few different varieties.

A bit pricey, but hey, it's NYC.

03-07-2011 02:28:00 | More by LordSMAF

jp11801

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Walked across town on a recent visit to check this place out.

Atmosphere was good for a combo bottle shop and beer bar. Clean and orderly with small tables in the back. There are cold cases along the long wall with a very good selection of beer.

There are 8 or so taps but there was nothing super special about the selection. Maybe I'm jaded but racer 5, lagunitas ipa... I can get almost anywhere, it's nice to see something rare or off the beaten path.

Service was good but nothing special, my gold standard for places like this is City Beer in San Francisco.

I'd go back or recommend but not a place fir the jaded beer traveler

04-09-2011 16:57:46 | More by jp11801

afksports

New York

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Good Beer NYC has a model that is becoming more popular in the New York area. A place where you can sit and eat, and drink, in the middle of a bottle shop that has growler fills and tap lines. Bierkraft is famous for this model, and Good Beer seems to be following suit.

They get special releases on both tap and bottle. They've proven cool people in every visit I've made, and the shop itself has a great vibe because of the wooden shelves intermixing with the coolers for those who want to drink good beer cold and fresh.

From the street, it's a few steps down and not much of a storefront, but the folks inside really know about beer and the crowd that goes there is a beer-worthy bunch.

My only knock on Good Beer is the prices of their bottles and growler fills. Perhaps appropriate for the format - because you can buy it and drink it there - but probably not a place to shop for bottles on a regular basis. Not quite bar, not quite restaurant, Good Beer is a place for... Good Beer. When that's what you want.

06-11-2011 16:15:31 | More by afksports

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Stopped into this place while wandering around the St. Marks area. I thought that this was a bar at first, come to learn that it's a beer store/tasting area.

What really struck me was how big this place actually was. Standing bar upfront with a couple of tables in the back. For a place in Manhattan, this is really pretty good. Atmosphere is pretty relaxed and there's a good balance between store and bar that's established here.

The quality of Good Beer was very solid. All their beers were refridgerated and with certain styles that some would prefer to drink warm, they had that option also. Growlers and pints were also served in the correct glassware and the right temperature. Impressive.

Service was quick but nothing really out of the ordinary for a beer store. I did get to talk to the manager though. Seemed like a really nice guy who really knew his way around beer and even more importantly, the NYC beer scene.

The selection here is really one of the better places that I've seen in Manhattan and Brooklyn. JW Lees going back to 2006 as well as a good selection of JP sours and Lindemans, Cantillon, and Boon gueuzes. Again, very nice.

For me, this is a really up and coming establishment. I believe that they're relatively new but I'm sure they'll make a name for themselves quickly. A must visit if you're in the area. A bit pricey, but standard for the area that they're located.

09-25-2011 01:49:05 | More by SpeedwayJim