Tasty Beverage Company

ewright

North Carolina

4.72/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I was in downtown Raleigh yesterday afternoon and wanted to pick up some Olde Hickory beers to send out in a trade. I stopped in quickly (wife and kid sitting in the car) to pick up a handful of bottles. I wish I could have stayed longer!

Nice arrangement in the store, great selection of sours, abbey/Trappist, and NC beers. Seasonals right up front, lots of growlers in the cooler. Six taps in the back and I think I heard they have room to add 6 more. Prices are par for the course in this area... they pretty much have to be with all the new local competition opening.

I don't know how often I'll get back, with another great looking bottle shop opening right around the corner from my house, but when I'm downtown and looking for a bottle or 12, I'll definitely go back. See ya later, Peace St. Market.

It's a great time to be a beer geek in the RDU area!

10-30-2011 19:08:03 | More by ewright

LittleDon

Texas

4.76/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.25 | $$

Small, yet comfortable bottle shop with a decent selection and several taps.

In a trend I hope catches on in more of the country, Tasty Beverage Company is a bottle shop with taps where customers can drink while they shop (or drink what they shop for). Located in what was an old train station, the vibe is more West Coast than East. Bright, lots of white surfaces, and plenty of well stocked wire commercial kitchen shelves. Good mix of local, US, and international beers. While the shop is small, there are six to eight taps and a reasonably diverse selection of chilled and shelved bottles. The bar was full on a Tuesday night, but given the size of the place, there was no problem making may way back for additional rounds. Beertender was quick with suggestions and samples. Everyone in the store was very knowledgeable. Prices were consistent with what I've seen around the US. Given the selection and frequency of tap rotation, it could easily become a regular stop when I'm in town.

01-30-2013 22:13:20 | More by LittleDon

hipcat

North Carolina

4.41/5  rDev -9.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

A destination for the beer lover. If it's distributed to NC, they pretty much have it. Beer only - lots of singles, bombers, imports, seasonals, one-offs, etc. Also have small selection of mead. They keep their website updated so you always know what's new. The tasting bar is always a treat, the taps rotate almost daily - the tap list is also kept up-to-date on the website. Not much atmosphere but, I'll often stop in just to try something interesting on tap. Prices are in line with boutique beer shops in the area usually bit higher than Total Wine. Ample free off-street parking. Worth the trip.

11-11-2012 22:30:26 | More by hipcat

Wolfpack2005

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

It's about time someone opened up a quality beer store in downtown Raleigh. Now I don't have to drive 30 minutes to Sam's to get first class selection and service. The atmosphere is quaint, inviting, and always seems to be busy. Even though there is always a crowd one or two of the guys always seem to be free and willing to help (when needed). The selection is on par with Sam's which IMO is the best in the state. They only thing they seem to lack is the quantity due to the size, but with that being said always have what i'm looking for. Pricing is also very competitive and better than a few store in the area.With this place being right around the corner from where I work the only time I go anywhere else is if I'm looking for a 12 pk or more.

10-28-2012 20:57:16 | More by Wolfpack2005

SteveMi

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Have you been to a bottle shop and felt like 'If only they changed that one thing it'd be perfect..'? This is the place you need to check out. After having multiple people tell me Tasty Beverage was an amazing place with a large selection I decided I had to check it out myself. I fear Tasty Beverage has spoiled all other beer shops for me.

A - In my opinion atmosphere is not that big of a deal for a shop such as this but Tasty Beverage ends up having a very good one anyway. It combines both a utilitarian setup with a retro look. Also, they have taps and tastings.

Q - It is.

S - The service is fantastic. Staff is very friendly and more than willing to answer questions. When picked up an expired beer I was informed by the cashier in the case I wanted to get something else instead before the purchase was made. That's class.

S - Many multiple level shelves with packs and singles. There is a wall of coolers with growlers and cold packs/singles. Add to that it seems like the consistently are getting in new beers and it's nearly a dream.

F - No food.

V - Prices are very reasonable.

07-11-2012 21:01:22 | More by SteveMi

SLeffler27

New York

5/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This place is a class act! The atmosphere, inside and out, is inviting and honors the product being sold. The product, by the way, is far more than one’s “beverage of choice”. The product is simply a quality of being. The folks I have met, Johnny, Sean, and Brian have elevated the entire beer community with this place. Thank you. Your store could be the model to which all others are measured.

The staff has a superior command of beer knowledge and the store’s inventory. Their affability and enthusiasm builds contagious energy that spreads to everyone in the store. These guys really care and are genuinely interested in the customer’s sensation. They invite feedback regarding how an individual enjoyed the beer, and suggest ideas to improve the overall consumption experience. The small bar space works well with the perfect blend of selection, size of the store, and quality.

Tasty Beverage has become a must-stop for me when in the area. The Raleigh beer community has a rare gem here, which should be savored and nurtured for decades to come.

05-20-2012 13:46:00 | More by SLeffler27

Chomper

5/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Truly the best thing to happen to the Raleigh beer scene in years. Wonderful, knowledgeable staff, fantastic selection, great atmosphere, priceless location on the edge of downtown. Going to a concert at the Raleigh amphitheater? Start here a couple hours early. It will make the beer they serve there go down easier.

Visiting the downtown scene? Start here and have a couple reasonably priced beers to get your night started right before you venture on to the 'scene'.

Johnny and Sean and Brian and Critter are a joy to work with. Bring them your beer problems and they will guide you to beer solutions! They are good people despite their proclivity toward Belgian beer.

Come here drink beer...

05-17-2012 20:15:39 | More by Chomper

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.86/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

When I walked in the door - HOLY GUACAMOLE, I just about had a beer-gasm! This store is totally devoted to beer. They have the brews divided up by country, as well as a special section for North Carolina beers. I went nuts snapping up stuff that you can’t get in Atlanta - at least not currently. The counter people were very helpful in pointing me towards the state’s best brews. The only drawback is they won’t break up six-packs, but that’s just their way. C’est la vie. This is a must if you visit Raleigh. Parking is adequate and free.

04-14-2012 02:55:32 | More by Cyberkedi

cbwufpack

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

I have been frequenting Tasty since it opened. This store has brought great availability of craft beer to Raleigh. The store is a good size to offer a nice variety without being overwhelming. The layout is shopper friendly. They also have a decent glassware selection which sometimes gets overlooked for a great store. The tasting taps are always boasting great variety with hitting all ranges of styles of beers. The staff is very welcoming and open to questions. They will help you find the right bet for your taste. The prices at this store rival anyone in the area. They have a great relationship with many of their accounts and this shows in the quality of product that is always available.

03-24-2012 18:46:05 | More by cbwufpack

JebediahScooter

North Carolina

4.7/5  rDev -3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Stopped in today with a buddy to try to find some pumpkin ales for my wife, who is a big fan. I'd been to the opening event, but with hundreds of people showing up and the shop not fully operational, it was tough to get a read on things.

Shop is in a small space that feels a lot bigger because of high ceilings and thoughtful placement of their shelves. The focus is on a good selection of domestics with an emphasis on NC beers (the NC shelves are front and center, nice to see) and Belgians with some other European stuff mixed in (JW Lees vintages, Mikkeler, etc). At this point, most of the American beers are pretty standard rotation and seasonals, but the co-owner said that they were working toward getting special releases. It's a well thought out selection, and the Belgian lineup is particulary exciting. It will be awesome to not have to drive to Sam's for stuff like 3F, Hannssen's, Fantome, etc.

Back of the shop has a bar with 6 taps, and there was some good stuff on. The co-owner Johnny offered us tastes (Big Boss Harvest Time since we were shopping for pumpkin beers). I'm pumped to see a shop with taps open nearby for what I hope will be a growler station when NC wakes up and adjusts its laws. Crossing fingers that Tasty will be the spot for this!

Johnny was really cool...came out and walked around the store with us to talk beer once he realized we were geeky. He was a good guy and has been working like crazy to get this place up and running. Still looks like they have some room to fully realize the potential of this shop, but things are definitely promising thus far!

EDIT, 3/22/12: After having been a patron of Tasty for the past six months, I feel I need to adjust my review. Bumped up the atmosphere score because their bar has turned into an excellent spot for a post-work beer and really good beer conversation. Also, service is a pure 5 now...as I've gotten to know most of the guys in the shop, I can always count on a "You need to check this out" or "Such and such should be in on tuesday" whenever I come in. Great to have a shop where the staff all knows what you're going to be interested in right when you walk in the door. And I felt like a dick for having the lowest score. Really, I'm a big Tasty fan. Have only been into Sam's once since they opened, and I felt terrible the other day when I bought a four pack of Aprihop at PSM.

03-23-2012 02:30:30 | More by JebediahScooter