Woodman's Food Market

Soneast

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.7%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | $$

This is a great stop for people in the Madison area. The store is absolutely loaded with quality beer, local craft, out of state craft, imports, they have it all. I have purchased a few bottles that were out of date so watch for that, but overall the majority of their stock is fresh. They seem to do a pretty good job keeping up with seasonal releases as well. I couldn't even begin to name all the options available here so I won't even try, just rest assured if you want quality beer, head here and you're sure to find something you like.

12-20-2008 20:39:13 | More by Soneast

MilwaukeeCrusher

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.7%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | $

This is probably the best place for value in the whole city. Singles selection is limited, and staff generally doesn't know much about beer. Selection in general is very broad, and as far as quality they do get some of the higher end releases, but they don't last long. If you want to load up on a broad variation of Great Lakes brews and don't mind missing a few rare releases, then this is your place. For 90% of my beer purchases, this is my go to place. In my opinion this location has the best selection of beer in the whole chain.

01-13-2011 19:57:20 | More by MilwaukeeCrusher

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | $$

Transcribed from notes dtd H, 12 Aug 2010.

It was recommended by local site user hu5on that I stop in this place during my annual visit. I applaud his sensibilities, but not his overall judgment.

As I entered, I was told that the beer/wine/liquor was in the far northwest corner of the building. So be it and thus began my trek past all of that pesky food to get to what really mattered. Once through the sliding glass doors that made doubly sure that I did not just aimlessly wander into the storehouse of demon alcohol, beer created a horseshoe-like design to reign in their wine and liquor. I bought some beers, but most of their singles were bottles. The place was well-maintained, the beers were protected by heavy rubber drapes and the temperatures were right, plus the prices were visibly marked. My complaint was the lack of availability of single CANs. I simply did not want a whole case of O'Doul's Amber in a CAN nor did I want the majority of their ginormous selection. Traders who frequent this place should CANsult my Wants for potential trades.

04-17-2011 11:44:07 | More by woodychandler

cokes

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $

Best selection in Madison, hands down. The mix and match six packs are an incredible deal (assuming the cooler is well stocked). Best prices too.
Most anything from the region. And a good survey of brews from across the nation. Just tons of stuff. It would literally take years to get through it all. New stuff all the time.
It is a grocery store, so staff is only present to ring things up. Friendly and accomodating, but far from scholarly when it comes to beer. Still, the little things shine, like encouraging oktoberfest face-offs with the aforemention mix and match deals.
The Import (vintage) beer cooler is impressive as well. Load of Belgians and other stronger brews, domestic and otherwise.
Great place.
But the policy is cash or check, only....it is a good thing because it tends to limit my spending.

11-04-2002 21:17:46 | More by cokes

ethosx19

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5

Woodman's has the best prices in Madison on food, and more importantly, beer. I get a mixed six pack every time I come in. Selection is good for imports and regional beers. The staff can't always answer my questions, but the low prices are what keep me coming back.

12-23-2002 08:42:28 | More by ethosx19

Sixpoint

New York

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4

There are a lot of people who claim this is the best selection in Madison, but I can't agree. I think Steve's Liquor on Mineral Point is the best, even though the volume of beer is not as impressive as Woodman's.

Woodman's West struggles because 80-90% of the beer is stuff you would never want to drink. They carry just about every brand of macrobrew imaginable, and it occupies most of there shelf space.

There is one long continuous aisle of domestics, but for the most part, many of them are not that impressive. They have stuff like New Glarus, Flying Dog, Summit, and Goose lsland... but in the Midwest, you can get those anywhere.

Their imports are lengthy, but once again, they're not that impressive. They have the traditional Belgian Ales (like Chimay, Youngs, etc.), but the last time I was there, nothing extraordinary.

You can always count on them having an ample supply though, and the beers seem to be kept cold and are rotated regularly. Overally, you probably won't be disappointed, unless you are snobby like me.

02-23-2005 04:20:26 | More by Sixpoint

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $

Two locations here in Madison, West Side on Gammon Rd. and East Side on Milwaukee St. For being a grocery store liquor department, it is truly a sight to behold. The place is simply enormous with a gigantic selection of liquor and wine and tons of beer as well. The whole perimeter of the store is beer, with hundreds of feet of cold cases of mostly swill beer but a very solid selection of the good stuff too. Just about every Wisconsin micro available, a solid representation from regional micros and a few coastals. Have a very nice singles cooler as well, mostly imports, but a few domestic crafts as well, i.e. Rogue, Bear Rep. About 10 brands of mini-kegs which can be fun. The prices are without a doubt the lowest around for beer and liquor alike. If only there were a campus location, I'd go broke. Perhaps it's better that way. Defintitely give it a look if you're in town, along with Riley's and Steve's for the harder to find singles.

07-30-2005 17:58:48 | More by Golden2wenty1

JeffKrenner

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $

Stopped here on the way to Chicago on Sunday, 08/06.

Tons of good stuff that I can't find elsewhere here. Mad River, Fish Tale, Sprecher premium offerings, Eisphyre, etc etc. Huge cooler filled with microbrew 6 packs which is followed by a big bank of cooler space with assorted singles for 1.69 each. Good selection of 6 packs and mix packs. The singles selection seemed very picked over, but that easily could have been since it was a sunday afternoon it got whiped out over the weekend beer rush.

Best find there was Fish Tale 10squared Anniversary Reel Ale, which is retired. Wish I would have bought more of it than I did.

Only downfall of this place is that there wasn't a person working to be found other than the cashier, who was backed up.

08-12-2006 15:55:57 | More by JeffKrenner

Realale

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $

Very nice selection of local beers in the super-grocery store. The beer/wine/liquor section is a seperate part of the store with its own entrance - look for the signage to save yourself a significant walk.

Beer selection is both sides of the farthest aisle from the entrance. One side is dedicated to imports, the other to domestic craft. All of the Wisconsin beers are grouped together and take up about half the length of the domestic section. Everything is coolers except for a stack of specialty 12 packs and seasonals which runs the length of the aisle.

Outstanding selection of local stuff, but no Lake Louie, and some of the basic New Glarus line-up was missing (Uff-da). The make your own six pack section was seriously picked when I was there (Sunday evening), but I was still able to cobble one together. Good stuff in the non-Wisconsin domestic craft section. I didn't bother with the imports as I was picking up a load of Wisconsin beer.

Most everything seemed well cared for, and no out of date bottles were noted, but a few of the singles I got had seen better days. Service was non-existent with the only employee present being the cashier. Sadly, this qualifies for "average" service in my book. Prices were definitely on the cheap side as befits the mega-grocery image. Big kudos for keeping almost everything cold though. Will definitely revisit on my next trip.

08-28-2006 16:37:48 | More by Realale

dancinwillie

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Living in and around the Madison area for the last 5 or so years, I've started taking this place for granted. Even with the new gigantic liquor section. But make no mistake, this is the place to go for amazing variety in Madison.

They have just an amazing selection here and it's laid out very well. You've got your domestic macros, followed by huge assortment of domestic micro/craft beers. Then a little section devoted to building your own 6-pack, which is directly over the larger singles section. Then at the end, a good selection of Wisconsin craft/micro's. Then you're while your thinking "that was really awesome, time to check out" you walk down the other side, and they have a load of craft imports on that side.

Fantastic store for beer lovers, I always feel a bit like the kid in the candy store. I don't think I've ever made it in and out in under 20 minutes. I just browse and browse, and change my mind, and go back and forth.

But as previous reviewers have stated, they don't have Lake Louie, which is a curious omission, and I have never been asked if I needed help, or even seen an employee over in the beer area. Also, the lines sometimes get crazy long, and they don't call for backup, so if you're getting a big haul, just grab a cart, so you don't have to hold cold beer for 20 minutes.

But these are small issues really, when what I come for is the beer, and they have it like no other place in Madison!

Cheers!

08-17-2008 19:29:51 | More by dancinwillie