Rick's Wine And Gourmet

BigTomZ

Virginia

4.44/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

Rick's is the beer store that I visit most frequently. They have a solid selection of micros and a fair amount of imports. They seem to have a good stream of beer fans shopping there, so most of their stock stays pretty fresh. They keep up on most new releases and newly distributed breweries. Jon is their beer guy and is always helpful. He remembers their regulars and often remembers your style selections and advises you of new arrivals you might be interested in. He always remembers me by first name, and I've seen him greet others by first name when they've come in. My favorite part about this place is their great selection of locals. They keep a solid stock of Williamsburg Alewerks, Blue & Gray, Legends, and now DuClaw (yes, from MD but still pretty local). It is my go to spot when I stock up on extras for trades.

02-20-2011 07:45:42 | More by BigTomZ

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -7%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

I stopped by mainly to acquire some winter brews for a tasting I was holding with friends. I was instantly greeted as I came in and got asked if I needed some help, always a good sign. I browsed around the isles to take a look at the selection. They had a lot of stuff, but I was half-expecting to find a little more rarities. Maybe I caught them on a bad week, maybe there just wasn't too many outstanding brews available at that moment, who knows. A few nice imports were on the shelves, but nothing that made my jaw drop either. But they did carry a lot of the bigger micros and had plenty of local rep as well such as Legend Brewing, Williamsburg Aleworks and Old Dominion.

02-17-2011 19:56:24 | More by CuriousMonk

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Great place that I generally head to at least once a week for the Saturday tastings from 12-5. If not, typically I'll be in on Sunday to pick up whatever I had reserved.

Quality here is top of the line. While the selection isn't as large as other outlets in the area, I'm more than okay with this fact given that they fit quite a bit into a small area and that the selection is constantly rotating and I never need to worry about older bottles.

Service has always been fantastic. Jon does a great job with the weekly e-mail detailing new beers and what is on for the tasting the week, and will set aside whatever beers from the list you're interested in if you call or e-mail. He's also always up-to-date on the latest releases.

Selection is good but not fantastic, which is understandable given space constraints. The new singles section was a really nice addition.

Prices are standard for the area.

02-01-2011 16:18:28 | More by Thorpe429

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Rick's is my go-to bottle shop. I'm in there at least once a week.

The storefront isn't big, but it's space well used. Quality, not quantity. What beer is there (immediately to your right when you walk in) is solid. Everything has been thought over and hand selected by their team, led by the "Beermudgeon" Jon.

Plenty of American craft varieties from IPA's to stouts, as well as the high quality Belgiums you'd expect to find in a place like this. Jon will stock some sours here and there, but they seem to go fast.

Rick's also has a nice selection of artisan cheeses and snacks, as well as an array of fine wine too.

They are always willing to take down your name for a pre-order and will hold a bottle or two for you if you call in advance. They know me by name and always greet me with a wave or a smile. Everyone on staff seems to know their sh-t, and are always happy to talk about beer.

If you're in the area, drop by. The prices are competitive, though I can't say it's as big as Total Wine or even Norm's in Vienna, but again - quality, not quantity!

01-27-2011 16:56:56 | More by Rhettroactive

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Rick's is one of the better places in No. Virginia for craft beers. They don't have as much selection as Total Wine (a few minutes away), but everything they have is excellent. Pretty good prices too. Another plus is that the service is excellent. The people I've talked to there are more than helpful, and really know their stuff. If you're visiting the DC area, this is definitely one of the "go-to" places to check out. A lot of Belgians, and US craft beers available here. They sometimes have hard to find beers, depending on the time of year.

01-10-2011 01:30:03 | More by jayhawk73

321jeff

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

Stopped by Rick's on my way home last week. It sits back in a little shopping center next to a Starbucks. It's a nice atmosphere inside with lots of wine and also some cheese. The beer selection is diverse, but relatively small and there always seem to be a few beers missing from most of the brands. Not a big deal, but it can make it difficult to do one stop shopping. Plenty of fresh American micros and quite a few Belgians as well.

It seems I'm always in there on a Saturday, which works out well since the "Beermudgeon" always does some tastings on Saturdays. He's very helpful and knowledgeable, and though I've never talked to any of the other staff, they seem friendly. Always a good place to stop, especially since it's the closest place to Maryland for me to pick up some Bell's and Founders goodies, I'd definitely recommend stopping by.

12-07-2010 23:24:33 | More by 321jeff

jc85

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

So I took a drive up here on a Saturday afternoon. Pretty easy to find, first thing I saw when I walked in was the beer. It's kind of sectioned off from the rest of the place, which is wine and some gourmet cheeses. As I got around a tower of boxes I saw the beer tasting table. The guy there was extremely helpful and seemed to know what he was talking about. I definitly appreciated the fact he had us tasting the beers in a light to heavy fashion. I left there spending less than I thought I would, not for the lack of selection, but because of the reasonable prices. If your in the NoVA area, this is a good spot to go to. Even though I am a bit south I will be returning soon.

11-14-2010 16:05:59 | More by jc85

kevinv

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

Good selection of craft beers here. I usually find beers here that I can't find elsewhere, such as Whole Foods. The staff is very friendly - I've been asked if I need any help each time I've entered the store. I recommend signing up for their free weekly newsletter as it'll keep you informed on what's coming in that week as well as what's going to be on the menu for their Saturday beer tastings. Jon, the self-proclaimed "beermudgeon" is very knowledgeable about the beers they sell. He's also allowed me to purchase a few limited edition beers over the phone and then pick up the next day. Overall, the store is a great value.

08-30-2010 13:37:29 | More by kevinv

dtivp

West Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$

I have visited this store twice, the beer selection is good and it appears they turn their stock well, so they do not keep old product on the shelf. The Craft beer area is small, so it is not the main focus of the store. I rated the service average, because the beer guy's customer service needs to be improved. His beer knowledge is excellent and he is opinionated, which is OK until he trashes your opinion. At times I felt I was in the way, which is surprising since I was purchasing a $180 selection of beer. Maybe that's a small order in the store???? The young lady behind the counter was very much more helpful.
The value was good and I will return when visiting my son, maybe the other beer guy will be working on my next visit.

06-13-2010 17:55:04 | More by dtivp

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

I heard good things, so I decided to check this place out. It's slightly more of a drive than I'm normally used to, but, upon seeing their wares, I felt it was worth it. A very good selection of various brews from across the country was the focus (at least in the beer section, anyway), with a decidely smaller selection of European brews, primarily Belgian and British. Most of the bottles were warm, though there were also a pair of small coolers. What I felt was lacking was the singles selection: Sure, there's a bunch o' bombers and the like, but only a select few single 12 oz-ers; the rest were still confined in their sixers. The staff is very knowledgable and more than happy to provide recommendations. Overall, a good selection and good prices will allow this place to stay on my list of go-to stores.

06-07-2010 04:22:50 | More by TMoney2591