Sam's Quik Shop

NCbeerpirate

North Carolina

4.66/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

If you haven't been to the mecca of all beers in NC, this is it. Just went there this past weekend with my future brother-in-law who has been telling me about this place forever. Quite a drive from Cary, but is well worth the drive. This place is astonishingly amazing. Knowledgable staff, and you're surround by beer enthusiasts like myself.

If you can't find a particular beer there, then that beer must not exist. This place has the largest and greatest selection in the triangle area. Their ever-revolving 5-4 taps allows you to take a taste or buy a whole pint. They even have an awesome glass selection from which you can buy. Over all, if you haven't been...GO NOW.

11-18-2011 16:33:34 | More by NCbeerpirate

StoutMaster77

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

Has to be the best/largest selection in NC, if you can't find something you like here, I don't even know what to say. Tons of locals (including growlers), tons of other states beers, tons of Belgians, good amount of UK and eastern Europeans, and a solid selection of Germans. They have a new can cooler installed as well as plenty of other coolers space too. Although most of their beer is still "hot shelved" which I prefer most of the time. Love the new draft list too, they constantly have great beers rotating through.

10-13-2011 15:04:46 | More by StoutMaster77

AndrewNations

Virginia

4.31/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Sam's is great and well worth a trip. I decided to stop in a pick up a few things while in route from DC to Myrtle Beach.

The staff was helpful and even poured a few samples while I was shopping. Most of their stuff cost a bit higher than other places but nothing outrageous.

They seems to have a ton of Mikeller, Sweetwater, New Belgium and Big Boss. Lots of America Craft.

Their German section is a bit lack luster but then again, no one is going crazy of lagers theses days so its somewhat expected.

Cant wait to go back.

09-25-2011 22:36:52 | More by AndrewNations

ghowehattrick

North Carolina

4.14/5  rDev -8.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Been wanting to check this place out; it is about 45 minutes away from me. I've only been in the craft beer realm for about a year, so when I discovered this place on BA, I knew I had to go. So of course the day I go, the power is out inside. Yes, it was the weekend Irene came. The store was pitch black where all the beer was in the back. But the guys working there that day had the nerve to come up with a generator and a floor light to illuminate the darkened shop. Very impressed by this; glad I didn't just turn around and leave.

They had a significant selection of seasonal beers, I'd say about 20 or 25 varieties of Octoberfest/Pumpkin/Fall offerings in a long row. Lots of coolers with six packs and full cases. I bought a 6 pack of Big Boss Harvest Time; not rare in this area by any means, but I went with a safe choice on this trip. Like I said they lit the shop when I was there, but I still didn't want to pick out something without getting a full view of the entire store's offerings.

Lots of beer glasses to pick from! I've already acquired some tulips, pints, and goblets for myself, but anyone just starting to drink craft beer should get their glasses from here. Total Wine and other places haven't impressed me with their selections in this regard.

They had Founder's on tap that day. I wasn't that familiar with Founder's, so I did not partake. I'm one who likes to research what I drink before I try. However after going to this shop, I will have to pay attention to their website to see what is being served before I go.

I can't wait to go back when the power is on. Awesome place to go to find beers you won't find in the grocery.

09-02-2011 02:10:59 | More by ghowehattrick

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

When you are driving up to Sam's, be paying attention. You can very easily miss it. Parking kind of sucks too.

Once you get inside, its a whole nother story. The selection is nearly endless. The only problem is the selection of Belgian and German beer has been better elsewhere, but the selection of American beer was exceptional. It is kind of just stacked either by name, style, brand, type, or something. I really couldnt discern the order, but you can have a pint from their taps (and you can keep the glass too) while youre looking which helps make the insane amount of time youll spend looking in their coolers, racks, and new arrivals room.

What was nice was when one the workers couldnt answer my question about Gueuze and Lambics, there was someone to answer it.

08-22-2011 02:14:08 | More by VncentLIFE

bonbright7

New York

4.64/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

As the locals in Durham, NC steered me to this oasis of great beer near the Erwin Road underpass, a couple of miles east of Duke University, I found the very favorable descriptions were very much true to form. I walked in and slowly shuffled around the place in an effort to ferret out the nuances of the store. Not only were the store's employees very helpful in guiding me around, but they were very easy with their answers.

The store seems sectioned off in odd ways with the addition of wine and cigars, but it was their great collection of local and national brands of ales and beers that hypnotized me for a long time. Breaking up six packs to try something was not a problem for the store and remarkably the store had some of my local beers from NY too (Blue Point, Brooklyn).

Armed with an array of local NC brewed beers, I checked out for far less than I expected, as I picked up a samples of French Broad, Duck Rabbit, Triangle, and Lone Rider. I made a mental note to return to this great store when I can and will pick up several cases before leaving NC in a few weeks.

08-21-2011 18:34:14 | More by bonbright7

csbinva

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Stopped in today after a meeting I had in Chapel Hill. The store sneaks right up on you and as one person indicated it is adjacent to some gas pumps and a car wash. Nothing flashy but man oh man do they make up for it on the inside. I usually go to the big box stores that sell a lot of wine when I head down to North Carolina. Not anymore, Sam's is my new found candy store! Walked in the door and right off the bat in front of me noticed a big end cap of hard to find Allagash beers as well as Dogfish Head. Went back to the front and grabbed a basket, knew this was going to be an expensive stop. One special request, with all of this beer in the store, might not be a bad idea to get a few grocery carts for shoppers to use. I was a little overwhelmed. Noticed the taps, didn't stare too long because I knew if I did, I would have to grab a beer and that wouldn't be good when I had to drive back home, approximately three hours away. Noticed several things that I can't get in Richmond as well as a few things that have been discontinued for a while. Grabbed two bottles of Terrapin's Hoptaneous Combustion Smoked IPA, that stuff is like butter. Walked down another aisle, grabbed a few Sweetwater tackle boxes, another one you can't get in Richmond as well as a few bombers of Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti and Great Divide Chocolate Yeti. One piece of advice to anybody that is not local and wants to stop in, review their website and make a list. I could have easily spent $500 and not even gotten half of what I wanted. I'm already planning my next trip back!

08-05-2011 00:32:44 | More by csbinva

JebediahScooter

North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Awesome bottle shop! Probably 85% beer / 15% wine, t-shirts, glassware, etc. You can spend A LOT of time and money here quite easily. They have by far the best selection in the area. The majority of the beer is on shelves and organized nicely with a fairly small chilled selection. They have an awesome Belgian section with lots of sours, everything local and regional (I think they are pretty much the only shop around to get Foothills Baltic Porter), and pretty much anything else that is distributed in NC. You can have a beer on tap while you shop (4-6 solid selections or so), break any six pack on the shelves, and they have a great glassware selection. They do Friday tastings and events, keep a list of their stock online (not always up to date though), announce arrivals on twitter, etc. I really like that sort of extra effort from a shop, especially since it takes me about 40 minutes to get over there. Staff is knowledgable and hyped about beer.

ONLY big downside...cell reception sucks and there is no wi-fi, so I can't check reviews and whatnot from my phone. It'd be really nice if they'd pony up for public wi-fi. I'm fairly new to Belgians and, with such a large number of beers that are unfamiliar to me, id like to learn a little bit about something that looks interesting before I spring for a bottle.

08-03-2011 00:41:13 | More by JebediahScooter

AngusOg

Maryland

4.44/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I was staying with family in Southern Va, and after doing some research this seem like the only store within reasonable driving distance worth going to(plus a brewery on the same trip). It did not disappoint. I was like a kid in a candy store trying to grab everything i could not available in my area. Plus, it is one of those places that allows you to break up pretty much any four or six pack you want, so it is great for trying stuff and making your own sampler six packs. I could have spent at least another half an hour in there looking through the tremendous selection, but unfortunately the mother-in-law and my two young kids were waiting in the car, so i had to fly through there. Still it was a blast. Next time i'm in the area, i'm going back for sure, hopefully without the family and a huge beer budget!

07-09-2011 03:01:24 | More by AngusOg

mdvatab

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

Made a special trip to Sam's Quick Shop while staying in Durham, NC on business on 6/22/11. I was interested in checking out the highest-rated bottle shop in town to try to find some tasty regional/limited-release brews, and quickly realized I'd come to the right place.
Upon first walking in, one notices a magazine rack and cigar case, and the overall worn look of the inside of the store. Bright fluorescent fixtures on the ceiling light the store, and my initial concern is that their beer might be getting skunked. While not recently updated, the store has a very comfortable feel to it.
Walking through the store, I literally felt like a kid in a candy shop. The store was admittedly a bit cluttered, but this fact quickly slipped my mind when I saw the fantastic spread of beer brands around every corner. There was ample cooler space, and I noticed that they even had some growlers from some local breweries.
Since I was traveling, I focused on bombers rather than 6pks. If I were a local, though, the vast array of six pack brands would be a pleasant quandary to try to address each week.
I had a couple of chances to interact w/ the staff, and they were all friendly.
In general, I highly recommend this store based on both variety and quality of brands offered. (I spotted multiple Redhook and Widmer limited release brands that have been discontinued for a few years now (Redhook Double Black Coffee Stout, Treblehook, & Widmer Bros Reserve) My only real concern was the bright fluorescent lighting. I'll be drinking some of my brews over the upcoming weeks, and will see if the lighting had any affect.

06-25-2011 05:44:17 | More by mdvatab