Finger Lakes Beverage Center

July 4, 2008
Living in Ithaca, this is the only place I need to go. I’ve been shopping here since the week I turned 21, and haven’t looked back since. I feel spoiled to have such a great store, so close by. Yes, the exterior looks pretty shady, but once you get inside, you are met with row upon row of gorgeous micro brew. They even hide the macro-crap in the back, as not to detract from the ambient-glow of the finer beers. Overall, the best beer store I’ve ever seen, and the one I’ll remember forever if I ever leave the Ithaca area!

March 1, 2008
I drove through a wicked little snow storm from Syracuse to get here...and it was worth it. They got a good thing goin’ on here. The folks were friendly and the selection was decent. I’ve never seen so many diffeent specialty sodas. They did have some Blenheims Ginger Ale from South Carolina which blew me away...that stuff is good. Anyways, their beer selection was decent. Better than Party Source in Syracuse for sure, but I was disapointed with their lack of bombers. There were hardly any bombers in the store. I did score some DFH Red & White and Golden Era. Seemed like they had a good selection of Belgian Saisons and Gueuze, but I don’t know anything about those styles to say if they were good ones or not. Bottom line: It’s one of the best bottle shops from Syracuse to Buffalo.

November 6, 2007
Life at Ithaca College is made easier having such a great selection so close to my dorm. The create a six pack is perfect for days when you don’t know what to get. They sell t-shirts and other fun stuff. The staff knows all. Ask them what to get.

October 9, 2007
Best Bottle Shop in the Ithaca Area, helpful staff, great selection for this part of the state, growler fills are a huge plus

March 4, 2007
Just found this place about 40 minutes from home. Been making do with the occasional brewry trips and local distribution, so this has been like Christmas for me. Love the single bottle purchases and filled a few sixes to taste. Looking forward to finding a lot of new favorites. Large selection of bottles and taps.

March 2, 2007
Clean, well-lit, convenient location in the center of Ithaca. Consistently draws the very best micros from around the country (besides a few of those pesky Midwest and PNW brewers that struggle to get distributed far), as well as a solid selection of international brews, especially Belgians. About a dozen growler fills that are consistently excellent - Avery Salvation on at this point, but they change rapidly, as do the bottles - their relative dominance of the craft market in Ithaca affords them a high turnover. Swill in the back, as well as a crapload of gourmet soft drinks if you’re into that sort of thing. Some micros are also kept in the chill chest, but duplicates are always available at room temp on the shelves. Gift cards are available, which is nice. Personable staff in keeping with that characteristically Ithaca vibe. This place blows any bottle shop Syracuse can offer out of the water, hands down.

August 6, 2006
I’ve never made it up to Beers of the World, but this place has a great selection that can stand on its own! I found nearly 30 beers to try -- the fact that I’m not a local undoubtedly helped, but given how many I’ve had, it’s been a long time since I found so many new beers for purchase at one place. Top-notch, and definitely worth a visit if you’re passing through.

February 26, 2006
This place isn’t as big as Beers Of The World or Half Time, but the space they have they put to good use. They cram the macro swill all the way in the back, and they waste no space in the Craft Brew section - it’s all good stuff. Seriously, you could go down any aisle with a blindfold on and randomly grab a bottle, and you won’t be disappointed with what you selected. Very clean and well maintained shelves, and I haven’t found an expired beer there yet. They also have 11 beers on tap for growler fills, and they are always good selections. Service is always good both when filling growlers and asking questions about the selection. They have given me freebies on a couple occasions when I spent a significant amount there.

January 23, 2006
I was pleasantly surprised by this store. Very nice selection. I was able to find quite a few beers that I can not find at Premier Gourmet. Good selection of Belgians and other imports, as well as plenty of US micros. I like the way the shop was organized, easy access to singles. Purchased some Southampton, Heavyweight, and Stoudts among others. The guy at the counter gave me a free glass, because I spent about $80 there. I highly reccomend.

June 12, 2005
A very good selection, a notch down quantity but not quality-wise from Beers of the World. Helpful friendly staff and nice store, but they are only average in their knowledge of beer and what they had, but they try. The stock turns pretty good, and there were a few beers not carried elsewhere. I did not have to go out of my way to get here rather than buy everything Beers of the World, but I would recommend it to anyone passing through. Prices are fair. Nicely laid out, and they let you use the bathroom.