The Wine Specialist

October 4, 2008
My second time visiting this place, and I found it as rewarding as the first. Tim, the beer guy, is really awesome. Smart, committed to the scene, and goes out of his way to really think about recommendations. Sure, he’s a Giants fan but that’s forgivable. Great range of out of the norm Germans and English beers along with the usual suspects (Stone, Troegs, Bells, Southern Tier, Clipper City). Nice sleeper Italians and Swiss (e.g. BFM), some Brewdog and Mikkeller and Nogne, and a nice representation of locals (still some Brewers Art Canard and Ozzy, Williamsburg Rapadou Porter, Legacy Hoptimus Prime). Good shop!

August 21, 2008
Just popped in here because I heard they had a decent beer selection, I really didn’t know what to expect. I was really impressed by a wide and eclectic selection crammed into a relatively narrow space. Staff were helpful. Maybe a bit disorganized, but that made it more fun to hunt.

April 9, 2008
Web order. Mostly very good results. It shipped and arrived rapidly. DC to California arriving on the 10th day from order (which was a Monday, so it may have arrived at local Fed Ex even earlier). Down side is I didn’t seem to get shipping notice to track, so I ended up driving 20 miles to pick the order up. Other than that the result was fantastic. De Glazen Toren, Southampton, Brewers Art and Dogfish Head. Items hard to find within a decent driving distance for me. Even across the country shipping costs may be cheaper than driving 90 miles each way to a good beer store - that would not usually have any of the items purchased. I’d do this again for items I really wanted.

October 9, 2007
Good spot for hard-to-find bottles and old stock. Southampton 10th Anniv., RR Salvation batch 3 (when everyone else in town has been out of it for the last 6 months), 2000 Koff Porter, 1997-Present JW Lee’s, and 2002/2003 Aventinus. Check their website, it seems to be updated, but if you don’t find something on the shelf that’s listed online, ask them, because it’s probably in back. I walk from the Foggy Bottom/GWU metro stop, but it’s about the same distance from Dupont Circle, and only a short walk from Brickskeller.