3 reasons why you should buy beer from bottle shops

Over on my YouTube channel, I have taken part in the £15 bottle shop challenge where participants see how many good quality beers they can buy from their local bottle shop for £15.  If you are just starting out on your craft beer journey, you may be wondering how to make the most out of your bottle shop visit.  And if you don’t have a local bottle shop, where else can you look to find interesting beer without going online?  Here are my 3 reasons why you should buy beer from bottle shops!

What is a bottle shop?

I consider a bottle shop to be a place where you can buy quality beer in your local area.  It may also have a bar area where you can buy takeaway beer or drink in.  It could just be some fridges in a shop.  But it is a place you can buy interesting craft beer and real ale from a number of different breweries in one place.  Some bottle shops will also sell online for delivery or they may do local delivery for free or for a smaller fee than national delivery.  A key feature of a bottle shop should be knowledgeable staff who you can have a conversation with.

My local bottle shop is Docker, which is in a building called the Goods Shed. I'm here in Kent in Canterbury. The Goods Shed has products that are made by local food businesses. It also has produce that is from local farmers. So it's very, very local, and it really supports the community and our rural area.  The bottle shop itself is run by a brewery called Docker. They are also a bakery. So they bake sourdough bread and they also brew beers, and often they'll brew beer with leftover sourdough in it so that's really exciting. They have a couple of locations throughout East Kent but this one is set in the Goods Shed which is just next to one of the stations in Canterbury. And it is probably one of my easiest to get to and best-stocked bottle shops. There aren't too many very good craft bottle shops close to me that I can get to without driving so the Docker bottle shop in the Goods Shed is a really good place for me to go and find interesting beers.

Reason 1 to buy beer from bottle shops

By shopping at a local bottle shop rather than online you are supporting local business.  Our local vendors and venues need our support more than ever right now and if we don’t use them, we will use them. 

On a side note – you should also try to buy beer from local breweries, they need our help too!

Reason 2 to buy beer from bottle shops

You can find local and hidden treasures when you buy beer from bottle shops.  I picked up a beer at my bottle shop which is a backyard hopped pale ale.  It is brewed by a local brewery with hops that were grown in people’s gardens.  I don’t think I would have picked it up if I was looking for beer online.  And you can’t get any more local than hops grown in local gardens!

Reason 3 to buy beer from bottle shops

Sometimes you just need to talk to a person in the know.  I don’t think I’ve ever visited a bottle shop where the staff aren’t knowledgeable.  In bottle shops, the staff know what stock is available and what they’ve got coming in.  They can advise you on what you might like based on beers you’ve had previously.  Some bottle shops will even curate an order for you to help you discover new beers and breweries.

What if you don’t have a local bottle shop?

You might not have a bottle shop local to you.  Have no fear!  There are still places you can find interesting beer if you have the time to go look.  Some convenience stores or corner shops are starting to stock craft beer.  Check out the fridges of your local convenience store to see if they have any crafty offerings for you. 

I’m in quite a rural area.  If you are too, you might have some farm shops near you.  I’ve found a good selection of local breweries and hidden gems in quite a few of the farm shops in my area.  Again you are supporting local business, local breweries and supporting British farming as well (grab some tasty food while you are there!) If you aren’t in a rural area, the next time you are travelling, keep an eye out and pop in if you are passing one.

The final unexpected place I’ve found beer is the garden centre. When I started on my craft beer journey, my local garden centre was one of the best places to find beers to try!  Like farm shops, garden centres often support local producers so check out the gift section the next time you are buying your plants or going in to frequent the café.

Now you know where to buy your next beer, are you ready to find out how to choose beer you will love?  Check out this blog post with my 5 top tips for choosing beer you will love