Every time I visit a new Brewery or prospective blog post I take brief notes on my iPhone to help jog my memory when I actually sit down to write a post. This time, I went back to read my notes and felt they were worth sharing. They do a good job of summing up my experience (please forgive the type-o’s):
To give you a little context, I stopped in with Brandon before dinner on a Saturday night. Our intention was to check out the new Ballast Point in Little Italy but it was PACKED so we opted for plan B. I’ve heard of Bottlecraft through friends that have bought beer from there but I’d never actually been to one (there is one in Little Italy and one in North Park). To be thorough, I felt Bottlecraft was an important stop on my YOTB tour.
The feel of the store is very “craft” – in a good way. The walls are covered with basic shelving and lined with bottles of beers. The decor is extremely sparse yet intentional. The bottles of beer are the focal point, contributing to the craft feel of the store. Upon further investigation I learned from the small signs posted around the room that because of the type of liquor license they have you can only purchase beer in increments of 6 (or was it a 6 beer minimum?). This actually made good sense to me from both perspectives. As a buyer, you can mix and match as your heart desires and Bottlecraft makes a sale of six beers – it’s a win-win!
What perplexed me was the picnic benches and bar height stools with people hanging out, drinking beer and eating sandwiches. Immediately I began to wonder…Did they get the sandwiches here? Did they bring them in themselves? Are you allowed to bring in your own food or do they serve food? Huh? There was also a chalkboard listing tasting flights but I couldn’t figure out how many beers per flight or what kind of beer beyond “Coronado” and “Ballast Point.” The guy working the counter couldn’t be bothered to help me so I let the flights go.
After perusing their impressive selection of bottled beers, I became increasingly thirsty. Determined to experience Bottecraft in its entirety, I selected a Lost Abbey Saison Blanc from the cooler and proceeded to the register as if I knew what I was doing. Fake it till you make it, right? I purchased the beer for $5.99 and Mr. Friendly at the cash register informed me that there was a $2.00 corkage fee. Yahoo! You can buy a single beer. Ok, no biggy. Let’s do this. Here is what I got for my $8.00:
Seriously? You work at BEER store and this is how you a pour a beer? He didn’t even bother to apologize for the foaming atrocity he presented me with. After about 15-20 minutes of waiting for the foam to subside, I finally got to taste my beer. At first the hops startled my senses but a few sips into it and it was a delightful combination of crisp and sweet refreshment. However, by the time I was finally drinking my beer I was too bitter to give it a fair review.
Bottlecraft is a great concept and they’ve got the “craft” feel down but they could use some help communicating their concept to their customers. Perhaps someone that welcomes you to the store and gives you a two sentence intro. “Hi, welcome to Bottlecraft. We’re pouring flights of:_______ or feel free to enjoy a beer from the cooler.”
If you’re looking for beer to take to a party or give as a gift, this is the perfect spot. They have a wide variety from around the county and the globe so your guaranteed to find something you’ll like. You can even enjoy a beer while you shop, I would just advise you that you pour it yourself.
The final note I made as I exited the building summed up my experience completely: “I don’t fit in here.” I’m not sure if it was Mr. Friendly that made me feel so unwelcome or if it was ambiguity of the establishment that bothered me but for whatever reason, I just didn’t feel like this was an “Ama-spot.” I’d go back to purchase beer but you won’t find me haunting the bar stools.
Here’s a couple extra pics for your viewing pleasure:
Bottoms Up!
-Amatece
Year of the Brew.2 