Bay Area Liquor Stores

Ledger's Liquors - 1399 University Avenue at Acton, Berkeley, CA 510-540-9243
- truly amazing selection of beer, especially Belgian beer, and just about every liquor you've ever heard of. Very eager to special order things for you. The owner is also a beer brewer, and very friendly guy. Competitive pricing.

Jackson's Wine & Liquors - 3524 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 284-4100
- each of the staff here have an area of expertise - stunning single malt collection - and they often carry bargains on high end booze - 20 year old rye whiskey - Competitive pricing - if you need a 1.75 of Myers Platinum Rum or Bacardi - same price as Bevmo or a penny less. One of the few places that Oceana trusts the wine recommendations.

The Jug Shop - 1590 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, CA 415.885.2922
- mostly a wine store? Many very unusual things, but not comprehensive, one of the few places that carries syrups from Small Hand Foods (Berkeley)

Cask - 17 Third Street at Market, San Francisco. 415.424.4844
- Who carries two different bottlings of Parfait Amour? They do. They are very focused on the mixologist / classic cocktail market. They also carry Small Hand Foods syrups, and a good selection of cocktail books, new and vintage. They've had problems with their phones, don't take it personally. When they first opened they seemed quite pricey, but on my last visit it seemed the prices were normal.

John Walker - 175 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 800.350.5577
- Higher end liquors, Napa Creme de Noyaux, exotic Tequilas. Can be pricey.

Bevmo - A beverage supermarket, the Concord store has a great beer selection. Everyone in the bay area checks and matches their prices. Often very convenient. Frequent buyers get 5% discount coupons after every $250 in purchases.

Trader Joes - this is just my opinion - we shop there all the time, and its where I buy dozens of lemons and limes every month. This is just my experience, but unlike most other products they carry, be careful about buying wine or beer there. Aside from "two buck chuck" don't buy wine there unless you know what you are doing or need 6 bottles of Yellow Tail. Many of their beers are terrible. They have Trader Joe's label beer that would appear to be made for them by Gordon Biersch and Unibroue, and these are, in my humble opinion, second or third rate beers from two of the best beer makers in North America.