Premier Gourmet or Village Beer Market?

Bonesey · Post by **Bonesey** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:24 pm

I'm wondering what people prefer for their cross border beer shopping? I have only been to PG, and was blown away by the selection. How does the selection, particularly with u.s micros and prices compare?

mjohnston · Post by **mjohnston** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:33 pm

VBM is a good place. Not quite as extensive a selection as PG but a really nice store, and a nice lineup of growler fills, which is something PG doesn't offer.

PS: Merchant

lister · Post by **lister** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:47 pm

You've driven all that way, why not visit both stores? They're 4.5 miles apart, about nine minutes driving. Hell, make it a full day with a trek over to Rochester for Beers of the World only an hour and 20 minutes from Buffalo. Do some Southern BBQ for dinner.

I've been to PG a handful of times and VBM once on our last trip. Each store had stuff that the other didn't. Prices varied a bit too.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:59 pm

VBM has more character but I found the prices just a little pricier. Its a nice little shop but I typically just hit one place when I go down. Does VBM post their growler fills online like Consumers does?

TJ · Post by TJ » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:11 pm

Don't make me choose!

kinguy · Post by **kinguy** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:13 pm

Haven't been to the VBM yet, but planning to go next time I'm across the border. I usually hit a Consumers or two to check out the growler fills, then Pizza Plant for dinner and a couple of pints.

I find they're a little cheaper than Premier on most of their common brands, but Premier has a better selection.

mjohnston · Post by **mjohnston** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:40 pm

You can get the growler tap list online, as well as the lists for the Consumer's Beverage locations. Unfortunately, they're not allowed to give you a sample, since they're not licensed for it.

northyorksammy · Post by **northyorksammy** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:03 pm

wegman's at Amherst has usually best prices on whatever they carry

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:34 pm

Yeah Wegman's in Amherst for fresh, cold bombers at great prices, then zip past pricier Premier and Village on your way to the Peace Bridge. Do the 'circuit.'

(You know you can enter the USA in Lewiston and exit via Peace Bridge, right?? Check it on googlemap. Get the from/to directions of all your expected stops & print them out.)

kinguy · Post by **kinguy** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:52 pm

mjohnston wrote:You can get the growler tap list online, as well as the lists for the Consumer's Beverage locations. Unfortunately, they're not allowed to give you a sample, since they're not licensed for it.

Also unfortunately, the growler tap list is not always up-to-date. Besides, it's so much more fun to browse in person.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:00 am

Today I was at Wegmans, Premier and Consumers, and could have easily gone to VBM as well, had I not been distracted at Coles...

Thing is, EVERY store will have something out of stock they usually have and/or you were looking for. Double Bastard, still nothing.... you need to go to all three IMO, and possibly Wegmans on the way down Niagara Falls Blvd.

That's assuming you need to be completist and buy everything!

Today I got loads of Stone and Southern Tier (incl. the 07 08 Epics, the ST Créme Brulée stout) plus some Kiuchi beers (for 4.95, to prove they are reasonably bought) De Dolle Mikkeller and a bunch of others (I am a Fantome virgin so the Saison will rock my paid-14-dollars-for-this universe!!)

Forgot or missed the freaking ST MOCHA, and - again - Stone Double Bastard eluded me as it always does.

JesseMcG · Post by **JesseMcG** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:05 pm

Belgian wrote:Forgot or missed the freaking ST MOCHA, and - again - Stone Double Bastard eluded me as it always does.

Oh man I brought back some of that stuff when I returned from NYC recently. Holy shit is it ever good. It tastes a lot more like chocolate than coffee IMO. Either way I'd be in heaven.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:18 pm

JesseMcG wrote:
Belgian wrote:Forgot or missed the freaking ST MOCHA, and - again - Stone Double Bastard eluded me as it always does.
Oh man I brought back some of that stuff when I returned from NYC recently. Holy shit is it ever good. It tastes a lot more like chocolate than coffee IMO. Either way I'd be in heaven.

Yess - even the Jah-va seems VERY chocolate-driven for the malts used. I think the OTHER Jesse told me to look for MoKah - regardless I have the Créme Brulée Stout as well as Jah-Va and Choklat - these ST Black Water series are Liquid Crack (even though the Iniquity was not 100% my thing.)

I can always blend the Jah-Va and Choklat = Mokah.

Coles has a ST Coles 75th Anniversary Ale PART TWO = ST IPA + Iniquity blended together, if anybody wants to try that at home. It was much more charming blended with the IPA, because the darker malts didn't get in the way so much.

Also, the Oak Un*earthly was absolutely fantastic on draught! My random bar friends also tried a sip & liked it, and all said they would not have believed it was a beer. for all the smooth American oak character, so well-integrated and creamy with the spectacular hop profile.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:29 pm

northyorksammy wrote:wegman's at Amherst has usually best prices on whatever they carry

True, but for prices it's also worth comparing Consumer's Beverage on Elmwood (thanks HogtownHarry!) - they had Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence for 11.95, which is two bucks cheaper than Wegmans - and their DeDolle Oerbier was about 3.95 compared to 6.25 at Premier.

These 3 or 4 places are relatively close for comparing, so I can blow through them in less than a few hours & then just go relax (wandering around Elmwood & Albright is fun, last night Julius Caesar was playing free outside in the park near the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.)