Beware of The Champagne Company and The Drinks Emporium, online wine companies that are taking…read morecustomer money but failing to supply goods or provide refunds. Both have done this to me recently.

I'm so glad this place opened - since it has, I've been there three times, and not just to purchase…read morea bottle from their vast array on offer but to tastings as well. Situated on the Aston Road near the A38 you could be forgiven for missing it, but don't! It would be a mistake not to go. There is parking available outside so there's not even a need to walk. You have to buzz for entry, but once inside you'll see why. There's a large selection of wines, champagnes, spirits and beers on offer. The décor is well laid out and there are seats should you feel the need to sit down just to take it all in! There is a huge amount of champagnes to cater for every taste ranging from Moet to Bollinger to Dom Perignon. Right in the back corner is a separate section for the more exclusive bottles - I suggest you go have a look at least. There's the normal range of spirits but there are loads of more distinct and different brands on offer. I managed to get hold of a flavoured bottle of Absolut that nowhere else had in stock. The staff are brilliant - when I went in looking for a bottle of rum for my boyfriend who loves the stuff, they showed me various ones similar to the ones he has already tried (by the way - the recommendation was amazing and my boyfriend loved it). I've been back several times to buy beer, spirits and wine. The prices are reasonable and similar to those you'd get online - I've always managed to find what I've wanted for a great price. As it has more speciality items, I know I'll be back to further sample the range.

What an amazing shop! I will never think of whisky the same way again…read more In fact I like whisky now and really want to go back to buy a fancy bottle, just to keep in the house and have a drop when we deserve it. You know, like grown ups do! Seriously, take a look at this place, they know their stuff and whether you want to purchase for yourself, for a party or for a present for someone who has everything. Suits all budgets too!

This a lovely small independent whisky retailer with products that are high end and from all over…read morethe Globe. Located just inside the Great Western Arcade it's worth a visit when you can, even just to browse the products. They have many famous brands to offer, so why not let the nice assistant tell you all they know about the whisky distilleries? They are also part of the UK premier and private whisky club, offering a FREE membership with every purchase. They know their products, although perhaps be a bit careful not to over spend in here as the Whisky varieties are not cheap at all. They would make the perfect gift if you can find one at a reasonable price.

This is a superb wine shop to stop at if you're passing through, it has a very interesting and…read moreinspired selection and the people running the place are very knowledgable and enthusiastic. I'm not a wine connoisseur as I have a preference for beer so spend my time drinking that, but we picked up a few bottles of red from the under £10 section and they were all fantastic. The budget section was large enough for anyone but they also had far more wines which were pricier, and I'm sure of great interest to those who are into their wine. They run wine tasting classes if you're getting into the field, and to my pleasure they also stock a small selection of interesting real ales.

This very old, well-established wine merchant in the centre of Shipston is the spot to go if you…read moreneed to buy wine other than standard, supermarket-pushed brands. The staff are really knowledgeable and pleasant; the selection is outstanding (from budget to top quality fine wines) and its location is very handy with plenty of parking. I've bought a variety of wines from here from cheap and cheerful to exceptional and never been disappointed. Its worth going on a wine tasting visit which is fairly priced, incredibly interesting and of course, you get the chance to sample some lovely wines. The tour of their huge cellars while listening to an overview of their history is truly fascinating. They are looking at doing some fairly major and sympathetic development in their courtyard very soon which will be a joy to experience, I'm sure. Having the opportunity to sit and quaff in such lovely surroundings will be fantastic. Remember, if a wine is stocked by a supermarket, Sheldon's won't carry it! Very highly recommended!

Although it may look like a fairly bog standard off licence from the outside, don't let appearances…read morefool you. Laithwaites is actually an extremely well stocked, very nice wine shop, not dissimilar to chains such as Majestic Wine Warehouse. The inside is very professional, with wines grouped appropriately, making whatever you're looking for specifically very easy to find. If you're not entirely sure what you're looking for, then fear not, because their friendly, approachable staff clearly know what they're doing and can advise you what wine to serve with certain food. The prices are competitive with the likes of Majestic, although if you're looking for a sub £5 bottle just to give to an acquaintance or what have you, you may be better suited going to a supermarket such as Tesco. Highly recommended.

We popped in here one Friday night for some wine and it was empty! This was good and bad because we…read moregot personal chatty service but the staff kind of watched our every move which was quite off-putting. They also kept asking if we neede help when we just wanted to look round. They have a good variety of wines of all sorts and prices. The cheapest bottles were about 6 quid and this was in the sale so it is not for you if you buy cheap wine! Prices went up as high as £20 a bottle and they also had a selection of champagne and sparkling wines. We treated ourselves to 4 bottles which were very nice. I doubt we'll use this shop much but it is handy if you've been in the Wetherspoons nearby plus there is parking outside.

I first visited Stirchley Wines when a friend of mine had moved to the area and, having been told…read moregreat things about it, insisted we went to grab some alcohol from here for a night in catching up. I wasn't disappointed. Being a craft beer fan this place is an Aladdin's cave, with bottles from all over the world, in different styles, strengths and flavours. I've been with friends who love beer and those that aren't so keen but everyone managed to find something they like. I live above a BrewDog in the city centre and Stirchley Wines had more variety of BrewDog beers in stock that the bar itself!? I managed to grab the infamous My Name is Vladimir protest beer released to coincide with the Winter Olympics in Sochi. They of course have beers from all the big craft beer breweries as well as some of the smaller lesser known ones. They even have a few beers on tap and the guys there are happy to help if you need some guidance on what beer is best for you. It's a great place to pop into before you go to a curry house, as I have done, as a lot of the places nearby are BYOB. Stirchley Wines as the name suggests also sells a lot of wines and a great variety of spirits that you most likely wouldn't find elsewhere or in very small amounts, so I encourage you to take that trip south of Birmingham into it's suburbs or if you're in the area be sure to pop in, you won't regret it.

How do you turn a boring high street off-licence into something special? For the answer to that…read morequestion you should visit Stirchley Wines....and you don't even have to go there to do that. The beauty of Stirchley Wines is that they will tell you about their interesting new stock on Twitter! They'll post photos and reviews of new wines and beers online and, what's more, they are witty and informative with it. Follow @stirchleywines to find out more. Not only are they the world's first social media savvy off-licence, and not only do they have a really, really, really good and varied selection of beers that you wouldn't find elsewhere - think of it like an independent record shop for booze - but they have also recently teamed up with acclaimed local bakers Loaf to produce a different Beer Bread each week. A message is posted on Twitter when the bread arrives...but you need to be quick. Alongside all the usual other stuff that you'd expect (tobacco, snacks, soft drinks, mixers) there is also a really good whisky selection. Prices aren't the cheapest on some brands, but the selection more than makes up for that. The main reason for supporting this place, though, is that they are keen to support other local businesses in the area, and that's what makes a community. So, next time you want a 4-pack, or a bottle of wine, don't bother with the supermarket - head down here and so what they might have for you. Alternatively, tweet them and ask.

I frequent this store and have found the selection of beers ciders etc excellent. I can also say…read morethat the staff always are very helpful and polite. Definitely worth a visit

An extremely friendly little shop selling their own brewed beer (the brewery is off-site so don't…read moreexpect a tour), and a wide variety of other bottled beers. It's all sensibly arranged and sensibly priced. There's a very decent selection of both British real ales, and the best of the imports. Belgian and Trappist ales are in abundance, and there's also a few interesting and hard-to-find bottles ranging from Dutch to American. Yes, it turns out that Americans do make decent beer after all. Well, I've found one. The staff (I think it's family-owned and family-run) are very friendly and happy to talk about what they've got, which beers they prefer, which ones they think will suit a particular meal, which ones will be in stock if you come back next week Exactly what you'd want from a beer specialist. There are plenty of ciders as well. They're not really my thing but it looked like a decent selection.

This is a friendly and welcoming shop selling its own beer alongside a good international and…read moreBritish selection. I was dragged in here by the OH, who strongly believes in proper beer and found myself not only interested, but also leaving with some beer of my own. Having been converted to Belgian beer over the years, I was pleased to see a good selection of Trappist and fruit beers, and collected a couple of Krieks and Cassis (cherry and blackcurrent respectively) for afternoons in the garden. The very concept of fruit beer might repel you, but give it a go - you could be surprised. The shop also stocks perrys and ciders, German wheat beer, the best of British small breweries, Czech and Polish beers. If you have stocked up, ask to leave the box to collect by car later.

A five star review for an off-license might seem a little unnecessary, but when you're so spoilt…read morefor choice on Raddlebarn Road it's probably important to try and separate the wheat from the chaff. Wine Stop is just around the corner from the top of Dawlish Road (if you were walking or driving up Dawlish, you'd take a left) and is opposite Selly Park. Wine Stop offers a much better selection on everything that the busy Bristol Road shops usually won't have (to be fair, the average student probably isn't looking for anything more than the cheap stuff, so it works). I particularly enjoy ogling the cool bottles of spirits placed high up on shelves and tucked behind the counter and can quite happily stare for a while as the supremely nice guy who owns the place is happy to chat about anything. Usually I shun small talk in shops and find it uncomfortable, but the fella who owns Wine Stop not only knows his stuff, but he's always got a good anecdote or two. I made the mistake of going with a friend who brews his own ale and launched into a long and in-depth conversation about the brewing process and qualities etc which went on for a long time and felt a bit left out, but it's always worth the journey. The variety of wines, beers and ales is enough to give you plenty of choice but not so much that it is a baffling and confusing process. This, in my opinion, is exactly the right approach: No one wants to try something different but eventually give up because of too large and too obscure a selection and an unapproachable proprietor. That's where Wine Stop fortunately gets it just right.

Between Winestop and Stirchley Wines a mere mile and a half down the road, the standard for off…read morelicenses this side of Birmingham is ridiculously high. I think that out of the two, Stirchley Wines has a better beer selection whereas Winestop has the better spirits selection. High quality Tequila is hard to come across in this country but Winestop stock several brands as well as the standard stuff, and there's loads of different whiskies in exotic packaging which I will probably never be able to afford. That's not to say the beer selection is bad, there's a wide range to choose from including well respected but hard to find names such as Brewdog, Wye Valley and Shropshire favourites Hobsons. The service is incredibly friendly, with a proprietor who seems to genuinely love talking to his customers. There's also a very nice park across the road if you're looking for somewhere to drink your purchases. Great stuff.

Looking for an excuse to feel like a sophisticated vintage connoisseur, without actually knowing…read moreanything about wine? Then Loki is the place to be. Hidden away in the charmingly historic Great Western Arcade in the centre of Birmingham, this spot is a gem--like a treasure chest full of wine, with little tasting notes as the map. The magic happens with the tasting machines, where you can try up to 40 wines by the glass--not all at once, you rascal! Want to sample a few without committing to a whole bottle? You can try sips for around £1. It's a great way to find your new favorite drop without the commitment anxiety. Plus, they have these super cool self-service Loki cards, or you can (as I did) trade your credit card for a temp. Get guidance from the lovely staff if you're overwhelmed by all the choices (I was). The selection is as diverse as it is vibrant, with wines from all over the world, and the best part? They're all served at the exact temperature the makers intended--no warm, sad wine here. Looking for sweet wines, my partner and I enjoyed an airy Gewürztraminer, a super fantastic vintage port from Warre, and a delightful coffee-noted port from Penfolds. I also sampled a yummy, peppery and full-bodied Shiraz. While I didn't try the food, the menu looks like it would be the perfect pairing with any glass you pick. Cheese boards, meat boards, olives, focaccia, you know the stuff. Whether you're an aficionado or a casual enthusiast (like me), Loki Wine is a great spot for a laid-back yet luxurious experience. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Brum.

Loki is a technically a wine shop but it has a few unique selling points…read more 1. Phil is super knowledgeable and approachable. If you have a question about wine or need a recommendation he will help you! 2. The beautiful location in Great Western Arcade. The store itself is exceptionally stylish too, all wood shelves, tables made from barrels and a lovely upstairs seating area. 3. It's not just a shop- you can try wines too. You can pick up a card, load it with money, pop the card into the amazing wine dispenser (!) select a small or large taster or a whole glass, and the wine is dispensed into the wine glass you have taken from the rack above. There's a variety of decent reds and whites available. These are good quality wines so a full bottle isn't a cheap option. So having the option to have a good sized sample for anything from 90p-£2 means you can feel more confident buying the whole bottle. So when you've picked a glass of wine you like, you can take it upstairs, sit on the seats, order a cheese or meat board (from Anderson and Hill across the way) and have a completely relaxing afternoon. Even the olive oil is amazing. Highly recommended.

One of only a handful of businesses on the extremely busy Ladypool Road that sells alcohol, Euro…read moreWines is a fairly small shop with an above average selection of wines, beers, ciders and spirits. The presentation may not be flashy but the shop is well looked after, always maintaining a clean, upbeat feel . Pricing is fairly cheap, like many of the businesses on Ladypool Road (if you don't price your products well on Ladypool Road, the customer is never too far away from someone that does). Where Euro Wines beats it's nearest competitor, Ladypool Wines Cellar is on service. The staff in Euro Wines always seem bright and chatty, always willing to have a conversation with the customer. I'm not massively bothered about the kind of service I get when I'm buying a few beers to drink at home, but as we all know, a few words and a smile is always nice, especially when you're giving a business your hard earned cash. In conclusion, Euro Wines is a perfectly good place to pick up a few beers when you're traversing the Balti Triangle.

Not the classiest of areas as a whole so don't expect a 5* shopping experience…read more However, when you're passing by and you just need to pick up a bottle of wine or a few ciders then there's nothing really to complain out here. It's relatively easy to park nearby and the alcohol is always extremely reasonably priced which will always get my seal of approval. I've been in there a few times and never once have had a conversation or anything with the shopkeeper. But to be honest, when you're litterally running in and out of a shop in less than 2 minutes the level of customer service doesn't really bother me. I'd rather have value for money products that are easy to access and Euro Wines does exactly that. After all, you get what you pay for.