When I moved to the Albany area from Dutchess County, I knew one of the places I would miss the most was Half Time. This store took care of any angst I might have had. The selection is almost as good overall, and better when you take into consideration all of the New York State beers available, especially upstate (I had no idea there were so many new breweries in the Glens Falls area, for example). It's very well organized as well. Whenever my beer-enjoying friends are in the area, this is a must-stop. read more

The Brew Crew at Westmere Beverage is, hands down, the best staff and store in the Capitol District for beer. Have been going here for years and it continues to improve. Highly recommended for selection, price, knowledgeable and friendly staff. read more

It's easy to like a small suburban beer store with a larger selection of specialty beers than you would ever expect. But what happens when something goes wrong? Recently I came in with the kids in tow and hastily bought a six pack of something I didn't expect to see on the shelves. It was the Dortmunder Gold from Great Lakes Brewing Co. I've been looking to drink beers that are less hoppy, but still delicious and well made. And this was the beer that spoke to me. It's not cheap, but I didn't even realize you could get in in this part of the country. Anyhow, I opened up a bottle of it at home, and it just didn't taste quite as good as I remembered. So I looked at the bottle, and it had an "enjoy by" date that had long since passed. So I reached out to the store via Facebook, and told them of the situation. They explained how they comb through the stock and pull off older inventory. These bottles are sold at deep discount for those who are looking for a bargain, and don't mind the altered flavor profiles that result from time and decay. Old beer isn't always bad, per se. It's just not a good representation of what the brewery wanted you to enjoy. To make a long story short, Westmere apologized for the oversight, explaining that occasionally a six pack will slip through their inventory control system. On top of that, they offered a full refund, even though one of the beers was already consumed. The response was quick, painless, and professional. And this is how a beer store goes from good to great. Thank you Westmere for standing behind your products and offering fantastic customer service. read more

I checked out Westmere and Oliver's on the same day for comparison purposes, since they are owned by the same people. I refer you to my review of Oliver's for the points in which they are equivalent. Why go to Westmere vs Oliver's? Their growler selection is a little more mainstream (eg Hop Devil was on tap today) if you want to avoid a risky choice. (Too bad they don't offer sampling, like my home base EBI in Saratoga.) They were running some interesting specials--I got a double Arrogant Bastard for $5.99, an obscure Brooklyn special release with a coupon for $10 off my next visit, and 30% off last season's Chanukkah Ale (good stuff) from Shmaltz. And it's close to Crossgates Mall, so you can get a fill while they are fixing your Macbook. read more

Fantastic selection!! This is the best place for beer that I've found in the Albany area. Their selection is very comprehensive and they have tons of imports, a HUGE Belgian selection, all the local NY brews, and a great seasonal section that is always rotating. The best thing about this place is that you can take one of everything and make your own 6-pack. For someone who loves trying new beers, that is a pretty amazing aspect of this place. The location is also pretty good and it's on Western near the Crossgates Mall, so it's easy to get to from most places. Overall, it's a great place with a great selection and a place where you can easily spend your paycheck! read more

All I kept saying to myself as I walked through was "why had I never been here before?" It's only a couple of blocks from my parents' house and I always have a growler in my car. For the life of me I can't figure out why I never stopped. The selection they have goes from mainstream to some fairly hard to find gems, and they have a growler fill station where you can try before you buy! I grabbed some Sam for my dad and a mixed 6 pack for myself. I will definitely stop on my way through! read more

There are three things I want to emphasize about why I love Westmere so much: First, the organization of the place is more like a wine shop than any other beer shop I've ever visited. Most attempts to organize beer do so by style - IPAs vs. stouts vs. wheats vs. barleywines, etc. While this is useful for some, I tend to prefer browsing beer by brewery and by location. By organizing by country/state, I can easily find my favorite breweries and locate their newest offerings. Second, the selection is amazing. I know it's what everyone focuses on here, but it really is spectacular. Too many beer shops focus on carrying the big names or the hard-to-find rarities and the like. The depth and breadth of selection is unrivaled in the area, as far as I know. Third, the staff are actually really friendly. I never walk out without at least one or two people asking if I need help finding a selection. While I rarely take the help, it's nice to be offered. Places like this tend to hire people who think they are above you - they are the beer experts and anyone they don't know who is shopping there must be a noob. That doesn't seem to be the case at Westmere. They weren't pushy or snobby. I appreciate that. I love this place and will probably end up spending way too much there one day. Oh well. That's the difficulty in being a beer nerd. read more

What can be said about Westmere Beverage that I haven't already said about their sister store, Oliver's? Yeah, nothing. They're both hands down the best beverage stores in the area. Great bottles, great growler station (more variety of styles here than Oliver's), and a really helpful staff. Without a doubt the two best places in the area for craft beer. read more

They have Utica Club and broke up the 12 pack for a six for me. Good customer service and very comprehensive selection of suds. Ideal if you are out by Crossgates. read more

Westmere has something for everyone - tremendous variety, good organization, good staff, a lot of refrigerated beer, and a good selection of craft beer kegs. I am very much a regular. The one concern I do have while shopping here though is that they have so much beer from so many breweries, that some of it sits for a long time and isn't fresh (or worse). So you need to be careful when venturing off into more obscure breweries or in the beer styles where freshness matters most. read more

Great craft selection. Constantly getting new brews in every week. Fun and friendly staff working. Can't go wrong with this place.

Place as gone bad over years, rude service mostly by young employees, especially one in particular to bad, at one time this was my go to place. Not anymore. read more

One of THE best places to grab beer in the area. The store is very well organized, clean and welcoming. The staff always offer help, without bordering on pushy or bothersome. Very friendly and good with recommendations. The beer selection is also one of the best. Lots of all variety, always good stock and keep you up to date. They post on their Facebook with updates on new arrivals which cuts down on having to call or check in for certain beers, although stopping in often is not a bad idea! read more

Amazing selection of beers. Up to date with their inventory of new arrivals on the Facebook page. They get some of the more rare limited stuff if you can get there fast enough just wish there was a larger amount if that stuff, but that's not fault to westmere. If I am buying beer anywhere in the capital region it will definitely be at the westmere location or their sister store at Oliver's read more

Westmere Beverage Center - a person holding a bottle of shake - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Albany, New York

This store may technically be a bit small in size, compared to its sister store Oliver's, or Half Time; but it has just as good a selection as them. I was a regular at this store for seven years. I always stuck mostly to the new arrivals display across from the register (current seasonals are also on that rack). Though they have a great selection of products from around the world, it's rare you'll find stuff on the shelves that's fresh. In the case of Belgian quads, imperial stouts and the like that's okay, but other brews should be consumed ASAP. They have a "secret" rack of out of code bottles and cans at clearance prices behind the new arrivals display. It's easy to miss, but worth looking at. As for the rest of the store, their inventory and selection is great. The left side of the store has a huge walk in cooler of all the major macro suds. On the other side is another cooler with the major craft brands. They always have the best craft mini displays over there too. Growler selection is about a dozen taps, all reasonably priced. They often have penny growler sales too. The occasional in-store tastings by brewery reps are nice. So basically Westmere Beverage is a perfect beer store... Just about. My only compliant other than the old bottles on the shelves would be the parking. Guilderland gave them a sidewalk (which they didn't have a choice about) and that eliminated a bunch of convenient spots right in front of the store. Lousy bureaucrats. read more

While road tripping, it's easy to get used to not be able to find a decent selection of beer, much less single bottles. Wandering into Westmere was like waking up in beer heaven. Unfortunately, I live nearly 3000 miles away, so I can't become a regular. It's not the largest place but the selection is phenomenal! If you can't find a beer to enjoy here, you aren't trying, but it could take some time to check out all the options. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The great thing about traveling is the unexpected treats you discover along the way. Westmere Beverage was certainly one for me! Thanks! read more

Among Beer Places I've been to to and reviewed here this place has, a signifcantly better sleection than Sam the Beer Man, a slightly better selection than Finger Lakes Beverage Center, and a selection that is not equal to Bierkraft or Half Time, but maybe just below the place on Chrystie Street in NYC... I did not see any glassware, and I did not check out their selection of non alcholoic beverages (i.e. soft drinks), and the knowledge of the staff there was not what it should be in a store with such a good selection (the better the seletcion the more knwoledge I expect from the staff) but the beer selection is what counts; so, this place unlike the Finger Lakes Bevearge Center gets four stars. read more

It's a hike for me to make it all the way out to Westmere for beer, but I regularly stop into Westmere Beverage Center whenever I am in the area. The European selection of beer is strong, so I tend to go with more of their German and Belgian offerings. However, their American craft selection stands toe-to-toe with any of the other beverage centers in the area. read more

Great selection and friendly staff. The only place I can find certain drinks - we no longer live nearby but always make a point to stop there if we're anywhere near the area. read more

Love this place! Helpful, knowledgable staff and a great selection of beers. Plus a $0.01 for the growler!!

Westmere is still my top go to beer distributor! I have several other much closer, but I almost always find my favorites here. Always up to date tap listing, which is a MUST for a distributor in my opinion, always new beers rolling in and a very friendly staff. I'm pretty confident that, if I can't find a beer anywhere else, I'll find at Westmere or Oliver's. read more

I love beer so I love this place. You cant find a better selection of beer in the capital region. Not only do they have a huge selection they also have knowledgeable staff that is always willing to help. The prices are also good and sometimes they have some great deals. They carry everything from Keystone Light to Brazilian beers. You can find local beers that you cant find anywhere else and beers from any part of the world. They also have a large cooler section for those emergency's when you don't have time to wait for the beer to get cold. Little known fact, its a great place to return bottles. read more

Never have I been confronted with so many types of beer in Albany. Extreme awesome sauce. Felt particularly at home in the California section. :) read more

Great selection, including hard to find limited releases. Their 10 rotating growler taps are varied enough to have something for everyone. That, combined with friendly service, means I make it a point to stop in anytime I'm in the area. read more

I bought cases of Molson in this place in 1993 for $10.98 + tax and deposit!!!!1

If you like a place that everyone that works there is happy to answer any question, and no question is too dumb, get your beer here. Prices are great, selection is second to none, and has a lot of cold craft options. Cheers to you Brew Crew, you have a loyal customer!! read more

Of beer stores I've ever known, Westmere (and it's companion a city over, Oliver's) has got to be the top. Selection is amazing and seasonal brews flow in and out like a river. 10 growler taps make for interesting nights when I stop in on the way home from work and mix-a-6 makes trying all the beers easy as cake. Super happy to live right down the street from this store! read more

Great place! The best selection in the capital district. They answer any question, and are always happy to help. I love how everything is organized by what country it's from or what state it is made in. This place is beer heaven !!! read more

I could not possibly recommend this place highly enough. The selection is unreal, they have a growler station with constantly rotating taps, and the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and always ready with a recommendation. I only discovered Westmere after I moved nearby, which is lucky, because I would have been going out of my way to go there. read more

Selling Growlers from a variety of Kegs now! Among the best bev. marts around.

Live in Clifton park, but happened to be in the neighborhood with my out of town Scottish son-in -law (a big craft beer lover) and stopped in. He was super excited that they had Tennets, He is unable to get it where he lives. We now make special trips to pick it up for him. read more

It's small at first sight, but it's got what you need. I love craft beer, and this is the place to go. They have a lot of choices and a growler fill with a very up-to-date website of what they are filling growlers with. It's right around the corner, so you bet I'm a frequent customer. Definitely recommended read more

So.. snowed in.. in Albany.. came here for work.. looked for some beer.. The guys who worked at the time I was there were excellent.. I am a beer fan but don't have any specific flavor/bias that will lead me to that "perfect one".. I'll try them all.. Took the mix 6 pack.. asked for some help and specified I want something as local as possible.. as mentioned the help was superb!! the only reason it is not a 5 star rating is the fact I had to pay almost 20$ for a six pack!!!! definitely the most I had to pay for a six pack out side of a bar!!! and this is after the 3$ off,(offered promotion I took advantage of or should I write took advantage of me). Since I, (the guys who works there), chose all bottles from different breweries.. if you're not as adventures as I am, I guess their beer prices are OK, (coming from Philly so I am used to pay premium prices), as long as you don't go wild as I did.. but, hell.. I am snowed in read more