Love this place. So much stuff and great brewing advice. Only place in the area with everything you need for brewing.

I haven't even begun to explore the entire offerings of this store. And I'm definitely not experienced in the world of brewing. While this is only my first brewing goods store, I seriously dig it. Can I thank the gods of the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution that ultimately led to a time in space where we can experiment with chemistry and brew our own beer? If you want to start brewing and have never done it before, you don't need to look any farther than here. They have starter kits with everything you could need for both small (1 gal) and large (5 gal) batch home brewing. There's a bucket, gallon jug, air lock, thermometer, hydrometer (both glass), bottle capper and sanitizing solutions. I'm probably missing something too. All you need to buy in addition would be the pot for boiling and some caps. Drink yourself a few beers and save the bottles for when you've made your own. Last but not least, you'll need a kit. Here they prepackage several kits for different beer styles and get it all ready for you to simply grab and go. There are 1 gal and 5 gal batch options. I've bought the Irish Red (a good first-timer beer), Hefeweizen and Oktoberfest. There are at least 5 other types that I've seen. If you're more experienced or a bit of a traditionalist, you can even build your own recipe from scratch or online guides. They have buckets of bulk dry grains and malt you can scoop to your delight. If you're in need of supplies to increase your output, cooling time, measurements, for kegging, they've got just about everything here. Including, to my surprise, things for brewing wine and even sake. The prices aren't bad, I guess. But again, I've got little to no experience and I've also heard this is the only shop in Charlotte selling this stuff so they may be able to get away with charging a premium. For now, I love this new hobby of mine and can't recommend this store more! read more

This is the main location for Alternative Beverage. They have a really good selection of homebrew supplies that they seem to keep well stocked, they seem to have more at this location that at South Blvd. Employees are friendly and seem to know their stuff. It is a little frustrating that most items are not priced, so you have to keep asking, or looking at their website on your phone while you shop, especially since alot of the stuff they have in stock is not listed on the website. I have been to this location as well as the one on South Blvd, and have found the employees to be very helpful and knowledgable at both locations. Overall a very good place to get your brewing supplies... read more

Are you a home brewer? Whether you are a pro or an amateur, Alternative Beverage can equip you for it! In an old textile warehouse right by the river lurks Alternative Beverage. Shelf after shelf of beautiful shiny stainless steel brewing equipment. All the ingredients you need to brew your own beer or even wine. Need an enormous can of Marion Berries or Mango? It's there. Also Draft and fermentation equipment! On Saturdays, they tap a keg of homebrew for patrons to sample. They even sell Hop Rhizomes!! That's pretty cool!! read more

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For our xmas gifts to each other, we set aside cash for homebrew supplies - knowing that this is where we'd spend the money. Alternative Beverage used to be off South Blvd before the train happened - now, they're in an unassuming industrial space directly behind Sleepy Poet. Climb the steps, walk in, and you're in a warehouse full of everything you'd ever need to distill your own beer or wine. Kits for the inexperienced, barley etc by weight for those with the know, fruit concentrates, huge pots, carboys of several sizes, bottles of varying design, tubes, hydrometers, fridge of yeast and other fragilities, all sorts of fermentable insanity as far as the eye can see. Think Beer Brewing Mad Scientist's Secret Lair. They were a tad swamped on Saturday with only one dude working the register and the kid helping us and everyone else with questions, but they handled our confusion professionally and were obviously stoked to be selling us brewing equipment. We ended up walking away with almost everything (the deluxe kit did not include a funnel, which we thought was odd) we need for less than we had saved, which was a rad surprise. They have a larger warehouse in Belmont but dude #2 told us that they have almost everything in the Charlotte store that "that guy out there can get". Soon enough, we'll be able to Relax, Don't Worry, and Have a Homebrew of our own, thanks in no small part to Alternative. Awesome! read more

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This review is for South Blvd location, never been to the Cornelius or Belmont stores. Very unimpressed at this hole in the wall. When I go, the grain bins for very common varieties are always empty despite the store being fully stocked with bushels of them in the back. I'm constantly having to ask the employee to refill the grain bins for basic commonplace barley strains. Noticed numerous juvenile cockroaches scuttling around the floor between the grain bins when I went recently. I know grain is getting milled in The back but it's much dirtier than it should be. Nothing is easy to find in the refrigerators or otherwise. The employee that works there is a nice guy, helpful, and follows COVID protocol with mask etc. No disparagement intended other than keep the darn grain bins stocked and take care of the roaches. read more

My bf and I like to brew beer and this happens to be the closest supply store to our house. The first time we went here it was a little confusing as it's not very well labelled where things are. However, the shop staff are all friendly and can help you out so it's not too much of an issue. They have all their grains in labelled barrels that you can scoop, measure, and mill yourself (which is actually kind of fun). We've only ever not been able to find exactly what we needed a couple times, but usually they have something that will work as a good substitute. Typically for a 5ga. batch we spend $40 here on all our ingredients so pricing is pretty good. It's a little off the beaten path, but I think it's nice because it never gets super busy and has a laid back feel. I would suggest Alternative Beverage whether you're an experienced or novice brewer. read more

Brew your own beer....or wine! Cool! I actually found out about this place through a friend (who lives in WA). My friend brews craft beer and I asked her for advice and she found this supply store for me. It's tucked away behind the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. There really isn't a warm entrance, but just a regular door with a small sign...so small you literally have to walk up to it to make sure you're in the right place. But there is a larger sign on the wall next to it... Walking in I was really surprised...wall to wall supplies. To the left as you enter, they have a table set up with two starter kits to make beer. The rest of the warehouse has bags and bags full of ingredients and bottles to put it all in. You'll definitely need a large space to put it all. If you are a clean-freak like me, it may deter you from getting it because it's kind of a lot. I'll give it a little while to set in before revisiting this idea. But if you are ready to get your hands dirty and your tastebuds trying new flavors...this is the place! Cheers. read more

I just ordered a very small batch of 6 hop rhizomes from these fine folks online. I cannot stress enough how wonderful they were to work with. I got a call shortly after placing my order to say that they didn't have any rhizomes of a particular variety that they felt were healthy enough to send out, so they wanted to know if there was another kind I'd like to order instead. They also offered to ship my order via USPS instead of UPS, which saved me $8. My order shipped, very securely packaged, the day after my order was placed and came right away. We're very excited to plant these babies. For the value alone I'd work with these folks, but it was their commitment to sending me a healthy product I'd be happy with that has made me a customer for life. read more

This wonderful place is tucked behind the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. Don't be fooled by its warehousey exterior and forbidding door that seems to lead to nowhere. Inside is a veritable treasure trove of beer brewing and wine vintnering supplies, along with a staff of super-knowledgeable, passionate, and helpful employees. I know next to nothing about brewing beer, but brewing equipment was my husband's Christmas wish, so I took me to the Alternative Beverage and said, "Help!" The guy who helped me hooked me up with a two stage brewing system, compiled all the equipment my husband would need, and sent me home with instructions and a three month buyer's club entitling my husband to 10% off any purchase. Divine. We went together to Alternative Beverage this past weekend for supplies for my husband's first batch, and the folks were equally helpful (despite a profusion of douchey dudes and their girlfriends, all milling around the front door... seriously, it looked like an entire group come straight from a full night at Pure and a brunch at Pewter Rose). ANYWAY. It's a great place to poke around, even if you know nothing about the brewing process. I found a booklet about making my own vinegar. Now that's something I can use! read more

I started brewing about 3 years ago and I come here for the majority of my supplies. The employees are generally nice and helpful, but you'll need to ask them for help. When I started coming here, they would offer alternatives if they didn't have what I was looking for. Now they'll just tell me they're out of stock or don't carry that item. Nobody has ever been rude, but customer service doesn't seem to be their forte. Prices and selection are good though. Bottom line: you'll probably find what you want, but don't expect a smile along with it. read more

I have been brewing and making wine since July 2014. My nephew started me in the brewing process which I started out with Alternative Beverage products and knowledge. I really enjoy their two locations and their employees. They are very helpful in buying new products and equipment. If your wanting to try your hand in the brewers art, you could not get a better start than with the help from Alternative Beverage. read more

A little hard to find but worth the effort. Hint, its right behind the sleepy poet antique mall. They have pretty much all the average home brewer would need. Plus, knowledgeable people to help. I hear they also have a warehouse in Belmont and can order pretty much anything else. Highly recommned. read more

I'm a beer nerd, I make my own beer (not as regularly as I should) and log and rate every beer I drink over at www.untappd.com so Alternative Beverage is pretty Utopian to me. Everything you can possibly need to make beer ,wine and spirits is here. Granted, it's a little out of the way but if it was convenient and easy then it wouldn't make it a special hobby, now would it? I've heard some people complaint about some of the owners but they've been nothing but great to me and my accomplices. This year I spent quite a few Saturdays there brewing, racking and kegging/bottling getting ready for Charlotte's Oktoberfest. All the while sharing some delicious home made beer and spirits with everyone. The store is a massive warehouse that used to be an old textile factory of some sort. The loading docks actually still has a sign that says Textile Receiving and which someone has cleverly scratched out the word Textile and replaced it with Beer. The staff is very helpful and can answer any question and make great suggestions. They keep everything from fresh malted grain and hops to specialized tubing. On Saturdays you can go brew for free using one of their kits and you get to keep half of the batch you make. Also, on that day, you are technically an employee and receive the 20% employee discount on their merchandise. If you plan to brew beer, make wine or liquor start here. You will not be disappointed. read more

Alt Bev has been my one stop for micro-brewing since 1996. What "bought" my loyalty was the time they took with me during my first couple brews. Pulled their advice line phone number off the website and they patiently took about 5 phone calls within an hour while as I knocked out my first 5-gallon brew. The beer came out better than great! This location is now my favorite (closer to Spartanburg). Buy from with confidence. They're good people. read more

Great to have a place like this in town so you don't have to place all your orders online. Shipping will get ya man, especially on those larger items. The selection here is unreal- they have it ALLLLLL. Brew ingredients are all broken out- good finds for extract, partial-grain, all-grain- whatever you're into. All different yeast cultures, hops, etc. I like to piece meal the ingredients in my recipes so this is my jam. Kits are lame dude. If you have a material need, they got you covered too- fermenting, conditioning, kegging, cleaning, whatever. Staff is great, completely knowledgeable on the crafts. There's another shop in Belmont that's a little bigger, but the selection is still pretty comparable. Don't miss out on this place. South Blvd directly behind the Sleep Poet (same lot). read more

This place is not well labeled from the road so look for the Antique store and its behind it. What looks like industrial warehouse or shipping dock is in fact the store. I was hesitant entering the store but once inside they had everything you need for kegorators and they were very knowledgeable and helpful with some issues I was having. read more

I love this place. Every time I need ingredients for brewing I come here. Everyone is knowledgeable and helpful.

Alternative Beverage has everything you need to brew your own beer or make your own wine. They have knowledgeable employees that will answer all your questions and get you set up with everything you need. They have supplies for everyone from the brew novice to the brew master. I highly recommend Alternative Beverage for your home brewing needs. read more

I assume this is the same business as the South Blvd location. I used to buy winemaking supplies at a different location on South Blvd 10 years ago. Let me tell you nothing has changed in 10 years...this place is still TERRIBLE, the customer service is still AWFUL, and the employees are practically braindead. How can a city with so much beer culture have such a joke of a supply shop? I called in to see if they had what I needed before stopping by. Of course they did not actually have what I was looking for in spite of being told over the phone that they did. The human potato working there could barely look up from his videos to acknowledge my presence. He proceeded to tell me to drive 25 minutes to yet a different location to get what I needed and was downright ignorant. The WORST part is that this idiot was NOT WEARING A DAMN MASK, and coughing directly in my direction. We are in the midst of a GLOBAL Pandemic with cases on the rise every day in NC and this guys not even wearing a mask! Do they throw in a free Covid-19 test with every purchase? I ran out the door before this human virus incubator could infect me with his ignorance. I am in awe that this pathetic excuse for a winemaking supply store is still in business. What a complete joke. read more

Great selection of products but unfriendly and unhelpful staff. Brewing is a hobby to a lot, a business to a few, and an art to all who do it. You'd think they'd be friendlier and willing to share their craft a little more (after all they are trying to sell product). read more

I have been buying equipment and recipe kits from Alternative Beverage for 25 years. I have tried a dozen other companies and bought beer kits from them. The quality of the beer from the Alt Beverage kits far surpasses any other company. And the grains come pre-milled. Buy here and you will not be disappointed. Jess runs a great company! read more

This place just moved further north on South Boulevard just past Scaleybark and is no longer behind the antique store. It is nice to have a local brewing supply store where you can get your supplies and brew the same day. The store seems disorganized due to the move. Prices are not labeled in most cases and the monthly specials are not honored. I pointed out that the monthly specials are on the website but the only thing the salesperson would do is put a note on my account for a discount next time I come in. read more

A little pricy. I buy a lot of kits on line at lower prices, but with shipping going up, if you find a kit on the monthly sale here it's not that bad. Not a fancy place but they have all the stuff you need. read more