I love this store for many reasons. Average is 4.5 Staff - 5 Stars Beer Selection/Layout - 5 Stars Social Media Saavy - 5 stars Parking - 3 The staff here is knowledgeable and friendly. They will help you with a smile. They will answer questions for you with a smile. Bottom line, they smile and I love that. If you think you know what you might like, just start listing adjectives and they will make amazing recommendations. They also understand the patterns of beer releases. For example if there is a stout you remember as being amazing and you know the name, they will most like know when or if it will be released again. The beers have a great amount of labeling with helpful details, especially if you aren't familiar with a particular brewer or style of beer. But again, don't hesitate to ask if you have additional questions. Social Media - I love the beer tastings!!! They bring pretty great brewers here - They announce new and / or rare beers being sold Parking - meh -small lot that fills quickly during rare beer releases. With that being said, if you don't mind parallel parking on Forest Ave, there is plenty of short term parallel parking on the street and it is easy parallel parking (i.e. pull right up to the curb). I highly recommend this location but please leave some good beer for me. :) read more

Welcome to the craft beer cage death match. If you are looking for a beer that you can enter into the fighting competition this is the place to go. You say you do not know much about beer? Well then let me point out one such fellow "Greg"(store owner) and ask him. Looking for a sour lambic, what about a smokey, bacon-y rauchbeir,maybe a solid hefeweizen would win. My point is there are just so many different beers here that it would beseech you to try more than just the regular. The shop is large and very open. Shelves with plenty of beer and in the back, coolers of beer already chilled. You can get also get small kegs of stuff like Oxbow. A great deal that he offers as well is discounts on mix and matching beers for 4 packs and 6 packs and if you sign up for the email list he will track the amount that you purchase. Once you reach a 100 dollars he will give you back a 5% off. You can spend it then or you can wait and save them up so you could get 10%, 15%, or 20%. A nice thank you to the customer. They do a lot of beer tastings during the week and they have great music playing as well. The biggest knock on the place is the small and awkward parking lot which can get very tight. Plus, where it is located you have to be traveling North on forest ave to get to it. Stop by, say hi to Greg if he is working, get a six pack and sign up your email. Be prepared for enter the craft beer death match! read more

While riding out this COVID mess, I need beer. I need GOOD beer. So, I call Jamie at the Bier Cellar in Gorham and ask him to make me a case of good DIPA and TIPA selections from Maine. I give him my card over the phone, back up to the store, and Jamie comes out with a mask on to drop it into my trunk. The choices are always great, never the same, and I can face another couple of weeks of being cooped up. There is simply nothing not to love about this store and the staff there. Even the owner is happy to roll up the sleeves and pitch in with great selection suggestions. Note that I drive past two other options for buying beer that are 1/10 the distance from house. Bier Cellar owns my business and always will. read more

I, being the beer aficionado that I am, was looking for a place that I could go and get a sense from people that are into the same things that I am with beer. I preface this with the fact if you are looking for some domestic lite beers or national highly fabricated and distributed beers, then this is NOT the place for you to go. I signed up on Bier Cellar facebook page and they posted that they had a limited edition He Said lager and Porter for the fall time that are both sprinkled with pumpkin spices so I mosied on over to this place on Forest Ave. First of all, I loved the conversations that I was having with both of the guys working in this place just due to the simple fact that they seemed to love talking about the beers and wines that they offered. I had been down the road a few times to the other large seller of beers in RSVP and I think this one takes the cake because (as I listed in the review there) the people working there are not friendly and are super annoyed with questions and/or concerns. I asked a few questions about some of the wide selection they had of microbrews and they were happy and excited to fill me in with some of the back stories even the beers coming in from Massachusetts. I love the layout of the store ... small but packed to the gills with some good looking beers. Parking is limited being right next to a hydroponic establishment ;) If you are looking for inexpensive beers though, you might want to wander to Hannaford because I bought three 4 packs of beer and spent over 30 dollars. but I got Allagash white ale, the He Said porter/lager and I picked up some other smaller brewer out of Boothbay area. I will be back here soon .. I feel like I have found my gold. read more

While I'd definitely like to call myself a beer-aficionado, I'm nowhere near that level of knowledge yet. I'm usually curious when I spot something I've never seen before, but here, I was surprisingly quite lost! I really like that they focus on craft beers (with a section reserved for wines, ciders, and meads as well!) and their little paper descriptions for each bottle were super homey and enticing. Being from CA, it was nice to see Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas! Yeah, these can be found in some local bars as well as supermarkets, but I'll always be a Cali girl at heart (wow cheesy much?) You can find a list of their beers here if you're interested: http://biercellar.com/?page_id=15 I ended up settling on a summer ale from Pretty Things that I can't wait to open up. It's happily settled in my fridge, waiting for the weekend. :) While I'm usually more comfortable just heading to my local Hannaford for weekend delights, or RSVP for a wider selection (and possibly lower price), the staff at Bier Cellar is what really stood out to me. When I asked for "fruity" beers, it was unfortunately out of season, but the guy working was able to locate different beers that had strong cherry/other fruit flavors before I ended up settling on the one I chose. They also have discount 6-packs, but I wasn't feeling too adventurous last night to try it out. Maybe next time! read more

I like beer. I like unique fruity beers. Sour beers. Funky beers. And the selection at the Bier Cellar is enough to satiate that weird palate I've acquired more than any other place in town. Bravo to them for that! Also, they've done a great job with the layout of the store, making it feel like you're exploring your friends stash of collected brews more than you're perusing another retail shop. However, it's not the cheapest place in town. This is one of those places where the phrase "you get what you pay for" applies more than ever. Life's too short to drink boring, mainstream, cheap beer anyway! Also, the tastings they have here are phenomenal! I actually wish they'd do more (just because they have so many fabulous options). The staff here is passionate, well versed and deeply knowledgeable about beer (from the history of it to the best regions for certain types to helping you find what you don't realize it is you're craving)? But I've never exactly gotten the warm fuzzies from the staff when here. We're usually watched like hawks when shopping (I like to take my time and read labels, maybe talk to my boyfriend about what he wants, what foods we'd pair with it, examine comparable options, etc... maybe they think we're lingering? I don't know, but whatever "it" is it makes me feel unwelcome and rushed). I'd like to have the same customer service experience everyone else raves about... I just haven't yet. Will that stop me from coming? Definitely not. But it doesn't inspire me to make any special trips. They really are purveyors of exceptional beer and wine options, though, so I highly recommend taking a look yourself! read more

The selection and service here is great. I always feel welcomed and comfortable when I come in and the staff always have great recommendations. Some craft beer places have an air of pretentiousness about them, but not this here! The selection of craft beers and ciders is always changing so I feel like I get to try something new each time I go. read more

Don't come here looking for a Coors Light. This place is for those who value quality over quantity. If you like your beer flavorless and cubed, try 7-11. I am a huge imperial stout and porter fan, and so I'm happy to say that this place provides me a wealth of options. Almost too many options, which has kept me browsing 15 minutes longer than I think I will each time I visit. As others have mentioned, this store is well-organized. I usually go to the back left corner and work my way toward the front left. I find that this takes me from the least obscure section to the most obscure/that's a beer?!!? section. If I'm on the way to a social gathering then I make my way to the cooler, which is well-stocked with a wide variety of breweries and styles. The other side of the store is stocked with imports, meads, wine and other delights. I haven't spent much time here, but I've eyed a few of the meads in passing. The staff is friendly and helpful. I haven't asked for recommendations as I'm usually happy to try anything new, but I have heard them give great advice to fellow customers. read more

Bier Cellar - It was only a matter of time. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Portland, Maine

I have a craft beer store near my house. Whenever I go there, the staff always make me feel like they could give two shits that I walked through the door. I'd heard good things about the Bier Cellar. A friend who is really into hard ciders told me to hit the store the next time I was in town. After spending the afternoon at the museum, me and my better half decided a beer/cider run was in order before heading north on 295 for home and dinner. Really liked the store. Doesn't feel like a warehouse, but there's a stellar selection of the best of Maine's craft beers and some of the state's up-and-coming ciders purveyors, like Rocky Ground (the Bier Cellar had one bottle left of their "Freight Train," yes!!). The female staff person was friendly and helpful. I felt like she really cared that we were shopping there and her banter with other customers tipped me off to Banded Horn's Jolly Woodsman coffee stout, steeped with Speckled Ax wood-roasted Kenyan espresso. We'll definitely be hitting the Bier Cellar the next time we're in town and need to stock up on beer, cider, and wine. read more

Bier Cellar has beers you can't get anywhere else in the area. Tends to be pricey but they have a rewards program if you really like beer and purchase a lot . Staff is friendly and will help you find what your looking for. You can reserve beers if your on their email list. Worth the drive if you need to stock up! read more

Great store - interesting and varied selection, with friendly and cool staff. They've even have O'Hara's - one of the best Irish craft beers. The guys behind the counter have been v helpful in my quest for tasty brews under 5% ABV. I'm old and can't hack the 7 & 8% beers anymore... They've also expanded their hours since last year. If you like craft beer, you have to check this place out read more

I am a self confessed beer nerd. I hunt down the latest and great brews, and make sure to have my Untappd as up to date as possible. Bier Cellar not only hits the spot as my one stop shop for everything beer, but they have, by far. The most knowledgeable beer staff in all of Portland. The owner always critiques and comments on your choices in a positive way, and will inevitably chat about beer for as long as you want. Did I mention the selection? It is well known that Bier Cellar has the best access to brands, because they get way more rare releases than any other bottle shop in the area. If you are a beer nerd, or even just a casual beer fan, this place is very welcoming. Just make sure to limit how much you spend, because it's like being a kid in a candy store in there! read more

Craft beer meets geeky awesomeness! Like beer? Where do you go to learn exactly what it takes to find your love of beer? Bier Cellar!! The staff here can help you refine your tastes and explore the extraordinarily tasty world of beer. From Lambic's to IPAs to stouts and far beyond, there is so many things to explore and such fantastically awesome world-famous beers here. Come to find your special beer or come to find a new style of beer, this is truly a fantastic place to refine your taste and become a a beer geek. read more

He'll Ya!! A beer lovers paradise! Great store - Great selection- Greg is a wealth of knowledge and can order anything he doesn't have- which isn't much!! If you love beer- you'll love this place! read more

Great beer shop that's really well laid-out and organized. These guys carry quite a few local brews with a good mix of Belgian and German ones thrown in the mix. Having the option to make your own 6-pack is a sweet touch too. read more

We stopped into Bier Cellar excitedly today after having it recommended to me by a friend who lives in the area. We weren't disappointed! Bier Cellar has a great selection of American craft brews, as well as some European and Asian brews, Mead, and wine. Hubby and I are both beer geeks and we found a lot of beers that we haven't tried before. When you make your own 6 pack you get 10% off the individual bottle prices. Not a bad deal! The only reason that it doesn't get 5 stars is because it's a little small, and I think could use some more obscure American brews (I bet this will come with time). It's a perfect afternoon compliment to your trip to Great Lost Bear or Novare Res! read more

SO Many beers .. really a lot I had no idea what they were - and didn't really have time to read all the little write ups under every bottle. I picked up 4 bottles for $40 total .. some great beers. Probably if the guy working here had helped me and made suggestions I would have spent $100 easy .. Not a downtown location but easy to get to if you have a car and are headed to Great Lost Bear. read more

Bier Cellar - a car parked in front of a store - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Portland, Maine

Everything about this store exemplifies what a craft beer store should be. Excellent selection broken down by country, warm and cold beer, make-your-own 6 pack, reasonable pricing, glassware to buy, regular tastings, helpful and very knowledgeable staff, and a turntable typically playing cool vinyl. The thing that really puts this store above and beyond the other locals (and nearly every beer store I've been in) is the email list. Greg makes sure to send out a weekly email list with all the incoming cool beers. Also, he's always been willing to respond to personal emails that I've sent requesting specific beer or inquiring about nearly anything beer related. I recommend this store to those who live in the area or those just visiting. read more

i won't shop here ever again. do they have great beers? yes. are they a local small business? yes. but is at least one person on staff a rude jerk? yes. i have shopped here several times, and i have a friend who only shops here for beer. i can understand why. they stock the kinds of beers that you can't find at other places. but imagine for a moment that you work at this shop: it's a stormy evening; a return customer is browsing the selection. you offer to help, she says, "no thanks, i'm actually waiting for a friend to pick me up." what do you do next? offer to tell her about the beer she is looking at? make friendly conversation about the tremendous amount of snow coming down? or KICK HER OUT OF YOUR STORE?? right - any decent human being would chat with the potential customer and hope she will purchase something. but a worker recently asked my partner to leave the store after the same scenario played out. it was very stormy, she was waiting for me to pick her up (we carpool once a week). in the past, she has popped into the shop and purchased beer if i've been a couple minutes late to pick her up. so she went in to browse, and perhaps to buy something, but then the staffer ASKED HER TO LEAVE when she said she was waiting for her ride. TWICE. because she was in disbelief the first time. so she went out into the snowy parking lot to wait for me, no beer to bring home. when we got home, she called to talk it over with the guy who had kicked her out. she said, "look, maybe you didn't realize that i'm a repeat customer." and he was rude to her over the phone about how people steal stuff a lot and how the company is not a carpool pickup spot. so we are back at the beginning of my story. despite the delicious beers available here, i will never return to the Bier Cellar. sorries, maybe don't be such a rude jerkbag in the future and maybe you can keep your would-be loyal customers. read more

Updated 12/22/15: Greg and his team continue to deliver amazing beer, and great inside knowledge. This is the place to go if you want something new, different, or just want to explore the local Portland beer scene. Even after 2 years, there are still plenty of new surprises at each visit. Great shop, great people, great beer! read more

Very wide variety of selection and outstanding service. Two gentlemen helped with everything I needed. Drove from PA to find some NEIPAs. They serviced my needs read more

New beer place. I hate the pretentious BIER spelling but inside is a cool little beer and wine store. Lots of things to try. I was surprsied because RSVP has a pretty good selection but they had several things I had not seen before. read more

Great personalized customer service and an amazing beer selection. Will be my go-to spot going forward.

Undoubtedly a great selection of beer, however I've got to agree with some of the other reviewers that some of the employees can be a bit short with you and almost snobby and rude. I've gone in there before and been the only patron in the whole store and asked a couple of questions about different "bier" and it seemed like it was quite a chore for the employee to talk to me about it. I guess I understand that maybe you get bored of answering beer questions all day, but if you work in a niche craft beer store you have to provide wisdom and knowledge of your product. Maybe the snobbery is all part of the new hipster craft beer scene and they are trying to be mysterious. Personally if I'm going to pay more for the same selection that rsvp has then I at least want better customer service. Amp up your game Bier Cellar. I beg you!! read more

Some good things here. Staff knows their beers, good place to go and talk beer.

Best bottle shop in Portland...scored some Grimm last week! The dude at the counter was nice enough and informed me they usually get random drops from Bissell once in a while. I was in town on a Monday so most of my favorite breweries were closed...happy I decided to check these guys out! read more

Great selection of micro brews, hard-to-finds and rarities. Also, great selection of wines & meads. Staff couldn't be more helpful both in person and in on-line responsiveness. read more

Great selection and knowledgable employees but be warned, you may be out-classed by these beers.

The cashier was grunting and sweating his way through the task of moving boxes and couldn't be bothered to engage in a conversation. I asked if they carried a specific brand and he made it clear no one in Maine, the U.S, or any known galaxy can or would ever stock it. Keep pounding those IPA'S brotha. read more

Bier Cellar is a great addition to the beer scene in Portland. Inside you can expect to find a variety of microbrews that will satisfy a newbie or seasoned beer geek. The owner and staff have an in-depth knowledge of their product and are able to help you make an informed choice. Although beer is their specialty if you are looking for something else they also have a nice selection of mid-priced wines, a little bit of port and a good sized cider and mead collection. Friendlier than RSVP, more local than Hannaford/Shaws/TJ's/Wholefoods and with great selection, free parking an accessible location I haven't gone anywhere else to buy beer/wine since they opened. read more

Amazing service and suggestions, if you are a fan of elite beers and great people this is the spot. I'm from Colorado and this is better then any of the liquor stores we have. read more

BRIDES/GROOMS BEWARE! I used Bier Cellar for the beer & wine at my wedding and got completely screwed!!! In the beginning, the store manager was very helpful. One of my biggest concerns about ordering wine & beer for the wedding is making sure we have enough! The store manager addressed this with "We will take back any full cases of beer and wine you don't use". And that seemed to be the norm from other places we chatted with so we didn't think to get this in writing. It's just good business, right? He told us that if we wanted to send him our wedding menu that he would send it to his distributors and come back with some free samples of wine, based on our menu, to try so we can make a decision on our order. This I thought was great and appreciated the help: we picked up our samples, ordered our beer & wine. We ordered a little more than his formula to make sure we didn't run out and our catering thought we could use some more of the dinner wine, which we had no problem doing with the assurance we could take back any full cases. The next day after our wedding, we stopped by the Bier Cellar to return the full cases of beer and wine we had left and they refused!!!!!! They would only take back the Von Trapp and refused all the other beer and wine because they claimed they don't sell that in their store (said it was a custom order) and they are not obligated to take it back. So 1) How do you not sell this in your store when we bought this from you? You gave us suggestions on what you think would go well at a wedding and we took you up on those suggestions; 2) This was all ordered through your distributors and you did not tell us this was considered a custom order. I would have happily chosen something else you had in your store had I known, but forward with your recommendations and wines your vendors thought would go with our menu and 3) When you said you would take back any full cases of beer and wine, you didn't say there were any exceptions to that or that it was against the law to do so. I brought up this issue with my wedding planner and unfortunately, we were not able to get this resolved. They were completely unprofessional and rude when we tried to address this. If you still chose to use them after reading this - especially for large orders - I'd highly recommend getting everything in writing!! read more

The Bier Cellar is a great business. A wide variety of otherwise hard to find micro brews, specialty beers, wine and mead can be found at the Bier Cellar. The owners/staff are polite and helpful, but most importantly, have an actual opinion and knowledge about the beer they sell. If you're adventurous and want to try a new micro or import you've never heard of, these are the folks to be speaking with! read more