Drinksville in Moseley manages to finely walk the balance of being a great off licence without…read moretripping over into an upmarket, high end wine or spirit shop. The place is very down to earth, with all your usual cheapest booze choices (Glen's vodka anyone?) Brilliantly it also offers some very good quality alcohol. So you can get a decent bottle of wine or even champagne. They stock a wide variety of international lagers and many real ales. The staff are always super friendly, you know even if you are already half cut. Just watch out for that plastic screen. I've seen many a friend plough into that ...

Nothing to complain about with Drinksville, it's a great off-licence…read more They have a large varied stock, really reasonable prices and friendly staff too. And I bet they have to deal with some right drunk numbskulls being situated right in the heart of Moseley village too, but it doesn't seem to sway them. A much better option to stock up here rather than the supermarkets around the corner.

Vicarage Wines was the stop off for the Friday night session over at me ole muckers place…read more What I like about Vicarage is the wide selection of beers on offer. And I believe it is the first place that I came across a banana beer. I know, a banana beer, what an idea. It's moments like that, when I stop and start to question just how far things have gone in the world of beer making. I mean i'm all for a wide range of beers, but what person in their right mind is going to sit and drink a beer made from bananas? Can you imagine, returning to your mates place with a couple of Banana beers? Imagine the looks you would get. Now, I know, if I was out and someone said, try this banana beer, I might say ooh, go on then, what's it taste like? Just for the sheer novelty of course, but you wouldn't want to get a name for that sort of thing. Granted, it's nice to have a choice when it comes to your bottled beers, but there is a line. Good job there are some more sensible beers on offer and I came away with a couple of tried and tested brews to keep the evening swinging.

The best thing about the stretch of shops along Vicarage Road is that you can get most of your…read moreessentials without having to go into the middle of madness that is often Kings Heath proper. There is also a large area of pavement outside the front of these shops that makes it easy to park off road without blocking the footpath for pedestrians. One such shop along this stretch specialises in one of life's more essential essentials....booze! If you're heading into Kings Heath for a curry, or to visit friends, then this is one of the best places you can stop off at to pick up some drinks. They have various deals on at all times, so you'll probably pick up a bargain if you are buying in anything like a quantity. Beyond that there is a good selection of wines, beers and spirits and all at fairly reasonable prices.

I am reviewing this off licence for one simple reason: an amusing typo…read more It is a fairly nondescript off licence, all except the fact that the shop signage says "Booze Empier" instead of "Booze Empire". This always makes me chuckle when I pop in or stop at the traffic flights outside. An empire of booze sounds great to me, an empier of booze is plain confusing. The name also makes me start singing Fake Empire by The National, only changing the word "fake" for "booze". I should probably get out more. The prices are low, though the stock is standard stuff (Stella, Blossom Hill etc.). It is a good place to stop off for some drinks to enjoy with curry at one of Cradley Heath High Street's Indian restaurants.

Its almost as if i designed the sign for this place. Fat mistake on the sign but since they are in…read moreCradley they havent noticed in all the years its been there. I might sneak over in the night and graffiti a red spelling mistake line under the word. Stocks simple, prices are average but tend not to have many deals. I (SADLY) always get my booze from tescos as they have more offers but if Cradley was tesco free i'd be coming here.

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.

Excellent selection of craft beers, many local, some from afar. Also a few essential wines and…read morespirits. The proprietor seems helpful with knowledge of the products and local producers, including a nearby "beer trail" of local breweries. Worth a visit to stock up on bottles. Living in the USA I am accustomed to taking draft beer away in growler bottles, which is unusual here in the UK, but this place actually has growlers and a few taps.

This is a fairly standard Costcutter store located within what used to be The Broadstones pub. You…read morecan easily make out its pubby past from the distinctive "1970s boozer" architectural flourishes. The brick work is a depressing shade of grey/brown and there are bars on the windows. It is a bit grim. They have a cashpoint and sell phone top-up credit. They have some decent(ish) deals on a range of food and drink items. My favourite bit about this shop is the view that you get - it is perched high on a hill over looking Dudley and Halesowen. Ideal if you fancy a Frey Bentos chicken and mushroom (pie) with a view. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

Another shop within the chain of Bargain Booze, this one isn't massive, but still has a good range…read moreof wine, beer and spirits, plus a few snacks. This just doesn't have the slightly dodgy feel of some off licences, and the staff are very friendly. They take cards in here, offer cashback, and have a cashpoint outside, which is really useful. Have some good offers on wines, like buy one get one free, and some very cheap imported beer.

There is parking outside the shop but not much and they do not have a dedicated car park…read more They sell all kinds of alcohol and have a good selection of lagers and beers. Most stuff is on the shelves, but there is a fridge with beers, wines an alcopops in if you want something chilled. There is a wide variety of white, red and rose wines including wine boxes. In addition, there is also an aisle with snacks, chocolates and soft drinks so everybody is catered for. If you want spirits you need to ask as they are behind the till with the cigarettes. Beware that they do charge you for a carrier bag so take your own bags in to carry your goods!

In case you're wondering no this place isn't owned by someone called Michael, but maybe it was some…read moretime ago? Either way this is the usual place my friends, family and I purchase alcohol and soft drinks. Mainly because there's a wide range for a good price, there are always deals on plus it's right on the high street in Shirley. For example, on my most recent visit, there was a deal for a crate of bear for £15.00 pounds. Not bad eh? I don't encourage consuming large amounts of alcohol or sugary drinks but if you're planning on purchasing a lot then handily there are baskets and those trolleys you have to put a pound in to use and there's street parking right outside. On the other hand I know the Government are clamping down on the drinking age but sometimes I get a suspicious vibe from them. Or maybe they're just being careful because (and don't take this the wrong way) I look quiet young. Either way, what keeps me coming back here to stock up the cupboards, fridges and cater for guests and parties is the range of drinks and the value of money for them.