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liquor stores in santa barbara

BTR

By BTR
in California: Cooking & Baking

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BTR

BTR

Posted
Posted

No, not bars in santa barbara---I've looked through the forum archives and been convinced that there's not much to be seen here. But some guidance on liquor stores would be nice; there's a bevmo that doesn't really do it for me and the two best options I thought I had (Bottle Shop and Montecito Vino) seemed both to be firmly targeted at people with more money than sense. (Though the former did have the bonded Rittenhouse.)

Is there are particularly well-stocked spot I should be aware of? At the moment I'm looking specifically for the Laird's bonded apple brandy, which I could ask some place to special order, but it would be nice not to have to do that whenever I was after something a little out of the mainstream.

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Joe Blowe

Joe Blowe

Posted
Posted

While I can't help you in regards to stores in Santa Barbara, if you happen to find yourself in the Thousand Oaks area (50-some miles away, I know), you can find Laird's at Total Wine:

http://www.totalwine.com/StoreList.aspx?state=CA&store=1107

I'm looking at their Summer 2011 Buying Guide, and they have Laird's Apple Jack for $16, and Laird's Old Apple Brandy for $57. They also have a decent enough Calvados selection, Domaine Dupont being my favorite (~$35 to $70).

Note that Total Wine is just as "corporate" as BevMo, but at least they have better prices and selection! And, the way they're expanding in California, chances are that a Total Wine will be coming to your area soon enough...

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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vice

vice

Posted
Posted

Long answer: Lower your expectations now, or grow accustomed to disappointment and frustration. To my knowledge, no one in Santa Barbara stocks Laird's Bonded. Lazy Acres has a small but decent liquor selection (they do have the 80 proof Laird's). I'll shop there, Trader Joe's, Smart & Final, BevMo and the Italian Grocery on De la Guerra - each for very specific items. Aside from S&F and TJ's, prices are pretty high across the board. The Bottle Shop is a wonderfully trippy place to wander through but I rarely buy anything there (although they recently picked up the Haus Alpenz line and Scarlet Ibis was reasonably priced on my last visit).

Short answer: find reasons to drive to Hollywood (K&L) or Costa Mesa (Hi-Time).

 

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Joe Blowe

Joe Blowe

Posted
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Short answer: find reasons to drive to Hollywood (K&L) or Costa Mesa (Hi-Time).

With this, I concur.

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

No, not bars in santa barbara---I've looked through the forum archives and been convinced that there's not much to be seen here. But some guidance on liquor stores would be nice; there's a bevmo that doesn't really do it for me and the two best options I thought I had (Bottle Shop and Montecito Vino) seemed both to be firmly targeted at people with more money than sense. (Though the former did have the bonded Rittenhouse.)

Is there are particularly well-stocked spot I should be aware of? At the moment I'm looking specifically for the Laird's bonded apple brandy, which I could ask some place to special order, but it would be nice not to have to do that whenever I was after something a little out of the mainstream.

Just out of curiosity, what was the price on the Rittenhouse?

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm not sure if they carry what you want but you might try calling Angelo's in Goleta, (Old Town area) on or just off Hollister.

A friend who teaches at UCSB recommended it when I was looking for supplies for a party after a dog show a few years ago and they had a good selection.

I also shopped at a place in Isla Vista that is sort of a big box liquor store that carried a lot of craft beers that are apparently popular with the Uni. bunch.

The clerks weren't much help and I had to dig around on my own and you have to watch what they are charging you. I had been warned about using a credit card there so paid cash, but the prices were okay.

I just got a reply to an email to my friend in Goleta. He says the name of the store in Isla Vista that is so popular with the students is Keg N Bottle. The phone number is (805) 968-1316 if that helps at all.

He notes that you should go an look yourself because they don't always know what they have and their phone answers leave a lot to be desired.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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