City Beverage: The Place To Go For Craft Beer & Fine Wine

If you’re in a rush and need to grab a six-pack of Miller and a bottle of red, don’t go to City Beverage – any supermarket will do.

But if you love your beer and are always looking to try what is new and different, or you want that great beer you had on your trip to Germany, or you need a bottle of fine imported wine, make your way to City Beverage and leave your “hurry up” outside the door.

Stepping into the crisp, clean, woodsy, laid-back atmosphere of City Beverage, with good music playing, and seeing walls and walls and cold cases of beers and wines is an experience. You can stroll around and enjoy looking for something you think you might like to try, or you can ask owner Spencer Davis for some guidance as to what you might prefer.

What Is City Beverage?

City Beverage, Purveyors of Fine Wine and Craft Beer, started in 1946 when the Davis family opened a shop on Burke Street. Three generations later, they are still serving the community at 915 Burke Street, in a larger building across from the original site. They are easy to get to, with ample parking, making stopping by simple. And what you will find makes the trip well worth it.

City Beverage sells craft beer, including many local craft brands. They carry champagne, domestic and imported wine from Spain, Italy, France, and Argentina, saki from Japan, and more. Plus hard lemonades, ciders and seltzers. They sell kegs, kegerator parts, and CO2 refills, and they fill growlers.

They also have all the wine and beer-making equipment, hops, yeast, grain malt, malt extract, and flavors you need to get started on that hobby, along with the expertise and knowledge of the craft that Spencer is happy to share. They even carry bottles.

At any given time, City Beverage can carry between 700-1000 different labels of beer, with new ones coming in and old ones phasing out. And their wine selection is comprised of between 350-400 labels. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, it probably doesn’t exist.

You Can Buy A Case, A Six-Pack, Or Even Just A Bottle

The great thing about purchasing at City Beverage is you can buy a case, a six-pack, or even just a bottle. “Whatever the customer wants,” Spencer said. So if you find something you think you might like, you can take home a bottle and try it. 

A customer I spoke with was buying four bottles of a beer called Weihenstephaner. He said he had it on vacation in Germany, and City Beverage was the only place he could ever find the beer here. City Beverage is known for being able to find almost any beer or wine you are looking for if they don’t already carry it.

As a matter of fact, it is the customer service, the willingness to share their knowledge, and their desire to go beyond what is necessary to please their customers that makes City Beverage stand out.

Free Beer & Wine Tastings

A bonus in City Beverage is its beautiful wood bar with eight rotating beers on tap and a selection of wines by the glass. You can see the available beers on their website. There is a conversation area with comfortable chairs and several round and long tables, perfect for gathering with friends.

Many Fridays are free wine-tasting events from 4-6 pm. There are great wines to be enjoyed. From bubbly Prosecco and buttery Chardonnay to earthy Pinot Noir and bold Cabernet Sauvignon, this event will not disappoint, and the best part, you can take home the ones you love most for a great price.

Beer Lovers, you are not left out! There are free beer tastings on many Saturdays from noon to 4 pm. Enjoy a wide variety to taste, from Bavarian Dunkels and barleywines to porters and pilsners.

Call to confirm the beer or wine tastings before you go, as they do not happen every Friday or Saturday. Or go to City Beverage’s website and sign up for their newsletter to learn about upcoming tastings.

For those who have yet to go to City Beverage or didn’t even know it was there, you’re missing out on a place Winston-Salem is lucky to have. Stop in and see for yourself. You might just find that perfect beer you have been looking for.

Don’t Miss The Big Tent Sale!

Don’t miss the City Beverage Semi-Annual Tent Sale on Saturday, October 21, 2023, from 9 am – 6 pm. There will be Music, Food Trucks, and Deals! During the sale, they will have hundreds of cases of wine marked down as low as 60% off! Take an additional 10% off when you purchase by the case. They also will have lots of craft beer marked down by around 50% off the regular price! The TENT SALE is an event without equal. This sale is the perfect time to buy for Weddings and Holiday Parties!

• City Beverage is located at 915 Burke Street in Winston-Salem.
• Open Mon-Fri, 10 am-7 pm; Sat, 10 am-6 pm.
• 336-722-2774; 336-725-1481
• City Beverage Website

Wine, Beer & Cocktail Specials At Winston-Salem Restaurants

There is even more to celebrate when it’s half price wine. Use our handy guide to cocktail, beer and wine specials in Winston-Salem to plan your next date, girls’ night out, dinner, meeting or book club and raise your glass without raising your bill.

What’s your favorite beverage shop in town? Let us know in the comments!