Alcoholic Drinks You Should And Shouldn't Buy At The Grocery Store
Booze at the grocery store? Sure, why not? While planning out your groceries for the week, it can be more than convenient to end with a stroll through the wine, booze, and/or liquor aisle. After an especially arduous trip, it may even be nice to unwind with a glass of whatever you've treated yourself to.
Sadly, whether or not you can buy alcohol at the grocery store depends largely on where you are. As noted in an article in The Washington Post, it very much depends on which state the grocery store is in as to whether they can get hold of a liquor license or not. However, that isn't to say the tides may not be turning. As per Grocery Drive, getting liquor into grocery stores across the country is on a lot of policymakers' minds. So, as it becomes more and more common to pick up a pack while you're doing your food shopping, keep in mind what alcohol you should — and shouldn't — buy at the grocery store.
Don't buy: Grocery store tequila
The quality of tequila can vary significantly. Greengos Cantina maintains that the perfect tequila largely depends on what you would like to do with it. A good tequila for shots and mixing will differ from the tequila that's intended to be enjoyed and sipped neat. Nonetheless, the cantina observes that a good tequila largely depends on the quality, and the amount of agave used to make it. Legally, tequila must contain at least 51% agave in order to be labeled as such. Nonetheless, those that contain the bare legal minimum to be defined as tequila are considered, at least by Greengos, as low-shelf. This is mainly due to the additives they contain. While they may be fine mixed into a margarita, they really don't offer the same experience that finer tequilas do.
The cantina suggests instead opting for 100% agave, as it will have a much more refined yet complex flavor. Either way you pour it, tequila is certainly a drink worth investing in and grocery stores, which rarely carry liquor, most likely will not carry the best stuff for making margaritas, much less enjoying straight.
Buy: Store-brand vodka
Blame it on the Goose! Literally. While vodka goes down in (in)famy as one of the finer drinks to spend your night with, don't find yourself springing for the higher-end brands at the grocery store. Generally, Grey Goose, a French vodka, is considered an investment into a night of debauchery. However, according to Econsultancy, a lot of the brand's energy goes into solidifying the liquor as a luxury good worthy of a hefty price tag.
If given the chance to enjoy a similar good at a lower price, wouldn't you want to go lighter on the wallet? Although Kirkland brand vodka may not be the same as the French brand, the clear liquor is still sourced from the same region and does comparably well in blind taste tests, as per Business Insider. Perhaps more damning is the article's interviewed business expert, who argued that ultimately, because of how vodka is distilled, there sometimes isn't much difference between cheap and expensive vodka besides marketing. So, while grocery shopping, why not opt for the store-brand vodka, that will be easier on the party budget and have a similar effect?
Don't buy: IPA
America has fallen in love with artisanal beer over the last decade. While we may be used to picking up a pack at the local liquor store, or the grocery aisle, there are simply some beers that are better off fresh. The Los Angeles Times advised in 2013 that fresh and hop-heavy beers such as IPAs should be enjoyed more like "milk than wine." Unlike some wines, IPAs simply do not get finer with time. The hoppy brews start aging just about as soon as they are packaged, with some reaching peak flavor around 35 days out. Afterward, they begin taking on less than desirable traits, like a dulled flavor and/or loss of their prized bitterness. Worst case scenario, it may even take on less than pleasant flavors. While there's no clear life span on beers, the newspaper recommends drinking beer within a two-month window of its bottle date.
Grocery stores, which are not specialty stores, are much less likely to keep a keen eye on the peculiarities of each brand they carry. As hop-heavy beers like IPAs are best as fresh as possible, it's certainly worth the trip over to the local brewery or specialty liquor store to get the best of the beer. It'll certainly make for a finer glass.
Buy: Cheap beer
There is a beer that is worthy of plucking from the grocery store aisle, and that is the glorious companion from college days and barbecues: cheap beer. One Chicago Prohibition Tours outfitter was so moved by cheap beer that they felt the need to pen a rave blog post about it. The writer waxes poetic on the joys of a good cheap treat. After all, isn't a grilled cheese made best with the plainest white bread that will melt in your mouth? Does anything crunch as much as rainbow sprinkles or evoke as much fanfare as the Filet-o-Fish?
The blogger reflects on what they deem "macro-brews," and concludes that while the quality may not be as refined as gourmet micro-brews, they do hold a certain nostalgia that is unlike any other. So, when looking for a cheap fix, turn to the grocery store aisle to find the beer you're looking for. It doesn't need to be especially good, and that's what makes it great. Not to mention, cheap beer can make for some of the best batters and Texas chili.
Don't buy: High-end wines
Okay, so there may be little expectation to finding high-end wines in the grocery store. As one article from Tasting Table aptly points out, grocery store wine selections tend to be much broader than smaller specialty stores. In contrast to smaller specialty stores that are more likely to do quality control, grocery stores go boldly forward with a "more is more" attitude. However, there may be some diamonds in the rough, but it's hard for wine neophytes to spot the gems.
Even if you find some stellar wine in between produce and snacks, you should hesitate before tossing it in the cart. Grocery stores tend to have higher temperatures than liquor stores and often have harsh fluorescent lights. This means that the wines are likely to spoil more quickly, and be kept in suboptimal conditions. Also, the source points out the wine bottles are frequently stored upright, which would potentially dry out the cork of any corked bottles if left for a long time. All in all, when investing in a nice wine, you'll be better off investing in a bottle from a specialty retailer, which are also more likely to have an expert, or at least a connoisseur, at hand to help guide you in picking out the best wine for your menu, budget, and taste.
Buy: Cooking wine
Cooking with wine on the other hand might just be the low-cost, high-reward item to find on your next jaunt to the combination grocery-liquor store. When looking for the next great dry white for your risotto recipe, it could be that your local grocer is a one-stop shop for all your recipe needs. Traditionally, cooking wine is stored near the vinegar and oils, and is typically written off as being loaded with salts and preservatives (via Wine Spectator).
Instead of picking a specific cooking wine, go for a cheap-ish bottle of drinking wine, which will give you the flavor and acidity you need. Compared to high-end wines that should be kept under very specific conditions, cheaper wines don't tend to require pristine conditions. As New Zealand's Woman's Weekly Food recommends, when it comes to cooking with cheap wine, it's all about the flavor. All you need to do is follow your cart, and your heart, through the wine aisle.
Don't buy: Some hard seltzers
Of course, as hard seltzers take over the market, there's going to be a vast amount of options out there. That isn't to say that every single one is going to be worth your while. After all, if your grocery store has a booze aisle, you're more than likely to have a few brands to choose from. In fact, Business Insider noted that by 2020, the hard seltzer market had officially become inundated with an assortment of fizzy brews. The article concluded that while the seltzer trend had officially cooled down from extreme highs, consumers nonetheless saw a continued affection for the new kind of bubbly.
While a good seltzer can be a sweet and buzzy treat that's sure to get you through a night, or better yet, a day of drinking, there are some you're better to leave out of your grocery carts. Spiked Peanut Butter Cup is probably a flavor, for example, that you aren't really missing out on.
Buy: Low-key hard seltzers
It's impossible to talk about grocery store alcohols without bringing in hard seltzers. After all, wasn't it White Claw that rocked everyone's collective world? The fizzy drink has become truly ubiquitous with a new generation of drinkers, as the marketing group No Good identifies: they're more refreshing than alcoholic and come at an affordable price. What's not to love? Combined with some snappy and viral marketing, it's no surprise that White Claw has kicked off the RTD (or ready to drink) craze for countless demographics. Though of course, real ones will remember when Zima was the hard seltzer rock star on the market.
Still, not all hard seltzers are made the same, and not every one is going to be a winner. But, those that tend to stick to the basics: lightly-flavored, cane sugar additives only, with an ABV similar to light beer (via Usual), are a great bet at the grocery store. Hard seltzer giants like White Claw and Truly strike a wonderful balance and almost taste like a LaCroix that's turned 21.
Don't buy: Sugary canned cocktails
Some cocktails are better left made at the bar, or at least the home bar. As one writer at Eater laments, canned cocktails so rarely make the mark when they try to do too much: They can easily either lean too sickly sweet or too acidic. I mean, who's really had a Lime-A-Rita that was 1) Enjoyable, and 2) Didn't leave them with a massive hangover?
What's more is that, as Forbes points out, ready to drink cocktails also carry a heavier price tag. While seltzers are taxed due to their lower alcohol content, more lightly, canned cocktails tend to rack up a higher price tag due to their higher alcohol content. Some canned cocktails land in the awful trifecta where they're not as well mixed as other competitors, but also come at a higher cost than cheaper, better, boozy drinks. When it comes to price and quality, it makes sense to do a bit of research beforehand and skip out on the less than stellar canned cocktails that aren't going to tickle your taste buds.
Buy: Other canned cocktails
Given the vast landscape of canned cocktails on the market these days, they certainly aren't all bad. In fact, there are some major selling points to the canned cocktail, and some great options out there — if you know where to look. As pointed out in one article from Mashed, a canned cocktail will still come at a lower price tag than a night out in a bar, and may just be a lovely addition to a fun board game night or laid back bonfire. At their best, they offer convenience and pizzazz, with very little work involved.
Whether looking for popular or high ABV, the perfect canned cocktail is out there for you. For example, Salt Point brings minimalism to the canned cocktail craze. The California-based brewery operates under the motto that less is more. It seems this philosophy has paid off, and many of its cocktails have stellar reviews. The Greyhound, for example, with a blend of vodka, grapefruit, lime, and soda water holds a 4.9 rating on Total Wine, with reviewers saying it tastes like it's from a high-end restaurant.
Don't buy: Craft beer
Craft beers at chain stores seems to be a bit of an oxymoron. After all, aren't craft beers supposed to be local and small scale? Nonetheless, big grocery stores like Piggly Wiggly, Walgreens, and Trader Joe's, among others, are giving beer making a go. As one head brewer discussed with StarNews Online, it makes sense for retailers to try to capitalize on drinking trends and make headway into untapped markets already in their store. After all, if the beer is good, does it really matter who made it?
Those who like supporting smaller local businesses with their beer consumption are still advised to look out for local gems when brooding over their brews. As DSM found in its research, craft beers are prized by millennials not only for their unique flavor composition, but also for their — perceived — more sustainable qualities. While grocery store craft beers may not necessarily be outsourced to faraway brewers, their manufacturing chain can certainly be a lot harder to research than local brands, which off the bat have a smaller carbon footprint, are more likely to support the local economy, and could utilize more locally sourced ingredients.
Buy: Drinks at a discount
Grocery stores may be giving liquor stores a run for the money, quite literally. As reported in 2022 by Grocery Gazette, Aldi was voted the best grocery store at which to buy spirits in the United Kingdom. The discount grocer was able to nab the title, presumably, due to both variety and the price point it was able to guarantee.
While we're still waiting for grocers to broadly sell liquor stateside, it seems like similar selling points are being found overseas. As SFGate noted in 2018, Costco beat all retailers for a cheap drink. In response to someone wondering, "if a 30-minute detour to a liquor slanging Costco was worth it," one Reddit forum resoundingly answered "yes!" Overall, the board assures that not only does Costco serve up liquor at a fraction of the price, but more often than not, it's good quality too. For those looking to get a buzz at a bargain, there's certainly some pretty big financial aspects to factor in while looking for where to buy your next round.