City Beverage is more than just your average liquor store.

Comprised of two main rooms, City Beverage contains quite a lot of liquid. Along with cases and shelves, there are gifts ideas and deals spread out as well. There is a large selection of wine in the first room and even kits and yeast to brew your own beer at home. A row of refrigerated shelves offer a variety of cold beer, but if you have time to let the beer get cold in your own fridge, then the main beer room is the one for you.

The sheer selection demands some time and attention in the second room if you want to appreciate all City Beverage has to offer. They have beers you’ve heard of – think Sierra Nevada or Guinness for between $8 and $9 – to some lesser-known beers like Piraat Ale or Wexford Irish Cream Ale. The more unique beers are often in 750ml containers, have significantly higher alcohol content, and have a wide range of prices, from $5 all the way up to one $45 bottle, called Scaldis Prestige. Made from champagne yeast, the beer’s shocking price makes it the world’s most expensive beer.

If you’re like me and don’t know as much about beer as you would like, City Beverage offers some help. Many beers feature a card discussing the qualities and characteristics of the brew. The descriptions often come from the brewer’s themselves and help you understand what kinds of beer you’re into.

City Beverage also offers beer and wine tastings at the store and dinners with supplemental beers that take place at Elkin Creek Vineyard’s Restaurant. A schedule can be found on their website .

City Beverage also has a rather inexpensive array of different beer glasses with diverse logos. T-shirts, cigars, cheeses, gift packs and other items adorn the rooms, reinforcing the cozy atmosphere. Besides the home beer brewing kits, kegs can also be purchased as well as a low cost kit to turn a refrigerator into a draft beer dispenser. Keep this in mind for your off campus fraternity house ... but if you're in a dorm, hold off - kegs aren't legal in dorm rooms.

If you’re 21 and like beer or wine, City Beverage is definitely worth checking out. It’s a great opportunity to learn about and try new beers or wines.

Plus if you print this article out and bring it in with you, you’ll get a free sleeve of cups with your keg order until June 30th, 2007.