Imagine you're throwing a party or maybe just spending a night all by yourself. As you decide which store to hit up to get snacks and drinks, you may wonder, can you buy beer at Trader Joe’s? Trader Joe's is famous for its wide range of food and drinks, sold at affordable prices. However, whether or not you can buy beer at Trader Joe's depends on the state you live in.
The laws regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages in grocery stores differ from state to state in the United States. If the Trader Joe's store you want to buy beer from is located in a state where selling alcohol in grocery stores is legal, then you can definitely buy beer there. All of this, of course, is only applicable as long as you are of the legal drinking age (21 years old).
In locations where it is legal, Trader Joe's sells a vast selection of in-house and branded beers. Much like their other food and drink products, their selection of beer is unique and versatile compared to regular grocery stores. In this article, I shall be talking about some beer options at Trader Joe's and whether or not they are worth it.
How To Buy Beer At Trader Joe’s?
All Trader Joe's stores have strict guidelines about following the United States' laws regarding alcohol purchase. Therefore, you should only attempt to buy beer at Trader Joe's if you are 21 years old or older. The employees at Trader Joe's are not permitted to sell alcohol without first confirming you are of legal age, so make sure to carry some form of ID with you.
If age is not an issue, the next thing you need to check is if selling alcohol in grocery stores is legal in the state you are in. The rules for selling alcohol in the US can be complicated to explain as certain exceptions and restrictions vary from state to state. For example, some states only sell wine in grocery stores while others only sell alcohol between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The best way to ensure whether or not you can buy beer from the Trader Joe’s in your area is to check the state’s laws regarding alcohol purchase in grocery stores. Other than this you can also scan the Trader Joe’s website. If your required information is not available there, you could always call the Trader Joe’s you are going to and ask if they have beers in stock.
What Beers are Available At Trader Joe’s?
Trader Joe’s has a wide range of regular brand names as well as their own in-house beer. There are currently around 29 flavors of beer sold under the Trader Joe's brand name. The selection of beers available may vary from store to store. However, you are still likely to end up with an interesting and diverse collection to pick from.
Trader Joe's is known for having a rare collection of food products with interesting flavors. This courtesy is extended to their beer collection, most of which come in strange but intriguing flavors. There are various online debates regarding which Trader Joe's beer is the best. However, some fan favorites that most people agree upon include are listed below.
Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
This Trader Joe’s Hefeweizen beer is a wheat beer with a 5.3% ABV. The beer is on the lighter side, ranging on medium. The aroma mostly comprises a combination of yeast, bananas, and wheat. The taste of this beer is quite strong with a subtle sweetness from the banana and bitterness and grassy flavor from the wheat.
Most of the Joseph Brau beers from Trader Joe's are quite popular with this beer being among the best of the pack. This beer comes in a bottle and when poured has a light orange color with a thin line of foam on top. This beer has a creamy mouthfeel with a complementary mouthfeel.
Trader Jose Light Premium Beer
The Trader Jose Light Premium is a light beer with a 4% ABV. The beer is very bubbly and clear and best consumed when cold. The flavors are quite mild. However, the beer can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste and has a subtle citrusy smell to it.
This beer is recommended for anyone looking for a light drink that will give you a buzz but not get you drunk. The beer is also good when paired with slices of lime or lemon juice if you would like to enhance the flavors a bit.
Black Toad Dark Ale
This ale has an ABV of 5.3% and is an English brown ale. The beer has a nice nutty aroma with hints of chocolate or malt. This drink has a very smooth texture but a very bitter initial taste. However, the bitterness of the first sip subsides over time and leaves an aftertaste of chocolate, roasted nuts, and toffee.
When poured, the beer has a dark color to it and a moderately foamy surface. It has a creamy, medium carbonated mouthfeel. This drink might be good in cold weather or even during the holidays.
Mission Street Session Pale Ale
This beer is an American pale ale with a 5.3% ABV. When poured, this beer has a light amber shine to it with a thin white foamy surface. Like most ales, this beer has a herbal and malty flavor with a nutty and bittersweet aroma to it.
The unique aspect of the beer comes from its subtle citrusy aftertaste with a different type of sweetness that tastes a bit like honey. The beer has a very clear and clean mouthfeel with a decent amount of carbonation.
Drive-Thru Red Ale
The Drive-Thru Red Ale is a 7.2% ABV American red ale. This is one of the few Trader Joe's beers with higher alcohol content. When poured, this beer is a dark red color with a large foam lining on its surface. The beer has mild carbonation, giving it a soft mouthfeel.
Despite its strong alcohol content, the beer does not smell like alcohol. The aroma has slight floral or herbal hints along with a stronger sweet, caramel-like smell. The initial taste is malty and sweet. However, as you continue drinking, the taste turns slightly bitter and herbal. There is also a slight spicy lingering aftertaste.
Boatswain Chocolate Stout
This is an American stout beer with a 5.4% ABV. The beer comes in a can and when poured has a dark brown body with an off-white head. The aroma mostly comprises roasted grains with hints of chocolate. The beer has medium carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel.
Despite its name, when it comes to taste, this beer does not possess the sweetness of chocolate. There are some hints of chocolate in the beer. However, the taste is mostly bitter throughout. The flavors in this beer are pretty straightforward and do not have many complex aftertastes.
Simpler Times Pilsner
This beer comes in a can and has a 5.5% ABV. This beer is a German-style pilsner and has more complex flavors than a typical American pilsner. The taste is quite bitter from the initial sip and has flavors that are more of an acquired taste rather than an instant favorite.
The beer has a misty orange color. The aroma is quite mild when cold but becomes stronger as it gets warmer. The smell consists of very subtle hints of citrus amidst the malt and yeast. The taste is mostly bitter with light laces of sweetness every now and then. This beer has significant carbonation resulting in a slightly fizzy mouthfeel.
Stockyard Oatmeal Stout
The Stockyard Oatmeal Stout is an oatmeal stout beer. It has an ABV of 5.2%. This beer most closely resembles what people classically identify as good beer. The body has a nice dark amber or slightly brownish color with a large white head on top. The smell has smoky flavors and earthy notes with hints of roasted nuts or malt.
The taste is slightly bitter from a combination of coffee and cocoa. The taste stays the same bittersweet for most of the time. However, there are some hints of herbal or floral flavors towards the end. The drink is very lightly carbonated. This makes the mouthfeel of this beer smooth, rich, and creamy.
Is The Beer At Trader Joe’s Good?
Trader Joe’s is mostly known for its reasonably priced products. The beer at Trader Joe’s follows this trend and is considerably cheaper than regular grocery store beer. The actual quality of the beer is reflective of how expensive it is. Whether it is good or not depends on your tastes as well as what you are looking for in a beer.
You can also determine your stance on Trader Joe’s beer based on if you prefer quality or quantity. If you are looking for a high-quality beer with more dimensions in flavor then Trader Joe's beer might not be worth it for you. The store still has collections of beer from regular brands. You can opt for those options if you desire a more luxurious drinking experience.
If you prioritize quantity over quality then Trader Joe's beer is a decent bargain. It is not super high quality by any means. However, if you are looking for decent flavors of beer for cheap then you can give Trader Joe's beer a chance. Their collection is vast. So, with some trial and error, you will likely find a beer that suits your tastes.
Trader Joe’s is one of the largest grocery chains in America. It is a convenient place to buy most things. However, when it comes to drinking alcohol, the availability of products mostly depends on state laws. These laws are also constantly under revision and adjustment so checking every now and then is the best way to know where to buy drinks.
So, can you buy beer at Trader Joe’s? The answer is yes. As long as you are above 21 and live in a state that permits selling alcohol in grocery stores, you can buy it. I hope this article helped answer any questions you had about Trader Joe's beer. Thank you for stopping by.
