East Wake Wines & Craft Brew

I am new to beer and have been getting bottles of this and that to try to see what I like. This is right up the road from my house so I decided to stop in. They have a nice selection. The guy working there was super nice and friendly. We spoke about what I like and don’t like and he gave me a few recommendations. Although most of what I got I didn’t like I will go back again since it is a nice store and keep trying until I get this all figured out!

This is the place for wine and beer in Knightdale. The owners, Ken and Karen, are friendly, knowledgeable, and they keep track of what you buy so if there was, say a Pinot Noir you bought back in October of 2010 but forget the label, Ken can let you know which wine it was and problem solved.
Part of the charm is the fact that while it is a small operation, the owner knows every wine and beer in there and can give great recommendations. They also serve by the glass.
Great place!

I love how personable the staff is! Great selection of wines and beer. I would recommend going here when looking for something to compliment your dinner, get togethers or just your day. :)

This is a great place to come find a nice wine and a tasty beer. Ken is super helpful no matter your question. The flights are fun and informative as well. I’m glad I finally discovered this place!

I don’t generally Unilocal out of my wheelhouse of the restaurant scene. Dive Bars, Beer Joints, Pizza Places, even an occasional Brunch Destination, and I’ll Unilocal it. But there’s a little shop out in there in the reaches of Knightdale, stirring the Mash Tun. If you like your beer, and I mean REALLY LIKE your beer. Get on out to East Wake Wines & Craft Brew.
Let me first start by saying, this is more a review of the craft beer portion of this pleasurable libation cave, rather than wine section. A wine aficionado I am not, so I’ll leave that to the great grape lovers of the world (not that I don’t love grapes or wine mind you, I just wouldn’t turn my nose to it coming out of a box, if you know what I mean). No, this is the perspective of a beer lover, and if you’re idea of beer love is walking out of ⁷⁄₁₁ with a Forty of Steel Reserve or the like, move along, nothing to see here.
It’s a winning day to add a more local addition to the craft beer market. While I can’t knock Total Wine for their selection, their stores aren’t convenient to me, and their staff just isn’t trained to actually speak about the beer with any more knowledge than my garage door. And I’ll have you know that I once hung a beer sign on said door, which just might give the door more knowledge than Total Wine, but alas, a digression for another Unilocal.
East Wake Wine & Craft brew lands itself in the burgeoning Midway Shopping section of Knightdale. With it’s convenient location to East Raleigh, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon, you can’t beat it. When you first walk into East Wake, you’re struck by its cleanliness and appeal. East Wake is clean and inviting. To the left is all the wine and to the right all the beer. So simple and arranged in order. Everything is neatly stacked, cleanly nestled on outer wall shelves to give you plenty of room to walk around the store. In the middle of the store you can find some displays of featured beer and wine as well as local food and arts. You can’t beat locals helping the locals. A very nice touch. Casting your gaze straight to the back you notice an area with tables, stools, and an open area that can accommodate a band, or artist, or tasting table.
What’s that, you say? Tables and Stools? A space for music? That’s right, you know it. And you’ll now come to love it. Not only does East Wake want you to come in and get your beer or wine on, they want you to sit around and taste one. Enjoy some music, sample some of the local flavors. This is one of the best parts of this place. It delivers the confines of the coffeehouse, with beer and wine! They have a small cooler in the back filled with many singles of the finest of craft brew, and also a kegerator for you to finally try that local flavor on tap. Never too pricey from the tap, East Wake serves up tastings like no other.
But the best part of East Wake Wine & Craft Brew may just be the owner, Ken Eshenbaugh. The man knows his beer. He’s got the good on the goods, and shares it with you without making you feel like a beer amateur. Need something for summer indulgence? Take a walk with Ken through the Wheats and the Pilsners. Winter time got you cold? Ken’s the Snuggie delivering a perfect Porter or an outstanding Stout. Lost in the mountains of seasonal craft brew? Ken comes through with a spot on recommendation and delivers you to the top like the brew Sherpa he is. I even heard a rumor that Ken recommends beer to Chuck Norris!
In summation, Ken is rocking the craft beer world from his post in East Wake County. His store is clean and inviting, his knowledge is on par with some of the more knowledgeable beer gurus out there, and I’ll stand behind this; if he doesn’t have a beer in the store, he’ll do everything in his power to get his hands on it for you. A customer friendly establishment, imparting vast beer knowledge while delivering country wide craft beer on the most local level. East Wake Wine & Craft Brew gets it done.

Ken is so helpful and fun to talk with. He keeps changing the set up and it keeps getting better and better. Stop by and try the place for a local home grown brew, wine, barbeque sauce, jewlery, etc. He knows his stuff when it comes to the type of drink you prefer.