Maximum Beverage

Very good package store. Clean, organized and tons of variety. They also do wine tastings and offer thoughts and suggestions about what they’re serving. If you ever have a question, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful.
I’d agree with some of the others that the parking lot can be crazy, but the location is right in Bishops Corner, pretty convenient to get to.

Maximum Beverage lives up to its name. It’s pretty much «max» level in many different categories, from size to service. My wife and I aren’t really huge wine drinkers, but from what I understand, they have a truly impressive selection, and they’re very helpful when I’ve asked for recommendations. Their beer selection is top-​notch, too, along with the «hard stuff.» You can tell they take cocktails seriously, because they stock Luxardo maraschino cherries… which any true mixologist prefers over the day-​glow supermarket variety. Prices are fine, too. I think people tend to assume they’re more expensive because the store is so nice, but I haven’t found a real difference between their prices and other West Hartford stores.
My only criticism isn’t their fault at all. The parking in their plaza is an absolute nightmare. My recommendation is to park in the far calmer lot behind/​underneath and take the stairs up… you’ll proactively burn off a few of the calories you’ll be imbibing after coming here.

Its a full service winery. We had a lovely reception there for business and they were kind enough to serve us primo tequila tastings. Very friendly, wide selection, good prices.
Pretty much what you want out of a liquor store.

For the most part the staff seems friendly. This is a place where you’ll get a pleasant greeting and «let me know if you need some help» which is always cool.
and this place is probably great for people who have nuanced taste in wine because I’ve frequently seen and overheard employees offering lots of info to people with questions about certain varietals, they also seem to offer tastings.
Me, I’m a beer guy. Just a regular beer guy. Organic beers with a twist of grapefruit and dash of sea salt don’t really appeal to me, and the common beers I enjoy like Stella, Corona, Bud, etc. are more expensive than some surrounding places, so it just comes down to price, and being that this place is steeper than other local places, I don’t really see much point in returning.
Maybe it was foolish of me but I thought a name like «Maximum Beverage» would have lower prices because it kind of has a «warehouse» sounding ring to it, just my opinion.

They take «secret handshake» to a new level. Decent selection, but prices are questionable. Employees are dishonest. Just go somewhere else. There are enough choices in the area.

The size is super amazing. I mean, with a name like «maximum,» you’d expect the size to be large, right?
They have some interesting wines, but I didn’t find their selection larger than, say, M&R. Also, their beer selection, while robust, did not have many interesting or unique beers, so that was a little bit of a disappointment. Also, their champagne and bubbly sections were just ok.
I appreciate the size of, say, the aisles, but the selection is only ok. I did spontaneously choose some wines I had not tried before here, but they did not carry much that was supremely different.
Also, just a personal touch I like — I prefer places with more descriptions from the store and people who work here. Most of the aisle of wine had very few personal reviews.

Great selection of wine and alcohol! I love going to this store and the staff is very knowledgeable. I am a new wine drinker, so I look toward the experts for help picking the perfect bottle. The staff here is extremely helpful for a novice like myself. Also, the wine tastings are amazing!

Great staff, phenomenal selection, fabulous and frequent tastings — what’s not to love?

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Maximum Beverage, but I have to say, I was very disappointed on their beer selection. Compared to some other large package stores, Maximum Beverage only had one small row of coolers dedicated to beer. Even the beers they did carry where not very unique. I’m usually looking for micro brews, not your typical mass brewers which I can buy anywhere.
I’m not a huge wine drinker, but it seems like this is where Maximum Beverage focuses their sales. The selection of wines seemed very extensive.
I won’t come back for beer, but would consider if I’m picking up some wine.

Update: My latest pick is Justin Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s from Paso Robles, CA. While I’m normally a Napa Valley fan, this wine is great– full-​bodied, ready to drink now, with dark fruit tastes and a fruity, spicy aroma. At 24.99/bottle, it’s priced at par with some of the discount locations in CT and MA. Pick up a few bottles and see what you think!
Previous review:
Maximum Beverage has a nice selection of wine and beer (and other malt beverages and ciders), and a spacious, elegant layout. There is a center counter at which the tastings are held, and even some outdoor seating (I haven’t seen anyone out there, but I’m curious whether people buy some beer or a bottle of wine and sit there and drink it…)
I noticed that for the most part the wines are about average-​priced for CT, but there are a few that are marked above average and a few that are pretty good deals (I actually went through about 25 different red wines using a number of wine apps and my notes on previous purchases at other locations to determine this). The Honig cabernet is a pretty good deal here, if you’re looking for a good quality red :) There’s also a Silver Oak that’s well-​priced for CT (although if you go out of state you can actually find it at Costco for even less).
I was a little annoyed that nobody working there had any idea about the Unilocal check-​in deal they had posted, which was that you received 10% off bottles they were tasting for checking in and sharing a picture on Facebook (weird requirement, but what they hey). I did the tasting on a Friday and thought one of the wines was pretty good. It was a buck or two below the average price already, so I thought I’d buy it with the 10% off and get a pretty good deal. However, nobody, including someone who identified himself as a manager, knew anything about it, and so I ended up not buying the wine rather than making a big deal about it.
I’ll likely be back to browse the wine selections again, and hopefully the staff will be more familiar with their social media promotions by then!

I have never thought ‘hey, if we find ourselves with extra time this weekend we should spend an hour at the liquor store’ until I found Maximum Beverage. I just love it here — everything about it. The team are truly experts. We find ourselves working with Paul mostly and he has come to know exactly what to recommend. We typically go in once a month for a case of wine and beer. But now you can also make Maximum your go-​to place for cheese too. The new store in Farmington is doing some special things. Literally they have made the liquor store a destination activity. You probably think that is crazy but, that’s fine, you’ll see.

I get worried when I go to any old package store because they may not have what I’m thirsty for, but Maximum has it all, seriously!
The nicest store I’ve ever been to, with the most educated staff. I’ve thought about buying some of their pre-​wrapped baskets for gifts (wine&beer) but end up with a few suggested bottles of bubbly, wine, or 6-​packs from their *beer and wine specialists*
I could spend an hour inside trying to figure out what to get, or what new to try, but there are so many options it’s almost impossible. Staff is happy to help you choose! Knowing where exactly everything is so you’re not wasting your time (especially if you’re in the 10-​minute parking spaces).
From what I saw you can even take part in wine-​tasings, and get anything from the classics, to some of the best, most expensive bottles around.
They even have accessories for sale, shakers, mixing bitters, juices, etc but don’t even try to come inside if you’re not 21+ they are extremely professional, and I know many university of Hartford students that had fake ID’s taken on the spot!

An above average liquor store with lots of wine and many craft beers. The staff is friendly and they’re willing to order something for you if they don’t normally stock it. Overall it’s a good place.

As Mr Shane has so well described the price point of this store… living in towns with (bend me over kind of taxes) I’m well lubed up and not surprised at the higher price tag. I understand what needs to be done to keep a store open and pay that plaza rental.
On that note I was pleasantly surprised at the amazing wine and beer selection offered and overall look of the place. It’s really open and organized, It was easy to find what I was looking for.
Costumer service is great and the staff here is very knowledgeable on all their goods. Quick to offer some great choices for Pinot Noir I enjoyed that night with my steak.
Looking forward to checking out their wine tasting event.

nice beverage store — on the beer front they had a lot of bottles that were harder to find and out of the ordinary and some of the more common ones were $ 3-​$ 4 less than i have seen them at other stores, so price and selection were pretty good when i stopped in.

This place gets five stars for the customer service!
My mom and I went in yesterday for the first time. We asked an employee for a suggestion on how to pair a bizarre cheese we just bought with a red wine. He immediately brought us over to a few different wines that he thought would pair well. He explained why he believed they would pair well too. We went with one of his selections and plan on drinking it tonight.
The other small customer service touch was simply a man asking if we would like him to put our wine selections up at the cashier so we didn’t have to carry it around the store as we shopped. That was just super nice of him.
I’m going to come here from now on because they are just nice people.

Yes, I say, yes.
First off, the store is beautiful. Yes, I know aesthetics are obsolete when the selection is subpar but Maximum Bev has the best of both worlds. A lovely wine selection, excellent craft beer options (hey, they had some Stout Trooper stashed in the back, so that meets my criteria), and decent whisk (e)y aisle, which I was perusing as it’s my week to host whisky night.
Charter Oak was hosting a beer tasting, Stephen and the other staff were extremely helpful, and the store was organized beyond belief. Perfect Saturday destination and a wonderful local liquor store.
All in all, a joy.

1.) Introduction:
Pardon me for the 5 stars on the past couple reviews. I’m not the type to normally throw out 5 stars (look at my rating distribution). But if you’re a business owner, and you and your staff are friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable of what your business sells, then by all means you are getting a high rating from me. If I were to own a business, that’s what I’d focus a lot on… CUSTOMER SERVICE. I’d make sure that I treat my client/​customers with kindness and respect, and I’d make sure that I follow through with what my customers request. Most importantly I will go over and beyond at being super knowledgeable in the product I am selling.
2.) The Situation:
I came here to sample some beer and wine. I sampled a Dog Fish Head Chicory Stout. I ended up buying it. I had a Christmas Ale. That was good. Then I had a Chianti and a Cabernet. I was more focused on the beer, that I ended up talking to one of the beer managers there. I picked his brain for a little while, and just straight up talked beer that it was great. I thought the best thing about this place was that I was able to walk around their store freely with my sample tasting in hand. They serve their beer in a wine glass, so I felt very happy and comfortable walking around the store, talking to the staff and checking out their selection of craft brews. Seth, one of the co-​owners there is always an awesome guy, very helpful and engaging.
3.) Impressions:
This is my place to go to sample, purchase new craft beer, and pick staff’s brains.
I’m a beer zombie… I WANT YOUR BRAINS!

Talk about cognitive dissonance between the name of a business and its presentation. A name like «Maximum Beverage» conjures images of concrete floors, bare rafters, neon sale signs, racks of beer constructed into a gigantic pyramid, and wacky-​waving inflatable arm-​flailing tube men.
Nothing of the sort characterizes this place. I don’t think I’ve been in a more pleasant beverage store of this size. Beautifully presented, incredible selection, high tech information devices, a tasting table with REAL wine glasses, and a professional, well-​dressed staff.
They got a bit sales-​y when I tasted the wine, but I guess that’s their job. I didn’t buy anything, but the prices looked quite good. I’ll be back to actually purchase something someday for sure.

I am very — very impressed. The folks here are wildly customer centric.
I have been greeted cheerfully every time I have visited. It seems like there is a wine tasting going on every time I am there. I requested a special order. They executed flawlessly. All this and their prices are as good or better than other local similar businesses.
Try them out.