State of Beer

This is the spot. A unique spot right along Hillsborough. This spot has stood the test of time, in terms of some bars and restaurants in the area for good reason. Good draft beer selection with even better can and bottle options, this is a great place to quench your thirst during the day or even late night. Come for the beer, stay for the food, the menu is full of options from wraps to hot pressed sandwiches.

Such an amazing place. Ashleigh is so wonderful and made the experience hard to forget. The vibe here is so good with records playing and she has drinks flowing and has such a fun way of listening to our conversation and joining in at the funniest moments. Such a fantastic bartender and the adult lunchable was everything we wanted it to be. Love this place!

It was a nice Monday evening. We were going here for a friends birthday. My first time and was pleasantly surprised. They had a sweet layout. Plenty of outdoor seating with heat lamps. Inside was a huge selection of craft beer (very expensive) They also have plenty of inside seating with a big bottle shop with beers and wine galore. A cool spot that I’d recommend once in a while, but you will break the bank if you go often.

Great spot on Hillsborough Street! Good beer selection and the adult lunchable was a perfect snack. Chill atmosphere and friendly staff. A great place to sit out with your dog in the outside seating area. Will definitely be back!

I love this place! I don't live downtown but I work and often need a place to 'finish up my day' before heading home. The vibe is awesome, the food is AMAZING for a place that isn't know for chef driven food. It's my go to place- like a coffee shop but.so.much.better.beer and wine! Cheers State of Beer, yall are the best!

We stopped here to cool down with a nice cold beer and grab some water for our dog. The service was great and the staff was friendly. They only had ciders and seltzers that were gluten free though. I would have given them another star if they had at least some gluten free or gluten reduced beer offerings. The music playing was also a little too loud and aggressive for our taste. It made it difficult to actually hold a conversation, and we were sitting outside. The pricing was good though. Much lower or on par with other bottle shops. So we appreciated that!

An out of town folk who needed some time to kill before a hockey game, and this was the spot to stop into for a few drinks! The bartender was kind and helpful in helping us pick our drinks. The atmosphere is calm and inviting in the downtown area. Lots of beer and wine selection, so don't be afraid to ask for suggestions! The Pear Pressure cocktail was a favorite of mine!

Great selection for a bottle shop. Unique beers on tap. But they also have arguably some of the best sandwiches in the area. You won’t be disappointed. I have had multiple and haven’t had one that’s not excellent. Outdoor seating is great! With sails to provide shade. The vibe is relaxing and enjoyable with vinyl providing the music indoors and out. Bathrooms are small and clean. They also have a Citrix bike rack right outside the shop.

The sandwiches here are ODEE fire. Let me tell you a lil bit about the Caprese Sandwich--served hot, it's a literal 12/10. OMG. It was a taste straight from heaven. Beautifully made with house-made pesto, heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, balsamic reduction, and La Farm focaccia. Every bite was perfect. Pair it with their pasta salad on the side, and you've got yourself a next-level meal, ready for anytime time of the day. It was so good I wanted to order more, but I was stuffed from just one sammy. The ambiance is great too--there's a cozy little fireplace outside that gives the place a very homey vibe. The staff is super nice and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Plus, they've got a foosball table in the back for some added fun. Definitely a chill, nice vibe type of spot. Would 100% recommend and will definitely be coming back!

came for a comedy show and want to come back again for their beer and food. they have a vast canned beer selection and a decent draft selection as well. the sandwiches were omg so good. highly recommend stopping in for one.

What a find! Great beer and wine, amazing food as well. The bartenders are friendly and very willing to help you find whatever you're looking for. Highly recommend.

First and foremost, my wife and I did not eat here. But we were in town from Los Angeles when we went. The beer selection was absolutely crazy ! The folks there were also so damn nice. Awesome experience !!

Went in for an adult snack plate aka a charcuterie board and a pour of the Haw River Pound of Flesh. I know it sounds gross at first but once you realize it is referencing WATERMELON, doesn't your mouth immediately start watering? The beer was great; however, it wasn't the best pairing for the contents on the board, so I requested a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and performed the happy food dance in my chair for the remainder of my lunch. Everyone enjoyed their selected entrees and drinks--perfect place for a quick sit down. This establishment is also owned and operated by the same staff as Young Hearts Distilling, State of Beer, Trophy Brewing & Pizza, and Trophy Brewing & Taproom. I have yet to try these out, however, everyone raves about them!

State of Beer has such a variety of both beer and wine for purchase. We stopped by after church on a Sunday evening and sat outside - there is PLENTY of seating. You can buy wine by the glass or beer on tap. They do not serve dinner, but have some light bites (pimento cheese plate and hummus plate) to snack on in the evenings. I heard they have some pretty good sandwiches during the day, so I will definitely be back to try! We got the hummus plate and it was plenty food for two people and only $10!!! The bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable. It's a cute little spot tucked in the middle of true downtown Raleigh and glenwood south - walkable from both locations.

This is one of my new favorites. Great beers on tap and the menu is simple but consistently solid. This place does not serve your average "bar food". It is a great place to go for a snack in the afternoon or a sandwich for lunch. They have an ample outside sitting area that's great for watching the hustle of DTR. We love the Adult Lunchable and the tin of tiny fishes.

Had the hot Sicilian Sandwich with a side of pasta salad. No drinks. The sandwich was delicious. Bread was toasted and buttery, great mix of cheese and meat. Pasta salad had a mustardy dressing that I enjoyed. Service was friendly, but there was a long wait. Only downside I found was the wait. Significant selection available for beer and wine.

Pretty cool beer place on the northern end of downtown that I passed when walking back to my hotel. They had a few beers on draft with a list you can either scan a barcode or see at the bar. They also have a LOT of cans from which to choose as well. The prices on the cans that were marked (some were not which is a pet peeve) seemed pretty high for a single beer or multipack, so I ended up just getting a wheat draft from Trophy which I enjoyed very much. They gave me a sample first which was nice as well. Staff was friendly! Outdoor seating was nice too. This was a beer only visit as I think the kitchen was closed.

Great beer! Also had the humus, which for one is a meal in itself. And they provide plenty of crackers and veggies, which is a plus.

Great soup, great sandwich, great cider on tap. The only thing that could take it up a notch is great chit chat with the manager...and I had that too. Sincerely enjoyed my stopover here on a beautiful Fall Sunday. I will return

We've been going to State of Beer for a while now and it wasn't initially a favorite spot for me. After the urging of my husband - for whom eating inside a bottle shop was a dream fulfilled, we kept going. And you know what? It's good. The food they serve is fresh, real food. The menu is mainly sandwiches and wraps served with sides such as chick peas, pasta salad, chips or fresh greens. The sandwiches are amazing. The charcuterie plate is one of the best around. Of course they serve Trophy beers along with others and since you are (as previously mentioned) sitting in a bottle shop, you can purchase beer or wine to enjoy there or take home. For non beer drinkers they do offer a red, white and rose on menu. There are also a lot of bottles of wine to peruse in the store. You won't find the typical selection. You will most likely a new favorite. Cold brews, kombucha and other non alcoholic beverages are also available. Definitely come during off peak times if you want to sit up at the bar, or hopefully the weather is good and you can sit outside on one of the many picnic tables. I love sitting inside to listen to whatever they've put on the record player and relax in the low lit bar area. Staff is friendly, bathrooms are mostly clean, parking can be semi difficult.

I'd say it's pretty hard to impress me with a sandwich so take that as a reasoning to my madness. I came in with a small party during lunch on a weekday, but service really took quite a bit of time - to the point that when one of my friends got their food, they just took it to go since the rest of us almost finished eating. The food itself I thought wasn't the greatest. My sandwich came with a terrible bread to ingredient ratio that I found myself just ripping pieces of bread off to make it more enjoyable. The meat itself wasn't memorable so it almost felt like a chore to eat this. I didn't get any beer, but I'm going to hope that's one of their redeeming factors. I hope to change my review if I ever return here!

I had no idea that State of Beer expanded earlier this year into the space next door. This provides more room to put beer to purchase for home and for indoor seating (seating is not available at the bar during COVID-19). A few of my favorite sandwiches are the apple & brie, jive turkey club, sweet home alabama and turkey pesto and sides are the pasta salad and mixed green salad. This place is a must visit.

Good selection of beer, nice location. It is actually nice to be able to sample some beers before buying some to take home. The food was mostly appetizers. I wouldn't expect to eat there or expect a filling meal besides the appetizers. I went at 6pm and they were not serving anything dinner related.

Super good atmosphere! Was a perfect stop after walking around the city for a while! Will definitely recommend to friends!

New to town and this place was highly recommended. I had family coming to visit so I ordered a bunch of sandwiches online per instructions, with no substitutions at all. For a relatively small menu, my order was very straight forward. After using the online portal- they received the order almost immediately because they called to tell me they wouldn't be able to cut the sandwiches in 4s, only 2s, which was weird but I agreed to. He told me that they "aren't allowed to make sandwiches that way". I got home and cut them myself. These are big sandwiches that can easily be cut in 4s. I went in for order pickup and the order was packed on time. Got home and had 7 of my 9 sandwiches. I was missing two of the signature ones which really drew me to order here to begin with. When I called, the receptionist said the kitchen staff left (it was 830pm) but offered to try to put the missing 2 together herself. I would have to pick up, they don't have delivery, so I declined. She asked me if I wanted them for lunch the next day instead lol. She refunded but did nothing further. She wasn't apologetic or solution-filled, so this is probably a pretty normal occurrence for them. I personally won't return as there are plenty of sandwich making competitors, but I'd recommend to use this place for in person small order only. A 9 item order shouldn't be such a feat, so I imagine this is how it goes there. As far as customer service- they don't do really anything to attempt to rectify mistakes. Outside of my customer service issues- the sandwiches were mediocre, but not really a hit. We won't return and won't be passing along the recommendation

Had the hot Sicilian sandwich which was excellent. Large selection of beer. Large outdoor seating.

This is my favorite spot in all of Raleigh. It's always relaxed. There's always cute dogs. Always a great selection of beers and I've never had bad service. Only down side is that it's on the route of the trolley pub and I hate drunk people singing and thinking they're cute. Still my favorite spot regardless. It's also right next to Morgan street food hall.

Good beer selection and a cool venue, but they are selling mediocre sandwiches for $14. The bread was nothing to write home about nor were any of the other ingredients. Same sandwich at $7.50 would've earned this place a 5 star review. A $14 sandwich better blow my socks off... somebody has to keep these places honest.

If you're searching for a classy but casual bottle shop with 10+ taps & serves delicious food, look no further! State of Beer has a little bit for everyone. Located on Hillsborough in DTR, they have 6-8 big picnic tables outside on their dog friendly patio (if the 10+ barstools are taken). There's even a cozy nook to sit in near the windows. Parking is on the street & can be scarce on weekends, but don't let that deter you from swinging by here! The bartenders are extremely nice & knowledgeable about their products, and the place is always clean. When I drank beer, it seems like they always have something tapped for everyone (IPA, stout/porter, pale ale, pilsner, hefe, etc) but they also have tons of bottles to choose from too. Their food was delicious- mostly sandwiches with fresh local bread & good deli meats. Great options to fill you up when drinking their tasty brews :) I love that they carry Tribucha (locally made kombucha) & my favorite is Cafe con Bucha - a light coffee kombucha! Bottles are $5 and they're well worth it for the non-alcohol drinkers. I think they also have a few sodas too, but don't quote me on that. I have no complaints here & love that they accommodate everyone. Love everything that the Busy Bee / Trophy Brewing / State of Beer owners are doing - it's all so consistent & the only thing I'd love to see here is kombucha on tap!

It's been a few years since I first reviewed State of Beer. Since then, I've probably averaged 3-4 lunches per month, and I pick up some beer to go every couple visits too! The sandwiches are the best in downtown Raleigh. My current favorites are the buffalo soldier, ghost pepper salami, and the dusk till dawn. I also really like the hot sandwiches; I just tried the kimchi reuben today, and it was delicious! All sandwiches come with a side. I usually go with the mixed green salad most of the time, but I'll get chips if I'm picking up a to-go order because I don't like things sloshing around in the to-go box. The sandwiches are pretty big! If you're a normal-size human, you'll most likely end up taking half of your sandwich home. The beer on draft and in the shop is also excellent. They almost always have something I'm interested in, whether it's any of my favorite styles including IPA, farmhouse, saison, or gose. If you're looking for anything in particular, make sure to ask the extremely knowledgeable and friendly bartenders; they are some of the best people in Raleigh.

Service is horrible (waited 20 minutes for anybody to even acknowledge me). The beer is aligned each week. Porters one week (who wants that in summer?) then all sours another week. I just want a good beer, unfortunately the management doesn't feel the same. Decent sandwiches but just fired their best chef. Stay away from this place

Went for lunch with 2 other people. Everyone's food was absolutely perfect. For being a sandwich place it still was light with tons of flavor. definitely going back and by far the hardest choice will wanting to get through the whole menu

When it comes to sandwiches, I always think of places like Toast out in Durham. Taking a humble sammich and making it special isn't as easy as it sounds. But thankfully, State of Beer is up to the challenge! Part bottle shop, part sandwich shop, State of Beer toes the line between the two really well. Out front, State of Beer sports a large parking lot patio with plenty of tables. Inside they've got a large retail bottle area, good number of refrigerated cases and their beer/sandwich counter. With 8 or so beers on tap along with 8 or so sandwiches, I went with an Italian for my first go. Put together with Yellow Dog baguette bread, my Italian is well-stuffed with plenty of freshly cut sandwich meat, bibb lettuce, provolone and viniagrette. Very tasty and fresh. Paired with some chips and you've got yourself a good lunch. So I'm happy to say that Raleigh's latest bottle shop is doing things really well. The bar keeps on getting raised and State of Beer comfortably makes it over that bar with great beer and excellent sandwiches...

We were in search of some late-night eats recently, and thanks to Yelp found this spot still open and serving sammies. While we'd originally just wanted to grab food to go, we ended up buying a few beers, too, since the selection is so great. The staff was really nice and it's definitely a spot I'd want to spend some more time in. Also, the outdoor seating is great. I feel like this would be the perfect spot to come for a weekend lunch to hang out, take it easy and enjoy some delicious grub and brews.

I enjoyed visiting this place! We came for dinner and drinks after working late on a weeknight. I really loved the apple + brie sandwich which is saying a lot because I don't generally like brie. We also tried the spicy black bean dip which didn't wow me (it needed salt + wasn't spicy at all). I liked their beer selection (it rotates each day) a lot and the service was great!! Both of the bartenders that night were super nice! I will definitely return here when I am feeling like having a low-key night with good beer.

Absolutely love this place. Great vibes and a magnificent selection of beers from around the world. Probably my favorite thing about this place is the selection of Trappist beers available like Rochefort among a few others. There are just it many places in the currently over-saturated micro brew USA where you can find these types of beers in a cool setting. The bartenders here are excellent and chill and play great classic rock and just classic songs in general on Vinyl records to add to the mystique and nostalgia that doesn't necessarily even have to had experienced before to truly appreciate. This is my new go to when in Raleigh and taking out friends. Only downside is the limited inside seating but great outdoor seating when the weather is nice! Beer selection: 10/10 Ambiance/Vibe: 9/10 trying to keep this place a secret! Service: 10/10 Value: 9/10 Will return!

State of Beer is a fun place to meet up / hang out with friends! They have a good selection of rotating beers on tap, and their sandwiches are really good! They also have a selection of cans and bottles that you can buy to take home. Bartenders are helpful if you have a question about one of the beers. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, but mostly indoor with shade. They usually have records playing and it makes for a fun, casual atmosphere.

Love this spot. DO NOT MISS THEIR FOOD. Some of the best wraps/sandwiches in town, hands down, deli meat sliced to order right in front of you. One of the best bottle shops I've ever been to. Amazingly knowledgeable staff with a legit comraderie feel, cool vinyls stay spinning, massive selection with esoteric finds. Just go.

State of Beer is a staple of Downtown Raleigh and I always take people here when they are visiting. Their wraps and sandwiches are delicious and the beer selection is great. They have plenty of seating space both inside and out and there is typically a great record playing. I love hanging out here and trying out the different beers on tap. Not to mention, State of Beer supports local businesses and that's amazing.

Overall: Lackluster food and no mixed drinks. I've eaten hear twice because it's a bar near my school. But that's the only reason. My friend likes to drink here so I'll probably continue to come, but wouldn't if it were up to me. They've got great service and an interesting concept with a little shop in the back. They also have a vinyl record player, which is supposed to be cool or whatever. Vegetarian: While there are several vegetarian options, both of the ones I've had are not tasty at all. Once I had the black bean dip and I don't remember what the other item was, i just remember being unsatisfied. I'm going to hold off on a recommendation until I try more. Vegan: You've got 2 options: hummus or Greek salad hold the the feta. If neither of those sound like enough for you, pass on this place. Gluten-free I didn't see that they had gluten-free bread for their sandwiches.

Terrible service, delicious food. First time going here and won't be back. We ordered two sandwiches, one hot and one cold. It took them 50 minutes, 5-0, to bring our food out for a Sunday at 12:30! I could maybe see it taking 30 min on a Saturday night but this is far too long, we literally finished our beer well before they brought our food out. There was only one party of 4 in front of us who also had to wait well over 30 min. I understand being understaffed but we ordered sandwiches. I will give it to them, they were delicious which is the only reason they are getting 2 stars.

I love this place. It's one of my favorite spots to hang out. Being a part of the Trophy family it's no surprise I like. I love all of their locations. The room is a little small and probably only has 10 seats at the bar, but as long as the weather is good, there is plenty of outdoor seating which allows you to bring a dog if you like. There is always a good vibe here. They have a varied collection of vinyl and usually have good music playing. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. They'll always take the time to answer any questions you may have on their tap list or their retail inventory. They always have a great tap list and their wine choices, while limited, are typically very good. Their food menu is extensive for a bottle shop. I would definitely consider it gourmet. They have a variety of enticing hot and cold sandwiches and an ample number of small plates including the Charcuterie Plate. They make many items in house like their pimento cheese, which is excellent, and the giardiniera for the sandwiches. They also use quality, local bread from Yellow Dog Bread Company. On our most recent visit, Casey was doing food prep and overheard one of my friends say she wanted olives. Casey jumped in immediately and said she would gladly give her a small cup of olives. That's customer service! We had just come from dinner so we weren't likely to order any food so this was great. We engaged with her for some time and talked food as well as shared some of our favorite restaurants in the area. Another one of our friends had some questions on some bottles she was looking at. Casey helped as much as she could then brought in one of her peers to field some more detailed questions. If you sign up for their list they keep you up to date on special releases and the events that they have frequently. Check State of Beer out if you haven't already.

Beers are good. Sandwiches are good. Service is great. Dog friendly and a great, chill vibe for any weekday or weekend.

Lovely place!! Awesome food and a wonderful set up. The staff is really nice and the environment is quite comfortable .

Good place to stop for drinks before dinner. Limited seating inside for drinks, but tons of outdoor seating when the weather is nice. I've only drank here, but they do have a food menu. People by us have gotten some and it looked great!

Awesome food, great music!!! Excellent service!!!! We really enJOYed ourselves!!! Go visit Rishi soon!!!

This place was very good. Actually exceeded my expectations on food and beer selection! We got to State of Beer around noon on Saturday and it didn't start to get crowded until 1-ish. Looking forward to the weather getting warmer and bringing the pup to the patio area. I got the pimento cheese sandwich and my bf got the roast beef. Had one of my favorite beers I've ever had. A vanilla IPA from a NJ brewery.

This place has a nice selection of beer. It has an outdoor seating area and also a bar to sit indoors. They have certain beers on tap and three fridges where you can get some canned and bottled beer. They have a wider selection of beer that they sell but for an unknown reason to me they can only serve from those three fridges mentioned. Overall the staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was nice on the patio and indoors. They also had nice music playing. Only downside was their very cool temperature indoors.

Digging it. Was here on a weeknight with two other beer lovers and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Just know: it's counter service only. The guy who busses tables and brings the food came around and asked "Are you guys doing ok here?" and I said "I'll have another IPA please." and he said "Oh we don't have table service." We all had a chuckle, and I think he realized his queston was a little misleading. And it *is* a little confusing. If you do choose to get food, you order at the counter, but they bring that to you. Beer you get right then and there and take it to the table yourself. (Really not that confusing, but the question he posed threw me for a loop.) My friends and I shared a cheese plate. It was sooooo good. I liked the mustardy flavored cheese the best. And of course the manchego. Certainly will be returning here. It's close. It's pretty cheap. And I love beer. That is all.

Favorite spot in downtown Raleigh! The food is Excellent- sandwiches, paninis, charcuterie, even their pasta salad is the best I've ever had. Recommend the black bean dip too. The bar is long, plenty of outdoor seating too, the bartenders are all friendly and knowledgeable. Lots of beers on draft and Tons of local and non-local craft beers lining the walls. Out of a wall of coolers, they sell individuals to have in or carry out (create your own craft 4-pack), and cold or warm cases to grab before heading to a party.

I definitely consider this my neighborhood spot when I'm in raleigh. Love walking over and enjoying the beautiful patio. Always great local beer on tap and fantastic sandwiches. The Apple Brie is an excellent veg option on delicious bread. We have also enjoyed the bean dip and the cheese plate. Portions are generous for the price and the quality of ingredients is always choice. Time and again we have brought visitors from out of town here and it is often the favorite at the end of the trip. It's fun to peruse all the beer selection while waiting for your order!

I think this is just what Raleigh needed, an awesome sandwich and bottle shop. Bottle shops these days are by far my favorite places to hang out , add some food and I'm a happy girl. It's so nice to have really good food options while enjoying some tasty beers. They have a nice outdoor patio and a large bar to sit at as well. I sat at the bar on my visit and was greeted by the friendly staff with a menu full of delicious eats. It was hard to decide what to eat I ended up ordering the turkey sandwich but definitely have my eye on that ghost pepper salami sandwich for my next visit. Yup I'm already planning my return to State of Beer. My turkey sandwich was huge I actually took half of it home. DTR needed a sandwich shop bad and they are putting out some killer eats so definitely grab a beer and a bite when your here. Your sandwich comes with a side which I'm not sure but I imagine they must change them up every once in awhile. I really enjoyed the chickpea salad as my side today, you could also order chips or a side salad. I have found a new favorite spot in town I'm looking forward to coming back soon.

I can't even begin to tell you about the strange experience that I had at State of Beer. I'll start with the good: Ambiance: Chill crowd. Great location downtown. Lovely interior decor and a huge plus for me - awesome tees and glassware. Drinks: good selection of local and other on draft and in bottles. Food: menu was decent looking. Fiancé ordered an Italian, brother got a different hot sammich, and his gf got a salad. Service: this one... this is tricky. The bartender was awesome. She was quick, friendly, and personable. The cook.... good god I've never had such a terrible restaurant experience in my life. Here is where the story takes a turn. I ordered a turkey pesto with no tomato. Reasonable request, right? The cook brought the food out, and I pointed out "yes, I ordered that, but with no tomato." He looked at me, annoyed, and then noted he would remake it, marched away trying to give my sandwich away to three tables, noting it was a free sandwich. He was clearly agitated. Afterward, he came back to the table about 2 minutes later with the SAME sandwich with the tomato picked off. There was juice, seeds, and residue everywhere. I asked the bartender for extra napkins to wipe it off, and she said she'd just have a new one made and apologized. Moments after sitting back at my table, the cook came back out with a box in hand, took the tomato tainted sandwich, angrily (seriously, this was an actual angry action) dumped it into the box and muttered something about it being a tax write off. We all watched, stunned, as he shoved the box into a nearby planter. He came back and my fiancé asked if he was okay, and he raised his voice and accused my fiancé of staring at him. At this point, the bartender came out and was so confused by what she was seeing. I explained to her what was going on, the cook said nothing was going on; that my fiancé was "looking at him" so he was looking back. I was just damn hangry at this point and on the verge of tears from frustration. I just wanted a sandwich with no tomato! Thank goodness for the lovely bartender. She was kind enough to apologize on this guy's behalf, and comped our entire bill. We promptly left and headed down the street to another bottle shop to finish our meal (well, everyone but me. I still never got my sandwich and instead walked away with scrunched shoulders and an eye twitch).

Great service, fun crowd, love the running store next door. Communal bench seating. The beer I got was good - Deez Coconuts stout. Doesn't taste too sweet or strongly of coconut but still recommend. This place is great for a sunny day.

My first impression of State of Beer was that it's a place I'd happily return. While many locals might agree that the beer market in Raleigh is very "saturated", the uniqueness of SOB (should I say that?!) is recognized upon entry. With a sleek feel to the whole shop, exposed brick and beam and a wonderful open bar with silver tap handles, it feels classy (and a bit hipster with the expansive record collection and only the latest tunes playing). SOB brings some unique beers to the shop as well, with help from the owners, fellow Busy Bee and Trophy partners. You'll find limited editions but also Trophy collaborations you won't find other places. Twelve beer tap, with prices in line with Trophy's prices (a little high for the area) but a varied selection, and wine by the glass. There's also a wall of coolers for bottles/packs to take home and drink in shop by the bottle/can (with up-charge). But something you won't find at the other walkable bottle shops (five currently!) is food in house: sandwiches, salads and several platters. While I can't vouch for any of them, it's a first for bottle shops in the area. State of Beer was a first time four star experience (with a hopeful five star experience when tried and tested). I also have to say that the bartenders were awesome, they've been hired with good beer experience but also the ability to be molded into giving the customer a stellar experience (huge shout out to Rishi!) I look forward to returning and trying to food and am also so excited for the potential that State of Beer (and Runology next door) give to revamping Hillsborough Street.

Nice place to stop for a beer. Good selection of local beers on draft, and a ton of bottle & can beers available for purchase. We didn't order any food, but they did have a nice menu. Also enjoyed the background music they had....playing vinyl records. Wouldn't hesitate to try it again and get some food.

This is one of our favorite places. We love getting a beer on draft then browsing the shop for something to take home. They always have something great on the tap list. The place isn't huge but they pack a great selection onto thier limited shelves. I love that they always have a record playing and it's usually the perfect selection for the moment. And if the weather is right, they have a nice outdoor seating area. It's hard for us to pass through Raleigh without a stop.