Frequently Asked Questions

There are many questions that 99 Bottles® beer stewards are asked a lot. Here’s a list of them, and their answers.

Do you ship beer?

Due to the complexities of state licensing, legal, accounting, and shipping logistics, 99 Bottles doesn’t ship beer. Visit 99 Bottles on your next trip to Washington state and transport unique beers home with you.

Do you ship brewerania and gift cards?

99 Bottles welcomes brewerania and gift card orders. Brewerania includes beer glasses, t-shirts, bottle openers, and other non-alcoholic collectible beer items. Contact us via e-mail and tell us what you’re looking for. If we have it in stock, you’ll receive a PayPal invoice for the items + shipping & handling fees. Once payment is received, we’ll promptly ship the items to you.

Please note, gift cards are for in-store use only.

How many beers do you have?

We maintain a store inventory of over 1,000 beers.

Can you get a beer for me?

Yes, if it is available in Washington State.

As a continuation of laws from the Prohibition-era, all alcoholic beverages are subject to Federal and State laws.
These laws state that to be imported into a country, a beer needs to be represented by a U.S. importer, with labeling approved by the Federal government, and to be
distributed in our state the beer must have a state-licensed distributor and be approved by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
Hence, 99 Bottles can only get the beer if it is available thru a Washington state licensed beer distributor.

If you don’t see your beer on the list, contact us and tell us what you’re looking for. If the beer is available in Washington state, it’s likely that we can order it for you. (Some beers not regularly stocked by 99 Bottles may require full case purchase.) 99 Bottles keeps a list of beer requests, and periodically forwards that list to our Washington importer-distributor contacts for consideration.

Why isn’t this beer in Washington state?

While we can speculate as to the reason a beer may not be available in Washington, the best way for you to find out is to contact the brewery directly.

Some beers are produced by small breweries that only sell and distribute beer in their locale, others may not find it cost-effective to export beer to Washington state. Some beers are simply draft-only products and aren’t offered in bottles. And in some cases, the beer may have once been available in Washington state but lost its importer, distributor, or may have had insufficient brand support to remain viable in the Washington market.

Do you import beer?

No. 99 Bottles is a specialty beer store licensed to sell beer in the State of Washington. In the United States it is illegal for retail stores to import or distribute beer.

How fresh is the beer?

99 Bottles maintains beer at its freshest by providing an optimal beer environment. Light, temperature, and oxygen shorten the life of beer. That’s why the lights at 99 Bottles are shielded with UV-filters and temperatures are maintained at constant cool levels. 99 Bottles also regularly rotates its stock and brings in small quantities, ensuring quick rotation of beers that have shorter lifespans.

Some ales are cellerable and improve with age. 99 Bottles maintains the store at a cool temperature, so these bottles are cellar-ready.

Do you carry gluten-free beer?

Yes. 99 Bottles carries Bard’s Tale Beer and Green’s Gluten Free Beers. Most hard ciders are also gluten-free. Some people with allergies may be able to drink oatmeal stouts; check with your doctor.

Can I drink at 99 Bottles?

99 Bottles sells beer to-go for off-site consumption only, so you can drink your beer safely at home.

You can drink beer samples for a tasting fee + ID at 99 Bottles’s beer tasting events.

Our neighbor, WineStyles, allows you to drink your 99 Bottles-purchased beer for a small cap/corkage fee. They also offer appetizer plates and wine by the glass.

Can I buy more than one bottle?

Yes! At 99 Bottles, all beer is priced by the bottle, giving you the convenience of choosing singles and mixing your packs. If you want more than one bottle of a specific label, just pull them from the shelf or ask for assistance. You are welcome to purchase as much as we have in stock.

Do I get a discount for buying six?

A six-pack is six times the bottle price. Discounts are given on brewery-packaged cases.

Can I get a case of my favorite beer?

99 Bottles typically brings in each beer a case at a time, providing you with the freshest beer available. While we’ll sell you what’s available at the store, we cannot guarantee a full case will be in stock at the time of your visit. Hence, if you know in advance that you’ll want a full case of a specific beer, you are encouraged to submit an order in advance.

If you need a full case of your favorite beer, advance orders are encouraged. Orders placed by Tuesday afternoon generally arrive by Friday; certain brands may have longer lead times. All orders are subject to distributor availability; please keep in mind that out-of-stocks may occur at the distributor level, for which 99 Bottles has no control.

99 Bottles will notify you upon arrival of your case(s). Orders must be picked up within seven days of notification or will be considered abandoned. 99 Bottles reserves the right to refuse to accept orders from customers who have previously abandoned orders.

What kind of beer can I order?

Most beer listed on the beer list or in recent editions of The Weekly Brews can be ordered. Seasonal beers can be ordered during their release period; sorry, we cannot get out-of-season beers for you. Rare and limited release beers may have bottle limits and may not be available as full cases.

Orders for “macrobrews” not typically carried by 99 Bottles, such as Budweiser, Coors, Michelob, or Miller products — or flavored malt beverages, may require a credit card. If such orders not picked up within 7 days of notification, they are subject to a nonrefundable 10% stocking fee.

Is there a discount for full cases?

Yes. 99 Bottles offers a 5% discount on brewery-packaged cases. 99 Bottles Club Members receive 10% discount on their brewery-packaged cases.

How much beer comes in a case?

It depends on the bottle size and brand. While a few brands package 6, 8, 9, or 15 bottles per case; most brands follow these guidelines:

Do you sell kegs?

Yes. All kegs are available on an advance order basis. Generally orders placed on/by Tuesday afternoon generally arrive on/by Friday; some brands have longer lead times. All orders are subject to availability from our distributors. Find out which kegs are available and get more keg info.

Occassionally you’ll see table-top 5L party barrels are on the counter at 99 Bottles beer store. When ordering 5L party barrels, keep in mind that some have long lead times or rotating availability — ask at the store for details.

When do I need to place my order? …and when will it arrive?

Beer orders placed on Tuesday afternoon typically arrive on Friday afternoon; certain beers may require a longer lead time.
All preorders are subject to distributor availability.

How much beer should I get for my party?

Certified party planners recommend an average of three beers per person. For “beer tasting” parties, plan for 4 to 5 ounce pours per person, with a variety of four to nine beers.

Can you meet or beat the price offered by a large grocery chain?

99 Bottles doesn’t barter or haggle. While we strive to keep margins low and competitive, 99 Bottles carry a limited variety of products — essentially just beer and brewerania — in comparison, grocery stores have thousands of varieties of products to offset their beer prices.

Many of our customers and beer connoisseurs have told us that we’re on-par for pricing, and that our prices are often 5–10% lower than other Northwest specialty beer stores.

How much is left on my gift card?

On the back of your gift card is a toll-free phone number and a card ID number. Just call the number and follow the instructions to get the balance available on your gift card.

Is this a 99-cent store? Where’s the 99-cent beer?

There are a few 99-cent beers, but 99 Bottles is a specialty beer store, not a 99-cent store! The name, 99 Bottles, is from the song: “99 Bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer…”
Listen to the song.

Are you a franchise?

No. 99 Bottles is an independent, local family owned and operated beer store.

I like your concept. Can I open a 99 Bottles beer store, or invest in the concept?

Investors, direct serious inquiries only to 99 Bottles’s designated agent. No franchisee inquiries.
Snure Law Office, P.S.C.
612 South 227th Street
Des Moines, WA 98198-6826

Are you hiring?

99 Bottles is not currently hiring. However, we welcome your application, should we need additional help. Read the beer clerk job description. If you think you’re the right beer clerk for us, deliver your completed application to 99 Bottles.