Cask

Their website says they close at 9:00 pm. I showed up at 8:40 and the door was locked with a bike but no person sitting inside the store. Either hire employees who will close when you say you will close or change your posted hours to reflect their lazy behaviors.

I took several bartending classes recently and Cask was recommended to me by the instructor. What a find! An excellent selection of liquor from around the world. Whether it’s bourbon, whiskey, vodka, scotch, or even beer and wine — you name it, they’ve probably got it.
The staff is fairly attentive and highly knowledgeable too. Prices are kind of high but not unreasonable, given the sheer variety and quality of what they stock here. Worth a visit if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary or something as a gift.

I came in for a quick bottle of vodka and ended up talking to the associates for a good 15 mins about whiskey and bourbon.
If you are in the area and are in need of some quality bottles of adult beverages, then this is the place to go to. I would highly recommend this location from the beginner or intermediate drinker all the way to the advance who are looking to build up their cellar.!!
Cheers to the help and to the owners for having a quality place to buy a bottle while on travel in San Francisco!

Nice, higher-​end shop with knowledgeable, and friendly staff. High quality selection for home bar, or for picking a few things for a party, but, you’re better off heading to bevmo if you’re stocking up as it’s a bit pricier. Good location (for me at least) as it sits 1 block south of Market right at the Montgomery BART/​Muni station.

Went hunting for a bottle of scotch for National Scotch Day, and this place fit the bill. They have a great selection of not only scotches by different regions, but other libations as well. Ended up with a bottle of Mortlach 15 year old, as recommended by the sales associate there. It was his favorite, with notes of savory beef broth, something that grabbed our attention. Odd as it sounds, this bottle did not disappoint! (although I did not taste any beef broth, more on the caramel and spice notes)
They also have a collection of some awesome, well-​made bar tools and glassware which I will have to make another trip!

I’m from Kentucky and know my bourbon. Considering the décor and pricing, I was expecting the place to cater to people like me. My wife got me a gift card to Cask for a present and while the selection was decent, it was nothing that I couldn’t find at BevMo, and the 2 people working there CLEARLY had zero desire to be working that day. They had little to no knowledge about some of the more specialized bottles and I had to practically beg the guy I paid to wrap my Eagle Rare bottle in some paper so I could comfortably take it home.

What a great quick-​stop for a bottle of scotch for good old pops. I wish I had more time to chat with the owner who helped me, because I felt like I could have learned a lot about their selection. He was so helpful once I told him the kind of scotch my dad likes, and most importantly, my budget (~$ 50). Yes fellow Unilocalers know its doable to find a good bottle for a reasonable amount in here.
The bottle is still wrapped (yes they wrapped it for me!), otherwise I’d share the result, but I have no doubt customers would walk out feeling well taken care of and happy with their choice. I would go back here in a heartbeat, and I think I’ll make this my newest bev stop before heading to my next partaaay.

Pretty great selection, except that their Japanese whisky selection is pretty woeful. Whose isn’t, though? :(
Their liqueurs and bitters section, on the other hand, would be pretty inspiring if I knew a single thing about mixology that doesn’t involve making an old fashioned. It’s a pretty fantastic wall of STUFF that I wish were better lit so that I could actually read what is on the labels, especially on the higher shelves.
But yeah, great selection that complements The Whisky Shop’s really well.

Knowledgeable, friendly and a huge-​ass selection.
I stopped by looking for a birthday bottle for a friend. He’s a big fan of rum – a liquor that I pretty much hate. I’d rather drink Windex. I let the guys know I wanted it to be special, and that I was willing to spend between $ 50-​$ 100. I was given three options, their origins and also a description of the taste.
Definitely looking forward to visiting again for a real man’s drink – whiskey. I hear they have Green Spot here, which will most likely be my next purchase.

Great selection of barware, bitters, and hard to find whisk (e)y. Both employees were friendly and very knowledgeable. It’s always fun nerding out about flavored simple syrup, bitters, and all things alcohol. My gf and I ended up buying a couple of tin on tin weighted (not Naranja brand) shakers, julep strainer, hawthorne strainer, and an atomizer.

My short and sweet review of the month. These guys know their stuff. They have plenty of alcohol and are very knowledgeable about it. I was on the Pappy Van Winkle hunt and they directed me to a few options/​places where I might be able to attain this exclusive drink.
They also don’t mark up their drinks, so while it is a bit pricey, you’re still getting a deal. It’s in the heart of downtown SF, so make sure you have a paper bag ready if you’re someone who likes fancy drinks and wants to drink right away!

I generally only come here because it’s around the corner from where I live and I’m usually in need of something quick to bring to a party.
The selection looks pretty good from what I can tell. I’ve discovered good whiskeys and wines at what strike me as reasonable retail prices.
Generally speaking the service ranges from unhelpful to plain rude. You never feel welcomed there, and a «thanks!» after getting rung up will be met with complete silence.

While I find their selection to be impeccable I felt the service was lacking. Upon entering I wasn’t really welcomed and had to ask for assistance.
Other patrons of the shop were invited to a complimentary tasting, I was not.
Once I was finally assisted I didn’t feel a very personable touch, more like I was being rushed to decide. I finally bought a bottle, as a gift for my manager and they ended up gift wrapping it which was nice. Can’t say I’d return though.

STOP GOING TO BEVMO, GUYS
And if you’re a human buying a gift for a male human– this is where you go.
It was my favorite co-worker’s birthday and I wanted to get this whiskey drinker a nice gift, so I stopped in on my way to BART because Cask is *right* there.
I was thinking of getting Jameson 12-​year. They didn’t have it, though they kindly offered to order it (as if I plan ahead). What is so great about Cask is that they have locally distilled bottles with very nice looking, old timey labels. This makes for an exponentially better gift. I purchased a really nice looking single malt made right here in San Francisco.
They do a great job gift wrapping, which is great because I do not (!)
Come here to grab an unfamiliar bottle– No more Bevmo, support local businesses, buy better stuff ya’ll.

Very lovely selection of beverages.
Have I been there?
No.
So how are you reviewing a place that you’ve never been to, Loli?
Because they have a shop online!
They deliver?
Oh, yes. Some dude on a bicycle delivered our carefully selected bottles from their shop on the cyberweb.
Carefully selected bottles?
Yup. Sounded better than saying fancy liquor.
Couldn’t you just go to BevMo?
No. For multiple reasons but the short answer is no.
Delivery, Loli. Really?
Yes. Because sometimes in life, it’s more convenient when stuff just shows up at your door instead of hauling it all the way home. You know?

Can’t go wrong with Cask — particularly if you are in the market for something that’s a little off the beaten path and unique.
I’ve been here twice — both times seeking out a bottle of bourbon for a gift. I’m not a bourbon guy but the team at Cask had no problem hooking me up. The first trip I settled on a 10 year Michter’s, and the second trip I went big and walked out buying the new 20 year Michter’s. It wasn’t cheap, but it was slightly less expensive than if I had purchased it online (PS: This isn’t the place to go if you want a bottle of Phillips peppermint schnapps). Not to mention the Michter’s 20 year is a rare bottle and not easy to get — they just happened to get one in.
Service was outstanding both times, very informative and they even shipped it to my friend for a reasonable price. Both times the bourbon did not disappoint. I guarantee I will be back!

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Cask wine shop is 1 of my favorite to go to when I need last minute gift. Small little shop but pack with lots of different stuff for spirit lovers. Love their bourbon, and whiskey, especially Japanese whiskey selection. Service is efficient here. Cask is place I know exactly what I need to get. Get in, get out, and get it done.

My roommate took me here today and I wasn’t exactly sure what I was walking into at first. I thought she was taking me to a bar. Nope! She told me I would like this place, and she was correct.
I was actually in the market for a new whiskey, single malt scotch. Walking in, I really enjoyed the décor of the place. All wooden and walls lined with alcohol. It gives you the vibe as if you were walking into an old 1930’s saloon.
They also offer wines, bitters, other flavourings, beers, and specialty hard liquors (rums, tequilas, vodkas). They have a lot of Whiskey’s though, and most I’ve never seen before.
I asked for some recommendations. I forgot the name of the guy who helped me, but he was extremely knowledgeable on the different Whiskeys. Well, I’m not very knowledgeable about the history and geographical brew sites, nor am I extremely familiar with the whole distilling process. He went on to describe the general character differences of whiskeys from different regions and also talked a bit about how the flavours differ slightly with the different casks and added flavourings. He helped me pick out a few whiskey’s and I ended up going with the Glendronach 21 year. (He did ask me for a price range, and gave me quite a few options in that price range, but decided to go with one outside of my range).
Overall, service was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Great selection of specialty alcohols. Highly recommended, and I will return.

Cask is the store for the proprietor of the craft cocktail lounge. Any obscure liqueur or liquor or bitters is probably at this store. They have hundreds of different brands to choose from at decent prices. In addition, there are many professional supplies such as shakers, corkscrews, channel knives, and jiggers.
I spent an hour in this small store just examining all the offerings. If you’re looking for something obscure or stocking your bar to the max, you should stop here.

You know the saying, «She’s been through the entire football team»?
Well, I’ve been through the entire distillery plant, barrel-​house, and then some.
My final straw was when Mr. Hendrick’s, Mr. Goose, and Mr. Patron decided to tag team on me at The Grand. I ended up doing some IwouldhavetokillyouifItoldyou unmentionables and woke up to to a very, very upset Mr. NSS. Needless to say, I severed all ties with the misters except for the bf of course.
And then Mr. Fernet unexpectedly came into my life. I was in the midst of the Hershey squirts (stomach bug) and my friend suggested I try Mr. Fernet. At first, the taste was undoubtedly horrendously vile (like black licorice flavored Listerine) BUT it cured my bubble guts and I’ve never left Mr. Fernet’s side since. Apparently I’m not the only one who loves Mr. Fernet as San Francisco makes up for more than ¼ths of US fernet consumption. It’s believed to cure anxiety, stomachaches, headaches and prevent aging (see article:
). Seriously, I’m hooked. I’m a true believer of this mysterious herbal concoction and it’s the ONLY thing liquor I will drink now (it doesn’t give you a hangover but do NOT mix). Chase it with some ginger ale and you’ll be all good.
Wanting to spruce up variations of Mr. Fernet, Cask came to the rescue with not one, not two but 9 kinds of fernet! 9 KINDS:
!!! Most liquor stores don’t even carry fernet. Even BevMo only carries one kind: Fernet Branca and charges $ 5 more than Cask for it. *one finger salute to BevMo*
I walked away with two bottles: Mr. Fernet Branca and Mr. Jelinek Fernet (cinnamon flavored). I guess I’ll be having a little fun with BOTH of the misters this weekend if you know what I mean *ahem ahem*.
I know, I know… poor Mr. NSS. Good thing he has HANDgela and PALMela to keep him occupied!
OTHER NOTES:
*Friendly and very knowledgeable staff.
*Part of the Bourbon & Branch, Swig, Rickhouse, Tradition and Local Edition team.
*THE place to go to find rare liquors, wines, and beers.
*Reasonable prices and cheaper than BevMo.
*On-​site engraving service which will make that bottle extra special for gift giving.
*Delivery available but pricey at $ 20+ for ground delivery in SF.
*Take public transportation. Most surrounding parking meters are for commercial vehicle loading only.