Bonded by Bottles – the next big thing

With the opening of Bonded by Bottles, Jeff McKay has become a serial beer-trepreneur. The affable proprietor of Summit Beer Station, Huntington’s first craft-only draft house, now also operates the region’s most dynamic craft-beer bottle shop.

It’s a craft-exclusive concept we’re most familiar with in North Carolina. Think of Brusin’ Ales in Asheville, Salud in Charlotte, or Bottle Revolution in Raleigh. They don’t carry groceries. They’re not wine or liquor stores that happen to have a beer department. They focus on beer, but don’t carry PBR, Miller, Corona, Heineken, or Bud.

The shops are typically small but chock-full of the best beer available in their markets. They are run by craft-knowledgeable owners who excel at offering a high quality selection and superior customer service.

If you want the latest small batch, limited release; it’s where you go. If you want a special high-end Belgian; it’s where you go. If you have a question about a specific beer, brewery, or beer style, it’s where you get an answer. If you want to be sure your beer is fresh; it’s where you go.

It’s a level of service that a liquor store, drug chain, supermarket, or C-store cannot provide. And that service is worth a lot in today’s craft beer market—a market in which brands and SKUs are multiplying faster than closed WV coal mines.

Bonded by Bottles a growing business

Yes, Bonded by Bottles is just getting started. It’s a work in progress. Homebrew supplies will be arriving soon. Sometime after that comes the growler filling station. Hopefully along with the taps will come sampling and pints. That would really complete the parts needed to be a top-tier craft beer retail powerhouse, like those in North Carolina.

Because they eschew the popular labels you can find anywhere, specialty stores like Bonded by Bottles will never have the most beer. What they will have is the best beer. McKay opened the store with about 200 carefully curated beers. Expect this to grow as new brands enter the WV market, and grow more when he begins selling draught.

You might wonder that with all this specialization, won’t prices be high. Not in this case. Prices at Bonded by Bottles are very competitive. McKay says he plans to keep mark-ups reasonable. He wants Bonded by Bottles known as the kind of place you get a great beer for a fair price.

Willing to put in the hard work

Since opening Summit Beer Station a few years ago, McKay has proven himself the numero uno craft beer boss of the Huntington region. His influence even extends to Charleston where he has developed a large following among the craft beer community.

He’s not the least bit afraid of work.

McKay gets more limited-release  and specialty beers at his bar than anywhere else because he works it harder than anyone else.

A tireless advocate for better beer, his advocacy is responsible for more than one special beer being brought into the state. He hounds beer distributors and breweries seeking better beer for his bar. He supported legislative efforts to improve state beer laws.

At Summit, he conducts regular tap-takeover promotions and appearances by craft brewers. He is also one of the founding members of the group that puts on the state’s best beer event—Rails & Ales Craft Beer Festival.

This guy puts in the time it takes to produce excellent results.

Beer tastes better out of proper glassware

As McKay gets the shelves stocked, you will find a nice choice of glassware and other items associated with craft beer enjoyment. Beer really does taste better out of special craft beer glassware. Finding that glassware in the Huntington area could be difficult, but not any more.

Expect to see announcements of special bottle availabilities and new arrivals listed on the store Facebook page (and website, once he gets it going).

Even though glassware and homebrew supplies will be sold, beer will remain the prime focus at Bonded by Bottles. Knowing McKay’s reputation for obtaining new, hard-to-get labels and one-offs, we expect visiting his shop will be a pleasure for many years to come.

Location and Contact

Link to the store’s Facebook page