By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Marlborough—With a new store in Sudbury, Sperry’s Liquors now has six locations around the Metrowest area, offering a particularly broad selection of craft beers.
The Sudbury store sells only beer and wine, but Sperry’s Wayland store, which opened about two years ago, has now received a full liquor license and sells liquor as well.
The state has increased the number of liquor licenses a firm can have from five to seven, and Brian Libby, Sperry’s general manager, noted, “If the right situation opened up, we could foresee a seventh location in the future.”
Sperry’s also has two stores in Marlborough, one in Hudson and one in Southborough. The stores include a walk-in humidor for cigars and small gourmet food sections. Southborough sells convenience grocery items as well.
“Our prices are among the lowest in the area, and we see ourselves as a community retailer, sponsoring local teams and events,” said Tony Speranzella, who now owns the company his father started 35 years ago.
“We’ve seen a lot of competition come in from the big box stores and have expanded the lines we carry to meet them. We’re a family business, and we want to be your local, neighborhood store.”
“All our stores offer a huge craft beer selection,” Libby said. “In Sudbury, for example, we carry close to 300 different craft beers. Craft beer fans enjoy trying new varieties.”
“Our selection of wines varies from everyday bottles to the finest vintages. We have something for every price range,” including a wide selection of sparkling wines.
The Sperry’s stores host weekly wine and beer tastings. Check the store for specific times and offerings.
Sperry’s experienced store managers and staff can recommend wine, beer and liquor choices for any occasion. The staff is also able to help with party planning.
With the summer season in full swing, Libby offered some suggestions for summer-friendly beverages to compliment beach picnics, barbecues, or simply sipping on the deck.
Chilled rose wines are a lighter and festive option for summer meals, and are also available in sparkling varieties. Sperry’s carries roses from France, Italy, Chile and California. Libby suggested trying Fagile rose from France, Planeta from Sicily, or Bertarose from Italy.
Vinho verde white wines from Portugal are another inexpensive summer choice, crisp with a hint of carbonation.
“Sauvignon blancs are perfect to sip while sitting on the deck,” Libby said, suggesting two from New Zealand, Oyster Bay and Villa Maria, to try.
A popular trend in beers now is flavored beer, he noted, pointing to shelves of beers with grapefruit, pineapple, watermelon, mango and a host of other fruit flavors. That beer trend mirrors the popularity of spiked, fruity seltzers. Spritzers in low-carbohydrate and gluten-free versions are also available.
Hard cider is a fast-growing category as well.
“Many of the craft beers are now offering their products in cans, especially good for the pool or beach” where glass bottles are not allowed, he said. Several breweries are selling mixed 12-packs with three or four different varieties of their beers in a single carton.
On the liquor side, margaritas and gin and tonic continue to be popular choices for hot-weather consumption. The Moscow mule, a drink combining ginger beer and vodka and usually served in copper mugs, is the current trendy cocktail.
“The hottest liquor category, however, is small-batch bourbons,” Libby said. Sperry’s stores carry a strong selection of these bourbons from a number of distilleries.
Continuing the flavored fashion into the liquor aisle are vodkas ranging from grapefruit and lemon to coconut.
Hours for each individual store, directions, and contact information is available on the company’s website, www.sperrysliquors.com.