The best (read: cheapest) happy hour will always be the one you host at your apartment. And as the holidays approach, you might find yourself in need of festive beverages—whether to celebrate the season or drown your sorrows. The long and short of it is that people drink a lot, especially in the winter, and you're going to need a place to stock up. Whether you're looking for something special or just a good deal, you'll be swimming in choices at these area liquor stores. Photo by Doug Duvall. Whenever my bar-hopping evenings take me to Georgetown, I make a point of stopping in to Potomac Wines and Spirits to pick up a rare or specialty liquor. As a spirits blogger, I really appreciate Potomac’s selection of international liqueurs and aperitifs that classic cocktail recipes often call for. It’s a small store; they have to be selective about what they carry. Their inventory is necessarily not especially broad, but they have a whole shelf for amari and herbal liqueurs, and each spirit category is well represented with rare bottlings, not just popular brands.

The shopper is encouraged to try new things on impulse. I found that their staff was very knowledgeable and able to describe the differences in flavors between similar products, which makes the impulse purchase that much easier. food and wine best foodie streets Potomac Wines And Spirits is located at 3100 M Street NW.best bc wines 2014 TRADER JOE'S: Over the years, wine has become more populist as less-expensive options hit the shelves. wine gift set amazonBut you'll never find a more populist bottle than the Two-Buck Chuck—Trader Joe's mind-boggingly cheap wine. best bottle of wine for 100And the discount grocery store has options for other price-points if you've got $10 or more to burn, as well as a serviceable beer selection that includes DC Brau. best wine for gift giving 2016

Is the Two-Buck Chuck the kind of stuff you want to uncork on your anniversary? But it's definitely the kind of stuff you want in your pantry...and your mouth.best wine to drink india OLD LINE FINE WINE, SPIRITS AND BISTRO: Partly filling the huge shell left by an old Circuit City (the other half of the space houses Atomic Music), the wide aisles of this one-stop liquor superstore on Route 1 makes it easy to take in at a glance a huge selection of fairly-priced spirits. best cheap wine making kitA wall of lambics, for instance, gives you more than enough options for even the most specialized beer party; best wine kit brandmy recent purchases include a six-pack of 4 Hands Chocolate Milk Stout and a special edition ceramic bottle of Kraken. best wine deals christmas 2014

Even better, the attached bistro offers a menu full of excellent television-themed burgers; I opted for the gouda and bbq sauce topped True Blood, cooked rare, of course, but you may want to try the ham-and-pineapple-garnished Mad Men.—Pat Padua Old Line is located at 11011 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. BATCH 13: It wouldn't be Logan Circle if there wasn't a bougie place to buy your booze. Batch 13 fills that void and then some, packing it's two floors with obscure and hard-to-find goodies in the wine and liquor department. Those on the hunt for local booze will also have good luck—there's no need to schlep out to Ivy City for that seasonal Green Hat gin you've been lusting after. Artisan bar accouterments, like specialty tonic waters and shrubs, are also well-stocked in case you want to go full mixologist at home. Stop in on the weekend to catch one of their free tastings. Batch 13 is located at 1724 14th St NW. LION'S FINE WINE AND SPIRITS: Looking to shop in style?

Forget the labyrinthine walkways of most liquor stores when you walk into the well-appointed Lion's. The spacious store belies a huge selection of wine in the front and beer in the back, as well as a ton of fine liquors behind the counter, all with the warm lighting you're more likely to find in a home goods shop. If you're feeling particularly lucky, play the lotto and take advantage of the immense counter space to scratch off your ticket and see if you've hit it big. Lion's Fine Wine and Spirits is located at 3614 Georgia Ave. NW. ONE WEST DUPONT CIRCLE WINE AND LIQUORS: If you're looking for a standard six pack of beer or bottle of vodka, I'd suggest taking your business elsewhere; any corner liquor shop can hook you up (and probably for less money). This is a store for folks looking for a gift-able liquor or wine--something interesting, obscure, and priced to match. The staff are knowledgeable and happy to provide recommendations based on the occasion. On my last visit they happily walked a friend through the formidable whiskey selection, so don't be afraid to ask for help lest you become dizzy staring at endless rows of brown liquor.

You can also save time wandering around the multilevel store by browsing online. One West Dupont Circle Wine and Liquors is located at 2012 P St NW. CALVERT WOODLEY FINE WINES AND SPIRITS: Let's put aside Calvert Woodley's many options for buying alcohol for a moment—trust that it provides a plethora—and talk about what really makes this place special. This place has a fully-stocked deli so you can make sure you're well-fed before you begin your night of revelry. And we're not talking about the kind of bagels you buy in bags at the grocery store. This is that fresh, airy goodness that will keep the New York bagel snobs at bay. Calvert Woodley Fine Wines and Spirits is located at 4339 Connecticut Ave. NW. D'VINES: Hop off the Columbia Heights metro and right into this phantasmagoria of craft brews and wine. Looking for something to fill up your beer pong cups? Perhaps the nearby Giant is better-suited to your needs. But if you want a beer that'll start a conversation or get your taste buds humming, this is your spot.