Secrets of the City

If they don’t have Little Kings cream ale, why bother?

I go to the Netherlands for fancy beer. Southern part, near Belgium.

Or I go to the liquor store and buy Tilburg Brown Ale.

France 44 has an awesome walk-in cooler of domestic beers. Lots of good local and semi-local stuff.

I think this would have been necessary three years ago. Then, when I moved up here, nobody had a good selection and I called Dirty John’s in Iowa City to ask for a recommendation; the reply was that the best in the Twin Cities was Blue Maxx in Burnsville.

It still is, but barely. Now that “beer is the new wine” (as it damn well should be), Surdyk’s and even Zipp’s carry a selection that’s plenty to keep me busy. If we’re missing out on something (Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA) it’s because there’s no distributor in the state anyways.

Then again, maybe they’ll surprise us somehow. It may be nice to have somebody knowledgeable in the store; the Surdyk’s people only seem to know wine.

Liquor Village on the Ford Parkway (just about across from the Ford plant) is pretty good selection-wise. I’d check out this Four Firkins place for sure.

I’ve had good luck ordering kegs of specialty beers from Zipp’s. I prefer draft beer, so I bought a kegerator a few years ago. I found a guy at Zipp’s who was willing to email with me about the beers they can order, make recommendations based on beers I like, and point me toward reviews and other resources on the web.

Did Liquor Village used to be a Haskins, or is this some other place on Ford Parkway?

I just discovered Heritage Liquor in Maplewood off of Frost Ave.

The owner, Joe, really knows his beer and is will to talk beer to your hearts delight. The store has the most high end beers I’ve ever seen in a small space.

Surdyk’s was always my favorite, although there was a place I went once in Bloomington that was pretty good (Blue Ox?). France 44 was acceptable as well.

Surdyk’s was the only one that reliably had the 750ml bottles of Westmalle Triple and Saxo Blonde that I was looking for.

Oh, and if you really want fancy beer, Cafe Gollem is the place to go. That’s where I had my one and only bottle of Westvleteren 12.

Anyone know where I can get a belgian Faro? It’s a muddled-sugar lambic, not cherry or raspberry. Really nice and I’d love to find some as all the lambic you see around here are the fruit variety.

Where on Mntka Blvd is this going to be? Because if it’s within a mile of my apartment, that will make 4 liquor stores within a 4 mile radius of me.

BTW, I get my fancy beers at either Surdyks or there’s a cute little place near the Lunds in Minnetonka on Highway 7.

For my fancy beer needs I make the drive to Blue Max in Burnsville, the Cellars on Lexington/Larpenteur and Ciccones or Cassanovas in Hudson but rarely Surdyks or France 44. I would bet the people at Blue Max would be able to tell you if a faro were available here. I completely agree that all the lambics I see are the fruity lindemann’s variety. yech.

That sounds tasty Saloth. I always buy the peach lambics. I don’t like the other fruit flavors though.

I <3 u, surdyk's!
I stare longingly at you out my apartment window all the time.

Where on Mntka Blvd is this going to be?

Minnetonka & Texas. Isn’t there a liquor store already there?

I usually buy what’s on sale at Surdyk’s.

I stare longingly at you out my apartment window all the time.

I’m sure Surdyk’s loves you too, wayne, in a non-gay kinda way.

Cub Foods.

Wine Thief, Thomas Liquors, Zipps, Cellars in MN

Casanova’s in Hudson for New Glarus, Dogfish Head

Liquor Barrel usually has all I need…if I need to broaden the selection a touch more it’s off to Zipps or Sir-Dicks. Ciccone’s in Hudson whenever I’m headed that way just because there are quite a few beers that are distro’d to ‘Sconnie and not to MN.

I’m excited to see this place opening. Will be perfect for finding just the right beer to go with my monthly Cranberry Chicken Curry carry out run to Thanh Do.

I like a place that has variety at decent prices:

Thomas Liquors on Grand Avenue
MGM @ Lexington & Larpentuer
Big Top @ Snelling & Uni; St. Paul’s answer to Chicago/Lake Liquor
Cork & Barrel (I think) next to the Rainbow on 10th & Hadley in Oakdale
For Belgians and other unique stuff, Wine Thief on St. Clair Avenue.

any good Lambics?

“If we’re missing out on something (Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA)…”

I have a buddy in Chicago that just picked me up a 4-pack of this, and two 4-packs of the 90 minute. I’m giddy, even though I won’t be able to pick it up until the 2nd weekend in July.

justpbob italicized us to death.

Hey, I so closed my tab.

Minnetonka and Texas! Holy crap, I could walk there!

El único almacén de licor que necesito es Chicago-Lake Liquor! Es la verdad!

On a related note, I am not aware of any business with a greater disparity between the relative classiness of their website and their physical location than Chicago-Lake Liquor. Look at those rolling green vineyards on the front page! Maybe that’s supposed to be Powderhorn Park.

I am partial to the MGM near Lake Calhoun. I think it’s a pretty awesome collection of beers–all refrigerated!

I am excited about this place ‘cuz it’s almost in my neighborhood. Or at least a short bike ride away (I like how they include the bike trails on the map).

No more italics for you, bob.

US Liquor and Wine is that fantastic place in Minnetonka off of 7 near Lunds. Simply amazing selection and the staff is super friendly and helpful.

Princeton’s Liquors at 494 and Bass Lake Road in Maple Grove has a great selection of specialty beer. And an e-mail list, so the owner will hold beer for you when he gets new stuff.

I now declare SLP the booziest suburb in the Metro Area.

Re: Chicago-Lake liquors
Their website is awesome. I use them to buy wine in bulk. It is significantly cheaper than anyone else, save the really big sales.

I may be wrong, but I thought the Four Firkins was actually opening the 24th, but holding it’s [cue ominous music] Graaaaand Opening June 14th.

This Saturday is the 24th. The 14th is a typo. Unless Max has a time machine.

I do have a time machine, but that was a typo.

Fancy beer you say? When I want fancy beer, first I grab one of these, then I pour one of these, then I put on one of these, and that’s as fancy as I need!

Bob, I think there’s a Haskell’s a block up from the Liquor Village. Maybe’s it an MGM.

Just checked out the Chicago-Lake Liquors website. That’s a cruel joke for the uninitiated.

justpbob, Liquor Village is nearer the Ford Parkway/46th bridge. Haskell’s specializes in wine, and is up the hill a bit, between Petco and Baker’s Square.

Though Liquor Village specializes in the cheap 24-pack, not craft beer.

In that area, I recommend Thomas Liquor, who has a fine selection of good, not-as-pricey-as-you’d-think beer. Across the river, try Skol, in Seward. They have a pretty small selection, but it rotates and is damn fine.

Also check Sharrett’s on University and Raymond, and East Lake Liquor at 34th and Lake.

er… excuse me… 40th and Lake.

Drinking Budweiser with a monocle? Is that more of an insult to hardworking German St. Louisians or effete English aristrocrats? Or both?

Not much of a beer guy. I’m fond of the fortified wines in winter — sherries, port, maderia, etc. — so I already knew that Haskells. The White Bear Lake store is closer to my home, so I haven’t been to the Ford Parkway store in some time.

Surdyk’s selection of port is very good, BTW.

I have tried Sake (warm, of course) in several restaurants lately and found I really like the stuff. Any recommendations on what brands I should try at home (not too expensive)??

Don’t drink your sake warm, unless it is inexpensive/recommended on the label. The big thing about nihonshu is to finding which style you prefer. Check the labels and decide wether or not you are a junmai, ginjo or daiginjo kind of person. Also many of the big sake brewers will have a dryness scale on the back label. These are a big help. Avoid the low end gekkeikan and ozeki. I could write an essay on cheap sake in isshyo bin from my youth.

St. Anthony Wine and Spirits near Kensington Place and the Hennepin County storefront library has beer tastings on Wednesdays. I can’t say I’ve been very impressed with their selection, but I give ‘em points for trying.

The most “specialty” beers I look for are Fat Tire’s 1554 or a Hacker-Pschorr Weiss. Each of those I can find at my neighborhood Surdyk’s or even Richfield Liquors. My pallette isn’t sufficiently sophisticated to know what a lambic is, let alone to look for one.

I’m with JACC – Heritage in Maplewood is sweet (though I’m pretty sure Joe isn’t the owner but the recently-hired “beer guy”… he writes for TC Imbiber, etc.). We moved about a mile from Heritage a year ago and since that time, the beer selection has exploded. I didn’t expect to have such an awesome liquor store so close to our house in that area. And yes, Joe (and the owner) will talk your ear off and point you to all sorts of tasty new things to try.

I knew they were special when they were one of the first two liquor stores to sign on to Brew52’s program of offering six packs of the upcoming review beers.

Living in the south Minneapple, getting good beer is not a problem. It’s the getting of bad beer that requires a bit of a drive. I was trying to find Michaelob Golden Light and I had to drive all the way to Zipps. Hrrmph!

Wise man say “warm sake for round-eye only”

I like the cloudy stuff. Nigorizake. Big flavor, little nuance.

I once had a lghtly sparkling nigorizake at a temple festival that blew my mind. I have never been able to find it again.

I drink my sake warm, and my eyes aren’t round! They’re, um, eye-shaped.

They bottle that stuff toward the end of the fermentation process, as opposed to after, which causes the bubbles when opened. Never tried it, but would love to. If you find it, let me know where.

good Sake should not be drank Warm, there is a reason why surdyk’s refrigerate their premium Sake – not only at the store – but also on the trip while being imported &

when I’m drinking, my eyes look like this… X X

you may have noticed it after I polished off that Buffalo Grass Vodka.

I’m with you, max. Tokyo be damned, I likes me sake warm..

Buffalo Grass Vodka with apple juice FTW

@g3rg – That’s interesting.

I actually just found the place this weekend. I was coming hom from Phalen Waterfest and the wife wanted to stop at the bakery. A buddy and I scoffed and said ‘Let’s see what fine selection of alcohol they have in this place’

I walked in with the type of expectations that come from way too many small city liquor stores and was instantly impressed. I said ‘Holy Shit you have a lof of really good beer’ and Joe said ‘You’re not even in the specialty beer section yet.’

Beer Nirvana. They he showed me a $200 bottle of beer and I asked if it should be drank in a brandy snifter at which point he produced a specially designed Reidel glass made just for the beer.

Hilarious.

Fat Tire is about as fancy as I get. You can get that all over the place now.

Fat Tire is the Coors of the American IPA world. Once you’ve had a good IPA, it’s just Colorado Mountain Pisswater.

Breeding parents gernally can’t palate apple juice in their cocktails. Too many bad memories of spilled bottles and missing rubber nipples.

Hey, I think a place is a fancy beer place if they sell Kronenberg 1664. So far I’ve only seen it at MGM, Surdyks, and USA Liquors. My dad buys 2 cases of it when he visits from Sioux Falls.

Yet, Fat Tire isn’t an IPA. OoOoOoOoh.

I’ll often buy what the woman is handing for samples at Surdyk’s.

I have absolutely no guiding light for beer. Try that stuff, try this stuff. Maybe settle on two or three that you buy regularly.

And I think a good beer drinker never apologizes for drinking cheap beer.

That’s my philosophy.

Surdyk’s most of the time. Chicone’s for all thing New Glarus. Townhall, Barley John’s, Mac’s & Bulldog for daughts.

Slight departure (but still indirectly about beer) –

Anyone else watching the UEFA championship this afternoon?

I’ll be watching the second half at the Bulldog.

I’ll be watching it on Channelsurfing.net, hopefully. I’m not a fan of either team, but I’d like to see Ronaldo cry.

One of my favorite summer beers is Furthermore Proper (Spring Green, WI). Last year, I only found it at Surdyk’s, then later at Thomas Liquor, then much later at Zipp’s. Now they sell it all over the Twin Cities, so check it out, as well as their Belgian (”Fatty Boombalatty”) their Stout (”Three Feet Deep”) and their APA (”Knot Stock”).

Really, excellent.
And I promise they didn’t pay me a cent to talk them up like this.

I think Furthermore was picked up by Alcorn in the last year, along with Brau Brothers…and another brewery that I can’t remember right now, thus being able to get it almost anywhere now.

I really have nothing more to offer.

Ah…Fat Tire is supposed to be an amber ale. Now I get it. Meh…I’d rather have a Bell’s Amber with the Heron on it. It was the house tap @ the last bar I managed and I must have consumed 3 kegs just by myself.

My motto on cheap beer…if you have to drink cheap beer, at least make it PBR.

It was is sure to be a perfect storm of MNspeak fodder, I’d like to mix this discussion of beer with the state of our welfare system.

Biking in today, I saw a bunch of discarded beer bottles on the side of the path, under a bridge. Mind you, this is a common sight. But here’s the rub: they were empty Bell’s Two Hearted Ales.

Have at it.

Teenagers with reports due on Hemmingway?

I have not found a Furthermore beer that I have liked. I think part of the problem is that it clearly states on the packaging that it needs to be refridgerated at all times, but it never is. But, I don’t know if I would like it even if handled properly.

Panhandlers can make $12-15 an hour, tax free. Much better than welfare.

Larry Bell is re-enacting the story of Johnny Appleseed.

Panhandlers can make $12-15 an hour, tax free. Much better than welfare.

Wow, and here I’ve been reworking my resume over and over. Plus, my favorite beer is Miller High Life. Think of the money I could sock away.

Panhandlers can make $12-15 an hour, tax free. Much better than welfare.

That and they can work on the tan while using their people skills.

That and they can work on the tan while using their people skills
What does lifeguarding pay?

What does lifeguarding pay?
9 bucks an hour DOQ

Since moving from Wisconsin, I was so jonesing for a good beer shop. Heritage Liquors in Maplewood on English and Frost beats the others, hands down (or mug down). Many have come up in quality, and the Cellars at Lexington/Larpenteur is good, but the guy at Heritage is a beer afficianado. Beer is the real purpose of the store. I can’t even call myself a regular, and he treats me like gold, sending me home with samples of never-had beer. In this store, Fat Tire is a mass produced beer.

Now, if only he could get New Glarus across the state line, he would be worth more than gold.

Not completely on topic (what else is new for me), but I’ve been waiting for a beer thread to link to this from McSweeney’s.

Uhh, off topic here, but here’s a Bacony Tuxedo for you all to purchase.

Favorite regional beer brand:

“Kathy Wurzer’s Bathwater”

Nateek, I noticed those empties too! But not under a bridge. They were on that aggravating uphill curve right at the end near Lee’s I didn’t see the brand, but could tell they were fancy beers for fancy drinkin’

On that note, I’m going back to the Cedar Lake Trail right now; I’ll keep an eye out for fancy beer bottles and Ekelund brothers.

kc – I’ve seen that tux ad before. The only thing that makes the tux even cooler is the guy modeling it.

I’m going to knit one of these this summer.

mb, you don’t knit those…you cure them with salt and smoke.

Whatever. Either way I’m wearing it around my neck next winter.

France 44 — Also, single bottles! But the singles are more expensive than Zipp’s, where I’ve been going for Brew52 supplies. Yay for singles! I’m picky, so I hate to commit to a six pack.

Blue Maxx in Burnsville — I’ve heard about that place repeatedly.

Minnetonka & Texas — Texa-Tonka, baybee!

On a related note, I am not aware of any business with a greater disparity between the relative classiness of their website and their physical location than Chicago-Lake Liquor. — Amen to that. WTF? — That’s a cruel joke for the uninitiated. — Heh! … Hmmmm…