Beer Snob

Republic brings many new brands to Whiskey Fest 2018

April 4th, 2018

The area’s premiere whiskey sampling event, Fargo Whiskey Fest, is right around the corner and a sneak peek at the list of products being poured has me salivating and working on my plan of attack for the evening. Before I give you just a tiny taste of what on this year’s product lineup, I’d like to give just a bit more information about the event and exactly what your $35 ticket gets you.

First, let’s talk about the fact that it is a charity event that benefits “A Christmas…

My favorite whiskeys of 2017

December 27th, 2017

“What are some of your favorite bottles of whiskey?” is a question I get asked quite frequently and is often harder to answer than one might think. One of the great rewards of my profession is getting to sample some of the finest whiskeys the world has to offer and while I could talk nonstop about some of the best I have ever had, if it’s ultra rare and you will probably never have an opportunity to drink it, what’s the point?

Therefore, for a year-end review of some of the best…

Your guide to holiday sparkling wine

December 27th, 2017

I don’t remember where I heard it, but someone once said, “You don’t save Champagne for a special occasion, Champagne IS the special occasion.” I could not agree more.

Champagne is not only massively underrated as an everyday drinking wine (for good reason: it’s kinda pricey), but it’s way too misunderstood in the world of grape-derived beverages. It is however, HANDS DOWN, my favorite thing in the entire world to drink. On my bucket drinking list: a bottle of 1998 Krug Clos…

Ham, lamb and turkey, OH MY! Your guide to holiday wine pairing

November 16th, 2017

Believe it or not, “The Holidays” are upon us. If you’ve been to Target lately, and I know you have, you may have noticed that the Christmahanakwanzika stuff is already up (if you’re unsure of that term, Google it).

In fact, last week they came to install the holiday lights on my house. No, I haven’t had the audacity to turn them on. Yet. And although I’m like, really, November? I am pretty jazzed about the upcoming holiday food situation: Turkey, ham, lamb, prime rib,…

Junkyard Brewery: A gem in the crown of F-M

October 25th, 2017

Enthusiastic beer drinkers can usually be found drinking a variety of brews. The craft beer industry has become quite popular throughout the U.S., although some regions are better known for it than others; and it has also started to gain ground worldwide.

In Moorhead, one brewery rises above the rest. Junkyard Brewery is my go-to place in the area for great craft beer on tap.

Granted, the small city of just over 40,000 only has one brewery, but its neighboring border city of Fargo,…

Fireproof? The NoCal fires and the future of wine

October 25th, 2017

As a wine pro, I’ve been getting a LOT of questions about the effects of the fires in California wine country, so I wanted to lay out some facts and talk a little bit about what it actually means for the counties affected by the fires, and to us as wine lovers.

I lived in California for several years, so I understand how scary and awful wildfires are. Plus, I deal with Napa and Sonoma wineries on a daily basis, so this has been personally heartbreaking for me.

In fact, this past week…

Surly dip into their cellar, I do the same

October 4th, 2017

Dipping into your cellar to pull out a special bottle is something that used to be fairly exclusive, wine connoisseurs only. These days, cellaring is gaining more and more traction among hardcore craft beer consumers, who continue to revolutionize the industry.

If you are of the belief that every self-respecting beer nerd should have a few beers stored and aging in a cool, dark location at home, then you will certainly be excited about a special re-release from Surly Brewing company. I…

Bottle talk

October 4th, 2017

I’m just here for the boos: your guide to Halloween wine pairing

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE Halloween, and aside from Groundhog Day (long live Punxsutawney Phil!), it’s my favorite holiday. I’ll admit though, in recent years I’ve become a little slack in the Halloween department.

In fact, the last time I dressed up was 2014, when I attended a Mad Men-themed costume party. Effort level: low. And now that I have a six-month-old baby, all the focus will be on her this year…

Festival of wines returns to Sanctuary

September 27th, 2017

Daou Vineyards: First appearance in North Dakota

As our days get shorter and the evenings longer, thoughts of fall and the upcoming holiday season are not far behind; and of course, for many, that means wine season and entertaining indoors.

It also means that one of the best wine events of the year is right around the corner. The 2017 Festival of Wines at the Sanctuary Event Center is the perfect event for many different types of wine drinkers, and with it coming almost a month earlier…

Four must-try wines for fall

September 20th, 2017

Up here where it’s north of normal, we can pretty much count on our first cold snap to hit right about now, and the 90 degree day we JUST HAD seems like a distant memory.

Goodbye pool parties, BBQs and the patio hang sesh. Hello pumpkin spice, infinity scarves and football games.

Guys, fall is here and our wine drinking habits tend to shift from crisp whites to rich reds. Listen, I promise it’s okay to drink rosé in the winter. I won’t judge you. In fact, I’ll probably be…

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