Beer Snob

​Some targets for seasonal beer hunters

November 9th, 2016

By Chris Larson

Cjlarson75@gmail.com

It’s BEER hunting time! This week I will be highlighting seasonal porters and stouts that are either new to the market or come around once a year. A few are quite readily available to experience over and over again, while others may be less than easy to find but worth the hunt, for those looking for unique brews that are so special they are coveted as trophy beers by the most serious hunters.

Surly Darkness is the annual Russian Imperial Stout…

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​First Annual Festival of Wines

November 2nd, 2016

By Chris Larson Cjlarson75@gmail.com

The holidays are sneaking up on us faster than we would like to admit. There is one particular holiday shopping experience that really seems to frustrate a lot of my customers at the liquor store and if you are like any of them, you often feel overwhelmed and uninformed when it comes to shopping for wines to give as gifts or bring to a holiday celebration.

Fear not, my friends, for the First Annual Festival of Wines is Wednesday, November 9th at The…

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​Grand Opening: Front Street Taproom

October 26th, 2016

By Chris Larson cjlarson75@gmail.com

With a nod to Fargo’s history and a commitment to supporting local and regional brewers, Front Street Taproom opened its doors to the public this past Wednesday and thus delivered on a very simple concept that I have personally been desiring for quite some time: a taproom that features only beers made in Minnesota or North Dakota.

With seating for 126 and 30 taps available, manager/owner Aaron Templin and his crew are ready to serve up flights,…

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​Shiny and sexy: craft beer in cans

October 19th, 2016

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

All you need to do is take a look at your favorite liquor store’s craft beer section to see that a revolution in craft beer is upon us and growing stronger month by month.

I’m talking about a steady surge of craft beer in cans. Fans of craft beer who once believed only in beer in a bottle are starting to come around to the idea of beer in of a can, partly because of changes in drinking habits and partly because the beers they want to bring home are…

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​Flatland Brewery in West Fargo

October 12th, 2016

By Chris Larson

Cjlarson75@gmail.com

Located in the rapidly expanding commercial and residential development off Veterans Boulevard in West Fargo, Flatland Brewery has been pouring pints of their locally crafted beers since they opened near the end of July.

President of Flatland Brewery LLC and head brewer, Frank Clemens served me up a couple samples of two of the more popular brews, their IPA and Oktoberfest and explained that after just a couple of months, production was up enough to…

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​Proof Artisan Distillers: set to warm up winter with whiskeys

October 5th, 2016

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

Photo by Urban Toad Media

The words “artisan” and “craft” get thrown around an awful lot these days, and all too often are applied to products or businesses that are anything but. Fargo’s Proof Artisan Distillers, located just off Broadway at 414 4th Avenue North are not only delivering products that are deserving of the artisan label, but seem to infuse everything they do with a spirit of creativity and desire to deliver a unique…

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​Love it or hate it, it’s pumpkin spice season

September 28th, 2016

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

The seasonal autumn flavors are upon us and with them, the centerpiece of all things autumnal: the pumpkin. The pumpkin has assumed a sort of dominance over fall flavors that has been building over the last couple decades.

With the abundance of pumpkin beer options, you may be wondering exactly how many different ways they can make a pumpkin beer -- and do they all taste like watered-down pumpkin pie filling?

I recently sat down with a pile of pumpkin…

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​Drekker celebrates two years with Drekkerfest

September 21st, 2016

By Christopher Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

Whiskey, peaches, chocolate, raspberries, pumpkin, citrus juice and bright bold hops are all flavors you should expect to be savoring at Drekker’s second birthday party bash, known as Drekkerfest.

While The 4onthefloor and BOOTS are both outstanding bands who are sure to get you shakin’ and moving enough to spill some beer in the alley, the true stars of the day will most certainly come from their incredible lineup of yearly available…

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Oktoberfest in Fargo-Moorhead

September 14th, 2016

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

Of course we can count on Wurst Bier Hall to bring a 207-year-old traditional German celebration to the local community. Just like with their oft-celebrated food and beer menu, they bring a heavy dose of heritage and tradition to this once-a-year celebration of German food and beer by beginning the festivities on the third Saturday in September and running them through the first Saturday in October.

Unlike the celebrations in the motherland, which are…

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Odell Brewing invades North Dakota

September 7th, 2016

By Chris Larson

cjlarson75@gmail.com

North Dakotans are nationally known for our appreciation of adult beverages. Despite our notoriety, we often get overlooked by nationally popular distillers and wineries.

It seems that craft breweries have noticed us, though, as we have been blessed with numerous breweries launching into the North Dakota market in the last two years.

Odell Brewing Company Regional Marketing Manager, Corland Egertson, explains why North Dakota will be the lucky 13th…

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