Beer Festivals That Make Me Smile!

April 23, 2013 – 10:19 am

APN_LogoOn this gloomy April day I was trying to think happy, warm, summer thoughts and I came across these awesome craft beer festivals.

All Pints North Summer Brew Fest

I was so excited to see that tickets went on sale April 15th for the Summer Brew Fest in Duluth!! I jumped online and bought two tickets. What can be better than a beautiful sunny day in July sipping delicous craft beer!! Here are the details…

Saturday, July 13, 2013
3-7 p.m.
Bayfront Festival Park | Duluth, MN
Approx. 2,500 attendees
$30 in Advance (Limit 6) | $40 at the door (if available) | $10 Sober Driver Ticket
Tickets on sale Monday, April 15, 2013 @ Noon CST
For tickets visit tempotickets.com/apn

There is also another really fun beer event in the fall for those of you that prefer the cool, crisp fall air. The Autum Brew Review is in Northeast Minneapolis at the historic Grain Belt Brewery complex. The event will be held September 28, 2013 and tickets go on July 15 so mark your calendars!

ABRAutumn Brew Review 2013

An Outdoor Beer Sampling Festival Dedicated to the Fine Art of Craft Brewing. The 13th annual Autumn Brew Review craft beer festival will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at the historic Grain Belt Brewery complex in Northeast Minneapolis!

Beer and brewers from all across the nation will be on-site for the largest annual celebration of craft beer in Minnesota. This non-profit outdoor festival, produced by and benefiting the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, will feature unlimited beer as well as non-alcoholic samples, a commemorative tasting glass, live music, tasty food vendors on-site, vote for your favorite beer and table display competitions, beer educational sessions & tours, random shenanigans, and a good time to be had by all at this beautiful historic venue on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

Tickets On-Sale July 15, 2013 at noon. Advance ABR tickets will be available for purchase for attendees of the All Pints North Summer Brew fest in Duluth on July 13!

    Tana Wold, Liquor Store Manager

By twold | Posted in About Eden Prairie Liquor, Beer, Tasting Events | Comments (0)

Educational Winemaker Visit

April 4, 2013 – 1:51 pm

Last month we had the privilege of having Stephen Ross (Dooley) back to our store for a bottle signing!  It was so great to meet him in personEvent Pictures 006 and hear about his wines, especially since he is from Minnesota!  As someone new to the liquor and wine industry, I have to admit I was a little intimidated hearing that Stephen was coming to my store.  I had a preconceived notion that a winemaker would have a bit of snobbery to him with such a wealth of knowledge beyond my comprehension.  But was I proved wrong when meeting Stephen!  He made jokes, posed for many pictures, and was out from behind our tasting bar the entire time engaging with the people coming in to try his wines!  He made a joke that he thought it was so cool that the city of Eden Prairie named an airport after his amazing wine, FlyingCloud.

Stephen said that he loved driving by the FlyingCloud Airport with his dad when he was younger, and thought the name FlyingCloud was so magical and it just had to be the name of one of his wines.  Stephen has a true passion for what he does and believes that wine makes itself; the winemaker is just the caretaker.  It was a wonderful experience to meet Stephen and I hope he comes to visit us at the liquor store again soon!

You can find Stephen’s wines at all three of our liquor stores, and I would highly recommend his Flying Cloud Cabernet.

Jessica Blog Pic
Jessica Tapper, Liquor Store Manager (Kowalski’s location)

*Other photo features Gretchen Holmgren, Operations Manager (left), Stephen Ross, Winemaker (middle) and Jessica Tapper, Manager (right)

By twanchena | Posted in Uncategorized, Wine | Comments (1)

Attention all Hopheads!

March 14, 2013 – 10:12 am

Hophead VodkaTraditionally, a Hophead is a person that enjoys the hoppy aromatics of pale ales.  Vodka drinkers can now get in on the action.  The latest vodka to hit Eden Prairie Liquor is Hophead Hop Vodka ($29.99).  It is brought to us courtesy of Anchor Distilling – the makers of Anchor Steam and Liberty Ales.

Hops are one of the main ingredients used for beer production.  To make this vodka, the hops are pot distilled with grain neutral spirits to give you a unique and distinctive liquor.  Beer  drinkers definitely need to check out this product.  It’s great by itself on the rocks or with some tonic and a slice of lime.  Though not a Bloody Mary drinker myself, I have to believe it would make a fabulous addition to your favorite  recipe!!

March is a month to celebrate – We have March Madness, Daylight Saving time (I know I will be happy for more sunlight), St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. Make sure to pick up Hophead Vodka for a great new vodka to add to the menu for all of  your gatherings – large or small.

Cheers!

Denise Barthel
Assistant Liquor Store Manager

By EPliquor | Posted in Spirits, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Join Guinness in Support of Firefighters!

March 7, 2013 – 2:30 pm

Guinness Gives BackFirefighters hold a special place in my heart, as my dad was a volunteer firefighter in my home town of Buffalo Lake, MN. Being from a small town means many of my friends are still volunteer firefighters. These men & women put their lives in danger every time the siren sounds. Whether a volunteer or full time firefighter, they all need specialized equipment to save lives.

This St. Patrick’s Day season, Guinness & Co. is teaming up with the Leary Firefighters Foundation (LFF) to invite all legal drinking age adults to responsibly raise a pint of the black stuff in support of firefighters across the country. Guinness will encourage consumers to get involved through the brand’s “$100,000 Pour,” a live GUINNESS® pint mosaic that will be comprised of consumer pledges, each of which represents $1 of the $100,000 donation that Guinness has committed to the LFF. Together with the LFF, Guinness will help provide the necessary equipment, technology and training to America’s bravest.

To support the LFF and be a part of the $100,000 Pour, adult GUINNESS® fans can pledge by texting “GUINNESS” to 878787. In response to their text, fans will receive a link to an image of a personalized pint glass and a confirmation number. Fans can enter their confirmation number at http://www.guinnessgivesback.com/ and find the pint they “poured” within the 100,000 pint mosaic.  Progress toward completion of the mosaic will also be tracked in real-time on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square.

The Leary Firefighters Foundation was founded in 2000 by actor Denis Leary after a tragic fire in Worcester, Mass. claimed the lives of his cousin, childhood friend, and four other firefighters. The Foundation’s mission is to provide funding and resources to fire departments across the country to ensure they are able to obtain the best available equipment, technology and training. Since its inception in 2000, the LFF has raised over $10 million that has been utilized to provide critical resources, including a state-of-the-art high rise training facility for the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).

Join Guinness in supporting the Leary Firefighters Foundation this St. Patrick’s Day, and remember that the best way to show your support is to do so responsibly.

Cheers!

Schellie Duce
Eden Prairie Liquor Customer Service Representative

By twanchena | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Stephen Ross Dooley is coming!!!

March 6, 2013 – 1:20 pm

Winemaker Stephen Ross Dooley is returning to Eden Prairie, MN!  He will be pouring wines and signing bottles at our liquor store located at 16508 West 78th Street (Next to Kowalski’s) on March 13.  Stephen visited our stores last year and is one of the nicest guys on the planet.  And his wines are phenomenal.  We can not wait to welcome him back!  What first brought his wines to our attention was the creation of his “Flying Cloud Cabernet Sauvignon”, named after our very own Flying Cloud Airport.

Here’s what Stephen says about why he named his Cabernet Flying Cloud:

“.dooleypic2010..all I can say is that as a boy growing up in the Minnesota  River Valley, when taking trips to the big city of Minneapolis, the highway in those days hugged the Flying Cloud Airport.  So I always found the name curious, either because I liked air travel both on commercial airlines or with my father who had airplanes when we were growing up, or just because I thought the name to be dreamy.  I mean, really, what is a “Flying Cloud”?  My mother taught physical geography, and that was not one of the cloud formations she lectured about.  Flying Cloud is just a really cool name.”

Hope you can join us on March 13 between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.  I can not think of a better host/hostess gift to bring to your neighbor’s next party than a hand signed bottle of Flying Cloud Cabernet Sauvignon!  Although Stephen makes a killer Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, too…

BLOG Photo-2-100x150  Tammy Wanchena, Central Buyer

By twanchena | Posted in About Eden Prairie Liquor, Tasting Events, Uncategorized, Wine | Comments (0)

Kona Brewing Company Launch Party

February 5, 2013 – 10:41 am

LDSCN0021ast Tuesday night (January 29) I attended the most amazing launch party for Kona Brewing Co. beers from Kona, Hawaii!  Held at Lucky 13 Pub in Plymouth, MN, we got the opportunity to taste five beers new to me and I was surprised by which ones were my favorite.

We tried a Pipeline Porter, Koko Brown, Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale, and Big Wave DSCN0019Golden Ale.  I was shocked to go for thirds on the Big Wave Golden Ale as I typically drink very dark, full-bodied beers and this is a lighter bodied golden ale with a tropical hop and aroma flavor.  Super easy drinking and thirst quenching, and it did not leave me feeling bloated like a lot of other beer does.  My husband fell in love with the Pipeline Porter, which was my other favorite. DSCN0039

These beers are an amazing value at $8.99 a six pack (bottles) and can be found at all three of our Eden Prairie Liquor Store locations.

Cheers! 

TAMMY WANCHENA, Liquor Store Manager, Store #1 (by Kowalski's) Tammy Wanchena, Central Buyer

 

By twanchena | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Valentines Day Treat

January 31, 2013 – 10:54 am

Valentines Day is right around the corner, and of course everyone has their own opinions on this now, much known Hallmark holiday. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, it is one of my favorite holidays. Even at a young age I loved celebrating this day with my conversation hearts and store bought cards that were always hand selected very carefully to make sure the image and words were just right for the classmate who would be receiving it. I also remember hoping that the “Be Mine” card from the cutest boy in class was carefully selected just for me.

That all being said, I know that most people may have a whole different outlook on this holiday, but I am here to clarify… It doesn’t matter who you may spend this Valentine’s Day with. Whether you’re solo, with friends, or attached, there is a lot of love and lots of cocktails to go around. So why not treat yourself? The drink I will be serving, and one I absolutely love is the Godiva Chocolate Martini.

godiva-chocolate-martiniThings You Will Need:

6 oz. Godiva chocolate or white chocolate liqueur

6 oz. creme de coccoa

2 oz. vodka or vanilla vodka

Your choice of garnish for top

Instructions:

Chill four long-stemmed martini glasses in your freezer for about 15 minutes

Combine all ingredients in a martini shaker over ice. Shake.

Drizzle the inside of each chilled martini glass with chocolate syrup. Divide the martinis among the glasses.

Cheers!

Faye Majkozak, Liquor Store Assistant Manager

By gholmgren | Posted in Spirits | Comments (0)

Jameson Ambassador is visiting from Ireland!

January 18, 2013 – 12:01 pm
Sibeal Bird

Sibeal Bird
Jameson Irish Whiskey

I LOVE Irish Whiskey so I am super excited about next Wednesday’s educational tasting event at Eden Prairie Liquor, 16508 W. 78th Street (next to Kowalski’s).

Sibeal Bird, the Ambassador for Jameson Irish Whiskey, will be visiting Minnesota from Ireland and pouring some unbelievable whiskeys! Sibeal (pronounced Sh-bale) was born and raised in the countryside of County Meath, spending most of her childhood growing up around horses. She has a Business and Management International Degree from National University of Ireland Maynooth and has traveled the whole world educating customers on Jameson Irish Whiskeys. And now she is coming here to Eden Prairie Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 4 to 6 p.m.

We will be pouring Jameson’s mainline whiskey along with the Gold Reserve, 12 year old and 18 year old Jameson, and I can not wait to try them!

 

BLOG Photo-2-100x150

 

 

 

 

Tammy Wanchena, Liquor Store Manager

By twanchena | Posted in Spirits, Tasting Events, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Show Me Your Mussels and I’ll Show You My Gruner!

January 7, 2013 – 12:21 pm

Steamed Mussles and WineMy two favorite things during the the winter are good comfort food paired with a bottle of awesome wine. One of my favorite easy meals for the winter are Steamed Mussels paired with a Gruner Veltiliner.

Gruner Veltiliner is typically an Austrian wine but one of my favorites is made in Michigan. Gruner Veltiliner is easy to pair with many different foods. It is a refreshing medium bodied, peppery white wine with stone fruit flavors. Gruner goes well with anything from green salads to cold poached salmon, roasted chicken and seafood.

Here is my recipe for Steamed Mussels with Fennel:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bulb of fennel-trimmed cored and thinly sliced
1 large tomato, cubed
½ cup white wine
¼ cup ouzo
½ cup heavy cream
4 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
1/3 cup fresh basil leaved, torn
Salt to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in shallots and garlic, and cook until tender. Stir in fennel and tomato, and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
2. Mix white wine, ouzo, and heavy cream into the saucepan, and bring to a boil. Gradually stir in mussels, ½ the basil, and salt.
3. Cover saucepan, and continue cooking about 5 minutes, until the mussels have opened. Garnish with remaining basil to serve. Serve with crusty bread.

Excellent Gruner Veltiliners currently in stock at the Eden Prairie Liquor location next to Rainbow Foods include:

Lagler (Austria) $20.99
Wimmer Czerny (Austria) $19.99
Chateau Grand Traverse (Michigan) $17.99
Wolfgang Concerto (Austria) $14.99
Pratsch (Austria) $13.99
Hugl (Austria) $12.99

Cheers!

 Tana Wold, Liquor Store Manager
By twold | Posted in About Eden Prairie Liquor, Pairings, Wine | Comments (0)

The Bitter Truth

December 26, 2012 – 10:25 am

I recently watched an episode of Drinking Made Easy where the bartender used different flavored bitters to enhance standard cocktails. I realized that I didn’t know much about the mysterious bitters and what they can add to your cocktail experience.

After a bit of research here’s what I can sum up for those of you who don’t know either.
The definition of bitters as I understand,  was a common bar ingredient that was once considered a necessity in earlier times for traditional cocktails. Bitters began as a medicinal tonic and soon became a staple in home bar supply as a concentrated flavor stimulant that added a kick by only using  a dash. The secret bitters formulas include a variety of herbs, fruits, spices and roos distilled in a base liquor.

At the Eden Prairie Liquor location near Cub Foods (8018 Den Road), we currently stock a brand called The Bitter Truth. They offer a Traveler’s Set of 5 different flavors in a small bottle format. We also stock larger bottles of the Celery and Creole bitters.

The Bitter Truth Traveler's Set

Tasting notes on these bitters are as follows:

CELERY BITTERS: Very complex and exotic. The initial flavor of celery is dominant, leading into a complex palate with aromas of lemongrass, orange peel and ginger.

OLD TIME AROMATIC BITTERS: Classically bitter and tangy. Combining the aromatics of cinnamon, cardamom, anise and cloves, it reminds one of gingerbread.

ORANGE BITTERS: The aroma of bitter orange peel is in the foreground, complimented by the spicy flavors of cardamom, caraway and nutmeg.

CREOLE BITTERS: The complex combination of flavors hints upon spice, bitterness and cardamon with a subtle floral finish that e vokes the flavors of Creole cuisine in New Orleans/Louisiana.

JERRY THOMAS BITTERS: Dedicated to Professor Jerry Thomas (1830-1885), who is considered to be the most famous and important bartender of the 19th century, these bitters reveal citrus and dried fruit aromas which unite with the spicy flavors of cloves, angostura bark and cinnamon.

Some recipes to use these fine bitters with are:

The Improved Brandy Cocktail
50ml Cognac
2 dashes Creole bitters
2 dashes Absinthe
10ml Simple Syrup
Stir with ice and strain into chilled glass or tumbler.
Garnish with lemon peel or olive.

Intense Bloody Mary
50ml Vodka or Gin
4 dashes Celery bitters
3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
10ml Lemon Juice
100ml Tomato Juice
Tabasco, salt & pepper
Stir with ice and strain into a tall glass.
Garnish with your favorite bloody snacks.

Still curious for more? Try Cocktail Kingdom for more recipes and ideas.

 Holly Smith, Liquor Store Manager

By hsmith | Posted in Spirits, Uncategorized | Comments (0)