Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the checkout lane,cashiers are glistening item scanners are buzzing.
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking through the mall to frantically buy gifts for everyone on our lists before we have to go to the White Elephant work gathering, Secret Santa friend party, and all of our family Christmas get-togethers.
Alright, maybe I should stick to just being a liquor store employee instead of a songwriter, but there might be some truth to some of this as well. The hectic nature of the holiday season seems to be quite taxing on many people, I see it all of the time at work. People coming into the store to buy cases of ludicrously cheap wine as gifts and then ensuring that they have a bottle of their drink of choice to help get through the endless gift wrapping. Then they turn around the next day and dash to the next Christmas party, but on the way they have to stop by the grocery store to buy a plethora of ingredients for that holiday potluck the next day. When you look back on it it seems like an endless, maddening cycle of baking, carols, family, friends, Amazon specials, ugly sweaters, and the list goes on. Fear not, good people, for this is where I come in! As a liquor store employee, I am fully qualified to tell you exactly what sort of booze that your friends like and it will always be perfect! Here's a quick holiday buying guide for all of your spiked needs!
Rogue Hazelutely Choctabulous $6.99, 22 oz bottle
Rogue Brewing out of Newport, Oregon says it best on the bottle, describing this beer as a "Candy Bar in a Bottle". Combining two of their most popular beers, the Hazelnut Brown Nectar and the Chocolate Stout, Rogue made a stellar holiday beer without adding tons of holiday spice. With tons of good nutty chocolate that is neither sweet nor bitter, this beer will win over all of the dark beer fans in your life.
Schell's Snowstorm 2017 Rye Ale $9.49, 6-pack; $15.99 12-pack
I always love keeping an eye out for Schell's Snowstorm every year. They always come out with something different every year, because "as every Midwesterner knows, no two Snowstorms are ever alike." While I disagree with some of that statement, they did make a really nice malty beer that will warm you up in even the worst snowstorms this year. With a little bit of rye spice and complexity, and a good amount of sweetness to mellow everything out, this dark in color rye ale will surprise many with its easy drinking nature, yet surprisingly deep caramel flavor. On a totally unrelated side note, this beer makes really good beer brats...
New Belgium Accumulation White IPA $10.49, 6-pack
The biggest topic of debate amongst craft beer nuts worldwide is the IPA. The style is easily selling the most over any other craft style, but you can also find the largest amount of people that are so vehemently against the style and its trademark bitterness. Regardless, it is still the most popular variety of craft beer and leaving it off this list would be a travesty. Accumulation is New Belgium's winter seasonal and is loaded with plenty of piney and citrusy hops. The fun part of this beer is all of the wheat added, which lends a nice sweetness so the hops don't overwhelm or linger too long.
Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon $24.99, 750 mL; $44.99 1.75 L
Named from the story of a treasury agent with the keys to a rickhouse who would steal samples of the best bourbons, Larceny is a supremely smooth wheated bourbon that will win over any whiskey fan in your life. This whiskey could easily be the smoothest whiskey I have ever drank, and trust me, I have tried out more than a few whiskeys. The only trade off is a lack of complexity, I only get a few bread and honey notes. However, in the grand scheme of things, this is a whiskey worthy of theft at the very least (stealing is bad, please don't do that).
Far North Spirits Roknar Sauternes Cask Finish Rye Whiskey $25, 375 mL
Now, I may be a little biased putting a whiskey from my hometown distillery on this list, but I think I am more than justified in putting this beauty of a whiskey on my list. For the uninitiated, Sauternes is a style of sweet dessert wine from the Bordeaux region of France. Now, the standard Roknar is good whiskey, but it suffers slightly from being a little "hot", a common problem for a lot of American-made rye whiskey. However, when you take a beautifully complex whiskey and you let it finish aging in a nice sweet wine cask, you get to retain much of your complexity, while smoothing it out beautifully. With lots of nutty and caramelly notes, Far North Spirits has something dangerous on their hands with this limited release. On a side note, we have not received this product at my liquor store yet, so the price is for the bottle at Far North Spirits distillery in Hallock, MN. I was told by my distributor that I would be getting some around a month ago, so hopefully I will have some by the holidays.
Belvedere Vodka Gift Set $29.99, 750 mL
Now, I usually stick the dark, aged stuff, however, I always love to find a good deal. Belvedere is a polish vodka, potentially best known recently for being James Bond's vodka of choice for a fancy martini. With slight hints of vanilla, this vodka is very smooth, and anybody wasting their money on Grey Goose will find that for a few extra dollars, you can get a supremely better vodka. Also, the gift set comes with a beautiful ice bin and ice tongs that are perfect for entertaining, or just for cocktails with friends.
Erath Oregon Pinot Noir $17.99 750 mL
Wine has always been a weird subject for me. I like wine, it just seems like I always prefer to drink beer or whiskey more. With that being said, I do open up a bottle of wine occasionally, and occasionally I find a gem for a good price. This Pinot Noir is beautifully fruit forward with notes of strawberry and cherry, this wine wraps up nicely with an earthy finish that ensures all of the sweet fruit doesn't overstay its welcome.
Method Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $39.99, 750 mL
At work, we just wrapped up one of our biggest wine sales of the year. On the first day of that sale, I asked my boss, "Which bottle is going to be the best value today?" He told me to pick up a bottle of Method and it was truly a steal. With tons of black cherry and a slight floral note on the nose, and a lot more cherry and currant with a quick taste. Lots of tannin and dry, but not unpleasantly so, this is everything that you want out of a Napa Valley Cab and more. Also, this is proof that a little bit of blind trust can pay off in dividends.
Cocktail Time!
I have decided that each time I do a blog post, I am going to highlight a drink and take it up a few notches. Whether it is by putting my own twist on that recipe or by just making sure that you are using some really good ingredients for your drink, I am going to ensure you make the best possible cocktails without totally breaking the bank.
Tom and Jerry
3/4 oz brandy (Meukow VS Cognac; $30.99, 750 mL)
3/4 oz rum (Far North Spirits Alander Spiced Rum; $26.99, 750 mL)
2 Tbsp. Tom and Jerry batter
Add all ingredients to a mug and fill with hot water. Give it a good stir and garnish with some nutmeg.
Now, I'm sure everybody's first thought when seeing this recipe is "Damn, this kid wants me to spend $60 on a cocktail? He just totally went back on his word on not breaking the bank." Yes, they are kind of expensive, but I could have chose worse, and these guys are both great standalone spirits on their own. You have the cognac which lends a nice fruity note along with a heavy vanilla flavor (and is my favorite VS cognac on the market, and one of the cheapest), and the rum which is practically Christmas in a bottle, with notes of cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and cloves. With those two beautiful boozes, you get an absolutely beautiful, creamy holiday cocktail that will keep you warmer than that guy singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
Alright, I'm thinking that will about wrap things up. Go out to the store and buy these. Or don't. It's your loss if you don't.
PS: Please drink responsibly. Please.
PPS: Also, don't drink and drive.
PPPS: All of these prices were taken from Happy Harry's Bottle Shop on 45th Street in Fargo. Items are subject to price change and availability. I am not paid to do this at all and my opinions are not representative of Happy Harry's.
PPPPS: Try that Tom and Jerry, it's SO GOOD.
In the checkout lane,
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking through the mall to frantically buy gifts for everyone on our lists before we have to go to the White Elephant work gathering, Secret Santa friend party, and all of our family Christmas get-togethers.
Alright, maybe I should stick to just being a liquor store employee instead of a songwriter, but there might be some truth to some of this as well. The hectic nature of the holiday season seems to be quite taxing on many people, I see it all of the time at work. People coming into the store to buy cases of ludicrously cheap wine as gifts and then ensuring that they have a bottle of their drink of choice to help get through the endless gift wrapping. Then they turn around the next day and dash to the next Christmas party, but on the way they have to stop by the grocery store to buy a plethora of ingredients for that holiday potluck the next day. When you look back on it it seems like an endless, maddening cycle of baking, carols, family, friends, Amazon specials, ugly sweaters, and the list goes on. Fear not, good people, for this is where I come in! As a liquor store employee, I am fully qualified to tell you exactly what sort of booze that your friends like and it will always be perfect! Here's a quick holiday buying guide for all of your spiked needs!
Rogue Hazelutely Choctabulous $6.99, 22 oz bottleRogue Brewing out of Newport, Oregon says it best on the bottle, describing this beer as a "Candy Bar in a Bottle". Combining two of their most popular beers, the Hazelnut Brown Nectar and the Chocolate Stout, Rogue made a stellar holiday beer without adding tons of holiday spice. With tons of good nutty chocolate that is neither sweet nor bitter, this beer will win over all of the dark beer fans in your life.
Schell's Snowstorm 2017 Rye Ale $9.49, 6-pack; $15.99 12-packI always love keeping an eye out for Schell's Snowstorm every year. They always come out with something different every year, because "as every Midwesterner knows, no two Snowstorms are ever alike." While I disagree with some of that statement, they did make a really nice malty beer that will warm you up in even the worst snowstorms this year. With a little bit of rye spice and complexity, and a good amount of sweetness to mellow everything out, this dark in color rye ale will surprise many with its easy drinking nature, yet surprisingly deep caramel flavor. On a totally unrelated side note, this beer makes really good beer brats...
New Belgium Accumulation White IPA $10.49, 6-packThe biggest topic of debate amongst craft beer nuts worldwide is the IPA. The style is easily selling the most over any other craft style, but you can also find the largest amount of people that are so vehemently against the style and its trademark bitterness. Regardless, it is still the most popular variety of craft beer and leaving it off this list would be a travesty. Accumulation is New Belgium's winter seasonal and is loaded with plenty of piney and citrusy hops. The fun part of this beer is all of the wheat added, which lends a nice sweetness so the hops don't overwhelm or linger too long.
Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon $24.99, 750 mL; $44.99 1.75 LNamed from the story of a treasury agent with the keys to a rickhouse who would steal samples of the best bourbons, Larceny is a supremely smooth wheated bourbon that will win over any whiskey fan in your life. This whiskey could easily be the smoothest whiskey I have ever drank, and trust me, I have tried out more than a few whiskeys. The only trade off is a lack of complexity, I only get a few bread and honey notes. However, in the grand scheme of things, this is a whiskey worthy of theft at the very least (stealing is bad, please don't do that).
Far North Spirits Roknar Sauternes Cask Finish Rye Whiskey $25, 375 mLNow, I may be a little biased putting a whiskey from my hometown distillery on this list, but I think I am more than justified in putting this beauty of a whiskey on my list. For the uninitiated, Sauternes is a style of sweet dessert wine from the Bordeaux region of France. Now, the standard Roknar is good whiskey, but it suffers slightly from being a little "hot", a common problem for a lot of American-made rye whiskey. However, when you take a beautifully complex whiskey and you let it finish aging in a nice sweet wine cask, you get to retain much of your complexity, while smoothing it out beautifully. With lots of nutty and caramelly notes, Far North Spirits has something dangerous on their hands with this limited release. On a side note, we have not received this product at my liquor store yet, so the price is for the bottle at Far North Spirits distillery in Hallock, MN. I was told by my distributor that I would be getting some around a month ago, so hopefully I will have some by the holidays.
Belvedere Vodka Gift Set $29.99, 750 mLNow, I usually stick the dark, aged stuff, however, I always love to find a good deal. Belvedere is a polish vodka, potentially best known recently for being James Bond's vodka of choice for a fancy martini. With slight hints of vanilla, this vodka is very smooth, and anybody wasting their money on Grey Goose will find that for a few extra dollars, you can get a supremely better vodka. Also, the gift set comes with a beautiful ice bin and ice tongs that are perfect for entertaining, or just for cocktails with friends.
Erath Oregon Pinot Noir $17.99 750 mLWine has always been a weird subject for me. I like wine, it just seems like I always prefer to drink beer or whiskey more. With that being said, I do open up a bottle of wine occasionally, and occasionally I find a gem for a good price. This Pinot Noir is beautifully fruit forward with notes of strawberry and cherry, this wine wraps up nicely with an earthy finish that ensures all of the sweet fruit doesn't overstay its welcome.
Method Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $39.99, 750 mLAt work, we just wrapped up one of our biggest wine sales of the year. On the first day of that sale, I asked my boss, "Which bottle is going to be the best value today?" He told me to pick up a bottle of Method and it was truly a steal. With tons of black cherry and a slight floral note on the nose, and a lot more cherry and currant with a quick taste. Lots of tannin and dry, but not unpleasantly so, this is everything that you want out of a Napa Valley Cab and more. Also, this is proof that a little bit of blind trust can pay off in dividends.
Cocktail Time!
I have decided that each time I do a blog post, I am going to highlight a drink and take it up a few notches. Whether it is by putting my own twist on that recipe or by just making sure that you are using some really good ingredients for your drink, I am going to ensure you make the best possible cocktails without totally breaking the bank.
Tom and Jerry3/4 oz brandy (Meukow VS Cognac; $30.99, 750 mL)
3/4 oz rum (Far North Spirits Alander Spiced Rum; $26.99, 750 mL)
2 Tbsp. Tom and Jerry batter
Add all ingredients to a mug and fill with hot water. Give it a good stir and garnish with some nutmeg.
Now, I'm sure everybody's first thought when seeing this recipe is "Damn, this kid wants me to spend $60 on a cocktail? He just totally went back on his word on not breaking the bank." Yes, they are kind of expensive, but I could have chose worse, and these guys are both great standalone spirits on their own. You have the cognac which lends a nice fruity note along with a heavy vanilla flavor (and is my favorite VS cognac on the market, and one of the cheapest), and the rum which is practically Christmas in a bottle, with notes of cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and cloves. With those two beautiful boozes, you get an absolutely beautiful, creamy holiday cocktail that will keep you warmer than that guy singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
Alright, I'm thinking that will about wrap things up. Go out to the store and buy these. Or don't. It's your loss if you don't.
PS: Please drink responsibly. Please.
PPS: Also, don't drink and drive.
PPPS: All of these prices were taken from Happy Harry's Bottle Shop on 45th Street in Fargo. Items are subject to price change and availability. I am not paid to do this at all and my opinions are not representative of Happy Harry's.
PPPPS: Try that Tom and Jerry, it's SO GOOD.
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