Moving to Fargo … What Should I Know?

The Fargo/Moorhead area will impress you. In the 3.5 years I've been here, the beer scene has grown quite a bit. In fact yesterday there was the first annual Fargo Beer and Bacon Festival! 2 open breweries now, and another one opening this summer. There's also a meadery and a distillery opening soon too. A few bars in Moorhead have 25oz mugs of Surly Furious for $4. There's some good liquor stores, it'll take you quite a while to get "bored" with the beer selection. When you do, drive 3.5 hours to Minneapolis and stock up.

Besides the beer, it's a great place to live. Pretty bike/ped friendly, really easy to navigate, and great for kids.

 

Welcome to Fargo. Have you spent a winter in a northern state? That may be the biggest thing to get used to from Mississippi.

As Jag said, the beer scene is growing quite well in Fargo and ND in general from not having any breweries until late 2012. Please do let us know when you get here in May for a meetup.

A few links you might like:
FMBeer a website I run on beer news and events in the Fargo/Moorhead area - http://www.fmbeer.com/

Great Northern Bicycle Co, a big bicycle shop with lots going on in an old depot building that used to be a brewpub for a while (beer connection) - http://greatnorthernbicyclecompany.com/

Becoming Midwestern - A blog by a gal who got transplanted in Fargo and you might get some insight about the area from her experiences - http://becomingmidwestern.areavoices.com/

 

Fargo Guy Here!
I think it's a pretty surprisingly solid place for beer drinking! A couple places in the area have solid tap lineups. JL Beers, Sickies Garage, Sidestreet, Bar 9 (in West Fargo and their list varies but prices are stupid good) to name a few and there's always at least one interesting beer. As far as Offsale Bernie's and the two Happy Harry's locations are nice and with 99 Bottles and Bridgeview across the river in Moorhead we end up getting a really respectable selection of brews. Everything here is less than 20 minutes away from wherever you are so it's super convenient to get your fix. Dining here is rather competitive as well no matter what you're looking for.
The population of the craft beer fans in the area seems to be that sweet spot where we get decent quantities of some of the more rare offerings but not frenzied enough to be truck-chased / hoarded away.
The breweries in the area are good. I really love Fargo Brewing Company and think some of their offerings are very very solid. Friend them on facebook and be on the lookout for one-offs they drop near weekly. Their sodbuster is a really solid porter with their Right Near Da Beach being a fantastic variant (aged in Jamaican rum barrels over coconut). Their pales offer a delightful option for fresh hoppy goodness. Junkyard in Moorhead hasn't impressed me yet but that doesn't mean they won't. I'm looking forward to seeing what Drekker (opening soon?) brings to the table and really need to make the trip to Laughing Sun in Bismarck.
Also if you need to really get your fix, Minneapolis is just over three hours away and makes a great weekend trip with their fantastic breweries and even more find beer stores. Half hour from there lands you in Hudson, WI which packs a hell of a punch with Casanova Liquors offering a pile of things not available in either state and plenty helpful and friendly.
Drop a line when you come to visit and enjoy your time here.
Also Cheers to StarRanger, FMbeer is a pretty great site!

 

Bernie's, Bridgeview, and 99Bottles are good at informing what beers they've received thru social media. Happy Harry's is THE worst liquor store when it comes to social media. The aforementioned stores will receive a wider variety of beers compared to Happy Harry's, although Happy Harry's will receive some of the more sought after beers without placing a limit on them such as the Bourbon County beers from Goose Island.

The JL Beers app is great and is sometimes more accurate than the menus themselves for what beers are currently on tap at the various locations. Additionally, their burgers are very good!

 

Ignore the pretty words of those posting above. You are doomed and there is nothing you can do about it. Well, maybe stocking up on various Belgian strong ales as you pass through Minneapolis/St. Paul might help. But otherwise, abandon hope all ye who move beyond the edge of civilization.

Welcome to the upper midwest.

 

No that guy's right.

 

You are very welcome to stop by Junkyard Brewing Co. when your in the area. We fill growlers and sample beer on Wednesdays and Fridays, but if you want to check us out when you visit you can call us to meet with us and fill a growler. Our website is junkyardbeer.com and we have facebook and twitter.

Cheers, and welcome to the area!

Dan

 

It's flat. Oh you mean about beer? Dang.

 

You'll likely miss a visit to Junkyard, but certainly try it while you're here! Wurst Bier Hall in downtown Fargo usually has a couple on tap, and their food is awesome (get their pretzels and the currywurst with spicy sausage). You might be able to make a Tuesday visit to Fargo Brewing, I think their taproom opens at 4pm. Otherwise, a gathering can certainly happen!

 

what is Mississipping?

 

A play on words. Combining Mississippi and Sipping. Guess you will have to come up with a new name now that you are moving to North Dakota.