Had a family gathering tonight with a relative from CA. I wanted to provide some good stuff, but locally, aside from what I had in my basement, I couldn't find much (I did track down some Abrasive). My dad, coming from Hutchinson, showed up with two sixers of Hopslam and 2 sixers of Expedition Stout, batch 9971...which was bottled on September 13, 2010. Straight from the Hutch Liquor coolers! (This is also where I grabbed a half dozen SA Triple Bocks). Anyone else have some outstate scores and stores they'd like to share?
Hutch Liquors is a pretty nice beer store. I have a friend who lives there and has access to some really good beers considering the location. I picked up some Batch 9000 sixers there a few years back when everywhere else was selling it by the bottle in the metro.
There is a store that I hit on my way through Brainerd (across from fleet farm) that always has some decent beer lurking there. I picked up an '09 BCBS an some other stuff there last january.
I'm pretty sure we still have lift bridge commander at Westside up in Waite Park. There's stuff lurking, my buddy came over with recently Founders Breakfast Stout and Imperial Stout. We went back and asked about founders imperial stout and we ended up with the last Plead the Fifth and I got the last Founders Imp Stout. I am pretty sure they lose track of stuff there and they keep the real treats in back.
Not MN, but I was in Sioux Falls this weekend and found Goose Island Lolita and Madame Rose...in my hotel bar (A Country Inn & Suites)...for $15 apiece. On and off sale. Also found a nice selection of Fantome, and Monk's (the beer bar in town) had bottles of '08-'10 BCBS
The best things about Cashwise is their prices are reasonable to start with...lower than Westside usually....AND if you catch them at the right time they close out micros that are close to going out of date at great prices...last time I was there about a month ago I got Schell Burton Ale for 3.99 a six pack....needless to say i bought three cases...I love that beer and there is no age showing on it at all. I go out of my way to buy beer here when they do not have specials too just because they do things like that. I see so many places that try to sell outdated beer at full price (and sometimes outdated by a year or more). I just really appreciate a place that clears their product out when it is on the edge of getting old...sometimes you find nice deals but more importantly you ALWAYS know they will fresh beer....that is important to me..this place might be my favorite liquor store in the state just for that reason....and yes they have a great selection as well....
