Drinks

Eggnog is always a hit around the table during the holiday season, but it can sometimes feel a little predictable. Switch it up this year and impress your family, friends and guests with some new beverages.

Jerry Blakey, a past member of the St. Paul City Council, opened Lowertown Wine & Spirits in 2004, bringing a well-curated selection of specialty spirits, local wines and hard-to-find beers to the Lowertown neighborhood.

Jerry Blakey, a past member of the St. Paul City Council, opened Lowertown Wine & Spirits in 2004, bringing a well-curated selection of specialty spirits, local wines and hard-to-find beers to the Lowertown neighborhood.

Greg Varner, owner of Excelsior Vintage, opened his boozy utopia in 2001, specializing in craft beer and unique spirits—but his first passion is wine.

If beer isn’t your thing—or if you’re just tired of hearing about it at this time of year—we’ve got seasonal wine picks from John Farrell, vice president of sales and merchandising for Haskell’s.

Phil Platt is a walking Rolodex of Minnesota breweries.

Traditionally, cocktails are a mixture of spirits, sugar, water and bitters, but things have changed a little bit since the onset of the shaken and stirred varieties. Now, we want it all and we’re willing to go out on a limb and try something completely new in the name of alcohol.

Bill Waddington studied tea for 20 years before opening TeaSource in Highland Park in 1996. He shares his top three tips for brewing the perfect cup:

Wine Republic seems like any other wine shop. It’s small and quaint, located right in the heart of downtown Excelsior.

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