Beer, Wine & Spirits in Saint Cloud

Offering more than 300 varieties of cheese from 15 countries, Surdyk’s provides one-stop shopping for cheese aficionados, party planners, plasticine Englishmen and their put-upon dogs, and nests of mice disguised as parka-wearing human shoppers. Liven up your next book club, Civil War re-creation meeting, or Civil War creation meeting with the Australian Roaring ‘40s blue, English Colston & Basset Farmhouse Stilton, and Stinging Nettle Gouda varietals. Tongues frightened by the thought of pronouncing Ekte Gjetost can cheese it a little closer to home with domestics such as Constant Bliss from Jasper Hill Farm, 10-year-aged cheddar, and Cypress Grove Midnight Moon. If you're not sure which variety is best for party platters or swan-shaped centerpieces, Surdyk's knowledgeable cheese consultants will happily impart their know-how and enthusiasm to anyone who asks. And because man does not live by cheese alone, Surdyk’s 12,000-square-foot store also provides plenty of wine and deli-pairing options to further pique the palate.

A Minneapolis fixture since the glaciers receded and left early Minnesotans with the desire for a strong, strong drink, the 8,000-square-foot Broadway Avenue Merwin houses more liquid libations than Dionysus's former home, the Alpha Sigma Sigma fraternity house. Globetrot through German, Belgian, Irish, and domestic craft beers; $10 six packs of New Grist gluten-free beer are also available. Merwin adds elegance to candlelit evenings with a wine selection more diverse than the types of mold that grow on an old set of dentures. Harder stuff such as $10 1-liter bottles of Black Velvet whiskey and Clan McGreggor scotch ($14 for 1 liter) warms any chilly evening. With Bombay Sapphire gin ($26.99 for 1 liter), Casa Noble's two-year anejo tequila ($55 for 750 ml), and Grey Goose vodka ($34.99 for 1 liter), Merwin has 10 times the selection of even the swankest bar and usually fewer fistfights, so it’s an excellent alternative to a night on the town, especially since your bed will always drive you home safely.