Taste and learn at area liquor stores
It's one thing to stand at a bar and order a drink. It's quite another to have one poured for you and then have a knowledgeable winemaker or brewer explain all the nuances of whatever is in the glass.
Liquor stores often hold tastings – many are free, though special tastings might have a cost involved – as well as classes for customers who want to sip and learn more about a variety of spirits, beers or wines. An employee or owner, a drink company representative or sometimes even the beverage maker is on hand to talk about the products, which can be offered at a discount.
State Line Liquors in Elkton, Md., (800) 446-9463, has a number of beverage events throughout the year.
Last spring, I attended a very fun, and very crowded, "Battle of the Belgian Ales" at the 1610 Elkton Road store. For $20, you got a glass and pretzels, cheeses and some cured meats to snack on, while the State Line brew crew poured tastes of 16 beers, many of which were hard-to-find.
Here was the fun part – they matched a Belgian ale from Belgium against an American-made Belgian ale.
The tastings at the store usually last for about two hours. The next Beers of Belgium event is April 26 from 7-9 p.m.
Friday afternoons from 3-6 p.m., State Line has free tastes of two wines with two cheeses. (The wine tasted is 20 percent off.) And on most Fridays, they also offer free beer tastings that can start at 3 p.m. and usually end by 7 p.m. Visit www.statelineliquors.com.
In-store samples at the tasting bar are held every Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Premier Wine & Spirts Limestone, just east of the intersection of Kirkwood Highway and Limestone Road, toward Stanton. A Jim Beam Single Barrel Release Party is March 21 from 5-8 p.m. with live music and food. No reservations are required.
A free event at 6 p.m. April 10 featuring aged beers from Two Stones Pub and Dogfish Head Brewery is sold out, but you can get on a waiting list. Call (302) 996-9463.
Total Wine & More sprinkles in beer and wine classes, along with tastings, at its stores. At the Claymont store on April 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., it hosts a class showcasing craft beers in cans. The cost is $15. Visit www.totalwine.com.
The "Tasting Table" is always open at Moore Brothers Wine Company in Wilmington's Trolley Square and at its New York and New Jersey locations. Every day, customers can sip a selection of new arrivals, staff favorites, or current special offerings. Call (877) 316-6673.
One of the best secrets at the beach is the free Friday and Saturday evening tastings at Bin 66 Fine Wine and Spirits on Del. 1 in Rehoboth Beach, north of Dewey Beach. (It's located along the "Forgotten Mile" stretch of highway.) From 4 to 7 p.m., the shop offers pours of six wines – three wines, three reds – and serves light munchies. Store owners have said they can attract about 300 people for each three-hour tasting. Don't worry, you haven't missed out this year. The Friday night tastings from5-8, and Saturday evening tastings from 4-7, resume on May 1, and run through December. Visit the Bin 66 Wine and Spirits Facebook page or visit www.bin66.com.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com.