Too Far North - Nebraska Wines & Wine Tasting

It can be tough to find a good bar in a small town. Maybe it's the lack of competition, maybe it's the lack of cross-pollination between bar cultures, but it's harder to find good atmosphere and bar quality in a small town than in Omaha.Too Far North bucks the trend nicely. Small, comfortable vibe. Not a huge tap list, but a demographic spread across the beer.I don't drink wine, but the owner seems like a wine nerd who enjoys chatting with any other wine nerds who come in.It's got some class, but no pretension. Great place to get a drink with a friend or read a book.

Nice local brews and whiskey. Always fun to chat to whoever might be setting next to you. Small town appeal. Bring in some food and buy your drinks from Sandy. Only wish NA options were available for those who want a brew without the ETOH

Awesome atmosphere and the owners are super knowledgeable about area wines! Snack food items pair very nicely or you can walk down to one of two local bars and grab food and bring it back

Having passed through Ft. Calhoun numerous times outside business hours, I had some anticipation when we stopped in on a Sunday afternoon while the establishment was open. High hopes, one might say.Well, it didn't turn out as I wanted. Service was slow -- the person serving spent an inordinate amount of time chatting with already-served customers, leaving people who were waiting to languish in a proverbial desert of thirst. Maybe that's what is considered "charm" in this small village; and I agree that it's nice to engage your customers. However, leaving other customers unserved is a recipe for loss of a potential star.Another star disappeared when the beers we eventually ordered arrived warm. No, not England-ale-house-warm, but room-temperature-warm. Ugh. At least the craft beers could still be enjoyed to some degree, unlike a mass-market domestic that is undrinkable at ambient temperature. So, we soldiered through our beers, and then departed, left wanting for what "could have been".

For a good selection of Nebraska wines also has a good selection of Nebraska beers from throughout the entire state ...¥.... stop in you want to buy locally

Today, people are all kinds of sophisticated, and why shouldn't they be? There are viticulturists in these hills producing award-winning grapes for award-winning wines. Napa Valley fears our skills and the silty, loamy soil that is our birthright. Our breweries are second to none and produce IPAs, porters, ales, lagers, pilsners and stouts that apologize for nothing to anyone either. So it shouldn't come as no surprise to find tasting rooms dotted throughout the metro and along scenic byways. And yet, while enjoying the Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway enroute to Blair, I was indeed surprised. In Fort Calhoun, I discovered Too Far North, a beer and wine-tasting room set inside an old saloon built in 1902 by the Metz Brothers. Inside, I met Sandy Kucera. In 2005, Sandy and her husband Dane turned this oft repurposed site (drugstore, butchers, doctor's office, art gallery, motorcycle shop) into a cozy and educational destination less than 10 miles from Omaha. Metz memorabilia adorns the walls. Sandy's prize piece is a mint-condition 1950s beer sign she bought still in its packing crate. Locally-produced crafts and antiques are on display for sale as well. One can tell right away that Sandy is energized by people as she talks about the history of her building. She describes both her wine and beer selections in detail like a sommelier. So pleasant is her demeanor that one would be hard-pressed to determine if the other patrons are regulars or first-timers. "I've been told I'm a hoot," Sandy said. "I try to tell the story of Too Far North, our local history, Nebraska's unique destinations and combine them altogether. We sell an experience and we're actually not THAT far north."The Kuceras have been a part of the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association since 2001 and planted their own vineyard in 2002. According to Sandy, it helps Too Far North stay current. "It's been fun to meet the owners of Nebraska's wineries and breweries and establish relationships with them. We also have several local hops growers who stop in," Sandy said. "We like to make sure we find out about what's out there so we can get it here."The taps here change frequently as the beer comes in five-gallon kegs. $6 per glass is pretty reasonable for rare options you won't readily find sold together anywhere else. My Goatsmack Helles Bock from Scriptown Brewery was a pleasant, malty first encounter. Wine starts at $5.50 per glass, bottles at $16.50. If you want a pleasant surprise that is just far enough out of your way, try Too Far North.

My wife and I made our second stop in. Sandy was charming and personable. She has created a destination to have a glass of Nebraska wines. Two or three beers on tap. Short road trip from Omaha. Historic building. My wife's favorite is the couch with coffee table and its books to explore. Just a nice place for a couple's outing. We are still exploring the wine offerings. Very tasty.

I've been here three times now and have yet to buy a glass of wine. Admittedly, I'm a little snobbish towards wines from the Midwest, but that's my fault. So why the five stars, if not for the wine? Well, they're for the atmosphere, service, cheese and beer. Serving several taps from small 5-gallon kegs from local breweries ensures a different selection on almost every visit, with little surprises here and there. I'd like to see their selection of beer sold in bottles to expand a bit, but that's a minor complaint. Sandy is incredibly friendly and helpful, able to describe completely the characteristics of the beers on tap and to talk knowledgeably about the breweries that the beer came from. The cheese comes from the UNL dairy shop and it is all well crafted, matching perfectly with the beer.I've been disappointed by the other establishments in Fort Calhoun and Blair, but this little spot provides a bit of hope for us all.

I was introduced to Too Far North about a year after Sandy opened. I've been a pretty steady customer since. Sandy is familiar with many of the wine producers and brewers in Nebraska. She rotates the beer selections often enough to keep it interesting. Speaking of interesting this place has the most eclectic group of customers you'll ever meet. Go a couple of times and it's like old home week, everyone says hi. Pretty soon you find yourself deep in conversation with someone you barely know. I wish I lived closer so I could spend more time there. Hit the Rustic Inn for food the wander across to Too Far North.

Highly recommend an outing to Fort Calhoun and Too Far North. A laid back quiet town with country west atmosphere. I am a former Fort Calhoun hill country resident, now living in Montana, upon a return what should I find that the "apple house" is now Too Far North. I was thrilled to see that the building lives on, now offering fines Nebraska wines and tasting. Maybe just from memory, I could still smell "the fresh apples" in baskets that lined the walls. Bought 3 Nebraska Wines and plan to book a gathering of friends for wine tasting at Too Far North in the late spring. Thank you.