Who doesn’t love sitting down with a cold beer on the weekend, savoring its aroma and taste while watching the game or chatting with friends? Being that the recipe for making beer is the oldest recorded recipe in the world and the third-most-popular beverage after water and tea, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that even the ancients were fond of its fermented flavor.
In fact, it’s now believed that beer – in moderation, anyway – can be good for you. Studies have shown that beer can help lower the risk of heart disease, fight inflammation and can aid in digestion. What isn’t good for you, on the other hand, is stress, and worst of all is the stress that comes from not knowing what to buy the beer enthusiast in your life. Beer consists of four ingredients: barley, yeast, water, and hops, but in terms of brewing up a stellar list of gifts for the recipient’s special day, you might not even have completed a first draught! Luckily, we’re here to help. Below are some of our best gift ideas for beer lovers, guaranteed to hit the spot!
Booze-Colored Glasses
First and foremost: the beer lover in your life is going to want a vessel in which to contain this delicious nectar. Why not put their own stamp on the glass, then, with this customizable tumbler? Add your own images or text, and it’ll take pride of place among all their other cups, canteens, and cocktail glasses.
For Beer’s a Jolly Good Fellow
If you’re unsure whether to opt for a t-shirt or piece of beer paraphernalia this birthday or Christmas, we’ve got the solution. This celebratory t-shirt combines both ideas, helping the beer fan in your life to raise a glass, both literally and symbolically, to their fine self.
You’ve Got Ale
One of the best ways to introduce a beer connoisseur to some new brews is with a beer subscription box. Sign your friend, partner, or sibling up to one of these affordable, high-quality subscriptions, and they’ll be sent new styles of beer every month, two months, or three months, depending on the package. With a range of providers to choose from, including subscriptions from the Rare Beer Club and the Craft Beer Club, this is just the gift for the beer lover who thinks they’ve consumed it all.
Class Half-Full
Lots of people like beer, but not everybody knows beer, you know? According to Todd Hamm of the Homebrew Academy, craft beer, in particular, and knowledge of the craft, is thriving, due to the popularity of beer tastings, festivals, publications and online resources. If the beer lover in your life might like to take their passion to the next level, you could sign them up to one of the many webinars or workshops that take place across the country. They can learn how to cook with beer, taste beer, brew beer – and they’ll probably drink a lot of beer in the process as well. It’s a win-win!
Read about Mead
Books make fantastic gifts because they’re educational, affordable, and even quite personal, as some thought must go into picking one that is suitable and specific. With that in mind, there’s an extraordinary range of titles to choose for your resident Cicero or Cicerone. The New World Guide to Beer by Michael Jackson (updated in 1991) and The Beer Bible by Jeff Alworth (2015) are good places to start their literary journey through the history of beer. That said, new beer-related books are released every year, meaning that new book options are unlikely to dry up.
But When You Do It, You Do It Cool
Even the most spirited beer lover doesn’t want a warm drink on a hot summer’s day. That’s why it’s important to keep your beer can ice-cold, with this stylish and practical can cooler. Wrap it around your can and you’ll ensure that every ounce of refreshment is preserved perfectly within its container. Plus, when you gift the person in your life this distinctive can cooler, you’ll let them know exactly how legendary they really are!
NEW! Seltzer can coolers for any skinny / slim canned beverages.
Drink Them Over the Table
No party or game night would be complete without a game of beer pong. Originally conceived of in U.S. universities during the 1950s, and also known by the name Beirut, games of beer pong are a common sight at barbecues and tailgate parties. This sturdy table can be customized with your beer fan’s name or design, and it can be conveniently folded away once a victor has been determined. It’s laminated, too, so there’ll be no crying over spilled beer.
Spirit Festival
Another excellent way to introduce your beer-loving friend to some new styles and tastes is by taking them to a beer festival. These events – the oldest of which began in 1982 – cater to everyone: from the most die-hard beer nut to the most casual of drinkers. Tickets are usually in high demand, so do your research early if you want to send your beer buddy to one of these events.
Hoppy Birthday
Of course, once you’ve decided on the perfect beer gift, whether it’s a book, shirt, or can cooler, it’s time to wrap it up. If you’re willing to eschew the prospect of being inconspicuous, why not add the finishing touches with some beer-related wrapping paper, ribbon, and gift tags? These will help you to continue the tipple theme right through to Christmas and the New Year.
We hope you’ve enjoyed every one of our gift ideas for beer lovers; have you had enough? If you fancy a nightcap, let us know in the comments below what some of your best beer buys have been, or what some of your favorite beer-related products are!
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
