PJ Hoberman

Beer for the Holidays (as un-cliché as possible)

Holidays!

Beer!

Woo!

Ok, I got that out. In case you weren’t aware, the holidays are approaching. I know this because it was -7˚ the other morning in Denver. Therefore, it’s either early December or June. Some quick math, and I now know the holidays are upon us.

So what does one get their biggest beer geek for the holidays? Or, if you are said favorite beer geek, what do you ask for?

Beer, obviously.

There are many different beer-related gifts out there. There are sample packs, bombers of the good stuff, beer of the month clubs, homebrew kits, brewery tours, and a bunch of others.

Beer

Buying some beer is in itself a great gift, whether it’s for someone else or a present to yourself. It being the holidays, I’d suggest some Christmas Ales and other such winter brews. Another Hop Press writer, Ken Weaver, wrote a post about the top 10 winter holiday beers of RateBeer.com. Great place to start. What beer lover wouldn’t love a mixed case of those brews?

Don’t know what beers to buy? Ask someone. The beer industry is amazingly helpful, especially when you’re looking to explore some new brews. Ask for the beer person at your local bottle shop, and they should be able to fill your basket (or shopping cart, as it may be) with heaps of delicious seasonal offerings.

If you want to buy beer and give it to someone who lives far away – for example, you live not in Denver, and want to send beer to me in Denver – it can get a little tricky. First, do not, I repeat, DO NOT ship beer through the US Postal Service. It’s against their rules, and since they’re government, their rules are sort of the law. So, don’t do it.

Now, I would never condone doing anything against any rules, but if you wanted to send a delicious bottle of The Bruery’s Two Turtle Doves – which I had last week and found to be AMAZING – there are ways. First, pack the bottle(s) like they’re going to be drop-kicked by a clumsy rhino. I’m talking bubble wrap, styropopcorn, bullet-proof kevlar insulation, etc. Then, it’s been suggested you bend reality a little and tell the clerk of your choice of private shipping companies that you’re sending a yeast sample. Or a lava lamp.

Again, I’m not advising anyone to break any local, state, federal, or international laws. But I’d love a bottle of Duck Duck Gooze if you have an extra.

Beer of the Month Clubs

Too lazy to leave the house or ask for advice? Never fear! There are options for you as well. Beer of the month clubs are all over the place. I’ve never been involved in one of these clubs (hint hint), so I can’t speak to the validity of any of them. I have seen their offerings, and they range from the mediocre options you can find at your corner package store to the incredibly rare treats people sell on eBay for hundreds. A quick search for beer of the month clubs returns many options. If you’ve ever  been a part of one of these clubs, please leave a comment below and let everyone know your thoughts.

My buddy Chris, who writes snowboarding.about.com, is part of one such club. He receives 12 beers a month, comprised of 3 each of 4 different beers. He pays as he goes, or rather his fiancée does, rather than a big lump payment. This way, they can cancel at any time. Chris absolutely loves it. It’s called the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club.

While it’s less of a beer of the month club and more of an awesome membership to a secret society, some breweries have special memberships. I recently asked for a membership to the Patron Sinner’s Club at Lost Abbey, with a backup of the Patron Saint’s Club. They’re not cheap, but… have you seen what comes with it? Who cares! We’re talking rare and rarer beers shipped to your door, glassware, special beer buying options, dinners, and other sweet sweet stuff. Go look. I’d love to disclose that they’re paying me to say this, but they aren’t. If Lost Abbey wants to send me free beer though, I’ll tell you all about it.

Homebrewing

Maybe it’s time for your favorite beer lover to start making his or her own beer. The previous ideas have been like giving a man a fish. This one is like teaching a man to fish, and then giving him a cooler to fill with beer while he watches his bobber not move.

There are some great online resources, and I’ll link those in a minute, but first, a suggestion. If you have a local homebrew shop (LHBS, as commonly referred to on the interwebz), go there. The online shops are convenient, and maybe even cheaper, but you can’t beat the environment of a good LHBS. Having a local expert who can calm your fears, make suggests, check your recipes, taste your beer, and generally just talk the talk, well that’s worth a lot. Also, when you forget some ingredient or need an extra air lock, those cheap, convenient online shops can’t get you the supplies in the next 15 minutes.

Whether your gift recipient is just getting into homebrewing, or is a seasoned brewer, a gift certificate or 42 gallon conical fermenter are great stocking stuffers.

Check out the Beer Mapping Project or the American Homebrewer’s Association, or Google, to find your local homebrew shop.

Now, if you live in a desolate wasteland, or somewhere similarly devoid of a good shop, or you just like the superior selection at a lower cost for your supplies, there are some great online stores. Please, feel free to add your favorite online shops in the comments. I generally find what I need at my local homebrew shop, so I haven’t had a chance to check out all of these suppliers. But, here are a few I’ve heard good things about:

• Northern Brewer – By far the cleanest site out there. From what I hear, they’re a little more expensive, but their customer service is superb, and they’ll have what you need.
• Midwest Supplies – A little cheaper than Northern Brewer, but mostly the same.
• Austin Homebrew Supply – Like Midwest, but in Austin.

Books

The internet is chock full of great information, but sometimes it’s nice to have beer resources on your bookshelf. Most of my books are about brewing or the beer business, but there are also books on beer styles, pairings, tasting, and anything else you could imagine. Here are a few that I like. The links take you to Amazon.

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Charlie Papazian	Christmas Beer: The Cheeriest, Tastiest, and Most Unusual Holiday Brews Don Russel	Ultimate Beer Michael Jackson
Tasting Beer Randy Mosher	Extreme Brewing Sam Calagione	Brewing Up A Business Sam Calagione

By the way, I’m not a Sam Calagione fanboy or anything. Those books really are good.

On my personal blog I have a post about my library, which is more full of homebrew and brewing business books. Check it out too, if you’re hungry for learning.

International Beer Tour

What do you get for the beer lover who has everything? Well, I’d suggest a trip around the world, stopping at every brewery that exists.

Other Ideas?

What other ideas do you have for holiday beer gifts?