If you are struggling with what to buy your craft beer fan this holiday season, we can help. Craft Beer Lovers are usually the easiest people to buy for. They are pretty happy with a six pack of a new beer, but if you really want to find that extra special craft beer gift, keep reading. We have identified 9 different craft beer personas to help give you some ideas and lots of local Ohio shopping suggestions.
1. The Sweet and Salty Craft Beer Fan will appreciate an assortment of fine chocolates and snacks to pair with a variety of beers. Consider filling their basket with coffee beers, stouts, and a variety of items from your local chocolate shop. A must include item from the Squirrel's Den would be their chocolate covered pretzels, caramel popcorn and dark chocolate coffee squares.
2. The Craft Beer Chef will not only cook with beer, they will use it in their recipes too. Select a cook book or two with recipes based on beers or filled with suggested pairings along with bottles IPA's or other flavorful beers. Add a Phoenix gift pack with a set of pint glasses, a growler filled with their favorite beer and koozies to keep their beer cold while they are cooking.
3. The Craft Beer Connoisseur is someone who really knows beer. What they are really looking for are beers they enjoy or are what are often referred to as whales..Kind of like the Moby Dick's of beer. Elusive, strange, small batch creations or highly coveted beers can easily be found at your local bottle shops. Ask your local tap room technicians for upcoming specialty releases. And while the Connoisseur already knows a ton about craft beer, they would appreciate a reservation in a class like CRAFT BEER 103: Stouts, Porters, and more in January at the Phoenix.
The Santa Muerte Spiced Stout pairs well with local chocolates from the Squirrel's Den in Mansfield, Ohio.
Cold Bru coffee from Relax, It's Just coffee is a great AM starter. Finish the day with a bottle of Black Aggie Russian Imperial Stout.
7. The Craft Beer Bibliophile. enjoys drinking beer and reading about beer. So, pick a great title like 50 Must-Try Ohio Craft Beers written by Rick Armon or one of many other selections from Main Street Books or your favorite book store. Add a brewery gift card as a bookmark or maybe fill a growler with their favorite beer to imbibe with while they read.
8. The Brewer, homebrew or professional, would love a basket loaded up with growlers, howlers, glassware and carrying cases. Sweatshirts or zip ups from local breweries as well are also appreciated to combat brewing in colder temperatures. They also would be pretty happy with a variety of beers to sample, gift cards to any place beer related and of course feedback on their own hand crafted creations.
4. The Coffee and Beer connoisseur enjoys coffee and beer, and coffee beer. Why not try an AM/PM gift basket filled with a mug from Relax, It's just Coffee or your local coffee shop, some bottles of cold brewed coffee and then add a few bottles of deep dark local stouts.
5. The Bearded Craft Beer Fan might enjoy a basket filled with high gravity beer selections, a brewery baseball tee and beard maintenance items like beard oils and balms. Locally sourced beard oils from Lionheart Medicinal Gardens, The Bearded Pup, or Ohio Valley Beard Supply are always a treat.
6. The Craft Beer Girl loves her beers and enjoys getting to try new and exciting brews. Fill a basket up with local brewery favorites, add a ladies tee, and a gift card. Consider a magazine subscription to a brewing publication or even a membership to the Pink Boots Society.
Main Street Books in downtown Mansfield has a number of beer related books that would be perfect.
9. The Craft beer Couple enjoys going to local taprooms together and sharing a pint or two. They may even vacation based on breweries. Chances are they also have a core group of other brewery friends that they love to share their beer finds with. We suggest specialty bottles, growler fills of the newest beer on tap from their favorite local tap room. Gift cards to your favorite tap room, apparel and possibly board games that can be stashed in the car are also great to fill up their gift bag too. If a craft beer couple is hosting an event,this holiday season, consider a host/hostess gift basket filled with a variety of beers, snacks, and a board game we love called Beer Nerd.