Ryan Cashman

Is there a beer lover in your family? Chances are the answer is yes. How many? In my family we have several. Obviously, there’s me. We’ve also got my wife, my mother, my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and, the big one, my father-in-law. As we wrap up, or begin, our holiday shopping, consider some of the following gifts for the beer lovers in your family.

There are several types of beer appreciators, but for the sake of ease and space I’ll boil it down to the three I most often come across: Experimentalists, Scientists, and Drink Anythings.

Experimentalists and Drink Anythings are similar in that they will drink whatever is put in front of them, though Experimentalists tend have a more diverse palate than their counterparts. These are the people who like independent brews, the places that test out flavors in strange new combinations. If you’ve gone drinking with an Experimentalist, you’ll know what they like. So a bottle or some cans from their favorite indie brewhouse would be a welcome gift. If you’re not exactly sure what their preferences are, fret not. Most package stores give you the option to create your own six-pack. This allows you to pick and choose some of the wackiest flavors in the fridge: nitro stouts, triple IPA’s, peanut butter porter, and etc. And what’s great about our Experimentalist friends is that they are completely willing to try something different, like beer jelly or coffee infused with hops.

The Drink Anythings are similar in this regard, though I find they have their favorites. They may enjoy the occasional dive into the flavor pool, but they don’t tend to wade there for long. This makes them simultaneously easy and tricky to buy for. Easy because you tend to know their preference. Keary, my father-in-law, is a big IPA drinker. So, when buying for him, we tend towards the tried and true: Be Hoppy by Wormtown, Cactus by Tilted Barn, or Dirty Swan by Purgatory. This isn’t to say he won’t venture into more wacky territory, but for the most part he’s an IPA man. It gets tricky to buy for a Drink Anything when you feel like you’re repeating yourself. There are only so many IPAs, right? Wrong! There is never a shortage of IPAs to try, especially in this state. Still, if you feel like going for variety this year, perhaps a personalized pint glass or a cheeky bottle opener. These are simple enough to find online or at a local artisan shop.

Now, we come to the Scientists. These are the guys who love the science of beer. The fermentation, the sugars, the molecular structure. Scientists are often Experimentalists gone wild. They love the alchemy. So, for the Scientist in your life, you have the easiest and most dangerous gift of all: a home brewing kit. Easy for the perfection of the gift giving. Dangerous for the fact that you will likely have unleashed a monster who will be trying to convince you to open a brewery with him.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!