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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

10 holidays gifts for the beer connoisseur

Magazine subscription: There are a fair number of magazines about beer currently available, everything from trade publications for professionals in the brewing industry to home brewers to those who just like the last of a good beer.

Beer of the month club: You've heard about month clubs, right? Basically, you buy a membership into one of these clubs and then once a month or every few months the club will ship you a variety of goods. There are cake clubs, movie clubs, cigar clubs ... you get the idea. For our purposes of this list, we're talking about beer clubs. Yep, you can give the gift that keeps on giving all year long by buying a beer of the month club membership for your favorite beer nut. This way, every so often your beer friend will get a chance to try a variety of different beers. There are many different types of beer of the month clubs, so pick the one you think works best for your budget and your beer pal.

Personalized beer labels: Ever want a bottle of beer that has your own name on it? Or maybe the name of a beer friend, or a special date worth remembering? If so, you actually can get personalized beer label for bottles. Some labels even allow you to put your own pictures on them.

Beer glasses: No, I'm not talking about beer goggles. I'm talking about the kind of glasses you drink from. The best way to drink beer is from a glass, the taller the better, because it allows the aromas and textures of the brew to better reach the nose, which helps with the tasting. But you don't want just any old beer glasses as a gift, right? Maybe you want beer glasses that have the logo of your beer pal's favorite brew. If that's the case, than look no further than right here. All kinds of glasses and all kinds of labels.

Gift basket: That's right, there actually are beer gift baskets. What comes in a beer gift basket? Well, each basket is unique, so you might want to shop around. Some beer gift baskets will focus upon one nationality; for example, one basket might have a bunch of beers from Belgium (which is a country that makes great beer, by the way). Other baskets might focus upon a certain style of beer, such as stouts. Yet other baskets mix it up, providing all kinds of different beers. It's up to you to decide what you want.

E-books: With digital publishing taking off like crazy, more and more people are reading books on e-reading devices such as the Kindle, the Nook, on their computer, or through their cell phone or other options. So if your favorite book lover happens to have an e-reader, why not get them an e-book about beer for the holidays. Do a search on sites such as Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, etc. and you'll find all kinds of e-books about beer, from professional e-books about making beer to amateur e-books just chatting about beer, etc. The possibilities are nearly endless. And don't forget, you can always go for printed books, too.

Beer tube: What in the world is a beer tube? Imagine a small beer tap right on your own table. It looks kind of like a bong, what with that tall glass filled with beer and a little tapper sticking out. The beer tube holds 100 ounces of beer, so it's just right for parties and gatherings of friends. Also, they might go over well in a bar or restaurant, if your beer giftee happens to run such a place.

Home brewing kit: Most serious, experienced home brewers probably already have their own set-up in the basement, the garage, the kitchen, wherever. But everyone has to get started somehow. Perhaps you've got a beer buddy who is interested in brewing his or her own beers at home, but doesn't quite know how to get started. You can help. How? By gifting them a home brewing kit. Home brew kits come in many price ranges, from less than $50 to several hundred dollars and more. Each kit is different, and allows the home brewer to try different beers, so make sure your browse around first before picking out the kit you want.

Beer signs: Okay, maybe you don't have a beer buddy, but you have someone you know who appreciates little pieces of Americana, somewhat historical, trendy pop culturish items from the recent past. You need to get them a gift? How about a metal beer sign, one that looks like it comes out of the 1950s or some other part of America's earlier 20th Century?

Beer T-shirts: Okay, just about everyone wears T-shirts, and most folks won't mind a T-shirt that has something about beer on it, especially if it's a funny T-shirt. See, even if you don't know anyone who loves beer, you can still get them a beer present for the holidays.

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