Gift Suggestions for the Beer Lover in your Life

Some suggestions to Make the beer lover in your life a happy camper ...


Beer Bucket:

Hit Basil t's and pick up a fresh growler (or two) of beer. While you're at it, why not add a brewpub T-shirt? Then, when everything is ready, arrange your gifts in a metal pail (Jaspan's Hardware) add some pint glasses and coasters and add some protective filler (polyester batting, wood shavings tissue paper, etc,). (Remember to keep the fresh beer refrigerated).

Beer Glasses:

Every beer aficanado needs a set of appropriate glassware to enjoy the various styles of beer in so stop by your local Crate & Barrel (or a similar shop) and purchase one of each of the following: flute, goblet, mug, pilsner, pint, snifter, tulip, Weizen and an oversized wine glass. Consider adding some Coasters and maybe a book on Beer.

Beer and Snack Basket:

Pair a selection of local craft beers with some quality cheeses. Include some fancy crackers, condiments, summer sauasage, dried salami, smoked oysters etc. Add a suitable glass for the beers. Consider starting with a basket from Michael's, some high end snacks and cheeses from whole foods and beer and glasses from Spirits Unlimited in Red Bank.

Homebrew Kit:

You can buy a starter kit online or at The Brewers Apprentice in Freehold.

As I explained in an earlier column making your own beer can be a real adventure. For the faint of heart, consider a gift certificate to the Brewers Apprentice where you can do all the work on their premises. This lets your aspiring brewer do much of the work, but it keeps that aroma of and inevitable spills that accompany the brewing process out of your home. Brewers Apprentice

Breweriana:

Brewery advertisement collectibles, commonly called Breweriana by the beer afficcianado, Many of the antique stores in Red Bank will have old beer bottles, beer trays, bottle openers and even posters. Some even have collections of old brewery ads from magazines, which look awesome when framed. You can also look online.

Beer of the Month Clubs:

Michael Jackson's Rare Beer Club - Rare says it all. For the beer hunter that does not travel much.

Beer Across America - This is the original “Beer of the Month Club,” a fine pick for the American craft beer lover.

Books on Beer:

Barnes and Noble have a selection of Beer Books. look in the wine and food section.

BeerAdvocate Gear:

Lastly, one of my favorite beer related sites when I am curious about a new (or old) brew. Consider Beer Advocate.Com In additon to being a great resource tey have a gift shop. Any gear that you buy helps support the running of this donations only site. They have T-Shirts, Zippered Hoodies and more.

Do America's Craft Brewers Get It?

I received an interesting e-mail from the author of several books on beer and brewing in response to my last column. I want to thank the writer for his insight and for providing me with the inspiration for this week’s column. The writer’s position is that not only do the large brewing establishments not “get it” the, craft brewing industry does not quite “get it” either. On reflection, I think he raises some excellent points and I am inclined to agree with many of them. The main thrust of his argument is that the craft brewers and their fans should spend less time focusing on their criticism of the big three and their products and more time trying to expand the market share of craft beer. He provided an excellent analogy to the domestic wine industry.

As many of you will recall in the 1970’s and 80’s it was not uncommon to overhear many people ordering a carafe of “red” or “white.” Today, when a specific bottle from a wine list is not being ordered, we generally hear a varietals name such as Merlot, Burgundy, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio etc. The wine industry has educated the public such that today most of us know that there are many varieties of wine within each color grouping. How do craft brewers intend to get to the point where the discerning beer drinker knows that there is a big difference between an India Pale Ale and a Pilsner? That not all dark beers are heavy and bitter? How do craft brewers get the public to order by style and not by brand? The answer, of course, is by educating your consumers.

My two cents. As with the domestic wine industry the domestic craft brewing industry is made up of a disparate range of small to medium and large brewers. Consider the New Jersey Scene: On one end of the spectrum you have local brew-pubs like Basil T’s in Red Bank that do not bottle their beer, though you can buy a growler and take some home, you have niche type small batch brewers like Heavyweight in Ocean Township, and then there are the larger craft brewers that distribute in several states like River Horse in Lambertville and Flying Fish in Cherry Hill. What these folks all need is a common ad campaign. Much like the ad campaigns of the dairy farmers and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association. Perhaps they need to coin a snappy phrase like: “Got Milk?” or “Beef, Its Whats for Dinner.” A smart, yet down to earth advertising campaign aimed at promoting the history and culture of American brewing and the virtues of each of the different varieties of ales and lagers. Consider showcasing the pairing of craft beer and fine dining. Sure it’s tough to beat a glass of Pilsner and a slice of Pepperoni Pizza, but how about a Belgian White with a plate of Mussels? Pairing a glass of Dry Stout with a dozen oysters? The combination of Chicken Sate’ and American Pale Ale?

What are your thoughts? How would you get folks to drink better beer? How would you convince the big three that there is value in brewing a more flavorful beer?

Do America's Big Breweries Get "It"?

Anyone that spends more than a few moments at a local Liquor Store will have noticed the proliferation of Craft Brewed Beers that are now available. Some are domestic, some are imported. Package styles range from the functional to the artistic and everywhere in between. Notwithstanding this development the vast majority of floor and shelf space is devoted to the American Macro Beers and Malternatives like Tequiza and Hard Lemonades... all products of the nefarious BMC (BudMillerCoors). I am always amused when a well dressed man or woman saunters into the store and lingers over the latest Californian, Austrailan or Chilean Wines before selecting the latest "hot pick", then quickly wheels over to the beer section and without pause grabs a 24 Pack of BMC and trundles off to the register thence to the Mercedes for the ride home? What are these folks thinking? Beer has as rich a heritage as wine does. There are as many if not more varieties of beer than wine and frequently beer pairs better with what is on the menu.

American brewing has a rich heritage and has been part of the backdrop for every phase of our nation's history. Washington, Adams and Jefferson were all brewers. The Immigrant brewers like Anheuser Busch started out by brewing flavorful and substantial brews. How did we get to the point we are at today? When most beer drinkers think "American Beer" is synonomous with thin, watery, fizzy, yellow beer that is sold by scantily clad ladies barely old enough to drink themselves?

But there is hope on the horizon. A faint glimmer of light is emanating from the wilds of Saint Louis, Milwaukee and Denver. Beer with flavor. Miller is touting its 1855 Celebration Lager, a macro with taste perhaps? Coors has become increasing bold with its "Winterfest" Amber Seasonal as well as it's "Blue Moon" and "Killian's" Brands. The most encouraging trend however is from no less than the Great Satan of Brewing, the megalithic Anheuser Busch. AB have always dabbled with specialty beers for example, there is Ziegenbock, available only in TX to compete with the Local specialty "Shiner Bock". There are the Michelob Specialty Lagers such as "Amberbock" and "Honey Lager" that are now widely available in bottle or draft. Lastly, in it's latest move toward flavor over quantity ... Anheuser Busch has offered up for public sale its Brewmasters Private Reserve and Michelob's Celebrate. These are clearly craft brewed products and aimed at both the craft brew drinker as well as those that shop by brand. Wheteher you care for these products or not, you have to be pleased by the current trend toward flavorful, full bodied brews over the bland "Mass Quantities" that Beldar the Conehead consumed with fried chicken embryos. At 8.5% and 10% ABV respectively these are serious brews. I have yet to try either brew but I will and I have high hopes. look for a review in a future column.

Christmas Gift sets are in the stores. Now is the time to get the beer drinkers in your life some new brews and the brewerania to match.