The holidays are here again, and so is the annual Beer Town Gifts For Beer Lovers Guide.
Like a mantra, we repeat: Beer lovers love beer. So buy them something new, fresh and local from one of Georgia’s growing number of craft breweries.
Of course, something rare, expensive or unusual that’s not readily available in Georgia is always a treat, too. Russian River Pliny the Elder, The Alchemist’s Heady Topper, or Samuel Adams Utopias would do the trick for me.
New books about beer are always welcome. Here are five from 2014:
“American Sour Beers: Innovative Techniques for Mixed Fermentations” by Michael Tonsmeire (Brewers Publications $19.95): For homebrewers and serious beer geeks, this is the comprehensive guide to the hottest style going right now.
“Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer … Even More” by Mirella Amato (Appetite by Random House, $24.95): Aimed at beer novices, but a good read for enthusiasts who need to remember beer is fun.
“The Craft Beer Revolution: How a Band of Microbrewers Is Transforming the World’s Favorite Drink” by Steve Hindy (Palgrave Macmillan, $25): The cofounder of Brooklyn Brewery offers an authoritative insider history of the past 50 years of craft brewing.
“The Foodie’s Beer Book: The Art of Pairing and Cooking with Beer for Any Occasion” by Brooke and Luther Fedora (Skyhorse Publishing, $24.95): Both beer guide and cookbook, this could be just the thing for a special someone who’s serious in the kitchen but behind on craft beer.
“Homebrew Beyond the Basics: All-Grain Brewing and Other Next Steps” by Mike Karnowski (Lark, $19.99): The head brewer at Asheville’s Green Man leads novice homebrewers into the world of all-grain techniques and beyond.
Beer gifts that keep on giving:
The Georgia Craft Brewers Guild has partnered with the Peach State Ale Trail to promote the Georgia Craft Beer Experience. The Passport Program supports the Guild and its efforts to create a better world for craft beer here. At the $30 Citizen, $45 Diplomat, and $65 Ambassador levels, members can "choose your own itinerary, destination and destiny, and explore breweries, pub, and pints all across the Peach State": peachstatealetrail.com/passport.
For beer lovers who want to learn more about beer, you can now "gift" Cicerone Certification Program products. Choose beer styles profile cards, malt box webinar, Road To Cicerone course books, the off-flavor kit and tutored tasting webinar, BeerSavvy Certified Beer Server exam, Certified Cicerone exam, or one of the new bootcamps, packed with a gift card and a Cicerone bottle opener: cicerone.org/products.
Beer gadget gifts:
For those who love growlers, the Growlers On Board caddy is great way to carry them to and from the growler shop. Locate this gadget locally and online here: www.growleronboard.com/wp/find-a-retailer/.
Gimmick or genius, you be the judge. The Barrel Mill cooperage in Minnesota has introduced a new smaller version of its patented Oak Infusion Spiral that allows home brewers and craft beer enthusiasts to quickly and easily add barrel-aged flavor, color and aroma directly to the bottle. See it and buy it here: barrelagedinabottle.com.
Happy holidays!
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