You made your list, and you checked it twice. But no matter how much you rack your brain, sometimes finding the perfect gift just doesn’t come as naturally as you’d like it to.
You want to grab not only something that they want, but something that they need — something that they can use to start the new year off on the right foot. In order to find that perfect gift you don’t need a Christmas miracle, you just need The Daily Meal and our panel of experts.
To help you tackle your epic Christmas list this year, we sought the help of some of the top editors and planners in the entertaining world who know a thing or two about choosing the best gifts. With no personal product agenda, we asked them to help us decide which gifts are the "must-haves" this season. We asked them to nominate what they believe are the absolute best gifts for each of seven types of "food lovers" (the host, the beer/wine drinker, the coffee/tea drinker, the cook, the baker, the wannabe food critic, and the traveler).
After choosing an excellent variety of gift selections, we decided to present the top gifts from each category in seven gift guides to help make your holiday shopping trips slightly less frantic.
Today, we're tackling the beer enthusiast. For this person, it isn’t just a vintage malt here or special craft selection; it is a consuming hobby and they need more than just an empty refrigerator to store their collection!
Our panelists covered a variety of beverage-specialist concerns with their gift suggestions. To really wow someone who makes the holiday season merry and bright, make sure you get them something (or everything, if you are super generous) from our professionally picked list!
1. Portland 22-Ounce Beer Glass
(Crate and Barrel)
This artfully shaped beer glass is designed to capture the best traits of a variety of beers. Plus, we are sure the beer drinker in your life would like a glass they didn’t steal from the bar!
Price: $3.16 per glass via Crate & Barrel
2. Personalized Beer Mug
(Things Remembered)
You can’t go wrong by adding a personal touch to a present. You could purchase one fancy engraveable mug or a set of six to 12 to add to the beer drinker in your life's home bar.
Price: $25 via Things Remembered
3. Glacier Ball
(Glacier Ball)
Fill, freeze, and serve! This mold is perfect for the artful drinker who wants to enjoy a cold, not-watered-down drink in style. Simply slip pieces of fruit or gorgeous herbs into the mold and — violà! — you have gorgeous presentation and functionality.
Price: $29.99 via Glacier Ball
4. W&P Design The Barware Set
(Mason Shaker)
For the budding at-home bartender, or the mason jar-obsessed friend, W&P Design’s The Barware Set is a unique yet practical gift. The set includes the Mason Shaker, a muddler, and a jigger, ‘everything necessary to start crafting delicious cocktails,’ according to the website. Best of all, the set is packaged in a giftable cardboard box, which you can opt to wrap or, in a pinch, throw a bow on, and voilà!
5. 14th-Century-Style Beer Steins
(Uncommon Goods)
Upgrade their happy hour with these gorgeous handmade pottery beer steins. Especially good for the Renaissance fan, these steins have an Old World feel to them that will make a great addition to any beer enthusiast’s collection.
Check out more gifts for the cocktail, wine and beer lovers in your life.
More from The Daily Meal
The Daily Meal Editor’s Gift Guide 2015
18 Great Gift Wines for the Holidays
Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Cooks
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