The Alcohol Evolution
Before I get into alcohol-related gifts, let’s flashback to spring break 2001. Instead of a booze forward, hook-up-filled Panama City spring break, my friends and I went to Charleston, SC for a more refined and historically significant spring break experience. On our last night in Charleston, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice seafood dinner.
My friend ordered a White Russian, an interesting choice to mix with popcorn shrimp, but whatever. What we didn’t know was that in South Carolina, bars were required to use mini bottles of alcohol (yes, the cute ones you see on planes) to mix cocktails. Mini bottles contain 1.7 ounces of alcohol and a White Russian calls for two types of alcohol, so when the server brought the cocktail out in a pint glass to accommodate the 3.4 ounces of alcohol, we had questions. When the bill came and we saw the $11 price tag on the cocktail, our broke-ass college student jaws hit the table.
We could hardly fathom paying that much for a drink. To us, drinks usually came in “and” form (Captain and Coke, gin and tonic, etc.) and they cost about $3.50 a pop. I am telling you this meandering story to illustrate the fact that things have changed a lot in the last 20ish years when it comes to alcohol. Flash forward to yesterday when I paid $10 for a Strawberry Basil Daiquiri without batting an eye.
The Modern Age of Alcohol
We live in boozy times, my friends. Craft breweries have been all the rage for about 10 years and craft distilleries aren’t far behind. Wineries have been a bit more of a constant, but we’re seeing more of them too. With the craft comes the cost, so the $6 local beer and $12 craft cocktail have become commonplace but are in so many ways worth it.
We have become hobbyists in the enjoyment of alcohol, and a variety of businesses have emerged to support craft drinking, the new American pastime. There are busses to drive you and your friends around to your favorite breweries.
We live in a busy world with competing priorities, so it should come as no surprise that when we take the time to slow down to enjoy something, we want to have a meaningful experience. Just like when giving a gift, planning and thoughtful execution make an experience more memorable and enjoyable.
The thoughtful, experiential parallels between craft alcohol and gift giving make alcohol gifts ripe for the picking (get it). If you know a person well enough to know that they appreciate and enjoy alcohol, it is perfectly appropriate to give it as a gift or as an experience. The more closely you can pair the gift to their tastes, the better.
Curious Alcohol Gift Picks
For the Mixologist
I randomly stumbled across Crafted Taste today as I was researching something else and felt compelled to share it. For their subscription package, they will send you or the person to whom you gift the subscription a kit (with or without the alcohol) for a new cocktail every month. They also have several one-time purchase kits that would make for a great gift as well. As a recently converted meal prep service evangelist, I can tell you that a to-your-door delivery service complete with recipe cards delivers more than just the fixings. You also get the excitement of anticipation and improved confidence in your craft.
For the Drinker
My favorite local men’s shop, James Dant, offers several quality cocktail accessories that make great gifts. Indy locals should try to stop by in person to take in the unique goods. If you are giving a gift to a stylish man of any age, this is the store for you.
I always enjoy a quality bottle of wine as a gift, and I’ve been using Last Bottle to order some unique wines that you can’t find locally. They post one bottle of wine a day (usually at a 30-70% discount) and they sell it until it is gone. It’s a great deal and if you order up to a certain quantity shipping is free.
The ultimate wine accessory is a nice set of glasses and the go-to glass is Riedel. I prefer a stemmed glass but their stemless glasses are also nice. I am also hearing good things about Libbey Glass Signature Kentfield Estate All Purpose Wine Glasses, which are a bit less expensive than Riedel glasses. I’m going to have to try them out.
Because, I don’t know much about beer glassware, I am going to punt this to another blogger at The Spruce Eats, who seems to know what they are talking about.
For the Maker
A drinker I trust recommends Great Fermentations for your home brewing and winemaking needs because of their knowledgeable staff. They are a local, Indianapolis company, but their online store is quite robust and you can call or email them for questions or advice. They also offer a number of different classes (including cheese making) that I may have to try out sometime.
For those who prefer a less personal approach to buying supplies, Midwest Supplies has a good reputation, and I have it on good authority (my Mom) that the kits work and the support videos are very helpful.
Local Experiences
The Indy Brew Bus is the original brewery tour in Indianapolis. While I haven’t been on a tour, I do know one of the owners, whose taste I trust implicitly. You can join a scheduled tour with other beer lovers or rent a bus for a private tour. I’ll add this one to my to-do list.
If you are in the market for a unique, cocktail-centric night out on the town, The Inferno Room is your best bet. This two-story tiki bar has a very knowledgeable staff and they sling some of the best cocktails around. I rang in my 40th birthday there, so I should know.
Destination Experiences
Asheville, NC is bursting at the seams with amazing breweries. My husband is the beer drinker in our family and he seemed to enjoy it. I’m more of a wine gal myself, so I enjoyed the wine tasting (and purchasing) at the Biltmore House. The food scene in Asheville is the real star of this cozy mountain town, but it pairs nicely with the abundance of craft beverages. I would go back to Asheville for round 2 in a heartbeat and when I do I will come back with more details.
I have a bad habit of falling in love with every place I visit on vacation and end up fantasizing about moving there for six months after I leave. I’m still planning my future in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA after a friend and I visited over a long weekend to celebrate our 40th birthdays back in November. With its many neighborhoods full of personality and winery tasting rooms, we managed to entertain ourselves. Instead of getting me a gift, I told my husband that I wanted to join a wine club while I was in California, which I did. I now get two shipments a year from Happy Canyon Vineyard and I get to imagine the day that I live there and can pop up to the vineyard to pick up my wine club bottles on a lazy Sunday with my husband and dogs in tow.
Image by mel054139 from Pixabay
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