Family and friends. Gotta love ’em—especially at Christmastime. However, after you open your third package of cartoon character socks from your aunts and grandmother, you wonder if they even know you at all. Fear not, Beerknurds. The holidays eventually end and then, you get the opportunity to return all the electronic tie racks, desk organizers and bags of “hilarious” “reindeer poop” you received and get what you really want: cool beer shit! And we can help you out.
As we always preach, one of the really cool things about the craft beer industry is the idea of collaboration. Not just in two awesome breweries making beer together, but craft beermakers partnering with craftsmen and craftswomen from their own backyards to make some really cool stuff. Stuff that you not only want, but that’s actually useful and proudly declares your love and support for craft beer. That’s the stuff you should be getting for Christmas! So, we pulled together some of our favorite swag from some of our favorite breweries that should be pretty readily available for you to order once you have your Christmas cash in hand.
Sierra Nevada ChicoBag Travelpack
Made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, this innovative backpack is one cool item any Beerknurd should own. Not only is Sierra Nevada one of our favorite breweries, but their Chico, California neighbor, ChicoBag, is a top-notch company out there doing good for the earth. “Helping humanity bag the single-use habit”, all of their products are made from post-consumer recycled plastic bags or bottles. This awesome bag is lightweight, durable and ready to hold your crap while you hike to help shed those holiday pounds. Plus, you can pack a few brews for refreshment on your journey.
What’s good-looking, goes with you anywhere and keeps 18 cans of Dale’s Pale Ale nice and cold on the way? If you said your wife or your dog—we’d like to meet both. However, we’re talking about the Oskar Blues branded soft cooler from fishpond, which is just up the road from OB in Longmont, Colorado. This model from the Blizzard line is insulated, waterproof, tough as hell and comfortable to carry, making it perfect to carry with you on your next fishing trip. Watch out—it could become your new best friend.
If the holidays have you feeling a little “off-centered” and the cold weather can’t keep you from grilling, may we suggest this handy BBQ set made by Lamson & Goodnow (out of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts) just for Dogfish Head? Put the perfect char on a couple of steaks with a Midas Touch in one hand and these durable tongs, turner or meat fork in the other.
There’s no shame in gifting yourself a basket of some of craft beer’s finest food, especially when it comes from the very-much-alive guys from Rogue Brewery in Oregon. This gift basket includes an awesome Vosges chocolate bar from, Rogue Creamery Chocolate Stout Cheddar Cheese (made with Rogue beer), Rogue Hazelnuts, Rogue beer swag, four 22oz Rogue beers of your choice and a can award-winning Rogue albacore tuna. That’s right, a brewery that makes damn good tuna. The fish is caught off of the shores of Rogue’s hometown in Newport, Oregon and has won awards for just how great it is. Seriously, you should get yourself a basket…and maybe order one for anyone you forgot to shop for.
Beer and bicycles go together like beer and most everything else. That’s why Boulevard has teamed up with fellow Kansas City artisan, KC CO, to give you this beautiful beer holder for your trusty 10 speed, cruiser or whatever you’re pedaling around. The holder is big enough for your favorite Smokestack series beer (read: large bottle), which means you’ll be consuming a good amount of beer, so please drink and bike responsibly.
Hopefully, these items are more along the lines of what you’re wanting. We also encourage you to investigate what cool stuff the breweries in your neck of the woods are putting out there. See if they’re partnering with other local businesses to make some truly unique products. Not only will you be supporting craft beer, but you’re supporting your fellow local beer lovers.
