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Fathers Day Gift Ideas for the Beer Lover

June is a busy month with graduations, the coming of summer, and the wind down of the school year.  Fathers day always seems to come out of no where.  No worries.  Here are some ideas for the last minute father's day shopper.

Beer Tour
Beer tourism is a real and growing business segment.  Your city probably has one or two operators guiding minibus loads of attendees to typically 3-4 craft beer destinations.   It's a great way to sample a lot of new beers, and meet like minded folks.  Operators are a quick google away.  Consider companies like Boston City Brew ToursThe New Hampshire Beer Bus, Portland OR's BeerVanaThe Chicago Beer ExperienceIndy Brew Bus, the Evan Rail designed Eating in Prague Czech Craft Beer Tour, and even a Napa Valley Hop Train

Books
I read a lot in the summer.  If your dad does too, here are some books he may enjoy.

Barrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out: Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch, and How Craft Beer Became Big Business  by Josh Noel.  Long term Chicago based beer writer tells the story of how a fast growing microbrewery was acquired by the makers of Budweiser.  The book follows the emotional response of the fans, and shows how what the AB marketing machine could do with some craft beer brands, and beer ideas.




National Geographic Atlas of Beer: A Globe-Trotting Journey Through the World of Beer.  Wine drinkers can get obsessive about terroir, and the origin of their beverage and not just because it makes an easy segue to a more interesting conversation about a far away place.  It's no secret that grapes make wine taste a little different based upon the weather they grow in, their soil, etc. The same is true for hops, barley and yeast that go into beer.  Ad to that the fact that people in different places brew beer differently in an effort to make make beverages uniquely suited to their area and there's a lot to talk about.


The Secrets of Master Brewers: Techniques, Traditions, and Homebrew Recipes for 26 of the World’s Classic Beer Styles, from Czech Pilsner to English Old Ale  by Jeff Alworth   If Dad's a home brewer, this book may hold the secret he needs to elevate his craft.  Some of the world's greatest beers are provided as examples, with home brew scale recipes and plenty of context.





A Brew Day

I'd never suggest trying to convert Dad into a home brewer on fathers day.  Your mother may kill you if you try. There's a lot of space consuming equipment involved.  Never mind boil overs and clean up.  However, brewing a beer with dad is a cool idea, and there is a way to do it without filling your basement.  Brew-On Premise business will provide ingredients, equipment and know-how so that your first batch is fun and successful.  Hopsters in MA makes more of an event of this by also having a full restaurant and pub.  Sample beers.  Pick a winner.  Brew your own.  Enjoy a meal.  It's a great day out.

Cycling Jersey or Other Creative Brewery Swag

Bike Jersey front.jpgThere's a lot more to brewery merchandise than pint glasses and t-shirts.  A lot of breweries have some really cool cycling jerseys.  They are great ice breakers on charity rides. If Dad likes beer and bikes, give this a shot.  Maybe he'll leave me in the dust craving refreshment like the last guy I saw wearing this Tree House jersey.  Apparently, my Great Lakes Burning River Pale ale jersey is out of print.  Now I feel overly regional.




New, logo free Glass Ware

Undoubtedly a beer loving Dad has too many generic tumblers with the logo of brewery.  That's great, buying more would be a bit like buying another coffee mug.  There are however glass ware options that should be explored.  A beer lover needs a set of glasses to enjoy and share Belgian and Belgian inspired beers, and glassware that can contain the entirety of those 16 oz cans the hipster kids are drinking.   Generic American tumblers hold about 12 oz.  No bueno for New England IPA.  You can't go wrong with Teku glassware. It's super high quality, and will make every beer look great on instagram and untapped.  Logo glasses only look good if the logo matches the beer.  I also recommend a dimpled beer mug for utility and awesomeness.
  

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