Beer Beer We Want More Beer
December 11, 2010 9:08 AM Subscribe
What are some suggestions for tasty, but a little bit fancy, wine-bottle-sized beers to give away for the holidays?
I have a number of family and friends that tend to be beer drinkers more than wine drinkers, and I would like to buck the trend of giving away wine or champagne during the holidays, and instead give away a single nice bottle of beer -- any suggestions for fancy-ish (while still delicious) beers that are wine-bottle size? As far as type, I'm open to any and all, as a lot of family members like IPAs, others like stouts, others prefer lagers, etc. etc.
To those of you feeling snarky, please note that I would prefer to stay away from malt liquor beverages, thank you very much.
I have a number of family and friends that tend to be beer drinkers more than wine drinkers, and I would like to buck the trend of giving away wine or champagne during the holidays, and instead give away a single nice bottle of beer -- any suggestions for fancy-ish (while still delicious) beers that are wine-bottle size? As far as type, I'm open to any and all, as a lot of family members like IPAs, others like stouts, others prefer lagers, etc. etc.
To those of you feeling snarky, please note that I would prefer to stay away from malt liquor beverages, thank you very much.
Can't go wrong with Flying Fish's Exit Series of beers. Nice wide variety, relatively inexpensive, and universally delicous.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 9:16 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 9:16 AM on December 11, 2010
I typically give away bottles of Duvel or Chimay Grande Reserve (blue label). Both are Belgian ales and are consistently reviewed and rated very highly. Both are available in 750ML bottles and typically are received very well as presents (in my experience!)
If you are giving presents to people that are outside of you area, you should also look into beers that are local to you which may have limited distribution. Your family and friends may enjoy drinking a beer that they normally wouldn't be able to get their hands on.
posted by tommccabe at 9:16 AM on December 11, 2010
If you are giving presents to people that are outside of you area, you should also look into beers that are local to you which may have limited distribution. Your family and friends may enjoy drinking a beer that they normally wouldn't be able to get their hands on.
posted by tommccabe at 9:16 AM on December 11, 2010
Of course I messed up that second link: Chimay Grande Reserve (blue label).
posted by tommccabe at 9:17 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by tommccabe at 9:17 AM on December 11, 2010
Best answer: Check out Trader Joe's Christmas Ale, it's done in small batches by Unibroue. Each year is a little different, also it's on the lees, which means there is still active yeast in it. So if you store it properly you can age it and the flavor develops. I pick up a couple bottles each year and let at least one age for a year.
Also any of Unibroue's beers are fantastic. I am a huge fan of Maudite and La Fin du Monde.
posted by MrBobaFett at 9:19 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also any of Unibroue's beers are fantastic. I am a huge fan of Maudite and La Fin du Monde.
posted by MrBobaFett at 9:19 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
I love Ommegang Three Philosophers--best dessert beer ever.
If you want to get more adventurous, Rodenbach Grand Cru is really, really interesting--it's a Flemish sour ale, a very distinctive style that is definitely not for everyone (It tastes a little like balsamic vinegar--in a good way.)
posted by neroli at 9:22 AM on December 11, 2010
If you want to get more adventurous, Rodenbach Grand Cru is really, really interesting--it's a Flemish sour ale, a very distinctive style that is definitely not for everyone (It tastes a little like balsamic vinegar--in a good way.)
posted by neroli at 9:22 AM on December 11, 2010
Not sure what the availability is outside the Bay Area, but Anchor Steam bottles their Christmas Beer in Magnums.
posted by mollymayhem at 9:24 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by mollymayhem at 9:24 AM on December 11, 2010
Seconding the québecoise beer mentioned by MrBobaFett. Trader Johann’s also sells some nice Lambic beers in 750mL volumes for less than $15.
posted by vkxmai at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by vkxmai at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2010
Response by poster: These are fantastic suggestions -- thanks you guys! And mollymayhem, I did happen upon a magnum of the holiday anchorsteam at Costco the other day...tempting to purchase purely because I've always wanted to buy a magnum of something...
posted by Ham_On_Rye at 9:35 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by Ham_On_Rye at 9:35 AM on December 11, 2010
Lindeman's sells all of their lambic beers in 750ml bottles. Raspberry, apple, cherry, peach, black currant and something called faro that sounds interesting.
posted by lemonwheel at 9:41 AM on December 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by lemonwheel at 9:41 AM on December 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
I don't know where you are, but if you have a good beer store in your area or a Whole Foods, you should be able to find these:
The Abyss 2010 - Deschutes' limited Imperial Stout. If you like stouts, this will blow your mind.
Brrrbon - Widmer Brothers' seasonal Brrr, aged in bourbon barrels. Smooth, complex, delicious.
Both of these beers come in 22 oz bottles, and Brrrbon comes in a nice presentation box.
posted by pdb at 9:43 AM on December 11, 2010
The Abyss 2010 - Deschutes' limited Imperial Stout. If you like stouts, this will blow your mind.
Brrrbon - Widmer Brothers' seasonal Brrr, aged in bourbon barrels. Smooth, complex, delicious.
Both of these beers come in 22 oz bottles, and Brrrbon comes in a nice presentation box.
posted by pdb at 9:43 AM on December 11, 2010
Best answer: As previously mentioned, Unibroue has some nice options.
Personally, I feel that La Fin Du Monde would go very well with Xmas dinner, in place of wine.
posted by nickthetourist at 9:46 AM on December 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
Personally, I feel that La Fin Du Monde would go very well with Xmas dinner, in place of wine.
posted by nickthetourist at 9:46 AM on December 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Delerium Noel is the Delerium Tremens Christmas brew. Little pink elephants wearing Santa hats! It's really tasty, too.
You can occasionally find Hitachino Nest in large bottles; Hitachino Nest White Ale is something I can rarely buy for myself but would drink every day if I could afford it.
I'm not a wine drinker and I've totally brought a bottle of Duvel saison to fancy dinners at BYOB restaurants* before.
*I live in Chicago, "fancy BYOB restaurant" is not an oxymoron
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:02 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
You can occasionally find Hitachino Nest in large bottles; Hitachino Nest White Ale is something I can rarely buy for myself but would drink every day if I could afford it.
I'm not a wine drinker and I've totally brought a bottle of Duvel saison to fancy dinners at BYOB restaurants* before.
*I live in Chicago, "fancy BYOB restaurant" is not an oxymoron
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:02 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Where do you live? A local microbrew might be particularly apt.
In New York, Brooklyn Brewery does a few beers in champagne bottles - look for Local One and Local Two, but there may be others - and Ommegang bottles (most of?) their beers the same way (I'm a huge fan of Hennepin, though it's the wrong time of year for a Saison, but all of their beers are pretty universally adored).
I'd go with Belgian style beers or something along the brown/porter/stout axis - flowery IPA's and summery Saisons are not as appropriate to the season.
posted by Sara C. at 10:25 AM on December 11, 2010
In New York, Brooklyn Brewery does a few beers in champagne bottles - look for Local One and Local Two, but there may be others - and Ommegang bottles (most of?) their beers the same way (I'm a huge fan of Hennepin, though it's the wrong time of year for a Saison, but all of their beers are pretty universally adored).
I'd go with Belgian style beers or something along the brown/porter/stout axis - flowery IPA's and summery Saisons are not as appropriate to the season.
posted by Sara C. at 10:25 AM on December 11, 2010
For something different that's not wine, you could also try French or Spanish ciders - Whole Foods sells them. They're very dry and aromatic, not like the supersweet stuff made in the US at all.
posted by yarly at 10:35 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by yarly at 10:35 AM on December 11, 2010
Anchor Steam, Christmas Ale. Is my vote, they even sell it at the Costco by my house, but ymmv. Oh and I think the world needs more people with your gift giving mind set.
posted by Felex at 10:59 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by Felex at 10:59 AM on December 11, 2010
Look into The Bruery - they have a trio of holiday beers called "3 French Hens", "2 Turtledoves" (which I had last year and loved, but I'm kind of a girl), and "Partridge In A Pear Tree". It might make a nice set of gifts?
posted by maryr at 11:38 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by maryr at 11:38 AM on December 11, 2010
Anything made by Allagash is likely to be delicious and unusual; their Curieux is aged in whiskey barrels and is particularly good.
And if you happen to be in Colorado or another state where Odell's has distribution and you can get something from their "Woodcut" series, definitely do so!
posted by dizziest at 11:59 AM on December 11, 2010
And if you happen to be in Colorado or another state where Odell's has distribution and you can get something from their "Woodcut" series, definitely do so!
posted by dizziest at 11:59 AM on December 11, 2010
I tend to think that if you're going to give a bottle of beer for a present, it should be something a little harder to find than most typical big bottled beers. There should be some effort involved. That being said I would totally rule out anything from Chimay and Huyghe (which makes Delerium Tremens). That stuff is everywhere and available year round. Also Delerium Tremens is like the Budweiser of Belgian beers, blech. I'd also rule out Duvel (it's not a saison) and anything from Unibroue.
It would help us to know which state your in so we can suggest things that are available in your area.
Anyway, on to the actual question. Some people made a few good suggestions. I'll nth Dogfish Head Fort, Mikkeller, Rodenbach Grand Cru, the seasonal beers from The Bruery, and Allagash Curieux (or any of their barrel-aged big bottles). And I'll add:
-Russian River Supplication (aged in pinot noir barrels) or their Temptation (aged in chardonnay barrels). All Russian River beers are delicious.
-If you can find it, Alesmith makes a bourbon barrel aged version of their Speedway Stout.
-St. Bernardus Christmas
-Brooklyn Black OPS
-North Coast Old Rasputin XII
-Almost anything from Lost Abbey although the Cuvee De Tomme is the best in my opinion.
-Skip the Lindemans, the best lambics are from Cantillon.
-Almost anything from Jolly Pumpkin.
-Van Steenberg Gulden Draak Vintage.
-Although I've only seen them in small bottles, De Dolle and Regenboog make delicous beers. If you go the small bottle route, you could do it as a set maybe.
Wholefoods generally has a good selection of beer although I'd try to find a speciality beer store. Talk to the beer buyer at Wholefoods and ask him where the best stores around town are. People into beer love to talk about it and educate people on it.
Sorry if this was long winded but speciality beer is what my job is centered around. If I have more time later I'll suggest some more stuff but I'm on my way out the door. Feel free to memail me with questions if you want.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 1:06 PM on December 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
It would help us to know which state your in so we can suggest things that are available in your area.
Anyway, on to the actual question. Some people made a few good suggestions. I'll nth Dogfish Head Fort, Mikkeller, Rodenbach Grand Cru, the seasonal beers from The Bruery, and Allagash Curieux (or any of their barrel-aged big bottles). And I'll add:
-Russian River Supplication (aged in pinot noir barrels) or their Temptation (aged in chardonnay barrels). All Russian River beers are delicious.
-If you can find it, Alesmith makes a bourbon barrel aged version of their Speedway Stout.
-St. Bernardus Christmas
-Brooklyn Black OPS
-North Coast Old Rasputin XII
-Almost anything from Lost Abbey although the Cuvee De Tomme is the best in my opinion.
-Skip the Lindemans, the best lambics are from Cantillon.
-Almost anything from Jolly Pumpkin.
-Van Steenberg Gulden Draak Vintage.
-Although I've only seen them in small bottles, De Dolle and Regenboog make delicous beers. If you go the small bottle route, you could do it as a set maybe.
Wholefoods generally has a good selection of beer although I'd try to find a speciality beer store. Talk to the beer buyer at Wholefoods and ask him where the best stores around town are. People into beer love to talk about it and educate people on it.
Sorry if this was long winded but speciality beer is what my job is centered around. If I have more time later I'll suggest some more stuff but I'm on my way out the door. Feel free to memail me with questions if you want.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 1:06 PM on December 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
I love stouts and porters in the winter. Dogfish Chicory Stout is one of my all-time favorite beers, and only available in the winter months. It does not, however, come in those wine bottle sized thingies.
For the stout lovers -- I really like Stone's Imperial Stout. They have a smoked porter that's really good too -- I like it a lot, but it's a weird experience to drink because the underlying note is (this sounds terrible, but it's not) smoked meat. So in the wintertime, that with sausages and dark bread and smoked cheese...goodness.
Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout is near perfect.
For crazy hoppiness and a twist on the bitter ale experience, I like Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:11 PM on December 11, 2010
For the stout lovers -- I really like Stone's Imperial Stout. They have a smoked porter that's really good too -- I like it a lot, but it's a weird experience to drink because the underlying note is (this sounds terrible, but it's not) smoked meat. So in the wintertime, that with sausages and dark bread and smoked cheese...goodness.
Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout is near perfect.
For crazy hoppiness and a twist on the bitter ale experience, I like Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:11 PM on December 11, 2010
Someone gave away a Magnum-sized bottle of an Anchor beer at a yankee swap last week. It was very impressive to see, if you want to go for that over-the-top wow factor.
posted by backseatpilot at 1:52 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by backseatpilot at 1:52 PM on December 11, 2010
I really like Trois Pistoles, particularly towards the end of dinner. Also, it has a sort of fruit/spice richness to it that I can see fitting in well with the general holiday spirit.
posted by en forme de poire at 3:09 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by en forme de poire at 3:09 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Unibroue makes some particularly delicious beers which are often sold in the larger sized bottles. I especially recommend maudite or la fin du monde. Alternatively, if Quebec beers aren't available in your area, upright brewing in Oregon has some truly excellent wine-bottle sized craft beers. Cheers!
posted by sarastro at 3:14 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by sarastro at 3:14 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you can get Rogue Ales, they are amazing. My favorites are Dead Guy Ale (not a holiday-friendly picture) and the Hazelnut Brown. I can't recommend these enough, and I am really picky about beer.
posted by Knowyournuts at 5:19 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by Knowyournuts at 5:19 PM on December 11, 2010
A lot of the beers mentioned so far are Belgians or more or less Belgian-style; make sure your intended recipients are actually fans of the relevant styles before giving them 22oz bottles! (I mean, Delerium Tremens and Unibroue are good breweries, and I've definitely enjoyed them in the past, but I'm in general much more of a stout/porter/bock/etc. kind of person, and if I'm gonna get 22oz of fancy beer, I'll probably appreciate the gift much more if it is in a style I love, rather than one I am mostly just OK with.)
Rogue has a lot of good Big Bottle beers; for ales, the Double Dead Guy is nice, but they've had a bunch of great barleywines, imperial stouts, etc. in gunmetal-colored clay bottles. I'm not sure what the current release is. For IPAs, the Dogfish Head Squall IPA is sort of like 22oz of bottle-conditioned 90 minute IPA, and it's hard to get more awesome than that. (Normally I wouldn't suggest an IPA in the winter, but I think one can make an exception for the very best. In general, I'd only go with one of the Dogfish Head large beers if you've tried it before; I've found them very hit or miss, with some awesome results and some truly mediocre beers.) I think the best big weißbier/hefeweizen I've had was the Flying Dog Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale. Some other brewery suggestions: Smuttynose (their ales and dark beers are especially good - Maibocks, porters, etc.), Troegs (esp. the Troegenator doppelbock), Berkshire Brewing Co., Cisco, Stone (mmmm, Arrogant Bastard), Hoppin' Frog (BORIS the Crusher - Oatmeal Imperial Stout), Pennichuck (esp. the Feuerwehr one), Three Floyd's, Great Divide, etc. all do a wide variety of large, good beers. Note that some of these only available in New England or the Great Lakes area. In general, seasonals or one-offs would probably be more exciting than the everyday big bottle stuff.
For European beers, most come in half-liter bottles (smaller than 22oz, bigger than a standard beer bottle.) A lot of the best German ones don't get exported, but Ayinger, Weihenstephaner, and the Ettaler Klosterbrauerei seem to be relatively widely available at fancy beer stores and have a wide variety of seasonal beer styles. (I admit I am less familiar with non-Bavarian beers.) For non-German beer, Mikkeller, Nøgne, and Haandbryggeriet hold up the Scandinavian front (I've really liked Nøgne's stouts and their winter and Yule beers), and Brewdog is one of the more innovative UK (Scotland) companies.
And hey, if 22oz is not enough, there are always 3L bottles...
posted by ubersturm at 6:17 PM on December 11, 2010
Rogue has a lot of good Big Bottle beers; for ales, the Double Dead Guy is nice, but they've had a bunch of great barleywines, imperial stouts, etc. in gunmetal-colored clay bottles. I'm not sure what the current release is. For IPAs, the Dogfish Head Squall IPA is sort of like 22oz of bottle-conditioned 90 minute IPA, and it's hard to get more awesome than that. (Normally I wouldn't suggest an IPA in the winter, but I think one can make an exception for the very best. In general, I'd only go with one of the Dogfish Head large beers if you've tried it before; I've found them very hit or miss, with some awesome results and some truly mediocre beers.) I think the best big weißbier/hefeweizen I've had was the Flying Dog Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale. Some other brewery suggestions: Smuttynose (their ales and dark beers are especially good - Maibocks, porters, etc.), Troegs (esp. the Troegenator doppelbock), Berkshire Brewing Co., Cisco, Stone (mmmm, Arrogant Bastard), Hoppin' Frog (BORIS the Crusher - Oatmeal Imperial Stout), Pennichuck (esp. the Feuerwehr one), Three Floyd's, Great Divide, etc. all do a wide variety of large, good beers. Note that some of these only available in New England or the Great Lakes area. In general, seasonals or one-offs would probably be more exciting than the everyday big bottle stuff.
For European beers, most come in half-liter bottles (smaller than 22oz, bigger than a standard beer bottle.) A lot of the best German ones don't get exported, but Ayinger, Weihenstephaner, and the Ettaler Klosterbrauerei seem to be relatively widely available at fancy beer stores and have a wide variety of seasonal beer styles. (I admit I am less familiar with non-Bavarian beers.) For non-German beer, Mikkeller, Nøgne, and Haandbryggeriet hold up the Scandinavian front (I've really liked Nøgne's stouts and their winter and Yule beers), and Brewdog is one of the more innovative UK (Scotland) companies.
And hey, if 22oz is not enough, there are always 3L bottles...
posted by ubersturm at 6:17 PM on December 11, 2010
If you live in the Midwest, I suggest Boulevard Brewery's Smokestack Series. They're based out of Kansas City, but they're one of the largest specialty breweries in the Midwest and I've loved everything they've come out with.
Retail locator: http://www.boulevard.com/beers/beer-finder
posted by chara at 6:36 PM on December 11, 2010
Retail locator: http://www.boulevard.com/beers/beer-finder
posted by chara at 6:36 PM on December 11, 2010
Anything from Chimay has kind of been the "gold standard" for this type of gift for a long time.
If it were me though, I'd be super excited to get a bottle of anything from Mikkeller. They seem to be the unique, hard to find, beer for true beer geeks. At least, thats the case amongst my personal group of beer-nerd friends.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 8:29 PM on December 11, 2010
If it were me though, I'd be super excited to get a bottle of anything from Mikkeller. They seem to be the unique, hard to find, beer for true beer geeks. At least, thats the case amongst my personal group of beer-nerd friends.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 8:29 PM on December 11, 2010
Great Divide's Yeti is my favorite 22 this time of year.
posted by togdon at 7:16 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by togdon at 7:16 AM on December 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Any of Dogfish Head's big bottles can work here -- you'll probably be finding Fort in the stores right now -- it's a December release. It's wonderful for aging (it's very strong -- nearly 20% alcohol) and my absolute favorite beer of all time. It's a strong, sweet raspberry beer, but it's not sweet in a soda way.
My top two choices would be for Fort or Mikkeller, and then Anchor or Troegs. All would be good, though.
posted by darksong at 9:15 AM on December 11, 2010