Holiday parties are just around the corner and here are some suggestions for what you can bring to that beer lover in your group:

Pre-wrapped Steam Whistle

Who doesn’t love receiving the gift beer? Especially when it’s festively pre-wrapped and complete with the “to & from tag”. These personalized seasonal packages are on the shelves across Ontario, BC and Alberta liquor and beer stores until end of December.

Craft Beer Samplers

 
Did you know LCBO’s 2011-12 annual report states that Ontario craft beers led all product segments with almost 45% growth? That’s amazing news in our industry. For those looking to further discover various craft brews that are available, take a look at our friends Ontario Craft Brewers website (or a similar organization in your province). The OCB is dedicated to promoting fresh, natural, quality beer; agreeing on a commitment to excellence that everyone has to live up to. This way, you’re guaranteed quality craft brews!

Craft brewery Tours

If you are looking to give a beer experience, giving brewery tour gift certificates are a perfect fit. Step inside the brew kitchen and see how your favourite brew is made while meet the people that help to make it happen. Steam Whistle offers souvenir, 6 pack and 12 pack brewery tours that can be purchased through our e-store.  See you soon!

Bonus: Old Toronto Beer Tour
If you want to experience a couple of local brewery tours and learn the history of beer in Toronto? Old Toronto Beer Tours are a perfect fit. Visiting Steam Whistle, Mill Street, Amsterdam, Granite Brewery along with some key historical spots in the city. If you want to take it a step further, Oliver also offers organized Oktoberfest and European beer tours.

Growlers

Instead of bringing a bottle of wine to the table, how about bringing a 2L growler filled with craft beer? Earlier this year to meet the  demand for glass Growlers, Steam Whistle created a 2L Steam Whistle original that allows you to take fresh, draught-filled Pilsner home from the Roundhouse.  These are currently only available at the brewery and you can read up more on the history, inspiration and how a growler is properly filled here.

Gift Cards to your Local Restaurants

Source: whatabloom.com

If you have a local craft beer centric restaurant you frequent in your neighbourhood, spread the word. Everyone likes a dinner out and a gift card for your friends to experience your neighbourhood gem will be appreciated. As a side note, many of the restaurant owners are also the ones behind the bar; so they will also appreciate the gesture!

Magazine Subscriptions

For the self-pronounced “beer nerd”, a magazine subscription is a nice gesture. The best Canadian craft beer centric magazine is TAPS which provides great insight into the industry. There are also other North American focused magazines available that provide insight into the craft beer industry such as BeerAdvocate and Beer Connoisseur.

Beer Merchandise

Brewsees

Beer themed merchandise has no limits. Getting creative is easy as there are diverse options available from beer cosmetics (see Prague’s Manufaktura) to craft beer posters (see http://www.zazzle.ca/craft+beer+gifts) to clothing (see shop.steamwhistle.ca), to ShaKoozie  a tool which keeps your beer chilled while safeguarding it from soap and water in the shower. The is also an infinite amount of bottle openers each to fit your interests and life style from wall mounts, rings, flip flops, counting bottle openers and more. The example above is of sunglasses opener called “Brewsees Eyewear”. Get creative!

Beer Tasting Tool Kit

This is a fun way to discover different types of beers from lagers and ales to porters and stouts. The kit comes complete with a tasting profile, breaking down beer into style categories and include information on each variety’s background, flavours, aromas, and unique character. Read more. 

Home Kegerator

Photo: Chuck Skuce.

Who wouldn’t want a draught unit at home? You can customize your beer fridge to however you’d like (see above!), and have craft beer right on tap in the comfort of your home. There are various websites that help you out in acquiring your own kegerator (eg. http://www.kegworks.com/draft-beer-263 / and http://www.kegerator.com ). P.S. Complimentary home delivery from us if you have your own beer fridge!

Want even more ideas? Here’s what you said were your favourite beer related gifts:

Happy Holidays!

And whether hosting or attending a party, one gift that all hosts love to receive is the gift of beer.

Pictured: Good Beer Folk Deidre.

Yet at times, the delicious brew still can get a bad rep from party hosts (women in particular!) Whether shunned by those trying to watch their holiday weight or replaced at the dinner table by wine….

It breaks the hearts of fellow beer lovers everywhere, am I right folks?

So here we go – this December we invite all your party people to raise a glass of our national beverage myth & guilt free!

Myth #1: Beer has more calories than a box of chocolate truffles.

There might be no denying that any alcoholic beverage isn’t calorie or carbohydrate free but to put this in perspective, one regular 12 ounce bottle of beer contains on average 13 grams of carbs and 150 calories. One vodka and cranberry: 18 grams of carbs, 172 calories. One daiquiri, made at home with a mix: 49 grams of carbs, 314 calories. And, with calories per ounce half that of wine, beer offers a fairly generous portion with some of the lowest calories of any alcoholic beverage.

Myth #2: Beer is not as sophisticated as wine or spirits.

Beer can be as nuanced and delicate as a subdued rosé or as bold as a robust red.  The quality of ingredients is important. The same way that a good grape harvest makes for better wine, a good barley harvest makes for better beer. And let’s not forget about the hops – the spice of beer in the form of a clover-like bud responsible for the bitterness.  Paired with imaginations of  different brew masters, you can find an incredible offering of beers for any taste buds.

Myth #3: Beer doesn’t have a place at the dining table.

Some of the most interesting cuisine in the world that insprie Canada’s fusion cooking is traditionally served with beer. Just think of all the Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mexican dishes. Pilsners specifically are great for cutting the heat on spicy food, quenching your thirst after savory foods, and cleansing your palate after fatty foods while getting your mouth ready to taste again. But we won’t bore you with words, try some recipes out for yourself  You might just get something like this:

We think that it’s safe to say:  invite beer to your party this holiday season.

Happy Holidays from the folks at Steam Whistle!!!!