Back in 2015 & 2017, we wrote blog posts about some great craft beer stocking stuffers. Since it’s been a couple of years, we think it’s time to give you an updated list and a look at some of the awesome new items we have in stock at The Glass Jug Beer Lab that are perfect for the craft beer drinkers on your holiday shopping list. As always, any gift that includes craft beer is a great gift in our book, but if you need something you can ship or travel with or don’t know exactly which beer to pick, we think these items will do the trick.
So, without further ado, here is our list of 5 great stocking stuffers for 2019. Everything is available for purchase on-site at The Glass Jug Beer Lab, and we have listed prices for each.
1. A Really Good Bottle Opener
If you drink a lot of craft beer, you take pride in the tool you use to open your bottle. Thus, a really great bottle opener makes a fantastic gift for any beer enthusiast.
At The Glass Jug, we partner with our good friend (and one of the OG Glass Jug bartenders) Aaron Shoemaker to craft the perfect bottle opener, made using the wood from our original bar top.
These openers provide superior leverage, they don't bend the cap at all (so you can save them for crafts, if you'd like), and they have strategically-placed magnets to both catch the cap and allow you to stick your opener to your fridge for easy access.
Glass Jug Logo Bottle Openers: $10
2. Craft Beer Glassware
We all know that the common shaker pint glass is not a great vessel for consuming high-quality craft beer. Instead, any craft beer enthusiast will want to drink their beverages from a glass that is easy to hold, looks great, and is shaped in a way to bring out the beer's flavor and aroma.
A couple great options are the "tulip" shaped glasses, which work well for Belgian styles, high-alcohol beers, and stouts, or a pint glass with the proper curves to not only sit better in your hand, but that will actually accentuate the aroma of the beer. These are great for lagers, IPAs, brown ales, and the lower-alcohol session beers.
As part of our 5-Year Anniversary celebration, we recently designed some new glassware that is for sale at The Glass Jug. Both tulip glasses and a nicely-curved pint glass are available for $9 and $5, respectively.
3. Brewery Apparel
If you're a proud craft beer consumer, you want to wear your favorite brands. You've got to spread the gospel of good beer. So, if you have a craft beer enthusiast on your Christmas list, why not help them out by tossing some apparel from The Glass Jug Beer Lab in their stocking?
Sure, you can grab a brewery t-shirt - we have some great ones. But, why not mix it up a bit this year and look for some brewery-branded headwear? We have two different styles of hats, along with three colors of our brand new beanies (or toboggans, if you’re from NC).
You also can’t go wrong with a nice fashionable zip-up hoodie. Ours are made by Bella Canvas and are a tri-blend fabric, split-stitched double needle sewing on all seams, and has a split front pouch pocket twill neck tape, making it comfy, warm, and stylish.
In addition to the hoodies and hats, you can pick up t-shirts, tank tops, and hats from The Glass Jug Beer Lab.
Zip-Up Hoodies: $45.99
Beanies: $19.99
Hats: $19.99 (orange) & $25.99 (gray)
4. NC Beer Map
Did you know that there are now over 300 breweries open in North Carolina?! If you or your craft beer loving friend need a map to help plan your cross-state brewery tour, we have just the thing.
The Great NC Beer Map details every craft brewery and major beer festival in North Carolina. It's your one-stop guide to everything you'll need to know before setting out on the road. Use the map for tracking down new breweries, finding a place to visit when you're in a new town, or putting together your own brewery tour. It's also a way to keep track of all the North Carolina breweries you've visited, by marking each symbol once you've been.
The margins of the map include information on the art, science, and history of craft brewing, to give you a greater understanding of what's inside the glass. These elements serve as tools for decoding all the beer styles and stats listed on the brewery wall, and they also help you zero in on new brews that will appeal to your palette.
***NEW FOR 2019 - We are now also carrying The Great NC BBQ Map!***
Foldable NC Beer Map or NC BBQ Map: $9.99
NC Beer Map Poster: $25.99
5. Gift Cards to Their Local Bottle Shop
It can be hard to pick out beer for someone else, so why not give them a gift card and let them do the shopping? Almost all craft beer bars and retail stores offer gift certificates that can be purchased and given as gifts.
At The Glass Jug, we offer gift cards that can be purchased in any amount up to $100. You can purchase in-store or over the phone. We can hold the gift card for the recipient to pick up at their convenience, or, we can mail it directly to you or the recipient.
Good luck with all of your shopping. We certainly hope we can help, and that you will support The Glass Jug and other local small businesses this holiday season! Happy Holidays!
