If you have someone in your life who really loves beer, you probably want to aim higher than gifting them a six-pack or one of those gimmicky beer accessories like a helmet with two straws. To help find the stuff they’ll truly appreciate and enjoy — we’re talking classic glassware, beautiful openers they’ll keep for a lifetime, coffee-table books that will make them the most knowledgeable person in the (tap)room, and more — I consulted a group of experts. These brewers and brewmasters, beer writers, and beer nerds had strong opinions and unexpected ideas, which we’ve rounded up below. Over the years, I’ve written about tons of drinkware and accessories, so I also included some of my favorite items that felt worthy of a spot on this list.
Coolers
Yeti coolers, which we’ve deemed the best coolers on the market, are beloved by pretty much anyone who uses them for their virtual indestructibility and the fact that they keep food and drinks (and ice!) cold for literally hours on end.
For a hands-free option, try this IceMule backpack-style cooler, which is completely waterproof and can even float, making it an excellent choice for those who like to take their brew on camping, beach, or boat trips.
For beer lovers who wait in line outside their favorite breweries on a weekly basis, try this beer cooler from Pelican, which can perfectly fit four packs of 16-ounce cans.
I highly recommend Brümate’s stainless-steel coozies, which will keep their favorite 12-ounce bottles of IPA ice-cold even on a hot summer day.
Since glass isn’t allowed on many beaches or in some state parks, your favorite beer lover is probably hauling quick-to-warm cans whenever they drink outside. The Yeti Colster, a can insulator, is lightweight and will keep their beer frosty.
And for those who prefer to pour their beer into a tumbler, you’d be hard pressed to find a handsomer option than this one from Snow Peak.
If you want to get even more specific about summer drinking (or your giftee is into boats), try these funny insulated life jackets for beer cans.
For the beer lovers who have a habit of popping a beer in the freezer (and then forgetting about it), gifting them this rapid cooler will save them from can explosion clean ups.
An insulated growler from Stanley — which makes some of our favorite thermoses and mugs — is the perfect thing for them to fill with their favorite grisette or DIPA.
We also love this vacuum-insulated growler from Hydro Flask (the brand that also makes our very favorite water bottle), which would make a perfect companion to the Yeti cooler on your beer-loving friend’s next camping trip.
If your beer-loving friend prefers the great indoors, this stainless-steel beverage bucket can fit a six-pack plus ice. And it comes with a lid to make travel easy.
Glassware
For serious drinkers, dedicated tasting glasses — like this IPA glass from Spiegelau — will help them pick up on specific notes and flavors in their brews.
If you’re not sure what style of beer they enjoy the most but still want to upgrade their glassware from novelty pint glasses, give them a Spiegelau four-piece tasting set, which comes with an IPA glass, a glass for stouts, and a glass for American wheat beer.
We’ve written about the mini Bodega glasses from Luigi Bormioli as the best wine glasses, but there’s also a 17-ounce version of the glass that’s the perfect size for a pint. (Plus these are the same pint glasses they use in the tasting rooms of cult Danish brewery Mikkeller.)
A nonic pint glass has a bulge that helps catch aromas and makes for a nice grip, especially if you like to put your glassware in the freezer before drinking, and it’s more refined than your standard straight-sided pint glass.
For something a little more playful, these pint glasses have a blown “mountain” at the base, that makes them a great gift for someone looking to elevate their drinking experience (including yourself).
For those who prefer the champagne of beers, these iconic Miller High Life coupes are both funny and functional.
Openers
For a particularly sophisticated gift, get them FS Objects’ beer opener. It’s on the pricey end, but it’s so well designed and solidly made that it’ll last a lifetime.
The lambic beer drinker in your life will need a corkscrew to get to the good stuff (bottles of lambic are corked, not capped). Consider this cheerful option from iconic Italian design company Alessi that Strategist contributor Chris Black recommends.
For a corkscrew that can handle both corks and caps, this classic waiter’s corkscrew also features a nifty knife that helps to remove any wax or label.
Don’t let unfinished drinks go to waste; this bottle resealer features a how-to diagram etched right into it.
For a more design-y option, this Georg Jensen bottle opener comes recommended by designer Ben Kicic, who first spotted it at a friend’s house and immediately asked where it was from.
This can opener can turn any aluminum can — from slim coolers to tall boys — into a smooth-edged, open-top cup. “The Draft Top Lift is sort of like a fancy can-opener with a rotational blade that sits inside the rim of the can to cut and lift out the top, pull tab and all,” explains Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen. “Not only does it make a great party trick, but it has also elevated the flavor profile of all sorts of beverages.”
This is the opposite of an opener — but if you ever find yourself with an unfinished special bottle on hand, this stopper (also beloved in the wine world) will keep it fresh for days.
Merch
Several of our sources suggested finding a way to support a local brewery. Good news: A lot of them make merch (and you can find some specific suggestions for those items below). But for those who prefer experiences, you can’t go wrong with a gift certificate to their local brewery.
Woman-owned Talea’s experiences include curated beer-and-cheese tastings and even a yoga class followed by drinks.
Or try a piece of merch from the NYC Brewers Guild, which is basically a collective of almost every brewery in the city and is for sharing knowledge, resources, and support. All of the proceeds from sales go to local anti-racist education and programming.
Other accessories
If you really want to wow your cold-one-swigging recipient, try this snazzy stainless-steel growler, which doubles as a tap and also features a pressure gauge and a carbonation cap.
Our favorite coasters are made from long-lasting, moisture-wicking merino wool (and come in over 15 colorways).
If your favorite beer drinker is also a goal setter, this eye-catching poster features nearly 6,000 beer producers. Just be sure to also gift them map pins so they can get started marking the ones they’ve tried.
Probably the best gift you could give someone who loves beer is, well, beer. Each month, for however long you choose, Beer Across America delivers four varieties of award-winning beer from two independent craft breweries that have been curated by a panel of experts.
For the beer lover in your life who may occasionally be overserved, we suggest gifting them a six-pack of this hangover cure (which Strategist writer Rachael Griffiths discovered on a trip to Tokyo).
For novice home brewers, this basic kit includes everything they need for an at-home setup.
For someone who wants to dip their toe into home brew, this more affordable kit comes with everything they need to brew their first batch of beer, including hops, IPA grain mix, and reusable equipment — like a glass fermentation jug, thermometer, racking cane, tubing, tubing clamp, screw-cap stopper, and airlock.
For more advanced brewers, you could upgrade one piece of their setup, like a glass carboy for fermenting.
For a big gift, a dedicated beer fridge will ensure your giftee can store bottles and cans at their optimal temperature.
Books
For someone who wants to learn more about beer, this approachable reference on the subject covers everything from the technical aspects of brewing to culture.
The editor of the Oxford Companion, Garrett Oliver, is the brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and the 2014 winner of the James Beard Award for Excellent Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional. His first book, The Brewmaster’s Table, is also a good read for someone who knows they like drinking beer but doesn’t know much about the history or different styles of brewing.
For those who want to learn how to taste beer and better develop their palate, Randy Mosher’s Tasting Beer is the definitive guide to the subject.
For a crash course, try Josh Bernstein’s The Complete Beer Course.
These books by the late English beer critic and author Michael Jackson (a.k.a. the Beer Hunter) — who is credited for kickstarting the North American microbrewery movement in the 1970s — are deep cuts for those who know.
Sam Calagione is the founder of Dogfish Head, and this book combines expertise from his years in the beer world with practical entrepreneurship tips and strategies — a great choice if the person you’re gifting has ever thought about going into the business (or even if they’re just interested in how it works).
This magazine subscription — which starts at $40 for access to both print and digital for a year — would make a great gift for someone who’s a bit more advanced in their beer obsession.
Additional reporting by Lauren Ro, Nikita Richardson, and Emma Wartzman
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