The Gift of (Difficult) Beer

Has anyone else realized that Christmas is in 10 days?!? YIKES!! I literally haven’t done any Christmas shopping (unless you count that Ghirardelli Chocolate assortment that never made it into my Christmas candy dish…).

My dad is always the most difficult person to shop for on my list. Sure, I could get him another tie, go for the 500^th Freakonomics-esque book, maybe some knee-high black socks…but I’ve reached a point where all of those gifts seem so thoughtless.

Last year I thought I had accomplished the impossible, summited the Mt. Everest of Christmas shopping, found THE perfect gift for my dad…a beer brewing kit! After some serious family time (“we need more honey, quick!!” “YOU’RE WASTING ALL OF MY GOOD HONEYYY!!”) and months of waiting, we had a fridge full of ugly, unlabeled bottles and a super-sweet, mediocre beer.

Although the two “Ale Pails” gathering dust in our basement may add to the ambiance of the room, I’m going to let you know right now that a beer brewing kit is NOT the perfect gift for dad. Why disappoint yourself with a probably not so delicious beer when there are so many top-notch local brews? This year, I think I may just opt for a fridge full of local brews for my dad; as Starr Hill’s motto states “give the gift of great beer” (notice it’s not “give the gift of mediocre, labor intensive beer”).

Retail Relay recently linked up with Charlottesville’s Rio Hill Wine & Gourmet which means we’ve got your Starr Hill Amber Ales, Pale Ales, Loves, and Gifts. Or, just go for the box set! We can also hook you up with some Blue Mountain Brewery delights like Rockfish Wheat, Blue Mountain lager, Lights Out, and the classic Full Nelson. Did you know they actually grow their own hops (according to their website, Virginia was once the hops capital of the New World!)?

Anyone out there have other good gift ideas for dad??