Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1062077
2 4 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E M O N T H / M O N T H Y E A R 3 8 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 L O C A L B U Z Z GIFTS FOR THE CRAFT BEER NERDS ON YOUR LIST HAS I T REALLY BEEN A YEAR SI NCE MY LAST CRAF T BEER HOLI DAY ART ICLE? Last year, I talked about a few of my favorite craft beer cocktails. This year, I'm gonna hip you to some cool gift ideas for the craft beer lover on your nice list. For those who love craft beer, there is a lot to choose from. Yeah, you could go out and buy that special someone a mixed case of deliciousness, but why not think outside of the box? First on my list is a homebrew kit. Like many professional craft beer brewers, I started out homebrewing, and let me tell you, it was a ton of fun. You can spend as much or as little as you want buying the supplies your craft beer lover needs to make quality beer at home. I suggest starting with a basic brewing kit. Here are a few of my favorite online homebrew shops that can set you up with a basic kit and ingredients: Atlantic Brew Supply (atlanticbrewsupply.com), MoreBeer (morebeer.com) and Adventures in Homebrewing (homebrewing.org). There are a few homebrew clubs in Middle Georgia that are great resources for new homebrewers. They are the Middle Georgia Hop Society and the Ocmulgee Grain Trust. Check out them both on Facebook. Second on my list of cool craft beer gifts is a USA beer cap map. What better way to keep track of your craft beer adventures than by filling in the map with caps? A perfect item for any man-cave or she-shed, it 's available on Amazon. For the craft beer lover who has everything, Sudski's Shower Beer Holder is the golden ticket. If you have never experienced the joy of enjoying a cold beer in the shower, then shame on you! Seriously, this is a cool gift that is sure to get lots of use. It 's available at multiple retail outlets online. Another cool idea is the " The American Craft Beer Cookbook: 155 Recipes from Your Favorite Brewpubs and Breweries." If your special someone is anything like me, they love craft beer paired with delicious food. This cookbook showcases an array of awesome food – some even using beer as a main ingredient. This is a gift that will keep on giving. Find it on Amazon. To round out this buying guide, I'd like to throw in a few stocking stuffer ideas. Here are some things that my darling wife, Trish, has bought for me over the years: craft beer themed socks, craft beer soap, craft beer shampoo/conditioner, craft beer-based barbecue sauces and hot sauces, craft beer jelly and personalized pint glasses. There you go, folks, your craft beer lover holiday buying guide. Your special someone will be stoked with any of these killer gifts. Cheers and happy holidays! – BRIAN WHITLEY IS THE CO-OWNER AND HEAD BREWER AT PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN. m 3 8 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9