Christmas brews out of the box
Long-time beer drinker and The Sip editor Ross Lewis looks at what brews you can stuff in a Christmas stocking this year.
Catch up with other beers on The Sip Archive
When it comes to Christmas presents for those that like to wet their whistle during the festive period it is a matter of thinking inside the square.
Or the box to be precise.
Sure, cartons of beer have been around as long as holy water but some cunning minds in the craft brewing caper have stretched their imaginations to come up with a range of interesting gift ideas.
And there are no partridges in pear trees. Just tasty delights sitting in cardboard.
Some brewers have developed variety packs this year to showcase their range of beers, a couple of companies are arranging a smorgasbord of brews, one team challenges punters to make their own while a WA operation is concentrating on one very special bottle of delicious nectar.
So if you’ve run out of gift ideas for the drinker that has everything give some of the following items a consideration. You’ll be backing Australian industry.
Feral – Boar Pack
The doyen of the Swan Valley beer scene has created a giant tasting paddle for summer and even supplied the glass in which to drink their creations. The Boar Pack features a bottle of Feral’s well-loved quartet of Sly Fox (Summer Ale), White (Witbier), Smoked Porter and Hop Hog (American India Pale Ale). And just so you don’t forget what you’re consuming the glass features Feral’s distinctive hog logo. Just make sure you have the Porter last.
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Stone and Wood – Variety Pack
Be warned. This collection from the team that started their enterprise in Byron Bay won’t last long. Stone and Wood put together the pack on a limited basis. The four brews – there are six bottles in the box – are all available in single release but it is so much better when the Ales come in one hit. And the esky design is super cool. There are two bottles each of the Pacific and Jasper ales while a Garden Ale and the also limited released Cloud Catcher complete the sampler.
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Nail Clout Stout
Sometimes one bottle is a big enough present. That’s where the annual release of Nail’s perennially award-winning Stout comes in. Clout Stout might be around the $70 mark but this isn’t any ordinary brew. It was six months in the making, even to the point where Nail brewer John Stallwood stored the bottles at a constant temperature in his parent’s granny flat to make sure they were at their optimum for release. The taste is divine. It is a sipper so it can also be shared but it, too, can be cellared for a special occasion. Each numbered Clout Stout bottle rests in a special container that adds to any Christmas packaging.
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Coopers Craft Brew Home Kit
The South Australian brewery has the perfect gift for those that have tried just about every beer on the market. Then they might as well brew their own. So Coopers are again offering their homebrew kits that have kick-started many a career in the craft beer industry. The set-up includes everything you need to make your favourite styles, including bottles. While the kit includes a malt, Coopers also sell other varieties through supermarkets. Time to experiment.
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Bridge Road Bling
This offering might have been around for a while but it still makes a great Christmas idea. Bridge Road brewer Ben Kraus knows how to manipulate hops into a tasty India Pale Ale. He has developed beers of differing strengths and put them together with a new IPA glass in his special box. But Bridge Road also have a gift idea that keeps on giving throughout the year. Their Posse club includes deliveries of a variety of in-house beers several times a year depending on your preference.
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Matsos
If you can’t get to Broome bring the feeling of Cable Beach to you. Indeed, Matso’s are marketing their mixed six-pack as Broome In A Box. There is the Mango Beer, the delightful Smokey Bishop Dark Lager, Pearler’s Pale Ale, Ginger Beer and Lychee Beer. But it isn’t all about drinking at Matso’s. The box includes a recipe brochure that encourages home chefs to use some of the brews in their festive season cooking.
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BeerBud
For those looking for something more substantial then BeerBud will be able to help. The team from New South Wales have a warehouse full of top Australian craft brews and can arrange a package of whatever you like from their vast menu. Or if you aren’t sure about what to buy BeerBud offers pre-selected ranges such as Pilsner, Pale Ale, Dark or IPA packs in 16-bottle sets delivered to your (or someone else’s) door.
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Beer Days
The team at Beer Days run special tasting events but it is their delivery packs that have created the biggest interest. Not only do they arrange eight, 12 or 16 bottle boxes they can also add in some nice nibbles to complement the brews. Each month Beer Days select four different craft beers to fill the respective packs and include tasting notes on the brews. There are no lock-in contracts.
