According to Brewers Association, microbreweries and brewpubs both showed growth in 2018 over 2017, which regional craft brew sales were stagnant. Microbreweries showed 60% growth while brewpubs showed 17% growth.

So if you are looking for a gift for your favorite craft beer enthusiast, the trend seems to show you will want to focus on craft brews brewed locally.

Of course, if your enthusiast is fairly seasoned in their quest of sampling from the local spots, consider widening your search out a bit farther than where they might go for a pint on a Friday night or venture out to on a Saturday day trip.

Other options are beers crafted in their home town if they have moved away, or ones brewed locally to their favorite sports team, or ones brewed somewhere else that your enthusiast would connect with.

Keep reading for some more great ideas. 

5 Gifts for Your Favorite Craft Beer Enthusiast

When thinking of a gift for a craft beer enthusiast, beers to sample are definitely high on the list. But there is no reason not to expand your options out to include all the great paraphernalia that all beer drinkers can use. 

1. Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale

At the 2018 Great American Beer Festival, the top two most-entered craft beer categories were Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale with 391 entries and American-Style India Pale Ale with 311 entries. Since both top categories were IPAs, choosing an IPA for your enthusiast is very likely a great choice. 

The winners in the Juicy of Hazy category were:

  • Gold: Le Jus by Alarmist Brewing (Chicago, IL)
  • Silver: Fairy Nectar London Double Dry Hopped by Kros Strain Brewing Co. (La Vista, NE)
  • Bronze: Foiken Haze by Eris Brewery and Cider House (Chicago, IL).

The winners in the American-Style category were:

  • Gold: Bine by Root Down Brewing Co. (Phoenixville, PA)
  • Silver: Portsmouth, Not an IPA (P.S. It’s an IPA) by Appalachian Mountain Brewery (Portsmouth, NH)
  • Bronze: West Coast IPA is Dead! by Green Cheek Beer Co. (Orange, CA)

2. Glassware

Did you know there are certain types of glasses that are suggested for different types of beers? While a mason jar, plastic cup (or even drinking straight from the bottle or can) work just fine, why not step it up a notch and get your enthusiast some proper glassware.

Depending on the type of beers your enthusiast enjoys, you can pick from the following type of glasses or give them a variety: pint glasses, craft pub glass, English pub, Belgian ale, wheat beer, classic pilsner, porter, stout, and more. 

3. Beer Related Games

When they’re drinking, especially with friends, your enthusiast will love having something else to do while enjoying some cold ones.

This makes games a great gift idea for craft beer enthusiasts. A few options you can find online are:

  • Beeropoly
  • Beer Pong
  • These Cards Will Get You Drunk (a card game)

4. Tickets to a Beer Festival

There are many great beer festivals all over the United States. Tickets to a festival is a great way to introduce your enthusiast to many great craft beers. You can find festivals by state by searching on craftbeer.com. 

If the festivals near you are free, give the gift of a designated driver via Uber, Lyft, or taxi. Or offer to drive, pay for parking or simply shout some drinks.

5. Gift Baskets

Gift baskets make a great option when you want something special or just a collection of fun items for your craft beer enthusiast.

You can do this yourself by grabbing a variety of beers from your best local source and tossing in options from some of the ideas noted above. Other options include beer cozies, bottle openers, bottle cap collector displays, and salty snacks like beef jerky, and pretzels/snack mixes. 

If you’d like some help with some great ideas, view here. It’s a great option when you want to have your gift basket delivered.

Indulge Your Craft Beer Enthusiast Today

Whether you opt to give your craft beer enthusiast beer or another beer-related gift, you can rest assured the recipient will be thankful.

Because who doesn’t appreciate more of a good thing? No one, that’s who.

Bookmark our site to return when you need more great beer-related gift ideas for special events like birthdays, Father’s Day, and beer advent calendars for the holidays.