The festive season is looming, and with it, the annual quandary of gift ideas. Every Christmas, whether it’s a case of leaving the shopping too late, or simply running dry on ideas, the redoubtable bottle of wine will invariably end up weighing down a stocking or two. But what if the intended target is more into beer?
Beer has been gifted since the beginning, but typically in more of a ‘here’s a box of Speights for painting the deck’ kind of fashion. Beer that’s actually brewed and packaged to more specifically emulate a classy bottle of wine is a more recent development, but one that’s now well worth exploring as an alternative. However, while the selection and quality of these beers has never been greater, some pitfalls of gifting beer are still very much afoot.
Aside from a few select examples, the moment most beer is packaged it starts to deteriorate For a general rule, the more hop driven a beer, the shorter the shelf life, so stay away from IPA’s and especially hazys if there’s a danger of them sitting around for too long. Another trap is gift boxes. While they may look like the ideal vector for beer as a present, their bulky nature means that supermarkets almost never store them under chill. So if considering one, scrutinise it for a best before date.
That covers what to stay away from, but what should one seek out? An easy option is simply anything Belgian, as these beers are exceptionally unique in that nearly all of them are brewed and bottled to age, with some darker and stronger examples like Quadrupel actually improving with it. While New Zealand brewed options of a similar constitution have historically been much harder to find, there has never been more available than today.
It can still take some finding, but any supermarket with a suitably flashy craft beer section should have what you’re after. If you can see champagne style bottles with an out of place crown cap then you’re in the right place. The range of these beers has now expanded to the point where choice paralysis can be an issue, so here’s a few favourites of mine to get you started.
GARAGE PROJECT: ‘Mutiny on The Bounty’ Stout 11.2%abv
An exceptionally strong stout brewed with an intensely tropical mix of breadfruit, roasted bananas, toasted coconut and vanilla pods. Smooth, refined and unashamedly rich and decadent. Perfect for someone with a sweet tooth, or even a non beer drinker.
8-WIRED: ‘Wild Feijoa’ Fruited Sour 6.2%abv
One of the only New Zealand beers to sport a vintage, Wild Feijoa blends a sharply sour wheat base with the luscious and funky flavoured fruit of its namesake. As polarising as feijoas themselves, so make sure you know who you’re buying it for!
KERERU: ‘Pie In The Sky’ Barley Wine 12.0%abv
Brewed with black truffles and aged for fourteen months in a New Zealand whisky barrel. This unctuous and incredibly strong Barley Wine carries notes of sherry, walnut, cocoa and spiced fruitcake. One of the closest things to Christmas in the glass you can get.