Marc Bona, cleveland.com
23 beverage-oriented gifts
CLEVELAND, Ohio – From the classy to the schlocky, from holiday splurges or stocking stuffers, we’ve got you covered with our beverage-oriented gift guide. Wine to water, beer to spirits and non-alcoholic items, there’s something for everybody. Prices range from $3 to $250.
Josh Cellars
WINE: Personalized labels
During the holidays, Josh Cellars will donate a $1 from each bottle purchased to Operation Gratitude, up to $50,000 through Sunday, Dec. 31. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to veterans, first responders, wounded heroes and service members deployed overseas and their families back home. And Josh Cellars is offering free personalized labels during the holidays. An additional buck from each label created will go to the non-profit, up to 15,000 labels.
Availability: the Josh Cellars website.
SCS Direct, Inc.
BEER: Oversized glass
Why get up to keep refilling your glass when you can have one glass that holds four beers? Who needs that walk to the fridge and the extra effort it takes to open yet another beer? The hand-blown glass stein is 11.5 inches tall.
Availability: Amazon.com, scsdirectinc.com. Price: $11.99-14.99.
Fowndry.com
NON-ALCOHOLIC: Minipresso
How many times have you been hiking and thought: “Man, I wish I had an espresso right NOW!” Problem solved. The minipresso is a portable espresso maker that “beats any espresso you are going to get from a non-specialist coffee house.”
Availability: fowndry.com. Price: $64.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
SPIRITS: Apple Brandy from Ohio
The folks at Columbus-based Watershed Distillery say this is the first Apple Brandy produced in central Ohio in more than 100 years. It is made with all Ohio apples and weighs in at 40 percent alcohol.
Availability: Watershed Distillery, some local retailers. Price: $39.95.
Hammacher.com
WINE: The Galloping Knight's Decanter
Decanters just keep getting more elaborate and elegant in design. Decanters need to air the wine out and keep the sediment in. The folks at Hammacher Schlemmer say this decanter is “believed to have been favored by mounted knights as they took refreshment without spilling a drop while riding to and from 12th-century Crusades.” Maybe true, maybe apocryphal, but who cares? Made in the Czech Republic, it stands just under 8 inches tall by 4 inches and holds 10.5 ounces.
Availability: hammacher.com. Price: $69.95.
SCS Direct, Inc.
BEER: Unbreakable glasses
D’Eco Unbreakable Beer Glasses fit the bill for clumsy beer lovers. The glasses are shatterproof, reusable and dishwasher safe. Each glass is made from Tritan, a plastic-type material that looks like glass. The glasses are crystal clear, durable, top-rack dishwasher safe and made from BPA-free materials. Perfect for pool areas.
Availability: Amazon, decohousewares.com, specialty retailers. Retail Price: $24.99 for four-pack.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
WINE: North Coast Wine Club membership
Splurging for something unique? A one-year membership in the Solon-based North Coast Wine Club offers a place to make wine on commercial-style equipment in a fun group atmosphere. (Note: The club makes wine using grapes brought in from California and other places. It’s a fun bunch making good wine.)
Availability: Email info@northcoastwineclub.net. Price: $250.
Brandless.com
NON-ALCOHOLIC: Tea, mug, honey
Brandless.com is just that – no fancy names, but a lot of products at reasonable prices. This inexpensive trio is composed of organic Chamomile blend herbal tea, simple porcelain mug and 100 percent organic honey.
Availability: brandless.com. Price: $3 per item.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
SPIRITS: A Year of Good Whisky calendar
Before you start your day with coffee, check out your daily factoid on whisky. Each day offers facts, a quote, a quick definition or brief historical notes. (There’s also A Year of Good Beer and A Year of Good Wine.)
Availability: pageaday.com/store. Price: $14.99.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
WINE: Boxxle
Class up that boxed wine with Boxxle, a 3-liter dispenser in white (blanc) and red (rouge) and stainless steel. A spring mechanism squeezes out virtually every drop of that boxed wine and allows for easy pouring. Meant for a countertop, bar or table. Boxed wine can stay fresh a lot longer than an opened bottle. (A rep says it also works great for iced tea, mixed drinks, cocktails and chilled shots, like tequila, Fireball and Jägermeister.)
Availability: atwww.boxxle.com, amazon.com. Price: $99.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
WINE: Boxxle preserve bags
If you don’t want the Boxxle but want to store wine longer: A trio of 3-liter wine-preserve bags store the equivalent of up to four bottles of wine per bag.
Availability: atwww.boxxle.com, amazon.com. Price: $9.99 (for a set of three).
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
BEER: Variety packs
Many breweries assemble a collection of their ales this time of year. Or you can mix and match six-packs of individual bottles. One of the best gift packs is the two large-format bottles from Brewery Ommegang’s Game of Thrones series and accompanying glass. Who would buy this for themselves? OK, some of us. Great gift.
Availability and price: Varies. (Ommegang offers suggested retail prices of $11.99 for individual bottles, $23.99 for the gift pack.)
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
NON-ALCOHOLIC: Simply Better Bottles
The 24-ounce water bottles from 50 Strong are lightweight, insulated and feature a bite-friendly pull top. Double-walled insulation keeps drinks cold, and assorted messages on the outside offer a sip of inspiration (“Think Positive,” “Be Happy” and “Never Stop Exploring”).
Availability: Be50Strong.com. Price: $7.99-$9.99.
VIVAXXXII
SPIRITS: Tequila!
For the refined tequila-sipper in your life, opt for a fancy-schmancy bottle of VIVA XXXII with its geometric-looking design. Tequila Reposado and Tequila Joven are available. Its billed as having “a rich, almost Cognac like profile” and was aged at least three years in American oak barrels. Tasting notes say “The longer aging process brings forth rich fruit notes with delicious hints of caramel, sandalwood and honey on the palate.” Bonus: The maker donates a portion of net proceeds to animal-abuse prevention charities.
Availability: viva32.com. Price: $39.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
WINE: Dreaming Tree wine + music package
How’s this for the wine-loving, music-loving fan in your life? A three-pack of 2015 Chardonnay, 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2014 Crush Red Blend as well as a $50 gift card for Ticketmaster. Dreaming Tree Wines are collaboration between winemaker Sean McKenzie and musician Dave Matthews.
Availability: Dreaming Tree online. Price: $69.
SCS Direct, Inc.
BEER: Caddy
The D’Eco Beer Caddy holds six bottles in a pine wooden carrier, with removable inserts. Conveniently, it includes a stainless-steel opener on the side. Use it to create your own six-pack, or simply as an alternative to flimsy cardboard ones.
Availability: Amazon, decohousewares.com. Price: $24.99.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
NON-ALCOHOLIC: Eau Good Duo
We included this Black + Bum / Eau Good Duo product in our list even though it’s in kickstarter stages. Its goal is to make tap water taste better. The Eau Good Duo allows naturally filtered water to be consumed. It’s got an activated stick of Japanese Binchotan charcoal to soften water and adds “good minerals such as calcium, removes contaminants, balances PH and absorbs unwanted tastes and odors…” The handle is designed so you can slip your hand between the strap and bottle while running. Comes with charcoal filter, which has a six-month lifespan.
Availability: kickstarter for details.
Wine Ovation
WINE: Bowling pin opener
This opener puts a new twist, literally, on opening wine bottles. Cordless and rechargeable, it works in seconds. Push the button down to remove the cork, push up to extract. It can uncork more than 30 bottles on one charge. Recharge with the included wall adapter and charging cable. Package includes opener, wall charger and foil cutter.
Availability: WineOvation.com, Amazon. Price: $29.95.
SCS Direct, Inc.
BEER: Sippy Cup
This 16-ounce stainless-steel tumbler is double-wall vacuum-insulated to keep beer cold for six-plus hours. The thermos has a durable leak-proof spout that flips up for use and folds to prevent spills or leaks. The cup is BPA (bisphenol A) free, germ resistant and
dishwasher safe.
Availability: SCS Direct. Price: $14.99.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
BEER AND WINE: Drink-Tac-Toe
A stocking stuffer - if you have a stocking big enough to hold this 8-inch by 8-inch game. Circular pieces have a wine glass on them; Xs are crossed beer bottles. Love the one and only rule: “Beer goes first.”
Availability: Chroniclebooks.com. Price: Varies.
Rabbit
WINE: Wine tote
Who wants to bring a bottle in a paper bag to a party? This sleek tote offers an alternative that keeps wine cold for as many as four hours. The adjustable sleeve fits regular-sized wine bottles as well as bomber (22-ounce) bottles of beer. (It even stretches to accommodate sparkling-wine bottles.) The machine-washable tote stores flat.
Availability: RabbitWine.com. Price: $8.
Adrian Delsi
BEER: Flat bottle opener
This opener from MAKO easily fits in your pocket or wallet. Available in eight colors and patterns.
Availability: Joseph Grace brands online. Price: $6.
Rabbit
WINE: Rabbit chilling carafe
Keeps drinks chilled for 90 minutes. Holds a bottle of wine. Dishwasher-safe. Availability: BedBathAndBeyond.com. Price: $49.99.