The Best Alcohol Gifts for the Home Bartender in Your Life

The holidays are just around the corner, and naturally, that means that it’s time to crank that knob of holiday cheer. And by “cheer,” of course, we mean the best wine gifts, the best whiskey gifts, the best beer gifts, and every other form of liquor-soaked love that you can think of. Before we begin, let’s make one thing Cristal clear: Boozy gifts don’t have to a) break the bank, b) be some obscure bottle of wine both you and your giftee can't pronounce, or c) need to contain any alcohol at all. No, we’re coming up with the best, unique alcohol gifts for all of the archetypical liquor lovers in your life. 

We’re talking about your friend who fancies themself a “home mixologist” and the friend who actually tends bar; the wine mom who runs the table at book club and the whiskey-sippin’ dad who doesn’t need a costume to cosplay as Ron Swanson; the craft beer-loving himbo and the girl who guzzles Guinness at the pub—and everyone else in your life who patiently waits for the clock to strike 5 p.m. so they can knock a few back after work.

Now kick your shoes off, put your feet up, and pour yourself a glass, dram, pint, or shot—it’s gifting time.  

Best Gifts for Wine Lovers

Some proper glassware 

We’re all for slapping the bag of Franzia and filling up coffee mugs with Two Buck Chuck, but sometimes your wine drinking buddy wants to class things up a bit. For that, we’ll be gifting them some sweet glassware this holiday season. All you really need are a fresh pack of these chic red wine glasses, or maybe some recycled-glass, stemless, all-purpose bois. The only thing to remember: Never give someone just one glass—it’s bad luck. 

Do you even hyper-decant, bro?

PSA: Do not stick your wine in a blender. (Though, if you wanted to, we’ve got the blenders you need.) Instead, get your grape-juice-guzzling friend a regular decanter that doubles as an art piece.

Please, don’t use your shoe

I had a buddy in high school who used to down a bottle with lunch on Fridays, and because he didn’t have a corkscrew, he would crack the neck of the bottle off on the curb in the school parking lot. Don’t let your giftee be that guy—instead, get them a sturdy, reliable winged corkscrew such as this one from West Elm. 

Just one glass tonight, thanks

Not all of us want to can afford to polish off a bottle of vino every night, and sometimes we have days where we don’t drink at all. That’s where this Coravin Wine Preservation System comes in handy. Your giftee can pour a glass of their favorite wines whenever they want—without pulling the cork.

Uhhh, is this my glass?

It’s not their fault—sometimes the wine’s a-flowin’ and it’s tough to remember whose glass is whose. Enter: the wine glass charm. Your giftee will never lose track of their glass again thanks to these functional felt “labels,” one of the best gifts for wine lovers who party.

Gift that ass some class

Let’s be honest: Wine doesn’t last long enough around your oenophile friend (Google it) to invest in a multi-bottle rack. Instead, let them display what’s on the wine list at Chateau Railröadapartmént for the evening with this wine holder and chiller from Williams Sonoma.

Your own private wine seminar

Wine Folly is considered one of the great books on wine. For less than $20, you can have answers to basically any question you could ever dream up about wine, making this an essential volume for anybody who enjoys the stuff. Like, what’s better than your guests seeing your bookshelf or bar and thinking you actually know a lot about wine? Great gift.

Best Gifts for Whiskey Lovers

The best whiskey glasses

Whether you’re doing a bourbon neat, a Scotch with an ice cube, or a Manhattan, these timeless, heavy-base whiskey glasses are the best out there, hands down. A perfect choice for the Don Draper in your life.

An infinity bottle

Well, in this case, an infinity decanter. An infinity bottle—one of the best gifts for whiskey lovers—is a container that whiskey nerds will fill with their own “house” blend—in other words, they’ll pour a little bit of the best whiskey from bottles they particularly like (or ones they think will contribute positively toward the blend) into the empty container, and keep refilling with different whiskeys as they drink, essentially giving their blended bottle a lifespan of “infinity.” This one can be customized with your giftee’s name or initials. Trust us, they’ll love it. 

Do not get them whiskey stones

Please. If the boozehound in your life likes their whiskey on the rocks—which, same—get them this ice cube mold instead. Whiskey stones are… meh… and chances are, they’ve already been given them before. Large ice cubes or ice spheres will function similarly, in that they’ll keep your drink cold without diluting it too much. Plus, they look way cooler, which is key when trying to cop the best gifts for whiskey lovers. 

Sip slowly and ruminate 

It can be tough to pick out flavor notes in whiskeys—particularly after a few drams—which is why there are people that go to school for that sort of thing. While whiskey-tasting school might not be in the cards for your giftee right now, that doesn’t mean they shouldn't learn more about what they’re drinking. (If my book club read these picks, we might actually go.) 

Best Gifts for Beer Lovers

Put down the shaker pint

You know the ones: the straight, stackable pint glasses you’ll be served in any American bar that were originally designed for use in a cocktail shaker—and not for beer. They’re perfectly serviceable, but the reason your beer buddy should consider ditching them is that they don’t do your beer any favors, they don’t help your beer hold a foamy head, and they’re prone to chipping. Instead, broaden their boozing boundaries with the three basic beer glasses: nonic pints for stouts and English beers, pilsner glasses for pilsners and lagers, and tulips for everything else. 

They will love you forever

A beverage fridge for the man cave, office, or powder room, for sure. But think bigger. Seriously. Draft beer, IN THE HOUSE? This fully assembled kegerator is the only thing standing between them and full bliss. The sweet, stainless steel door, blue LED interior lights, and digital thermostat give a modern and sleek appearance that’ll be perfect in any room. The only downside to this gift is that your buddy may never accompany you to the bar again—or leave their home at all, for that matter. 

It’s about time they brewed their own

They spend half their time at the pub, they know what IBU stands for (and why it’s kinda sus), and they’ve always dreamed about opening a brewery—now it’s time for them to take the final step into full beer geekdom by starting to homebrew. In my experience, brewing beer is vastly more addictive than beer itself, and these starter kits from Northern Brewer and Brooklyn Brew Shop will likely be the catalyst for a lifelong hobby. (The best alcohol gifts are the ones that keep on giving.)

Keep their pints frosty 

Cold beer is proof that God loves his children. What do you think God did on his day off, anyway? He crushed a few frosty pints while taking in the late game, duh. This YETI Colster Tall Can insulator is great for keeping craft beers at the correct consumption temperature.

Best Gifts to Stock a Home Bar 

Their current home bar is non-existent

Well, let’s remedy that. Every home needs a bar cart, regardless of whether the inhabitants drink or not. Stock it with candy! With N/A (non-alcoholic) booze! With weird and wacky sex toys! This gold, platonic ideal bar cart from West Elm is exactly what the liquor gods had in mind when they gave man free will. It’s Art Deco, it’s elegant, and it’s damn sure to hold your buddy’s liquor—even if they can’t.

Barware fit for an emperor

Alright, if your giftee could only own a few pieces of barware, it should be these: a good muddler for sugar, herbs, and fruits; a cocktail shaker and strainer for drinks with non-alcoholic components including fruit juices, syrups, and [shudders] sour mix; and a swizzle-stick-mixing-glass combo for spirit-forward drinks that shouldn’t be shaken. 

Basic drinking hardware

Look, we know you can open a beer with just about anything, so put away your lighters, knives, and—god forbid—teeth. Get your boozy buddy a sturdy speed stick (this flat beer opener) and a waiter’s corkscrew instead.

For when they’re out on the town

You never know when they’re going to have to sneak some booze into a dry movie theatre, have a nip on the train ride home from work, or make an emergency toast at a moment’s notice. That’s where this wide-mouthed Stanley hip flask comes in. Keep it on the bar so it gets to know the liquor that it will one day transport.

Now, may the roof above us never fall in, and the friends below it never fall out. Sláinte! 

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The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.