Here’s how to shop local in San Antonio when buying gifts for those who love beer and spirits

While some may argue that quantity is a quality, presenting someone with a case of Bud or a jug of bottom-shelf bourbon may not be the best way to say you care with a holiday gift.

If there are lovers of craft beer or fine spirits on your list, here’s how to support local artisans while ensuring that you’re stuffing their stocking with something they’ll actually savor and enjoy.

Memberships

Mug club or brewery memberships are good ways to get the most out the brewery experience with frequent visits throughout the year. They tend to be pricey and limited, but they do come with a lot of perks.

For example, downtown San Antonio’s Roadmap Brewing Co. has a $200 membership — $225 after Nov. 29 — that includes $2 off all full-priced pints daily, 15% off merchandise and beer to go, access to new beer releases two days before the general public, a special drink coaster, a stainless steel koozie and access to members-only events, including bottle shares and holiday parties.

SA’s Longtab Brewing Co. opens its mug club to new members Nov. 29 for $225. Double memberships run $350. The 2024 membership, which included an exclusive beer-and-food pairing event and 15% off everything, sold out Jan. 15.

Kunstler Brewing Co.’s $200 Stammtisch Klub includes a 20-ounce German-style mug along with perks including a birthday fill, a 15% discount on any full tab, a brewery Fiesta medal in April and a members-only party at the end of November.

Not all breweries advertise their clubs on their websites, so check Facebook for announcements on membership openings for the next year. The important thing to remember about a gift of this caliber is that it works best if the recipient is likely to visit on a regular basis.

Brewery or distillery tours

Most breweries give free tours on designated days, and smaller ones tend to do so on request, assuming it’s not too busy. When it comes to gifting, some San Antonio craft-beer producers offer tickets for a premium tour experience.

The well-established Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling offers the option of a brewstillery tour that includes three healthy sample pours of beer and spirits for $15. Another $20 adds a VIP whiskey sampling after the tour that includes samples of rare whiskies, two future-release samples straight from the barrel and bourbon chocolates. The once-a-month Distillery Sensory Tour, which runs $50, offers a deeper dive into the whiskey side of the operation via an intimate class of no more than 10 people.

Alamo Beer Co. has free tours but also offers a paid VIP option that makes a worthwhile holiday gift. Also, check out Maverick Distilling in the heart of the city, where the $50 tour ends with tastings from the barrel in the former bank vault where whiskey is stored for aging.

Brewery merchandise

Beer lovers often have a great affinity for their local brewery or pub, which is why most of the establishments offer merchandise — at the very minimum, a branded T-shirt. Many go well beyond, creating product lines that include hats, koozies, Fiesta medals and special glassware.

Blue Star Brewing sometimes has brewery-branded onesies for babies, for example, and Gather Brewing Co. near Randolph Air Force Base sells stainless-steel tumblers and iPhone cases featuring its logo.

Basket, box and bucket

Some local companies that specialize in gift baskets can customize them for the beer or spirits lover. However, this kind of gift also presents the ultimate DIY opportunity that starts with a trip to the craft store for a basket or decorative box, some plastic shrink wrap and ribbon to fit the occasion. A galvanized metal bucket, like those bars use to serve iced-down longnecks, also make good gifting vessels.

While a trip to a well-stocked beer aisle at the grocery or liquor store can yield a sampling of local choices, the gift is even more personal with a trip to a brewery or distillery for branded swag along with cans and bottles only sold on-premise. For added appeal, include a gift certificate to the establishment or extras such as glassware or foods to pair with the adult beverages.

Beer salt sampler

For those who like a savory kick to their brews, especially Mexican imports such as Dos Equis or Tecate, the San Antonio’s own Twang produces a variety of beer salts that make fun stocking stuffers. The company’s four-pack sampler includes lime, lemon-lime, pickle and cucumber-chile-lime flavors. Look for them on local retail shelves or get the sampler of mini bottles for $10 at twang.com.

For those who like a beer cocktail for brunch, Twang also makes a classic michelada mixer along with a spicy version and one that ups the pucker with added pickle flavor.

Safe journeys home

While a gift certificate to a San Antonio brewery tap room or distillery tasting room might be appreciated, the additional largesse of a designated driver gives it a personal touch. That could come in the form of a promise to be the sober driver on the night out or an e-gift from a rideshare company such as Lyft or Uber.

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This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2024.