Holiday Central

10 gifts to lift the spirits of beer, wine and whiskey lovers

Top shelf gifts for the holidays

Sofie Delauw | Getty Images

Alcohol has been the go-to holiday gift for people for ages. Not sure what to get someone? Grab a bottle of wine off the shelf at the store (or off your own shelf), stick it in a gift bag, and you're all set.

But as craft beer has enjoyed its meteoric rise, and whiskey/vodka/bourbon drinkers have become more sophisticated and wine drinkers even more educated, it's forcing people to put a lot more thought into their spirit-based gifts.

There's certainly nothing wrong with still giving a bottle — and we've got some great suggestions for a few — but if you're looking to surprise someone who is especially enthusiastic about their beer, wine or spirits, there are plenty of other options as well.

Here are a few suggestions.

— By Chris Morris
Posted 4 December 2015

Bright Cellars wine subscription service ($75 per month)

Source: Bright Cellars

Because wine tastes vary so much from person to person, discovery is half the fun. Bright Cellars is different than most wine clubs in that it asks the recipient a series of questions about their food and lifestyle preferences. Using an algorithm, it then suggests a quartet of wines it thinks you might enjoy. It's not a perfect system, but the hit-to-miss ratio is pretty high. And best of all, you're not forced to accept its suggestions before you order.

Noble Brewer (starts at $44 per quarter)

Source: Noble Brewer

Too many beer-of-the-month clubs send things you could easily pick up for less (and fresher) at the local bottle shop. But there's no chance you'll find Noble Brewer's offerings anywhere else. The service seeks out the best home brewers and pairs them with a professional brewery to mass-produce their beers. Four times a year, Noble Brewer sends out a quartet of new offerings. And so far, the home brews have been mighty good.

High-end glassware (prices vary)

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The glass you drink out of can truly have a dramatic effect on the taste of your spirit of choice. High-end glassware is absolutely worth the investment. You just have to know which one to get. For craft beer lovers, Spiegelau is the winner, hands down. The company makes drinkware for several different styles, including India Pale Ales, American Wheat Beers, Stouts and more. (A good place to start is with a mixed set of four, which costs $40.)

Wine drinkers, meanwhile, have long sung the praises of Riedel, which offers different glasses for each varietal. (Expect to pay $30 and up for each set of two.) And whiskey drinkers swear by Glencairn glasses, which concentrate the aroma of single malts and add more depth to blends (prices start at $9 each).

PicoBrew Zymatic ($1,999)

Source: PicoBrew

Home brewers who want to step things up to the next level and try some small-batch experimental brews will find plenty to like here. It's essentially a home-brew bread machine. Just put the grains and hops in the right compartments and it does most of the heavy lifting for you. There's no agonizing over maintaining temperature levels or messy cleanup. And there's a notable catalogue of recipes to choose from — or you can create your own and share it with the PicoBrew universe.

Vinomaster red wine aerator ($18)

Source: Vinomaster

The best wines are better when they have some time to breathe, but if you don't have time to wait, this aerator quickly opens up each pour from a bottle. Unlike others, which are used separately and often result in spills, Vinomaster's aerator attaches to the bottle itself, making sure every drop goes in the glass.

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique (price varies)

Source: Kavalan Whiskey

The world's best whiskey doesn't come from Scotland anymore. Taiwan took the crown this year with Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique, according to the World Whiskies Awards. Judges at the prestigious event said it was "like Bourbon-infused milk chocolate" that was "surprisingly smooth." Other hints include "caramel, marzipan, coffee-vanilla, fudge [and] rich, creamy, dried black fruits." The price will vary depending on where you find it. An online search puts it anywhere from $115 to $300 per bottle.

Samuel Adams Utopias ($199)

Source: Boston Brewing Co

Utopias is a rarity in the craft beer world. With an alcohol by volume of 28 percent, it's not something you crush. It's also not carbonated. Rather, it's a beer that tastes more like an aged sherry or cognac but still has an identifiable beer backbone. It's also not something you have to finish at once — Samuel Adams suggests it in 2-ounce pours at room temperature. The bottle, however, can easily be resealed and enjoyed a bit at a time for years to come.

Dow's Vintage Port 2011 ($82)

Source: Dow's Port

The top wine of 2014 by Wine Spectator wasn't a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir; it was this port. This Portuguese offering was described as not overly sweet, with "concentrated black fruit, chocolate and spice flavors and an almost endless finish." And it's got a long shelf life, so it can be enjoyed for many years to come.

Stag's Leap 2012 Appellation Collection ($1,899)

Source: Stag's Leap District

To be fair, it's pretty hard to go wrong with most wines from the Stag's Leap District. It's one of the jewels of Napa Valley. But if you have the money to spend or really want to impress someone, this collection of 19 bottles from the spectacular 2012 vintage is the ultimate gift for wine lovers — many of which are impossible to find anywhere else. (Those you can will run $80 and up per bottle.) You can view the complete list at the collection's website. Can't afford this entire collection? Any of the wines in this collection would make a terrific gift.

Popular and 'whale' beers (prices vary)

Chris Morris | CNBC

Annual releases from top brewers that immediately sell out are referred to as "whales" among collectors. And they're coveted. Often, the only way to get one is by finding someone willing to trade a bottle for something rare from your area. If that's a bit too much to go through, though, you can usually arrange to trade your local favorite for something that's well respected but not sold in your state with any friend.

Know someone in San Francisco? They might be able to send Russian River's Pliny the Elder to the East Coast. Or a friend in Vermont might procure some Heady Topper to send your way. And those sorts of surprises are bound to excite the craft beer lover.