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First Posted: 6/10/2014

Father’s Day is upon us, and while many fathers are notoriously difficult to buy gifts for, don’t depend on the ol’ tie, tool, or other standard “man gift.” This year, buy him something he will truly want and use – beer.

Beer-related gifts are growing in popularity and number, and Father’s Day is the perfect time to show him how much you truly care – not to mention it also provides a good excuse to open a cold beer with your old man.

“ManBQue” by John Carruthers and Jesse Valenciana: This book is not only dedicated to help you perfect your grilling skills, but it also provides plenty of mouthwatering recipes along the way, such as bacon skinner Italian sausage, day drinking brisket, and bourbon barbacoa wings. There are far too many recipes to list and a ton of good information on proper cooking, but if that isn’t enough, there is a vast array of beer pairings and suggestions scattered throughout.

Spiegelau craft beer glasses: The movement into the vast array of craft beers available has also given rise to an endless array of beer glasses. However, if your father is serious about his beer, the next step is towards proper glassware. If he is a fan of IPAs, he should be drinking them from the IPA glass; stouts have also just received their own new glass – not to mention pilsner, Hefeweizen, and porter glasses as well.

Homebrew kit: Homebrewing is a great hobby for the beer lover, and even the science lover. Not only do you learn more about the wonderful beers available to drink, you can spend quality time with brews you love by trying to construct them yourself, the ultimate tribute. The kits themselves are fairly inexpensive to start and can grow into a full-on basement brewery if you so choose. Visit one of the local homebrew shops and they can go over everything you need to get started. Try shopping at Simply Homebrew in Drums or Northeast Hydroponics & Homebrewing in Dickson City.

Beer bathing products: Beer is not just meant to make you feel good – it can also be used to make you look and smell good. Companies like the Beer Soap Company produce soaps using Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, and Chimay Red, which can be ordered from thebeersoapcompany.com. If you are looking for even more ways to wash with beer, then check of Duffy’s, a company that has created the craft beer ESB Shampoo to round out the beer cleaning experience.

Brewery gear: Breweries have a seemingly endless array of promotional products available for loyal drinkers, but go beyond the typical pint glass for dear old dad. Instead, look into getting a shirt promoting his favorite brewery so he can proclaim to everyone around him the joys of drinking great beer. Check some local craft beer sellers for shirts or go directly to the brewery website, as most have online merchandise available.

This is the time of year we celebrate dad, and getting him beer-related gifts not only shows him that you care, it’s also a great way to help him relax as the blistering heat of the summer closes in. So raise a glass to your dad and share a nice beer together this year. Cheers to all the dads out there!