7 DIY Alcohol Gift Ideas
The holidays are upon us (don’t panic, but Christmas is only a few weeks away), and some of you may be scrambling to find a gift for everyone on your list. If they’re 21+, there’s one gift you can’t go wrong with: alcohol.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Alcohol is the perfect gift because you can make it extremely personal to the recipient’s tastes.
For example, if you have someone who loves wine and loves to travel, you can pick out a specialty wine that comes from their favorite place they’ve visited. For the whiskey connoisseur, perhaps a rare brand they’ve never tried before. The options are endless.
With Christmas so close and as 2020 has been such a crazy year, we’ve come up with a budget-friendly, unique, and personal gift guide for all those in your life who are of legal drinking age.
All of these ideas are fun and easy and make for truly special gifts. People really value time and effort, and these gifts show you put in both. What could be better than a gift that is tailored to your tastes and styles? A gift that you can drink, of course.
Don’t worry. While these gifts may be DIY, you don’t need to be too crafty to put them together. With any alcohol gift, you can come up with easy items to go with the theme. By this, we mean include specific drinkware needed (copper mugs for Moscow mules, for example) or ingredients they will need for brewing, crafting, and creating their own beverages. Read on for ideas that will take care of all the adults on your gifting list!
Is There A DIY Gift Idea For All Types Of Alcohol?
Yes! There is a DIY gift idea for all types of alcohol and all types of drink preferences. It doesn’t matter if the person receiving the gift loves champagne or whisky; there’s a gift out there that will be perfect for them.
To make it even more personal, get creative with the things you add to your gift, like flavored syrups and garnishes for cocktails. If someone loves strawberry as a flavor, go all out with a strawberry theme.
It’s a cool way to show the person you know them well and know their drinking personality. Below, we’ve compiled our best ideas for DIY gifts for all types and varieties of alcohol.
1. Mason Jar Cocktail Kit
This gift is simple yet great for anyone who likes cocktails. First, you’ll need a set of mason jar glasses (we recommend getting them in sets of four, but two works as well). Then, you’ll need the right alcohol and add-ins.
Look up the best mason jar cocktails and get all the ingredients for that recipe. Try an Old Fashioned, for example. You need whisky, simple syrup, bitters, orange slices, and maraschino cherries. Or get creative, and come up with your own recipe named after the person you’re giving the gift to!
2. Specialty Cocktail Kit
Try this DIY for a friend who has a favorite go-to cocktail. This is the drink you’d bet money they’ll order at the bar 9 times out of 10 (or maybe 10/10). Get them everything they need to make this drink from the comfort of their home. If it’s a mojito, get them something to muddle with, fresh mint leaves, their favorite vodka, and some cool fruit infusions. Don’t forget the shaker and some glasses if you want something a little extra!
3. Beer Brewing Starter Kit
It’s the perfect gift for any beer aficionado or the person who loves to be extra hands-on with their drinks. This one is a little more complicated, but it’s worth it for those who are obsessed with beer. This way, they can brew their very own.
You need four main ingredients to brew beer: water, yeast, hops, and malts. Now, as for the equipment, this can vary. You typically need a funnel, fermentation vessel, kettle, large spoon, and other similar items. This might get a bit pricy, so if you know they’ve been wanting to try brewing beer, you can just get them the ingredients they’ll need to get started, rather than splurging on all the equipment. If you want to take it even further, you could have glass bottles and labels made that are personalized with their name to make it totally customized.
4. Cocktail Recipe Book
Talk about a special and heartfelt gift. You don’t even necessarily need any alcohol for this gift, but it’s perfect for anyone who is an alcohol enthusiast of any sort. Find out the favorite drink recipes of whoever will be receiving the gift. If their drink of choice is vodka, make it all vodka drinks.
If they’re a wild card and will drink anything, you can have a lot of fun with it and find tons of different recipes to put in there. If you want to go the extra mile, you could include a drink shaker or some cocktail glasses for them to use when they try out your recipes. Either way, it’s a gift they will use for years to come.
5. Kombucha Starter Kit
This one is for all the health nuts in your life. Kombucha has been around for thousands of years, so it’s not just a trendy beverage. It contains probiotics and tons of healthy bacteria that can help to heal your gut. It’s also a great healthy alternative to carbonated beverages such as soda.
While you don’t need alcohol to make kombucha, it does have a small percentage of alcohol in it once finished. It’s perfect for someone who doesn’t drink a lot of alcohol but still wants to get their (healthy) buzz on. This would also be a great gift for anyone who likes to experiment and create things because it does get a bit science-y.
Here’s what you need: green or black tea bags, cane sugar, distilled white vinegar, active SCOBY (you can buy this, or there’s also a way to make your own), and a glass jar to ferment it in. Whoever is receiving the gift can play around with adding their own flavors once they brew the kombucha, making this a truly customizable DIY gift.
6. Mini Bottle Basket
If you’re really short on time, this is the perfect gift. You can get a nice basket and add tissue paper or some sort of stuffing, and cellophane wrap and ribbon for the outside of the basket. Then, stuff it to the brim with your friend/family member’s favorites. Vodka, whisky, tequila, whatever they like, throw it in.
Mini bottles are perfect to have on hand for parties or to keep at your bar to whip up a quick cocktail for one. Plus, they’re just fun to look at since they’re so small. You can give them a cool assortment of everything under the sun or stick to things you know they like.
7. Margarita Kit
It’s all about the tequila when it comes to the perfect margarita. You could try giving them a variety, such as a silver and a gold variety so that they can play around with the flavors and compare them. Or, if you want to get them something a little more out of the box, go for mezcal to add some smoky flair.
You’ll need some lime juice, sugar or salt for the rim, and a margarita mix or flavored liqueur. You could also gift them some margarita glasses to go along with their kit. And for the final touch, perhaps a shot glass (for measuring the tequila, of course).
Conclusion
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. That’s the whole point of a DIY gift; it brings out your creative side while also making for a really unique and thoughtful gift. There are also endless possibilities, from the type of alcohol you use, to how you present the gift, to how hands-on you make it for the person you’re gifting it to. Whether it’s a basket or bottle of their favorite alcohol or something that requires them to get their hands dirty, you can’t go wrong.
