Men Love Beer Gifts

With cool weather comes loaded comfort foods and fragrant seasoning. Think of your favorite seasonal snacks: gingerbread, apple cider, Bailey's and coffee, hot chocolate, and pecan pie. All of these share the warm, heavy aroma that we typically associate with the holiday season. As the seasons change into fall, deli's and coffee shops bring back their seasonal menu items. On a crisp, cool day, nothing hits the spot like a cup of hot chocolate or a hot cinnamon scone. As we typically think of baked goods and warm beverages when we think of seasonal foods, another favorite that comes to mind is seasonal beers. While a coffee freak may anticipate the reintroduction of their favorite gingerbread latte, a beer expert might wait patiently for the return of their favorite pumpkin ale. In 2008, seasonal beers were the best selling craft beer in the country. There is undeniably something to be said for the influence seasonal food and beverages may have on our holiday spirit. The concept of beer and food pairing is especially relevant with holiday and seasonal beers, since they are usually seasoned differently than their year round counterparts. To comprehend the best way of pairing seasonal beers, it is important to know the numerous varieties that are offered. Oktoberfest beers are generally aged and as a result have a robust taste. These pair best with beefy meat dishes such as pot roast. Harvest ales are crafted with seasonal spices and ingredients. These bold aromas pair well with the bold, rich foods the holidays are known best for. I’m positive you can place a few bets on which foods pair well with a pumpkin beer. Pumpkin is really a very neutral ingredient and offers itself to making for a good ale or lager. These beers pair well with lighter meats such as pork and chicken as well as seasonal vegetables such as corn and squash. It also pairs well with pumpkin pie. At Baskets By Rita we understand a few things about pairing good beers with fine foods. Any of our seasonal beer baskets come with a variety of cheese, crackers, chocolates, and sausages paired to ignite your taste buds. Take for instance our Birthday Beer Basket. This is the perfect birthday gift for that special guy or gal who enjoys great beer. Our heavy willow basket is filled with a 6 pack of assorted Colorado Micro brew, chip and salsa, assorted nuts, beef jerky, Jelly Belly candy, cheese and crackers, snack mix and more. Send our Birthday Beer Gift Basket filled with everything needed to celebrate their special day.. If you would like to give a one of a kind, personalized gift this holiday season, why not look into sending a beer basket? I can’t imagine a better treat for cuddling up by the fire and relishing good foods than cracking open a cool, Oktoberfest beer and absorbing the pleasure and warmth of the season. Happy holidays! If you found this article inspirational or know of someone else who may find it useful, please don’t hesitate to pass it on via email, Facebook, or Twitter. Thanks a bunch! http://www.basketsbyrita.com/assets/images/birthday_beer-gift_basket.jpg http://twitter.com/basketsbyrita http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baskets-By-Rita/138008009558273