Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for the Adult Beverage Lover in Your Life
A Build Your Own Six-Pack from Columbus Breweries
This is something that is pretty doable at many different grocery stores around the city, but especially easy at a store like Crafted Drafts. Once you locate an establishment that kindly lets you build your own six-pack, the fun begins. Think Elevator and Columbus Brewing Company, for starters, add in new-to-bottle beers from Actual and Sideswipe, and if you can’t find enough Columbus-based beers, go with more of an Ohio theme so you can include Fat Head’s and Great Lakes. Make it extra special by putting it in a wooden six-pack tote, like this one from Grain + Grape.
A Pint of Whiskey & Pecans from Jeni’s
An especially good idea for those who like to indulge in quality, Columbus-made ice cream, but aren’t necessarily big drinkers. This is great for people who actually enjoy the taste of whiskey.
A Growler from The Daily Growler or The Ohio Taproom
Both spots have an overwhelming amount of draft beers to choose from – The Daily Growler with beers from around the country, The Ohio Taproom focusing solely on the Buckeye state. Both offer selections from Seventh Son, Barley’s, Columbus Brewing Company and Four String, to name a few Columbus-based choices. Or if you’re feeling like you just want to be a kid again, you can go for The Daily Growler’s Too John’s Root Beer, alcohol not included.
Valentine’s Day at the Franklin Park Conservatory
Every year on Valentine’s Day, the Franklin Park Conservatory hosts a wine and chocolate tasting, and features a special Valentine’s Day menu in their Garden Cafe. Probably one of the best things about this event is that reservations are not required, so it’s perfect for all you procrastinators out there. The event costs $15 per person, and includes three wine/liqueur and chocolate pairings.
Columbus Brew Advenures Tour
If you’ve always thought that Valentine’s Day is a bit too much and adds a lot of unnecessary pressure, you might enjoy this laid-back event that still shows your significant other that you’re up for a little adventure. CBA’s Pitchers and Pizza tour and downtown brewery tours this week are both sold out, but the Distillery Tour on February 13 still has tickets available – and of course, you can always gift tickets for a future tour.
An Old Fashioned Columbus Kit (Assembly Required)
If your loved one is into DIY drinks or Mad Men (the Old Fashioned is Don Draper’s drink of choice), you can easily assemble an Old Fashioned Columbus kit for him/her to enjoy. The main player in this game is the OYO White Rye Whiskey from Middle West Spirits, followed closely by a sugar cube, bitters, water, ice, and an orange peel, of course. Then, all you have to do is assemble them all in a basket or box of your choice.
Thursday Beer Tastings at The Hills Market Downtown
If you and your significant other aren’t into going out on Valentine’s Day, you might like this alternative. Every Thursday at The Hills Market Downtown, there’s a themed beer tasting – and naturally, on February 13th, they’ll be serving beers that pair well with Valentine’s Day chocolate. Tastings run from 5-7pm, and no reservations are required.
Nunu Chocolates Booze Box from Katzinger’s Deli
Boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband/partner not required, but either way, these sound amazing. These chocolates, which can be found at Katzinger’s Deli in German Village, are infused with Absinthe, Moonshine, Sake, Rye, Mezcal-Chili, and Amarula, respectively. And thanks to their new online grocery delivery service, you can get these without leaving your house.
Draft Beer Jelly Bellies
This quirky new Hefeweizen-esque flavor of Jelly Belly is out of stock until February 12th, but order some as soon as you can because they look intriguing. Your Valentine might give you a quizzical look, but it’s a fun way to be a kid again and get sugar-drunk on beer-flavored jelly beans while you’re at it.
This is a guest post by Rose Buoni. Rose is a Columbus native and recent Ohio State graduate who works as a writer and freelance designer. She is a lover of pugs, puns and pubs.
