We Have A Winner! Congrats to @wickdawg

We liked @wickdawg's entry because it just felt like Christmas to us. The warm colors, the seasonal beer. It made us want to sit down by the fire with a tasty brew ourselves! Add to that he used the opportunity to try and bring good beer to more people by giving http://raiseyourpints.com/ a shout out. Raise Your Pints is working to legalize home brewing in Mississippi as well as raise the allowed abv for beer over 5%.

Recently we had some DrinkCraftBeer pint glasses made. Some of your have noticed them in our tweets and asked us how you can get your hands on one. Well we decided to have some fun with the holidays and turn it in to a bit of a contest.

The Prize: Two DrinkCraftBeer pint glasses!

What You Need To Do:

1. Take a festive craft beer picture (Snowman with a beer, Christmas Tree, Menorah, whatever the holidays mean to you!)

2. Tweet the photo and mention @drinkcraftbeer and #DCBPint

3. We'll pick our fav picture on Monday December 20th as the winner.

So lets see what you've got! (DCB tip: we're suckers for funny pictures)

Cheers,

Devon and Jeff

The fine print:

You must live in the contiguous US to win the competition (sorry to our international friends!)

By tweeting your picture you give us permission to include the photo on our site

We have a winner! Congrats to Beth Wolf!

We liked Beth's photo because, as we mentioned, we're suckers for funny pictures. The dog in the Santa hat and sweater drinking a Troeg's Mad Elf and then falling asleep? Priceless! It was great to see the idea of the contest really used to tell a story. We definitely laughed when we saw it. Plus way for Beth, a Pennsylvania native, to represent local beer! Check out the winning picture:

Recently we had some DrinkCraftBeer pint glasses made. Some of your have noticed them in our posts and asked us how you can get your hands on one. Well we decided to have some fun with the holidays and turn it in to a bit of a contest.

The Prize: Two DrinkCraftBeer pint glasses!

What You Need To Do:

1. Take a festive craft beer picture (Snowman with a beer, Christmas Tree, Menorah, whatever the holidays mean to you!)

2. Post the photo to Facebook, tag us in it, and mention DrinkCraftBeer Pint Glass Contest in the description.

3. We'll pick our favorite picture on Monday December 20th as the winner.

So lets see what you've got! (DCB tip: we're suckers for funny pictures)

Cheers,

Devon and Jeff

The fine print:

You must live in the contiguous US to win the competition (sorry to our international friends!).

By posting your picture and tagging us in it for this contest you give us permission to include the photo on our site.

We started out this series with Wacky Craft Beer Gifts Guide: Stocking Stuffers, but we know many of you craft beer lovers have pets that you love too. If we’re finding eclectic craft beer gifts for the special people in your life, how can this series possibly be complete without us also finding just the thing for Fido? Some of these items can even help you enjoy a craft beer while playing with your pet, which is ultimately the best of both worlds. Hope you enjoy our Wacky Craft Beer Gifts Guide: Pets!

A good owner always makes sure his or her dog is fully up to date on shots, licensed and all of that. And what better way to show off that you’re a responsible pet owner than on the dog’s collar? But, while you’re at it, why not show off your love of craft beer also? This collar from Victory Brewing Company proudly proclaims that your dog (or at least his owner) loves Victory Brewing! But, if you’re one of those types that always has your dog with you but never an bottle opener, maybe you should consider this collar from Terrapin Brewing. It comes complete with a bottle opener on it, proving that a dog really is man's best friend!

Now a collar is all well and good, but sometimes you need to make sure you keep your dog on a short leash. Guess what? There are breweries that make those too! We recommend this leash from Magic Hat. In brown and olive, it stylishly states: I’m a responsible dog owner... so feel free to invite me to have a brew with you. Also, guys, we all know there’s no better way to pick up a girl than with a dog. Reel them in with the pup, then let them know you have good taste with the leash.

Once you’ve safely got your dog to the park, or wherever you’re going, you’re going to need to let it blow off some energy. A good round of Frisbee is a great way to get your dog’s heart rate up and you get some exercise too (craft beer is full of calories, after all, so exercise is important for all of us... but we’ll cover more of that later). Check out this flying disc (it’s a Frisbee, but not Frisbee brand) from Long Trail Brewing Co. Nothing but the finest for your dog!

All this writing about walking and playing with dogs has gotten us hungry. After you take your canine out, he’s sure to be famished too. You don’t have to wait until you get home, though, to give him a quick snack or drink. These collapsible portable dog bowls from Terrapin Brewing Co. allow you to get your pet some food or water anywhere, say, if he's lucky enough to join you on the patio at your local craft beer bar as you enjoy a well earned pint!

Now that craft beer stocking stuffers and Fido are taken care of, we’ll be on to bigger gifts in the next articles, so stay tuned!

Given the season we thought it would be a good time to publish an article about craft beer related Christmas gifts, Chanukah presents and other giveables for whatever holiday you may be celebrating. As we started researching we discovered something we should have known all along: brewery folk are crazy, fun, zany people... and that's usually reflected in everything they do. Throughout our travels in craft beer, including beer establishments of the East Coast and Breweries and Bars of the Great Lakes, we’ve met some colorful people who work at and own breweries. While breweries sell the expected pint glasses, t-shirts, coasters and more, it only makes sense that these same people would put out some gifts as interesting and fun as they are. We thought this would be much more fun for you all and, more importantly, more fun for us to research and write. So here is the first part of our Wacky Craft Beer Gifts Guide: Stocking Stuffers!

Want to text or tweet about the great IPA you're drinking at the bar right now? You should probably protect that iPhone of yours, even if you opted for the insurance. Luckily, Victory Brewing Company has just the thing, a Hop Devil iPhone case! Not a bad deal at $7 and a great way to show off your love of craft beer!

Even though Christmas Day might be a little late for this gift, consider giving the gift of craft beer holiday cheer! A tree ornament from Saranac Brewery is a great way for someone to remember to enjoy craft beer with friends and family for years to come.

Got a sweet tooth? Who doesn’t?! Wouldn’t it be great to have something sweet and beery at the same time (and no, we’re not talking about Southern Tier Creme Brulee)? If you agree, check out these beer and pretzel caramels made with Brooklyn Brewery beer. Delicious!

Sweets not your thing? Maybe you want something with a bit more zip to it. In that case, these condiments can add a little brew to your life even when you're not at your local craft beer bar or enjoying a pint at home. BBQ and hot sauces made with Stone Brewing Company’s very arrogant craft beers can go on any food while Otter Creek Brewery Beer Mustards are great on bratwurst or just a sandwich (Long Trail also has Trail Mix... Long Trail Mix, clever!).

If you need a pick-me-up in the morning as much as Jeff here at DrinkCraftBeer does, you always start your day with a cup of coffee. Well the guys down at Terrapin Brewing Company worked with Jittery Joe’s to develop a special blend of coffee for their Wake-n-Bake Imperial Coffee Stout and now you can get that same delicious flavor (minus the alcohol) bright and early.

Finally, if you know someone who’s feeling a little naughty this season these next two gifts are just what he or she needs. Magic Hat sells their very own branded “magic hats” that may just come in useful if all goes well at your annual holiday party (they’re Magic Hat condoms if the innuendo was a bit veiled). Naughty or nice? I'd call this thong from Brooklyn Brewery a little bit of both. With all this talk about getting dirty, you're going to need to get clean. Who doesn't love a person who smells like beer, which you will if you use these soaps featuring Stone Brewing Company spent grain and beer.

Well that about wraps it up for the first round of wacky craft beer gifts! As a parting piece of advice, though, don’t forget your Oskar Blues Old Chub Chapstick if you want to do any smooching underneath the mistletoe! And what stocking is complete without a gag gift? Lighten the mood with a Portsmouth Brewery Whoopee Cushion, because who doesn’t find fake farts funny?

Now that your stockings are full, keep an eye out for the next Wacky Craft Beer Gift Guides!