Hoppy Holidays with Beer-Themed Gifts!

This year we're excited to introduce a few NEW holiday items to our Etsy shop for the beer lovers and homebrewers on your gift list! 

- Beer-themed holiday cards, including "Hoppy Holidays", "Christmas Cheer", "Let's Get Merry", "He Sees You When You're Drinking", and Surviving Awkward Holiday Parties. Cards can be purchased individually, or in packs of 6 or 12 cards. Cards are 4.25" x 5.5" and come with an accompanying A2 (4.375" x 5.75") envelope. Check them out here!

- Our unique, hand crafted hop ornaments made from silk flower components and decorated with rustic twine and ribbon. Hops vary slightly in shape, size and shade of green. Dimensions: approximately 3" x 1.5" x 1.5"

- Dried hop cone grapevine wreath ornaments, made from real, professionally dried hop cones from Michigan, 2" x 2" grapevine wreath, and ribbon. The dried hop cones are extremely delicate and must be treated and stored with care, away from direct sunlight to prevent damage.

These ornaments are available for purchase online for a limited time in our Etsy shop. 

For custom orders please send us a message via our Etsy shop and we'll be happy to accommodate your requests. Cheers!

Live Local, Drink Local

We're excited to introduce our new line of Drink Local art for the beer lovers in your lives. Choose your hometown or your favorite states to drink in to create a local love collage. Check out our Etsy page to purchase these prints and other beer and wine-themed gifts.

Father's Day For Beer Lovers

Introducing our new line of Father's Day cards for the beer lovers in your lives. From the new Dad to the seasoned pro, we have a sentiment for everyone. Check out our Etsy page to purchase these cards and other beer-themed gifts.

Hail to the Ale Beerentine Cards

This year we're excited to introduce new "Beerentine's Day" card designs to our Etsy shop. 

Our new series of folded beer-themed cards come in a variety of sayings for your sweethearts. Cards are 4.25" x 5.5" and come with an accompanying A2 (4.375" x 5.75") envelope. For custom orders please send us a message via our Etsy shop and we'll be happy to accommodate your requests. Cheers!

Hoppier Holidays With Our Handmade Ornaments

This year we're excited to introduce a few NEW holiday items to our Etsy shop for the beer lovers and homebrewers on your gift list. 

• Our unique, hand crafted hop ornaments made from silk flower components and decorated with rustic twine and ribbon. These ornaments are available for purchase online for a limited time in our Etsy shop. Hops vary slightly in shape, size and shade of green. Dimensions: approximately: 3" x 1.5" x 1.5"

• A new series of folded beer-themed holiday cards, including "Hoppy Holidays", "Christmas Cheer" and "Happy New Beer." Cards can be purchased individually, or in packs of 6 or 12 cards. Cards are 4.25" x 5.5" and come with an accompanying A2 (4.375" x 5.75") envelope.

For custom orders please send us a message via our Etsy shop and we'll be happy to accommodate your requests. Cheers!

20% OFF our Etsy Shop for CyBEER Monday!

Hey beer lovers – It's CyBEER Monday over here at Hail to the Ale. We have t-shirts, bottle bags, holiday cards and ornaments!

Get 20% OFF of beer gifts TODAY ONLY on our Etsy shop. Use code: CYBEER20

Beer Cards For Your Valentine

Who needs generic Hallmark cards when we've got the perfect gift to show your beer loving Valentine just how you feel? Each of our 3D slide cards is handmade from high quality papers, card stock and ribbon.

There is only one of each design available in our store, so you'll want to act quick on these whales.

Visit our store for the full spectrum of cards and apparel.

Holiday Cards for Beer Lovers

The holidays are rapidly approaching and we've launched a holiday series of our 3D beer cards.

Orders must be placed by December 16th, 2014 to guarantee pre-holiday arrival.

Head to our shop for the full spectrum of cards and apparel, perfect for the beer lovers in your lives!

Hail To The Ale on Etsy

If you follow us it is no secret that our passion revolves around art + beer. We've launched an Etsy store to showcase some of our favorite design work and apparel.

Our latest addition is a series of 3-dimensional "slide cards", which are assembled from three pieces, allowing the "beer foam" layer to pull up, revealing an area to write your own message. They are a custom design that we have created using various high quality paper, card stock, and embellishments, featuring a variety of beer glassware. All card designs are created and assembled by hand and are not mass produced.

For more information and to see the full spectrum of designs please visit our store.

Beer Geek's Christmas List Part 2

The holiday season is upon us once again. We've been scouring the internet since last year in search of unique gift ideas for your beer loving companions... or your own wish list. After all a beer gift is the best gift of all.

NOT Your Average Crappy T-shirt

Craft Beer Typography T-shirt ($18)
Etsy store

Bike Hoppy ($24)
From Forked Apparel

Drink Local Chicago Beer T-shirt ($20)

Etsy store

Lagunitas Hand-Painted Little Sumpin' T-shirts ($24)
These designs are carved out of linoleum, painted and apply it to each garment by hand. Available in men's and women's sizes and colors. Available exclusively through the Lagunitas store.





The Gift of Local Craft Beer & Spirits

Atlas Brewing is offering a number of great gift packages to choose from, available at their brewpub. 2747 N. Lincoln Ave.

“Date Night” – Two tulip glasses, empty growler, $12 gift card ($20)

“Winter Warmer” – Hoodie, empty growler, $22 gift card ($45)

“Corner Store” – Empty growler, growler koozie, 5 x $12 gift cards ($65)

“Super Fan” – Work shirt, two logo pints, growler, growler koozie ($55)

“Holiday Party” – Six empty growlers, twelve pints, 4 x $12 gift cards, 2 x $22 gift cards ($150)

DryHop Brewers is offering a 64oz growler (empty and good for one fill), one t-shirt (men’s or women’s), two Belgian 13oz glasses, and a sticker for $43. You can also choose 64oz growler (empty and good for one fill) and two Belgian 13oz glasses for $26. Available at the brewpub. 3155 N Broadway St.


KOVAL Distillery 3-pack spirits gift set ($50)
It may not be beer, but Chicago is all about our craft beverages. This brilliant gift set contains 3 200mL bottles of their Rye, Four Grain and Bourbon Whiskeys. For ideas on how you can mix your own beer cocktails see my post here. Available at their store 5121 N. Ravenswood Ave, or at Bottles & Cans.

With a year under their belt, neighborhood bottle shop Bottles & Cans' build your own 6-pack (from anything in the store, mind you) is still top of our list. Stop by for one of their many tastings from local breweries and distilleries while you shop. 4109 N Lincoln Ave.


Especially for the Beer Lovin' Ladies

Beerings by Katie Rains Designs ($5)
Handmade earrings from upcycled beer caps by local artist Katie Rains. Want a pair made from your favorite brewery? Katie accepts custom orders via her Etsy store.

Handmade Insulated Growler Bags by Growler Girls ($28) 
Two girls, a sewing machine and a passion for making sure that good beer stays fashionably cold. Indianapolis based Growler Girls have a full shop of designs to choose from in their Etsy store.

For the Artsy Beer Lover

2014 Beer & Food Calendar ($24)
Each month you get an illustrated food & beer pairing, drawn by Minneapolis artist RedCruiser. Etsy store

Illustrated Prints from His & Hers Beer Notes ($7.50-$20)
One of my new favorite beer blogging couples Daniel & Darcey have a variety of handmade gifts from 6-pack notecards to 8.5x11 prints. He writes, she draws and together they bring their beer experiences together in such a unique and artistic way. Etsy shop

Anchor Brewing's Christmas Ale Poster ($6)
The 2013 poster features 39 years of Christmas Ale label art. Lithographed on heavyweight paper. Available through their online store.


The Experiential Enthusiast

Chicago Brew Bus Tours ($20 off of 4 tickets)
Take a guided tour of some of Chicago's best local breweries such as Atlas, Lake Effect, Haymarket, Revolution. DryHop. They also provided suburb brewery tours as well as the day trips to Michigan and Wisconsin starting in 2014. More info available on their website.

Tales, Taverns & Towns Tours (prices vary)
Chicago is rich with beer history and tavern historian Liz Garibay has developed just the experience to satisfy your curiosity. She plans unique walking and bus tours like the upcoming Laguinta's Hard Hat Beer & History Experience (1/10) and the Ferris Bueller's Tavern Tour and Movie Screening (1/25). More info available on the website.

CHAOS Brew Club (Trial 60 day membership $30)
Chicago Homebrew Alchemists of Sud, is a group dedicated to the education of all things craft beer: from brewing to appreciating. One of the unique benefits of their club is the community brew space for members at 2417 W Hubbard in Chicago. More information available on their website



For The Glassware Collector

Duvel Art Glass Designer Collection ($10 each)
The limited edition "Duvel Collection" of artist designed tulip glasses are available to purchase for your own collection through the Brewery Ommegang store.

Whether you're looking for a Snifter, Pilsner, Flute, Tulip or Stein you can choose individual or sets of glassware at Beerables. They have many rare and limited brands of glasses as well as clothing, iphone cases and any other kind of beer swag one could need!





The Beer Library

The Complete Beer Course ($15)
Journalist Joshua M. Bernstein comes to the rescue with The Complete Beer Course, demystifying brews and breaking down the elements that make beer's flavor spin into distinctively different and delicious directions. Structured around a series of easy-to-follow classes, his course hops from lagers and pilsners to hazy wheat beers, Belgian-style abbey and Trappist ales, aromatic pale ales and bitter IPAs, roasty stouts, barrel-aged brews, belly-warming barley wines, and mouth-puckering sour ales. Available on amazon.

Water: A Comprehensive Guide For Brewers ($14)
The 3rd in John Palmer's Brewers Publications’ Brewing Elements series, takes the mystery out of water’s role in the brewing process. The book leads brewers through the chemistry and treatment of brewing water, from an overview of water sources, to adjusting water for different beer styles, and different brewery processes, to wastewater treatment. Available on amazon.

Allagash: The Cookbook ($35)
This cookbook offers home chefs an opportunity to work with recipes designed for ten of Allagash’s most celebrated creations. With award-winning dishes created for these beers over the years, chef James Simpkins shows off the versatility and wide gastronomic range of each beer. Available through their online store.








So, You Want To Start A Brewery..? Lagunitas Story ($17.95)
Written by founder, Tony McGee, this is the story of the first 20 years of one brewery among hundreds that brought a flowering of uniquely American brewing styles that will still be brewed a generation from today. Available exclusively through their online store.