Ale Sharpton’s Last-Minute Valentines’ Day—Or Any Damn Day—Gift Guide!

Don't worry, this is not one of my gifts, but it's still pretty damn funny! I mean, where would you go with this? A family reunion? The movies? Church?

Ahhhh! Oh how I enjoy exploring the world of beer! During my journey, I’m constantly surprised and amazed at the broad range of products out there that directly involve beer to some degree and I love it! To demonstrate my point, here’s the first installment of Ale Sharpton’s Last-Minute Valentines’ Day—Or Any Damn Day—Gift Guide! 
Yeah, I am evidently a pretty bad procrastinator (I hear it’s a Libra thing), but hey, if this Gift Guide helps any, splurge and let your significant, imbibin' other know that you give a damn by considering one of these original items for Valentine’s Day... or any other day for that matter. I mean hell, a gift is a gift! So instead of flowers that die after a day or two and leave that smelly water behind, or a pocket-breaking dinner that will eventually find its way to white porcelain in a few hours, buy something that will be remembered for a lifetime, like these awesome suggestions below.
Cheers!

Ale

Beer Bouquet

Six long stems? Nope! Six longnecks!

When it comes to this bouquet, I’m not talking roses and daisies, folks. I’m talking about the Beer Bouquet ($49.99) that combines what keeps especially the fellas hypnotized the most: beer and sports. First, pick the logo from a choice of 150-plus college, professional football, baseball, hockey and basketball teams to decorate a metal bucket. (And we’re not talking about teams from the Arena Football League or the Washington Generals here; from the Atlanta Falcons to New York Yankees, and even NASCAR, the Olympics and UFC, Beer Bouquet leaves no base unturned.) Second, fill it with a six of brews crafted by your choice of more than 20 breweries nationwide! Third, go the extra yard, add a pack of fresh-roasted peanuts, a koozie, and a bottle opener, and get this baby shipped to your significant other’s doorstep in record time. He… or she will be a fan of yours for life!

www.beerbouquet.com

Beer Soap

Sud Love

Who would’ve thought washing would be so damn cool? Well, thanks to Jamin Poczontek and Zaidat Bombata, owners of The Beer Soap Company, our mouths will no longer monopolize the pleasures of beer! Taking the beer nickname "suds" to the next level, we can now scrub down with more than 100 variations of all natural soap made with numerous beer brands, styles and scents. They even have beer categories on their website! 

Zaidit says,“What started out as a project consisting of four to five varieties has grown into a brand that now produces more than 100 different beer soaps all made with a unique beer and a unique scent blend. Natural soap is wonderful! It creates glycerin during the soap-making process, which is a naturally occurring moisturizer that aids in retaining moisture in the skin. Adding beer instead of water increases the lather and creaminess of a soap bar. It also makes a great shampoo bar, leaving hair soft and shiny.” And don’t get it twisted; it’s not all Corona and Pabst beers either (although they smell great, too). Try the Frambozenbier Beer Soap made with Lindemans Lambic Framboise Belgium Ale, fused with everything from coconut oil, to Shea and cocoa butter. And no, you won’t be buzzin' from using this soap, unless you get a high from smelling so fresh and so clean-clean! In other words, keep the Beer Soap external, people. 

www.thebeersoapcompany.com

Boozin’ Gear Boxer Shorts

Now you can bring beer to any event!

Since 2004, brothers Jeff and Kevin Eichelberger started BoozinGear.com in Atlanta, selling merchandise that’s embellished with artwork from more than 60 officially licensed brands of booze, especially beer! We’re talking t-shirts, trucker hats, koozies, etc. Well specifically, I’m diggin’ the BoozinGear.com boxer shorts; the Fosters pair definitely stand out with the cans and all, but there are plenty more to choose from (Guinness, anyone?). Oh, and the Eichelbergers are wild dudes! They said, “Why do girls feel the need to give guys Valentine underwear with little red roses, cutesy pink hearts, and other unmanly sh*t on them? It makes your mouth want to vomit and your balls ashamed to be encased in such an atrocity!” T.M.I., but hey, right is right!

www.boozingear.com

Avondale Estate's Beer Growler taps.
A growler full of goodness!

Man, growler stations are going crazy especially in Atlanta and now, thanks to Marietta's Moondog Growlers, outside the perimeter in suburbia as well! We're talking gas stations (check out the Chevron on Moreland and Euclid!), corner stores, and specialty shops solely selling these glass behemoths that are filled on site with the freshest beer around! 
Hop City was the first in Georgia's capital, but now filling stations like Ale Yeah!, The Beer Growler, and even Whole Foods have built steady flows of loyal customers as well. It's the new beer craze so get out there, decide what your homey would love to sip by the 64- or 32-ounce glass container, and hook it up! (Oh, and to dispel the stereotype that these babies can't hold craft beer, I still think 40-oz. bottles would be killer too, but hey.) Make it cute by sticking a red bow on it and bam! Happy V-Day!

A Beer Event! Duh!

Come on, two tickets to a beer dinner, event or festival? You both win!

And straight to the point for my last one, how about two tickets to a beer event, festival or beer dinner? You spend time together, drink together, and whatever happens after that...together! You get it? Now get it together and see what's poppin' next! In the immediate future, my crystal ball has the Winter Beer Carnival on the 11th, the Red Hare Reserve #2: Imperial IPA Release Party also on the 11th, pair a beer with the pizza you create on site at Your Pie in Roswell, and the SweetWater Beer Dinner at C&S Seafood And Oyster Bar on February 20th to name a few. 
Happy… whatever!
Ale