An Imbiber’s Guide to DIY Gifts

Photo: Lara Ferroni

November 27, 2020

This holiday season why not get crafty behind the bar and in the kitchen with DIY gifts for your favorite imbibers? From spirited infusions to custom tea blends to DIY bar towels, here are some drinks-inspired projects to help you elevate your gift giving.

Custom Tea Blends

We love buying bulk herbs and botanicals online and at our local grocery shops all year, but when the holiday season hits, we’re scooping overtime, especially for custom tea blends. Try experimenting with everything from spearmint to lavender to cacao nibs to build a blend perfectly suited for all your tea-loving pals. And check out this article for more on creating your own tisanes.

DIY Shibori Tea Towels

Tie dye finds its artsy, sophisticated side in the ancient Japanese dyeing technique known as shibori. Equipped with a ready-to-mix dye kit and a few helpful tips on technique, creating a set of hand-dyed bar towels is as easy as six simple steps. Get the instructions here.

Homemade Cocoa Kit

Though we’d never turn down a mug of decadent drinking chocolate, this super-simple malted mix may just make some of the best hot cocoa we’ve tasted. Pair it with a batch of our homemade marshmallows for an extra-delicious holiday treat.

Cocktail Bitters

Bitters are a cocktail staple and surprisingly easy to make at home. Start your DIY adventures with cranberry bitters, grapefruit bitters, or vanilla bitters.

Seasonal Infusions and Liqueurs

The holiday season offers so many wonderful ingredients that you can use to flavor spirits. Make a seasonal infusion or liqueur, present in a decorative bottle (we especially love these), and attach a cocktail recipe card for instant holiday cheer. Here are some of our favorites: