An Imbiber’s Guide to DIY Gifts

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:

Crème de Cassis

Crème de Cacao

Coffee Liqueur

Ginger Liqueur

Hazelnut Liqueur

Spiced Rum

Spiced Pear Liqueur

Roasted Cocoa Nib-Infused Vodka

Festive Confections Want to secure your invites to next year’s holiday soirées? Treat your friends and family to one (or more) of these holiday sweets.

Apple Cider Caramels

Betty Lou’s Bourbon Balls

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Candied Citrus Peels

Coffee Lollipops

Matcha Chocolate Bark with Berries and Coconut

White Chocolate Fudge