Boozy Gift Guide 2023: Everything but the Bottle

Where the heck did summer go? No matter, it’s time to break out the credit card and bestow material love upon friends, family and coworkers. We’ve compiled a completely new list of clever and useful accessories, ornaments, bar tools and more, all with a boozy theme (also check out last year’s guide for more great stuff). Despite the fact that some of these items are bottle shaped, not are actually drinkable. They do however pair beautifully with a bottle of something to drink. Happy Holidays!

For Home

Angel’s Envy Bottle Ornament

Deck the halls (and the tree) with this colorful miniature bottle ornament from Angel’s Envy. The original port-finished bourbon, it’s been a longtime favorite for whiskey fans. If you really want to please somebody, pair the ornament with a limited-edition Angel’s Envy Signature Series gift set ($80) featuring a half bottle each of the bourbon and a rum-cased finished rye.

$10

Teremana Tequila Bring the Mana BBQ Tool Set

Duane “The Rock” Johnson launched his popular tequila in March 2020. The fan on your list will love this compact, yet comprehensive BBQ tool set, and you will smell what they’re cooking. Wrap up the spatula, skewers, brush, tongs, and more in a convenient carrying case when you’re on the go for parks, picnics, pools and patios. Pair it with the seasonal Teremana Tequila Ginger Spiced Paloma Cocktail Kit from Cocktail Courier ($70) for an even more complete experience.

$50

LitezAll Tripod Work Light with Driver Bits

Whether tinkering away in the garage or lost in the woods, this multitool is invaluable. Sure, sure there’s a rechargeable light, emergency glass-breaker tip, and slots to hold multiple driver bits. Most importantly, that notch on the right is a bottle opener. This handy item will get you through the most precarious situations in style (say, raiding the minifridge for a refresher).

$28

For the Bar

Viski Rocket Cocktail Shaker

Sometimes you want basic, workaday shaker tins and glasses, and sometimes you need something that will start a conversation. This retro space-age stainless steel shaker set, from Viski and the good folks at Bespoke Post, features detachable strainer and lid, and stands securely atop sweeping rocket fins. Ideal for home bars, wood-paneled studies, and the handful of corner offices still in existence.

$42

Nicholas Collection Copper Martini Glass

Copper isn’t just for Moscow Mules. These stylish, stemless Martini glasses from Nicholas Collection are copper toned, but made of double-walled stainless steel. Stick them in the freezer to chill, and the naturally insulated steel will keep your martini colder longer. And there’s no risk of breakage after the second (or third) cocktail. You get one glass per order, so it’s likely you’ll want to pick up at least two.

$26

Alessi Alessandro M. Corkscrew

If you’re reading this roundup, you probably have lots of corkscrews in drawers, backpacks and picnic baskets. But do you have any as adorable as this one? The mini-statue is supposedly a self-portrait of designer Alessandro Mendini, and it’s equally appropriate on display on the kitchen counter, the sunroom bar, or the (21+) college apartment.

$65

The Ice Designer

Perhaps you’ve seen the ads on YouTube or your mobile game and wondered. This pattern molder is legit. boasting five patterns and deep grooves on a highly conductive metal plate, you’ll be able to create intriguing, stylish patterns on large cubes (or small) easily. Half plates and hand stamps are also available on the site, along with other drink-related goodies including a new cocktail smoker. Serious “ice makers” should also have a copy of The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Cocktail Crafts from Alcohol Professor contributor Camper English ($19).

$197

To Read

A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood

NYC based bar owners / bartenders Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero are the co-founders of Speed Rack, an organization that’s been highlighting and empowering women craft cocktail bartenders around the country and across the globe for over a decade. The events feature fast-paced but serious cocktail contests, while raising hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for breast cancer research.

Now the two powerhouses have a cocktail book (arriving April 2024) featuring tasty recipes from both authors, along with more than 80 Speed Rack competitors. It’s an excellent bar reference for any home bartender, and the authors have contributed part of their royalties to several breast cancer charities.

$28 (pre-order now)

The Encyclopedia of Cocktails

Robert Simonson has been covering the craft cocktail scene in New York (and throughout the world) since its early days at the turn of this century. He’s compiled all that knowledge in a lighthearted but detailed cocktail book. Cocktails—both classic and modern classics—and spirits are organized alphabetically and each entry looks at how we got here from before Prohibition to now. And in case that sounds like a dry read, consider that Simonson uses Ambrose Bierce’s The Devil’s Dictionary as inspiration. A must-have for any fan of Penicillins, speakeasys, and suspenders.

$25

To Wear

Girls Call the Shots Hat

In a year when Taylor Swift and Beyoncé almost single-handedly rescued live entertainment while guys made a mockery of Congress, it’s past time to cede control to the women. This colorful 5-panel trucker cap from 21 Seeds, a woman-owned brand specializing in fruit-infused tequilas, cuts right to the chase.

$23

Tie-Apron

Not since The Snuggie has a product name been so on point. Equal parts stylish, silly, and practical, the Tie-Apron dresses up and protects clothing while grilling, bartending, or baking. Brought to life when designer Andres Labi asked the eternal question, “why not combine the tie and apron into a single piece of clothing? They are so often worn together anyway,” the Tie-Apron comes in a handful of styles for men and women, in one-size-fits-all cuts. There’s even a version with a (wait for it) detachable tie.

About $65

Smart Glass Jewelry

Bottles are a sticky wicket for booze brands: too heavy and they cost a lot to ship and leave a heavy carbon footprint. Too light and the break or customers don’t treat them seriously. Either way, most end up in the garbage or recycling bin. That’s a lot of wine and spirits bottles. Artist / inventor Kathleen Plate is New York based and has plenty of access to used bottles from restaurants, friends, and dumpsters. She and her team cut, fire, and tumble old gin, vodka, wine, and tequila bottles into charming rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. Some are even customizable, and all help make the planet a little nicer place.

From $50 up

To Go

Aged & Infused Traveling Bar Cart

One of my favorite items in my 20s was a vintage cocktail case I’d take on the road with me. It eventually gave up the ghost, and TSA rules make it impractical when flying. BUT, this beautiful leather case (from Aged & Infused via Bespoke Post) is perfect for picnics, parties, and traveling sales people. Includes two aluminum cups, two measuring jiggers, a small shaker, spoon, playing cards, and room for two bottles.

$119

Sheyd Bags Double-Pannier Bike Backpack

Picnics featuring seemingly impromptu wine or cocktails are the best. But what if you’re biking there or on the subway? Sheyd Bags, a woman-owned company focused on enhancing casual biking offers up this ingenious double pannier that converts to a backpack for easy transport. Though it can be used for anything (like, uhhh, work we guess?), the best purpose of course is to transport your bottles, mixers, cheese board, corkscrew and other goodies to the next picnic, party, parents’ group or date, all while helping reduce carbon emissions.

$80

Boozy Gift Guide 2023: Everything But the Bottle