Below, we have rounded up 12 top-tier gifts for the mixologist in your life. Each product was selected based on its rave reviews. Creativity was also a deciding factor. We wanted your beloved barkeep to open their present and be truly impressed.
So, are you ready to get shopping? If so, scroll down for the 12 best gifts for bartenders.
1. Cocktail Smoking and Infusion Kit ($70)
Nowadays, smoking isn’t just for the backyard BBQ. With this Cocktail Smoking and Infusion Kit ($70 from Bespoke Post), your dear bartender can add a sultry, smoky flavor to any adult beverage.
Inside the kit, you’ll find a glass cache, an oak smoking platform, a butane torch, and a six-ounce jar of hickory wood smoking chips. The idea is to toast the chips until they begin to smolder, and then let the aromatics infuse the cocktail. The resulting drink is fire.
2. Midnight Blue Apron ($68)
Let’s pause and take a moment of silence for all the shirts stained by maraschino cherries. No matter how hard you scrub, that cloyingly sweet juice just doesn’t come off. Luckily, there’s a better solution.
Save your bartender bud some trouble come laundry day and order them this Midnight Blue Apron ($68 from Hedley & Bennett). With an adjustable neck strap, tons of pockets, and a utility loop for their gear, this is the best apron on the market bar none. (Pun intended.)
3. Trigger Point Massage Roller ($26)
Between heaving 160-pound kegs and standing on unforgiving floors all day, bartenders have lots of aches and pains. Their backs hurt, their feet throb, and they’re pretty tired of making frozen margaritas.
Give them some relief this holiday season with the Trigger Point Performance Universal Massage Roller ($26 from REI). Designed for pro athletes, this massage roller is sure to alleviate the toughest of muscle knots. Even a five-minute session will provide noticeable relief after a long day spent shaking cocktails.
4. Growlerwerks uKeg Go ($119)
Is your mixologist also an avid outdoorsman (or woman)? If so, help them party in the backwoods with this Growlerwerks uKeg Go ($119.95 by Williams Sonoma).
Made from powder-coated stainless steel, this mini keg keeps hoppy porters and fruity IPAs uber-bubbly for weeks on end. The double-wall vacuum insulation also ensures that brews stay nice and cold, no matter if your boozy friend or loved one is rafting the Colorado River or rock climbing in Yosemite.
5. Stoneware Juicer ($16.99)
There’s nothing worse than fishing lemon seeds out of a whiskey sour. But with this Stoneware Juicer ($16.99 from 80 Acre Market), the cocktail enthusiast in your life doesn’t need to bob for citrus debris.
Finished in a reactive glaze, this juicer will last years—possibly even decades—longer than one from a bargain store. Plus, the neutral taupe complements any color scheme.
6. Cupa-Rocks Tumblers ($50)
After a long, hard night of slinging beer, all your pub pal wants to do is go home and relax. And what better way to do that than with a few fingers of whiskey in a Cupa-Rocks Tumbler ($50 from Afternoon Light)?
Unlike any run-of-the-mill glass, these tumblers are designed to fit perfectly in your hand. They also aerate your spirits, providing a more delicious drinking experience.
7. Artful Wine and Whiskey Stones ($65)
Skip the ice cubes and keep things cold with a set of Artful Wine and Whiskey Stones ($65 from Uncommon Goods).
These beautiful, hand-painted drink chillers are pretty nifty. You simply place them in the freezer three to four hours before you plan on sipping your libation of choice. Then, when you’re ready to wine and dine, you plop them into your drink. Pretty cool, right?
8. Cocowhoa Recycled Drink Coasters ($10)
Water stains are the bane of every cocktail enthusiast’s existence. They’re ugly, hard to remove, and a big mood killer. Luckily, you can stop sweat rings in their tracks with a set of Cocowhoa Recycled Drink Coasters ($10.03 from Amazon).
Designed to fit everything from wine goblets to pint glasses, these coasters are one of the best gifts for bartenders. Plus, since they are made from recycled sandals, you can feel good knowing you saved some plastic from the landfill.
9. Estelle Colored Glass Martini Glasses ($200)
If you really want to treat the mixologist in your life, spring for this set of six Estelle Colored Glass Martini Glasses ($205 from West Elm).
A contemporary take on heirloom glassware, these goblets add tasteful, vintage flair to any cocktail party. Depending on the bartender’s home decor, you can opt for blush pink, mint green, amber smoke, lavender, or an assortment of colors. Either way, you can rest easy knowing that your martini will be served in style.
10. Infuse and Pour Holiday Alcohol Kit ($25)
Help your bartender pal celebrate the yuletide season with this Infuse and Pour Holiday Alcohol Kit ($25 from Uncommon Goods).
This kit comes with two infusion bottles. In one bottle, you’ll find a toothsome blend of dehydrated pears, apples, and cinnamon. Fittingly dubbed “By The Fireside,” this flavor pairs best with whiskey and spiced rum. The other bottle, “Spike The Punch,” includes dried cranberries, pears, and rosemary, and pairs swimmingly with gin and rum.
11. One-Month Cocktail Subscription ($59)
We trust that your barkeep knows how to whip up an uber-decadent adult beverage. But we all need a little inspiration sometimes. That’s where this One-Month Cocktail Subscription comes in ($59 from Shaker and Spoon).
Inside this gift box, your friend will find everything they need—from syrups to garnishes—to make a new and exciting cocktail. In the past, recipes have ranged from the Rye-Napple Express—a fall-meets-summer sipper—to a spine-chilling Halloween drink called the Mezcalloween II: Agave’s Revenge.
12. Petrified Wood Serving Board ($64)
Last but certainly not least in our lineup of the best gifts for bartenders is a Petrified Wood Serving Board ($63.96 from Crate & Barrel).
This one-of-a-kind piece is made from a 10,000-year-old tree that was long ago buried under volcanic ash. Over time, the wood fossilized. The result is bold and visually striking—the perfect serving platter for cocktail snacks.
Finding the perfect present for your special bartender is stressful. Trust us, we get it. But the next time you’re panicking in the liquor aisle, take a deep breath and consult our list of the 12 best gifts for bartenders.
