Helpful Holiday Hints For Purchasing Beer, Wine And Spirits

Even though Marylanders experienced warmer than average temperatures in November, they are changing their buying habits from warm weather beverages to winter favorites.

“Right now, the cooler is still king,” said Lacey Barry, general manager at Cheers & Spirits in Arnold. “Because of the unseasonable warm weather, people are still buying the heavier beers, porters and IPAs, but we’re starting to see an increase in wine sales, especially the white wines.”

New customers are also asking Barry what she recommends for gift-giving for the traditional family gatherings this holiday season.

“For Thanksgiving, I like to recommend the cabernet and riesling wine selections,” Barry said. “Cabernets are a full-body red wine that will go well with Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, and the riesling is a very sweet wine that folks love at their Thanksgiving gatherings.”

Barry also mentioned that eggnog is popular at holiday gatherings and area residents will add their favorite bourbon or other liquors to this holiday staple.

For New Year’s, a variety of champagnes and sparkling wines are in great demand the week after Christmas.

“Bubbly, bubbly and bubblier are the themes for those days in late December,” Barry said, noting that November and December are her store’s busiest months.

Down Ritchie Highway in Severna Park, Fishpaws Marketplace owner Kim Lawson is preparing for a busy holiday season and has added some novel ideas for shoppers seeking a unique gift.

“For the beer enthusiasts, we have an advent calendar with a variety of German beers as well as having 12 beers in a Christmas-themed package,” Lawson said.

Fishpaws has been part of the Severna Park community since 1935 and has evolved into a shop where area residents can purchase a variety of gourmet cheeses, freshly baked baguettes, charcuterie boards and non-alcoholic beverages, while also enjoying wine tastings.

“We have a very knowledgeable staff that will help any customer with gift-giving ideas and meal pairings,” Lawson said. “We even have staff members with restaurant experience to help with catering questions.”

This year, Lawson has added a festive Christmas tree in the center of the store with numerous gift sets and ideas for the holidays. On December 21, from noon until 6:00pm, Fishpaws will host an artist who will etch holiday greetings on bottles for unique, personalized gifts.

Both establishments are known for greeting customers and assisting in their holiday shopping needs. If a customer gets stymied by all the choices offered, gift cards are always a safe solution.