Whether your thirsty loved one is a total booze hound or a teetotaler who prefers, well, tea, the Inland Northwest is filled with shops ready to help wet their whistle. From items that'll push them to be more involved in the "craft" part of making craft cocktails at home to beautiful vessels for their drink of choice, here are a few gifts that'll make cozying up with a drink by the fire that much more interesting.
FLAVORED VINEGAR
Your at-home bartender is likely no stranger to homemade syrups and concoctions, so the idea of making a fruit shrub — a mixture of fresh fruit, sugar and vinegar — to level up a cocktail should be an easy sell. Ampersand's huge selection of white wine and balsamic vinegars can help get those creative juices flowing, with flavors such as prosecco, tarragon, crème brûlée, cucumber and more. $10-$11 • Ampersand Oil & Vinegar Tap House • 519 S. Main St., Moscow
1 PT (ONE PART) INFUSION KIT
This glass bottle with a walnut cap has a stainless steel infusion basket inside so your mixologist can make their own infused spirits. The brand also offers infusion packs to get you started, with flavors such as spiced vanilla or barrel blend (sold separately). The infusion bottle holds up to one half of a standard spirit bottle and comes with a tasting straw. $54 • Mix It Up Gift • 513 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d'Alene
For true coffee lovers, finding local, small-batch roasts can help keep things interesting and flavorful as they seek that morning caffeine fix. Revel 77 takes pride in its selection of fluid-bed roasted coffees that bring out an array of natural flavor notes that are often burned out of the beans in other roasting processes. $15-$20 • Revel 77 • 3223 E. 57th Ave., Spokane
LODGEPOLE PINE TREE LEATHER MUG
Whether you're drinking hot coffee or sipping on an iced cocktail, the stylish handcrafted leather-wrapped mugs from Colladay Leather bring art to the outside of the glass (while leaving you to concoct the artistic drink inside it). The stamped and dyed leather sleeve can be removed for easy cleanup, too! $49 • Colladay Leather • colladayleather.com
MUG WITH TEA INFUSER
Why should infusion be left to just the spirit drinkers? The Tealyra peak ceramic mug includes an infuser and a ceramic lid to keep everything nice and warm while your loved one's tea is steeping. The lid then serves as a built-in plate to rest the loose leaf tea basket while you're sipping. The set can be found at Atticus near its extensive loose-leaf tea collection (ahem, maybe grab some of that too, while you're there). $25 • Atticus Coffee & Gifts • 222 N. Howard St., Spokane ♦
