NOT SURE WHAT TO GET DAD? WE’RE HERE TO HELP! our father’s day gift guide 2023

While some people think shopping for dad is nearly impossible, we think dad is one of the easiest people to buy for. In our experience, dads are generally pretty simple and easy to please. But we understand if you need a little guidance, and we are happy to help. So here is our Father’s Day gift guide 2023 for all types of dads.

New Dad — if there is a new dad in your life, we have the perfect gift. Most dads don’t want to carry diaper bags, even when you dress them up as backpacks, it somehow still looks and feels like a diaper bag. So, this company has the perfect solution, the Dad Hoodie, the hoodie that replaces the diaper bag while making dad’s everywhere feel like MacGyver with loads of hidden pockets for baby’s essentials. Guys keep their street cred without any extra baggage while having everything they need to keep baby happy. $108.

Frat Dad — some dads never grow up and that is ok, we aren’t here to judge, we are here to celebrate all kinds of dads. Plus, we think the Shower Beer Holder is pretty brilliant as it solves a problem many of us have encountered long after we graduate, where to put our drink when we shower? Because pregaming doesn’t end when you get a job or become a dad. Not to mention, it is easy on the wallet at only $15. A Crafthouse canned cocktail would fit nicely inside of it as well.

Sports Dad — whether this dad is playing Pickle Ball or cheering on his kids on from the sidelines, he’ll appreciate this gift from Yeti. He probably already has a Yeti rambler for all his hot or cold beverage needs but this new addition to the Yeti rambler family is a game changer. Introducing the Yeti beverage bucket, a bucket big enough to hold a six pack, the entire Crafthouse line-up or three wine bottles over ice, but small enough to easily tote around. And just like any other Yeti rambler, it magically keeps everything inside of it colder, longer. The perfect tailgate and sideline companion. Available in four colors, $150.

Fashion Dad — for the dad who wants (or needs, let’s be honest) a wardrobe refresh, we can’t say enough good things about The Normal Brand. Started by brothers in St. Louis who wanted clothes that were comfortable, durable and versatile, “normal” clothes but better, and were so successful, they now have seven stores around the country. The Normal Brand kicks it up a notch without being too trendy, these are clothes that will be his go-to favorites for years to come. We recommend the Active Puremeso Tipped Polo, a refreshing take on a golf inspired classic. $62.

Good Taste Dad — for the dad who loves a good cocktail, of course we have you covered. Any dad who imbibes, will be thrilled to receive the limited release Crafthouse Coffee Old Fashioned made with rich Dark Matter Coffee, Traverse City Bourbon and house made bitters. If he likes to sip on an Old Fashioned, this is its modern upgrade…the cool guy’s espresso martini. It’s equally delicious at brunch as it is during cocktail hour. Order online with code FATHERSDAY and get free shipping. $39.99.

Bougie Dad — then there are dad’s that are extremely difficult to buy for, the guy who literally has almost everything and we have a gift for him, the Gozney Dome pizza oven. “The world’s most versatile outdoor oven” is next level in backyard entertaining, equally fun for experienced chefs as it is for the dad who just likes to cook over an open fire. Even though it’s a pizza oven, the Gozney is ready for all your culinary needs from roasting to smoking and even baking. A wood-fired dream for the guy who needs nothing doesn’t come cheap, the basic version starts at $1, 699.

Hopefully this guide has shown how easy it is to surprise the dad in your life with the perfect gift tailored just for him this Father’s Day. And to all the dads in our lives, we raise a glass to you on Father’s Day and every day for all that you do, we see you and we love you — cheers!

How a Crafthouse Cocktail is Born

People often ask how we choose which cocktails make the cut to become a Crafthouse Cocktail. 

I suppose most big brands hire marketing firms, conduct focus groups (I’ve been on those panels many times...they never listen to us anyway) and look at piles of data for which flavors are trending. We weren’t trying to create a new brand simply for the sake of making it. We kept hearing our guests express the desire for great quality cocktails when they weren’t at our bars and decided to do something about it. Our method has always been decidedly less fussy (and a lot more fun). 

The first few cocktails we launched with in 2013 were based solely on our experience behind the bar, seeing what our guests were excited about and most importantly, were drinks we loved. That data the marketing firms were collecting and making assumptions about was being created in real time with every cocktail we served at the bar. We didn’t have to guess, we could see what people enjoyed in the moment. In hindsight, it’s become clear over the years that we as bartenders and you as our guests jointly create those “trends” that marketing companies eventually clamor to catch up to. Take that Amazon analytics! That’s the power of a room full of folks enjoying a drink.

The first cocktails we launched were the Moscow Mule, Southside and Paloma. The Gold Rush followed shortly behind that original trio. I looked at that the same way I may start to plan a cocktail menu for a bar. There were a variety of base spirits represented, unique flavor profiles to each: spicy ginger in the Mule, bright refreshing mint in the Southside, pleasantly bitter grapefruit in the Paloma and warming spices and complexity in the Gold Rush.

Depending on your experiences, some of those drinks may not be familiar to you. Nine years ago when we decided the Moscow Mule would be one of our core drinks, not many people were talking about that forgotten classic. We all know what’s happened to that over the past decade, as you wade through a sea of copper mugs and ginger beer options.

A few of the others are still a bit obscure. We’re ok with that and are always excited to introduce people to their next favorite cocktail. It’s one of the true honors behind the bar, spending time with a guest and finding the perfect drink for the time and occasion.

We often call the Southside our “gateway” gin drink. If I had a dollar for every time someone said, “I don’t even like gin but I love this cocktail!”.....I’d have at least several dollars. This is one of those resurrected classics, pulled from obscurity and reborn in craft cocktail bars in the early 2000s. It is still a bartender’s favorite and often used to reacquaint guests with the juniper driven spirit. Turns out, most people don’t have a problem with gin….it was how the gin was presented to them as neophyte imbibers. I’d guess cheap, syrupy tonic water is to blame for more gin-bashing than anything else...closely followed by Martinis that were destroyed with long expired vermouth. It’s just about preparing the flavors in the right way- that’s where a bartender’s experience comes in.

Each of our cocktails serves a specific role. When I design a menu, I want to make sure that if a group walks in and picks up the menu, I’ll have something for everyone. Same deal if you walk into a shop and see our lineup. That was most recently rounded out with a cocktail I’ve wanted to do for a long time, our new Rum Old Fashioned. (That’s not to short change the Pineapple Daiquiri or Mezcal Margarita…..two of my desert island drinks to be sure.)

We were missing that spirit forward sipper for our drinkers who enjoyed whiskey on the rocks, a Manhattan or the like. Like the rest of the lineup, we wanted to nail the flavor profile while still digging into our bartender know-how. An Old Fashioned would have been fine….but we don’t like to phone it in. There’s certainly an entire post to be shared around this cocktail -- we’ll have to pour ourselves a cocktail and do that in the near future.

Really, each one of our Crafthouse Cocktails has a reason for being. A great drink is the perfect balance of art, science and entertainment. How do the flavors balance? What nuance do we want to tweak? Do the punch of the spirit, acidity of the citrus and roundness of the sweetener all exist in harmony? Is this a cocktail that I can clink glasses in a group of friends and laugh until my face hurts? All very important questions to answer….

The experimenting and taste testing never ends, fortunately. We have some fun things in the near future and many other ideas simmering on the back burner. What cocktails would you love to see on the menu? What are your favorites to make at home? What would you like to hear about? I look forward to you taste testing soon and sharing your expert imbiber opinions! Until then, cheers!

- Charles Joly

What’s Old is New Again (and again and…) by Charles Joly

Want to turn up the heat in a room full of bartenders? Simply chime in with your recipe for the venerable Old Fashioned.

Standing tall, center stage in the current cocktail renaissance, the Old Fashioned boasts as many iterations as it holds devotees. 

How do you make an Old Fashioned? Your answer tells me more than just your taste preference. Where you hail from. Whether you spend formative years with the Brady Bunch, Friends or Mad Men. Your grandparents had a summer cabin in Sheboygan, Wisconsin…I know. It’s written all over your drink order. 

The barroom has long been a standing pulpit for debate. Leave politics behind and let’s discuss cocktails, a far more civilized topic. Bourbon or rye? Canadian or American? Sweet or sour? Fruit salads, red glob cherries, soda water, muddlers...pineapple? They’re all part of the two century history of this little glass of liquid. 

If you’ve been acquainted with the Old Fashioned prior to say, 2000, chances are you reach for the orange slice and cherries-  weathered muddler at the ready, prepared to pulverize said fruit.

My friends from the Badger state vehemently clutch the brandy bottle. Their Old Fashioned concluded with a splash of 7-Up or “sour mix” propelled from a sticky gun, holstered at the ready behind so many well worn bars.

The modern enthusiast has adopted a much simplified approach. Although, not modern in itself at all. This stripped down, “chopper” of a cocktail long predates its fruit laden progeny. Take a trip with me. The Old Fashioned is, in fact, the very definition of “cocktail”.

A short and slightly blurry history

You see, the word “cocktail” hasn’t been traced in text prior to 1803. In a booze filled stroke of serendipity, a New York publication actually defines the word for us after its second appearance in 1806. Upon seeing it in print, a curious reader inquired about its meaning to the editor. The paper obliged and eureka!, we have a definition:  “... a potent concoction of spirits, bitters, water and sugar.”

Americans were just beginning their love affair with these convenient, single serving drinks. Punch had long been king (and would retain great popularity for decades to come). Our fledgling country had work to do. All of that work meant we were more thirsty than ever. We just didn’t have hours to tick away, crushing gallons of punch.

Liquid evolution

Simple in its preparation. Accessible in its ingredients. Forgiving in its proportions. Endlessly customizable. The Old Fashioned has all of the makings of a timeless classic. No ice? No problem. Citrus? A treat if you had it. Rye? Cognac? Rum? Bourbon? Moonshine? Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.

Americans are a curious bunch. Our drive to innovate is as strong as our thirst. As we inched toward the 20th century, rapid globalization was occurring. Imports flooded in from Europe. Exotic liqueurs, wines and spirits began to entice the public’s palate. The humble cocktail sprouted wings and took on new dimensions. 

Amidst the excitement of curacao, maraschino and vermouths from far away lands, many seasoned drinkers still had a taste for simpler times. They wanted their cocktail- a mix of spirits, bitters, sugar & water.* A skilled bartender has always been one to oblige a parched patron. So in the 1880s we began to see this well known mixture given a name- The Old Fashioned (and many variants thereof). The nostalgic imbiber could now walk into a bar, “I’ll have an Old Fashioned whiskey cocktail.” And so the humble c-o-c-k-t-a-i-l becomes a Cocktail.

(*To be sure, variants abound even in the Old Fashioned’s early life. Syrup or rough sugar? Muddle or shake? Chunk of ice or pieces? And on and on… Many brave writers have explored the subject. May I suggest “The Old Fashioned” by Robert Simonson for a deeper dive.)

Time moves on, the old bartenders step down and tastes change. The Old Fashioned seems to become the victim of a decades long game of “telephone”. Versions emerge on the other side of prohibition, two world wars and the Depression tattered and barely recognizable. The streamlined, old, Old Fashioned is largely buried until the modern cocktail renaissance. 

To be fair, I’m quite happy it remained on life support, even as the fruit, sour mixed soaked version. After all, taste is taste. The drink you order is yours to enjoy. The duty falls on the bartender to explore your preference. I’ve always asked “Fruit salad in? Or stripped down, old school style?” (If you must use fruit, I recommend looking for a quality maraschino cherry like those imported from Italy. Otherwise, making your own is a fun and easy project.)

But happy times are here again and we welcome the sleek, sexy and sophisticated version home. And how its return has been welcomed! (I was personally waiting at the airport for this cocktail’s triumphant return: hand-drawn sign, oversized teddy bear & muddler in hand.) Find a watering hole that’s paying attention to the craft of bartending and they’ll be at the ready to make you the 19th century classic. Sometimes now referred to as the Old-Old Fashioned. Spirits, bitters, water (ice), sugar (and a twist). 

Option B: Grab yourself a bottle of our Rum Old Fashioned. This is the version I’ve found my enjoying over the past years, so I couldn’t have been happier to be able to bottle it for you.

I make mine with “whiskey drinker’s rum” - long aged, loaded with character and a bit of funk. We were able to call our friends at Plantation Rum and source the very same, top-quality booze. Add in some incredible chocolate bitters from Bittered Sling and the balance of mocha, coffee and ex-bourbon barrels sign together harmoniously. Topped off with a spritz of orange oil from a twist and I’d wager this will become your go-to as well.

Find the book “Old Fashioned” 

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781607745358?aff=penguinrandom

Tools to Make Your Own

Garnish Your Cocktail:

https://www.amazon.com/Crafthouse-Fortessa-Professional-Barware-Charles/dp/B01LYBUJB5?th=1

Find Charles On Instagram:

@CharlesJoly

@TellTailVintage

Find Bitters:

https://www.bittersandbottles.com/search?type=product&q=bittered*+sling*