Beer is the perfect Father's Day gift -- namely because we've never known a dad to turn it down -- but some thought must be put into exactly what you get him. Here are six beer suggestions for whatever type of dad your dad might be.
For the outdoorsy dad: Lumberyard Big Rapid Red Hotels? Hotels are for pansies. The outdoorsy dad thinks spending a night in a tiny tent in the woods is the best way to experience nature in all its glory, and he always takes you along for the ride. Get him a Big Rapid Red, Lumberyard's imperial red ale, which has flavors of the outdoors -- grass, citrus peel, honey, sticky weed -- and a not-insubstantial amount of alcohol that just might be enough to tame the call of the wild.
For the dad who cooks: Sonoran 7 Wives Saison This dad fancies himself a gourmet chef. No ingredient is out of bounds for the dad who cooks, and he loves getting you to try the weird stuff he found at the international supermarket down the street. Give Chef Man-ardee a literal taste of his own medicine with 7 Wives Saison, a Belgian farmhouse ale brewed with wheat, green peppercorns, fennel, mesquite syrup, orange and coriander. Serve with a side of crème fraiche for extra effect.
For the goofy dad: Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale This dad seems like he gets a kick out of being weird and embarrassing you in front of your friends. A goofy dad deserves a goofy beer, and it doesn't get much goofier than this beer from Rogue, which tastes and smells like bacon dunked in syrup. Plus, it comes in a bright pink bottle. Who's embarrassing now?
For the hard-ass dad: Stone Double Bastard If you have a hard-ass dad, you got away with nothing as a kid. With a stern voice and a tightly cropped buzz cut, this dad has the demeanor and latent rage to keep you -- and all your friends -- in check. Double Bastard has a name that not-so-subtly shares what you think of him and is so massively hopped that it should be bitter enough for the old bastard's palate.
For the mathematical dad: Firestone Walker Parabola If your dad could often be found with a calculator, spent nights up late balancing his checkbook, or got a strange fire in his eyes around tax season, you had a math geek dad. Parabola, Firestone Walker's bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, has high numbers of delicious flavors like chocolate, toasted coconut and whiskey, plus it's exponentially better than any other gift you could get.
For the dad who's into cars: Clown Shoes Lubrication The car-obsessed dad has two children: you and his ride. His car is his love; it is his passion. If you saw more of your father's legs than his face because he was always under the car fixing it up, give him Lubrication. The brew tastes like an IPA but is dark as motor oil, which he probably needs to change even though he never drives the car and just rubs it with a diaper.
