Gift guide, drinking division

Private beer-tasting sessions with Justin Philips, of Beer Table ($250 and up)

Justin Philips of Beer Table
427B Seventh Ave, near 14th St., Park Slope
718-965-1196

Get Justin Philips, beer aficionado and proprietor of Park Slope suds-mecca Beer Table, in your stocking this Christmas! Not actually, but you can get private beer-tasting sessions with him, which we hear are more informative than 10 years of college. Ten years! (Look, we interviewed him about beer in September—he knows everything!)

Justin will prepare a tasting session designed to please your specific palate (do you like it hoppy? spicy? dark? smoky? wheaty? all/none of the above?), and bring along some tasty non-beer fare (read: gourmet food) to complement all the brew. Perfect for one-on-one or for private parties. Kind of like hiring a clown or magician, but for adults, and instead of scary, wonderful!