Barware Gifts for Travelers: 10 Essentials for Wine and Spirit Enthusiasts
Barware gifts can be a great option for travelers. Who wants/needs this stuff?
These are some of the drinking gifts travelers might appreciate:
- The cocktail junkie who loves to experiment with cocktails at home and while they are away
- Amateur (or professional) mixologists who enjoys mixing drinks while they’re on the road
- The growing number of wine tourists who enjoy visiting wineries to learn about producers and their products
- Oenophiles who travel to acquire fine wines
- Long or extended-stay travelers who settle in for an extended period of time and set up a “home” bar
- Culinary travelers who likes to enhance their meals by pairing them with wine
- Travelers who are visiting people who enjoy imbibing wines and spirits
- Romantics who want to cuddle up in a luxury hotel or resort and “make their own.”
Hopefully some of these gift ideas will be a good match for yourself or another traveler you know! They include some of our favorites.
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Best Barware Gifts for Travelers
Aervana Electric Wine Aerator
They call it a “personal tap” and it really is. When my husband opened the box and tried the Aervana Electric Wine Aerator, he was amazed by its convenience and ease of use.
Because we often choose a bottle of wine right before dinner, there often isn’t time to decant the bottle, and to be honest, we rarely finish a whole bottle over the course of one meal. A process that would ordinarily take 45-60 minutes with a decanter, takes only seconds with Aervana.
What we like about the Aervana Electric Wine Opener:
- It offers instant aeration with a single tap.
- It effectively does the job of removing sediment.
- You don’t need to aerate the whole bottle; instead, you can aerate and dispense glass by glass.
- Because it’s battery-operated (three triple AAAs), it doesn’t require an electric cord.
- Its compact size makes it portable to take with us on a trip.
Wine Angel Reusable Wine Bags
Have you ever found a bottle of wine or spirits during your travels that you want to take home and loathe the idea of wrapping it in a towel and possibly having it break in your suitcase?
If so, you’ll really appreciate these aptly called “wine angel” bags.
These bubble bags are made of vinyl and are protective without adding weight. They are the antidote to using heavy wine luggage when you only want to carry a few bottles.
What we like about Wine Angel Reusable Wine Bags:
- They can be used to carry bottles home from a wine trip or carry bottles to gift a friend you are visiting abroad.
- They are leakproof and reusable.
- They don’t add any heft and can be conveniently tucked in the side or bottom of a suitcase.
- They are roomy enough to be used for sparkling wine and champagne bottles.
- They’re also great for packing special bottles of olive oil or vinegar.
Kloveo Champagne Topper
Many times, we’ve found a bottle of champagne awaiting us in a hotel room or on a cruise ship. We drink a glass full of bubbly and then return to find the bubbles are gone when we get back to the bottle.
To avoid sparkling wine from going flat, we now travel with a professional grade champagne topper that can be also be used for Prosecco, Cava, Spumante, Franciacorte, Cremant or any other sparkling wine.
How it works: As pressure builds inside the bottle, the plastic nipple expands outward, creating a ‘bubble-tight’ seal. It is leak-proof and fits all standard neck bottles.
What we like about the Klovea Champagne Topper
- Made in Italy, it is patented by Italian inventor Walter Fortunato (WAF)
- It’s easy to use and release
- Although our bottles never last that long, it promises to hold bubbles for up to two weeks
- It’s a great little gift for any friend who is a wine enthusiast.
Mini Tabasco To-Go Travel Keychain
This has to rank as a great gift for drinkers, even just for its “cuteness.” There are a countless number of mixed drinks that depend on a dash of Tabasco, the most popular one probably being the Bloody Mary.
This convenient little keychain let’s you take your hot sauce with you! (The mini bottles are just over two inches tall.)
What we like about the Mini Tabasco to Go Travel Keychain:
- It includes three different types of tabasco sauce: Original, Green Jalapeno and Chipotle Tabasco.
- It comes with a carabiner keychain and funnel.
- It’s refillable.
- Tabasco can add a kick to eggs, meat or whatever else you are eating.
Barillio Travel Bartender Bag
Yes, you can travel like a pro bartender and take it with you with this roll-up canvas bar kit bag. We think it’s an especially great idea for staying at rental properties and going on picnics. (Note: It doesn’t come with tools; you have to bring your own.)
What we like about the Barillio Travel Bartender Bag:
- The waxed canvas keeps it dry and makes it easy to clean.
- It has well-designed pockets, zippered compartments, elastic loops and straps to keep everything in place.
- The flap pockets protect all your tools.
- A great idea for bartenders, mixologists, cocktail lovers and novel gift-givers.
Rabbit Wine Bottle Stoppers
This is one of the least expensive and most functional drinking gifts we use; it’s always handy to have a wine bottle stopper (or two) when traveling by land or sea. This high-quality set of four stoppers is made by Rabbit Wine & Barware.
These are small enough to toss into a cosmetic case or dopp kit.
What we like about Rabbit Wine Bottle Stoppers:
- They form an air-tight seal
- Because they are made of flexible silicone, they are easy to use, and pop in and out
- You can also use them to seal any other bottle
- The set of four is multicolored; each with an attractive stainless steel embossed top
- They are washable, easy to clean, and can be reused; you can throw away the original corks that are too hard to reuse.
- They are lightweight and compact for travel, and make a practical gift.
Leather-covered Ragproper Modern Glass Hip Flask
These unisex flasks are thoroughly retro with a modern updated design. They are perfect for camping, hiking, other outdoors adventures, or taking spirits with you wherever you go.
What is a Ragproper? “Ragproper” was an old Western slang meaning “to dress well.”
What we loved about the Ragproper Glass Hip Flask:
- The clever glass window design allows you to see the contents inside and prevents over-filling.
- The covering offers a comfortable non-slip grip.
- The flasks come in a number of beautiful colors, all in full-grain leathers
- You can choose a single shot or double shot size.
- A funnel, two metal, and two “sneaky plastic” cork-lined lids are included.
Professional Corkscrew
If you have to open a bottle of wine, you want to have your own corkscrew handy when hotel rooms don’t have them available. They are easy enough to pack in your Dopp kit or suitcase.
This corkscrew is heavy-duty, made from stainless steel. Shown in Cyan, it comes in eight different colors.
What we like about the Professional Waiter Corkscrew:
- It is easy to use, even for a novice
- It has thicker hinges to provide added bending resistance
- It’s inexpensive enough so you won’t shed any tears if you leave it in your hotel room (If you prefer a more upgraded corkscrew, perhaps for a gift, we recommend the Prestige Waiters Wine Bottle Opener By Coutale Sommelier)
Mixology Bartender Kit
If you want to take the whole kit and caboodle with you, this Mixology Bartender kit is just what you’ll need.
Included are a 24 oz cocktail shaker with a built-in strainer; a double-sided jigger, a Mojito muddler, mixing spoon, Hawthorne strainer, bottle opener, corkscrew, ice tongs and more—everything except the liquor!
What we liked about the Mixology Bartender Kit:
- It includes everything you need to mix drinks
- The entire kit is made of washable stainless steel
- It comes packed in a durable tube box
- It even includes access to online cocktail recipes.
The Cocktail Masterclass (book)
This 72-page paperback offers recipes from the world’s best mixologists that are easy to follow, with clear instructions and ingredient lists. It addition to recipes, it includes tips to craft the best cocktails.
Weighing in at just over 8 ounces so it makes for great reading on a long-haul flight or while lazing on a beach.
Are there any barware or drink accessories that enhance your travels? Feel free to comment below!
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