As the years have gone by, it has become popular to give the gift of alcoholic beverages to loved ones. Among the growing trend of beverages being given are beers from micro-breweries.

The local beer and ale retailers in Ames have noticed an increase in sales of the micro-breweries beers.

“Sales are great,” said Cyclone Liquors owner Danny Gano.

Likewise, Chuck Connors, the manager of The Keg Shop said he has noticed some increase in sales.

“A little bit, they have been increasing the past year incredibly,” he said.

At Hy-Vee in Ames, there is a home brewery kit available for $66.95. But it seems as though the do-it-yourself beer has yet to catch on with ale admirers.

“They are just starting to [sell]. People are coming in looking for them,” Scott Lutz, a Hy-Vee employee said. “[Customers] are usually getting them for someone. Iowa was kind of the last to catch on. [It’s] $66.95 for the beginner kit with all the tools needed to get started. It’s kind of hidden in the liquor department. We just kind of carry the slim, basic stuff.”

As to the reason why people enjoy offering micro-brewery gifts, Gano said,”What they like to do is take it to people to try it. We have gift packs that have several flavors.”

Don Walsmith, publisher of Brew Magazine, said the increase in beer gifts from micro-breweries is evident with the increase in the beer-of-the-month-club advertisements on television.

“There is flavor compared to the lack of it,” Walsmith said.

Walsmith added that people are noticing the difference in the flavor the micro-breweries bring out. The larger companies are trying to get the small breweries to accommodate the growing interest.

“They are beginning to catch on,” Walsmith said. “The acquisition Miller took of five major micro-breweries is a major step. Coors has developed several. They are very much aware that people want a different flavor.”

Walsmith said the amount of people brewing beers in their homes has increased over the years as well.

“It is a growing interest,” he said. “There has been a 25-35 percent increase in the American Home Brewer’s Association.”

It wasn’t too long ago, though, beers from micro-breweries were thought of as avant-garde.

“We are selling it regularly. A year or two ago there weren’t that many,” Gano said.

From a couple of beers to rows full, the amount of brands available is steadily increasing in number and flavor. The names of these brands also are getting more eccentric compared to Budweiser.

“There is a lot of them. I probably got 60 different ones. We got Samuel Adams in 16 different flavors,” Gano said.

The list Connors provided from The Keg Shop was almost endless: Pete’s, Leinen Kugel, Samuel Adams, Wild Boar, Black Dog, New Amsterdam, Cave Creek Chili beer, Rhino Chaser, Summit, Boulevard, Blue Moon, Rain Cross, Red Ass, Dubuque Star and Shell.

Besides buying micro-brewery beer in stores, many like to just offer the gift of a home brewery kit like those available at Hy-Vee.

The items usually needed for home brewing include pre-made syrup for the flavoring, yeast for fermentation and natural carbonation, two five-gallon drums in which to make the beer, brushes, bottle caps and various rubber tubing.