Built from Scratch: How One Family Turned Craft Beer into a Holiday Tradition

Kim and Joe Tonner founded GiveThemBeer, a company that created Advent calendars featuring everything from craft beer to whiskey, pickles, and even jerky.

GiveThemBeer now creates several advent calendar options. (GiveThemBeer)

When Kim and Joe Toner launched GiveThemBeer in 2014, they didn't have investors, a large team, or a solid business plan. They had $10,000 from the sale of their boat, a 1,000-square-foot warehouse, and an idea: turn great craft beer into a memorable gift.

Kim had experience in the gift industry, and both she and Joe had an appreciation for craft beer as the category grew across the country. Joe came up with the name GiveThemBeer and the pair hit the ground running. Their first gifts consisted of six craft beers arranged in metal buckets. Joe packed each order himself before shipping. The company received its first order on February 23, 2014.

Kim and Joe wanted to make it easy to gift someone with products they really want.

In the early years, GiveThemBeer was a family project built on busy schedules. Kim stayed home with the couple's young children and worked on the business after they went to bed. He would answer customer emails, print orders, and do whatever needed attention the next day. Joe went on to work in corporate insurance while helping to build the company.

For several years, GiveThemBeer was not profitable.

"We didn't have investors or mentors telling us what to do," Kim said. "We just kept trying things, figuring out what worked and paying attention to what people really wanted."

This process became the foundation of the company. Early on, Kim and Joe hypothesized that customers would gravitate toward clever beer names, colorful labels, and themed gifts. But they quickly realized that customers cared less about the new packaging and more about the quality of the beer inside.

GiveThemBeer shifted its focus to a selection of highly rated craft beers from breweries across the country. The goal was simple: make it easy to give someone a gift full of products they'll really enjoy.

GiveThemBeer's beer bag received national television attention in late 2015, giving the young company its first exposure. Five weeks later, Joe's 15-year-old daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed with leukemia, and the family's priorities changed overnight.

For about two years, Joe spent his days at the hospital with Hannah, while Kim took care of the couple's two young children, then 6 months and 18 months.

Kim continued GiveThemBeer during naps, after sleep, and in the small windows between taking care of her family.

"The thought of the business not working or not making Hannah didn't even cross my mind," says Kim. "We just took it one day at a time and crossed the finish line to recover."

GiveThemBeer continued. Most importantly, so does Hannah.

Today, Hannah is healthy and an integral part of the family business.

Advent calendar that changed business

The first calendar marked the emergence of a selection of American craft beers.

In 2017, Kim and Jom noticed that adult advent calendars were gaining popularity in the United States. They saw an opportunity to take an idea they had grasped—giving the gift of stewardship—and turn it into a daily vacation experience. GiveThemBeer's first beer advent calendar featured a selection of American craft beers.

Customers weren't just buying a case of beer. They bought the experience of opening something new every day in December. As interest grew, GiveThemBeer expanded into seltzer, cocktails and spirits. In 2019, the GiveThemBeer hard seltzer advent calendar went viral, reinforcing the company's approach: Pay attention to what consumers are excited about and move fast.

The company currently offers 21 different advent calendars, including food and non-alcoholic products such as pickles, bacon, hot sauce and other giftable treats, and has sold tens of thousands since the collection launched.

Calendars have become more than products. Customers return year after year, some buying the same type of calendar every Christmas, while others wait for the latest edition. "We just add what people want," Kim said. But what makes it really special is seeing people come back year after year. These calendars have become part of their Christmas traditions. "We may be creating the calendar, but they're creating the memories around it."

Hurricane Milton damaged much of the plant, even as orders continued to flow.

In October 2024, GiveThemBeer suffered another major setback. Hurricane Milton seriously damaged the company's warehouse just in time for the holiday season. Its inventory was destroyed, the building was severely damaged and the facility was without power for several days. For a company that depends on the holiday season, the timing could hardly be worse.

A look inside the damaged warehouse.

Employees, family members and friends worked together to mop up the soaked carpet, clean up debris, salvage what they could and continue to fill damage orders. Hannah printed the orders from her apartment, where she had electricity, and drove back and forth to the warehouse to bring them to the team.

Eventually, the damage was so great that the company stayed in the building and the landlord told GiveThemBeer to leave. Within two weeks, the company had moved to a larger warehouse and was back to fulfilling holiday orders at full speed.

Most customers never knew what was going on behind the scenes. For the Toner family, the experience was another test of their resolve. When asked if she knew they would do it, Kim's answer was simple: "Not having it was never even a thought."

There was never a master plan for GiveThemBeer. The company grew through trial and error. Kim and Joe paid attention to their customers, adjusted when things didn't work, and moved quickly when they saw a new opportunity. They also moved on when life became more difficult than business.

What started with $10,000 selling a boat and a small barn has grown into a family business that offers 21 advent calendars and sends holiday gifts nationwide. But the company's growth is only part of the story.

For Kim, Joe and the rest of the family, calendars represent more than just a collection of products. They're a reminder that traditions can come from unexpected places — and sometimes, the businesses people create are also the things that sustain their families.

Advent calendar for every type of gift giver

The GiveThemBeer collection now includes options far beyond traditional beer calendars.

Make a selection of pickle-flavored snacks.

A daily countdown for pickle lovers with different flavors and styles.

Try different spicy flavors.

A tasty selection of flavors and spicy varieties for snacks and meat lovers.

Bacon lovers can get their advent calendar.

A giftable countdown built around one of the most popular breakfast and comfort foods.

Try different hot sauce flavors and heat levels.

A tasty option for anyone who enjoys spicy flavors and a little heat during the holiday season.