Beers for your mum - just don't get her a 'Bitter B*tch'

So your mother’s a beer expert? Fear not. Show her your true appreciation and love by following these three simple steps to selecting an unforgettable Mother’s Day beer gift:

1. Watch out for the names. There are plenty of strange ones out there and you don’t want any mixed messages. A bottle of Bitter Bitch Imperial IPA or an Acid Mother – tasty as they may be – might make your Sunday lunch a bit awkward and are likely to be received in a cool manner given the day that’s in it. (It might also be a good idea to stay away from sour beers altogether – but you know her best.)

2. Presentation is important. Don’t just rock up with a load of cans and bottles in a blue plastic bag. Or at least take them out of the plastic bag before you give them to her. Alternatively, you could arrange the bottles in a row on the kitchen counter. Yellow Belly has just released its Citra Pale Ale in lovely bright cans, why not make them into a pyramid with a bow at the top?

And throw in a new glass – a nice snifter would go well with The Hare and the Hag, a coffee stout from Kinnegar and White Hag. Or if a pint glass is her thing, give it a quick polish before cracking open the beers.

3. Be nonchalant. The less excited you are about the beers, the more she'll appreciate them (and be likely to share). Casually throw in a few titbits of info, like you'd heard Mescan's new Saison is a real treat, or that Wicklow Wolf's Arcadia lager is now available in bottles, but just remember to start your sentences with "You probably know this already..."

Finally, if you somehow fail to make it to the off-licence on time, you can always suggest a stroll to the Porterhouse for pint of Plain and a chat. She did bring you into the world, after all.