The only thing most of those gift of the month clubs are good for is a guarantee that something overpriced and mediocre is going to show up on your doorstep twelve times a year.  Ooh, another second-rate microbrew with a cheesy dog on the label.  The first can’t come soon enough.

The good news is, if you want to get Dad some sort of manly condiment, foodstuff or libation he’ll actually enjoy for Father’s Day, it’s not too hard to make most of those of-the-month items yourself.  Even if it turns out like garbage, it’s always the thought that counts.

Check out five helpful DIY recipes for Father’s Day after the jump. 

Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce Atbaker, flickr

It doesn’t get much easier than hot sauce. All you need are some rubber gloves (and a mask if you’re worried), hot peppers, vinegar and whatever spices and veggies you want to throw in.  For a quick primer and recipe, check out this link.

Jerky

Jerky Avlxyz, flickr

Making your own jerky is a revelation, the revelation being how weird and expensive store bought jerky really is.  For meat, you want to go lean and cheap.  When you get it home, freeze it for a few hours so it’s easy to slice thin. As flavorings go, Teriyaki is a great starter.  Buying a dehydrator is probably the easiest option, but you can also use your oven or build one for a buck.

Beer

Beer atom_ess, flickr

Brewing a beginner, extract beer is easier than you might think.  With an ingredients kit, a large pot, some sanitizer and a bunch of bottles, you can brew up a beer in a couple of hours.  Once you’re done brewing, it’ll be a few weeks before your beer is fermented and ready to drink, but if you can think of something more worth waiting for than beer, we want to know about it.  Head to your local homebrew shop or go online at www.austinhomebrew.com

Coffee

Coffee asgw, flickr

Here’s a DIY tip that’s sure to blow your mind:  Whether you’re using an old popcorn popper, a grill, or some fancy electric gadget, roasting your own coffee beans really isn’t all that hard.  For a quick guide to the basics, check out this link from the home roasting pros at Sweet Maria’s.

Pickles

Pickles notahipster, flickr

Nothing says “I love you Dad” like a crunchy, homemade half-sour dill.  To make your own pickles, you literally need a vegetable, vinegar, a cheap canning kit, some even cheaper pickling mix and a bunch of lids and jars.  Pickle of the month club? More like pickle of the week.

 Click here for the perfect Father’s Day recipe.

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