Christmas present for homebrewer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by jmellis444, Dec 15, 2014.

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  1. jmellis444

    jmellis444 Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2014

    Hello,

    My brother is an avid brewer. My interests run more towards drinking the stuff, but I thought a high-quality piece of brewing equipment would make a good Christmas present. I would look to spend around $100-$200 on the gift. Any ideas you might have would be most appreciated.
     
  2. 4kbrianb

    4kbrianb Initiate (0) Jan 2, 2013 California

    Do you happen to know his set up? If he has a good set up I would recommend stocking him up with hops, malt, and yeast.

    Or even a gift certificate to a local home brew shop of website he gets his goods.
     
  3. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Well, I've been brewing for a while and I have a good idea of what I want. Don't know if he's got one of these yet, but a kegging system could be good! I am getting really sick of cleaning bottles.
     
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  4. BILF

    BILF Initiate (0) Jan 9, 2010 Israel

    $100 worth of good quality commercial craft beers would be a good gift. $200 worth and then you can drink it with him.

    In the interests of research of course.
     
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  5. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Without knowing what equipment he now has, it is hard to recommend anything new. I'll go along with the gift certificate suggestion.
     
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  6. Jstonerock24

    Jstonerock24 Initiate (0) Sep 4, 2014 Ohio

    It really depends on where he is at with his current setup. A kegging system would be good. A kettle to use as a boil pot and mash tun. A yeast starter kit with a stir plate would be good. There are so many options you just need to figure out where he is with his current system and go from there.
     
  7. LakesideBrewing

    LakesideBrewing Zealot (604) Dec 1, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Gift card to his local homebrew store, or his online homebrew store.
     
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  8. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    <LAME> Gift certificates </LAME>

    <MORE BETTER> 50# sack of malted barley and a grain mill. </MORE BETTER>
     
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  9. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah


    I'll echo this.. If he brews all grain, and has no mill.. Can't beat a mill and some base malt!
     
  10. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,421) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    A brewery can be a very personal thing. So, unless he's expressed a desire for a specific item ('specific' meaning brand, size, etc), I'd go with a gift certificate. That said, assuming he does all grain, you can't go wrong with a sack of barley. Something nicer than two-row - German Pilsner or a Maris Otter, for example.
     
  11. hopsputin

    hopsputin Grand Pooh-Bah (4,403) Apr 1, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    as mentioned above, without knowing what kind of system he has its a little hard to recommend something.

    BUT if I were your brother and did not yet have a kegging system (and was advanced enough for one) I might want one :slight_smile:
     
  12. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    OP, I like the suggestions about a kegging system (I don't have one, but wish I did), but keep in mind that if you get that for him, you/he will also have to come up with a way to chill a keg. That may mean buying a Kegerator, an old fridge or chest freezer, plus having the space to put it. So there can be a down side to this nice gift.
     
  13. rocdoc1

    rocdoc1 Savant (1,215) Jan 13, 2006 New Mexico

    If he brews all grain the mill and malt sounds great, unless he has a mill. A chiller is great, but which is best?: plate, CFC or immersion. Other ideas may be a variety of yeasts and hops, or a gift card from a homebrew store. As everybody else has stated,l we need much more info.
     
  14. scottbrew4u

    scottbrew4u Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2005 Pennsylvania

    I agree that homebrewers can really want very specific equipment and or supplies needed so I would stick with the gift certificate idea. If he says anything negative about that I would totally be surprised. .
     
  15. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    A gift certificate says I (your brother) don't know you (my brother) well enough to get you (my brother) something you (my brother) would enjoy.

    Sheesh.
     
    PintOh1759 likes this.
  16. AlCaponeJunior

    AlCaponeJunior Grand Pooh-Bah (3,452) May 21, 2010 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Get him a huge double-stack bass rig with eight ten-inch aluminized cones, 1000 watt amp, pre-amp EQ, phaser, stereo chorus, digital and analog delay, dual monitors, and a monster black fender bass guitar. :sunglasses:

    Oh, you meant beer stuff. My mistake. Carry on. :grinning:
     
  17. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,421) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    A gift certificate says you know a helluva lot more about your hobby and your setup than I do so, rather than giving you something that will sit in a corner collecting dust, to be pulled out and/or positioned to look like it's been used whenever you hear I'm coming over, get yourself something you want. I'm reminded of a 30+ year brewer friend who once got a Brewers Best extract Red Ale kit for Christmas.
     
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  18. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    That's going to be a lot of gift wrapping. I'd suggest a '59 Burst (the real thing). Sometimes simpler is better. Though the two extra strings could be confusing.
     
    AlCaponeJunior likes this.
  19. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Pretty much every Christmas, I receive at least one brewing or beer related gift that I'll never use, from well intentioned people who know I'm into beer. People who aren't immersed in the hobby just don't know. Hell, sometimes I can't make up my own mind if I need something, let alone someone else figuring it out.
     
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