Wife's giving me equipment for Christmas

So my wife is gently but firmly asking me what she should get for my Christmas gift. I'm thinking brewing equipment but I'm not sure what I should get. The price limit is $100, though that could be bent slightly. I have the basics: carboys, buckets, an auto siphon, bottles, bottle blaster. Since my boils are done in an old canning pot I was thinking of a stainless kettle, perhaps one that could be later modified to fit a thermometer and valve. Any suggestions where I could find a 40 gallon pot in that price range, or alternatively, other equipment in that price range?

40 gallon? You mean 40 quart, or have you graduated to BIG batches?

Do you have a turkey fryer propane burner yet? Bayou Classic makes some nice ones, and you'll have enough of that $100 leftover for some other goodies.

How about a kegging setup? You got that yet?

How about a wort chiller, or a Shirron plate chller? Yeah, that Shirron would be nice. I've seen 'em for around $80.

More Beer has a nice 14 gallon brew kettle with spigot for $150. That blows the limit a lot, though. BE330 is the number. A 9 gallon one for $125, same type construction, and that would definitely handle a five or six gallon boil. Item BE320.

It's too darn bad that the SABCO Universal Kettle has gone up from $139 to $199 recently, and now even higher to $220 (Yikes! where will it end?) They have added almost $100 to the price since the beginning of September. Although it is made from a brand new keg and not from a reconditioned old one. Even their "do-it-yourself" keg that only has the top cut out of it and no welded fittings is now $170, and that is a $100 price increase from seven weeks ago.

Heh....

A couple years ago my wife bought me a $100 gift certificate to the LHBS for Christmas. I went to cash it in, and naturally had to brag about my wife. One of the other customers (an older gentleman) said "Does she have a sister?", then looked at me closer and said "Wait, what about her mom?"

I looked much younger 2 years ago before I lost massive amounts of hair.

You got me, I meant 40 quart. Anybody got experience w/ this guy? He has good feedback and an advert in BYO. The price is about right.

www.brew-4-less.com

I haven't seen anyone on this forum mention those before. It looks like a pretty darn nice 9 gallon brew pot! Would make a nice HLT for an AG setup too, I think.

$99 is his "buy it now" price. You can bid on it at http://cgi.ebay.com/BREW-POT-9-GALL...ryZ38172QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks like just a Buy it Now listing, not an auction where you can bid.

My girlfriend is giving me a sweater for Christmas. I was hoping for a screamer or a moaner.

Alemonkey....Rogain. Stuff works.
casebrew.....I'd have to go screamer...

100 bucks....I'd go with either a simple keg set up IF you got cooler space. If not, wort chiller and a extract kit. Make one that she likes, and then tell her you can make it even better with more money......OR combine Christmas and Birthday in one fell swoop and get the good stuff.

Ol' Grog said:

casebrew.....I'd have to go screamer...

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Not with only $100 to spend. I have to settle for the sweater.

100 bucks, just buy some grain, hops and yeast and brew a bunch of batchs.

The pot passed the wife's "eye roll test". Unfortunately I had to promise to keep it wrapped until Christmas. (Excepting an initial inspection)

Explain to her what a "boilover" is and the relative liklihood of one occuring with a 9 gallon pot versus what you're using now...

Wouldn't work. I do most of the cooking, so any mess made by me is mine by default. Besides I doubt I could scare her that easily after the "blackend sugar stuck to the stove" incident. (That was NOT fun to clean!)

Carne de Perro said:

Wouldn't work. I do most of the cooking, so any mess made by me is mine by default. Besides I doubt I could scare her that easily after the "blackend sugar stuck to the stove" incident. (That was NOT fun to clean!)

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Ummmm, blackened sugar! With cajun spices? :fro: