$100 Home Depot gift card! It's burning a hole in my pocket!! What should I buy??

Alright, I've got almost everything short of a brewstand. I have a kegerator, multiple primaries/secondaries, a stir plate, multiple kettles, a banjo burner, etc...

I'm not sure what to buy. I'm thinking about putting this money towards a mini fridge that I can lager in.

Any suggestions?

steel tubing for the brewstand you're missing.

Buy PVC and build a bottle tree. If you haven't gone AG, I'd buy a cooler, fittings for the cooler to convert to mash tun (along with SS braid etc.) and whatever else you need (e.g. pvc or copper for a manifold).

DavidSteel said:

Buy PVC and build a bottle tree. If you haven't gone AG, I'd buy a cooler, fittings for the cooler to convert to mash tun (along with SS braid etc.) and whatever else you need (e.g. pvc or copper for a manifold).

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Yeah that. Or build a kick-ass wort chiller. The fridge is a good idea.

I just built a 2 tier "brew cart" for about $100 in materials from lowes. Just a bunch of angle iron, bolts, and casters. But it came out nice.

Well, I am already AG. I don't really bottle too much since I've gotten the kegerator and I already have a wort chiller. I just bought a banjo burner with the stand and I don't really have the space for a brew stand right now, so I don't know what to effin buy!

power tools

I wouldn't buy steel from home depot. much cheaper to get it from a scrap yard. from what i understand you pay by the pound at a scrap yard.

I second buying tools. projects get much cheaper when you already have the equipment needed to build them.

Chest freezer for lagering. More cost-effective, you get more cubic feet per dollar spent (even factoring in the need for an external temp controller).

SWMBO says mine's going for a glass door for the fireplace...

homebrewer_99 said:

SWMBO says mine's going for a glass door for the fireplace...

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She buys you a gift card they tells you what to spend it on? Ouch!!

We got one for christmas too. I'd love to spend it on brew stuff, but it needs to go towards a new water heater.

But if I could... fermentation chamber would be the way I'd go.

Shelves, workbench, cabinet, etc for organizing brew stuff? Utility sink for clean up?

homebrewer_99 said:

SWMBO says mine's going for a glass door for the fireplace...

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Seriously. that's rough.
My $50 Menards gift card went to a propane tank top heater and some trim for the keezer.

arturo7 said:

She buys you a gift card they tells you what to spend it on? Ouch!!

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Daughter and SIL actually, but yeah that would ouch...

I wanted a bench grinder...I guess if there's any left over I can settle for a new file...apparently I have ALL winter to sharpen the mower's blades...

homebrewer_99 said:

...apparently I have ALL winter to sharpen the mower's blades...

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...while sitting in front of the newly adorned fire.

See, I've got a lot of tools and what I don't have, my SWMBO's father will probably have. The only thing I don't have that's been keeping me from adding bulkheads on my kettles is a step-bit. I want to get one, but it costs $50 at HD and like $20 at Harbor Freight. I don't want to waste my money. Maybe I could put it towards a miter saw just because I think it would be awesome to have one, but my bro-in-law has one, so I don't know if I should spend my money on one.

HalfPint said:

See, I've got a lot of tools and what I don't have, my SWMBO's father will probably have. The only thing I don't have that's been keeping me from adding bulkheads on my kettles is a step-bit. I want to get one, but it costs $50 at HD and like $20 at Harbor Freight. I don't want to waste my money. Maybe I could put it towards a miter saw just because I think it would be awesome to have one, but my bro-in-law has one, so I don't know if I should spend my money on one.

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If you can't find anything compromise with SWMBO. Use the $100 for something she would want in the home and you get to use $100 in cash towards brewing supplies. That would be A LOT of hops.

This is what I have done in the past.

Brew-Happy said:

If you can't find anything compromise with SWMBO. Use the $100 for something she would want in the home and you get to use $100 in cash towards brewing supplies. That would be A LOT of hops.

This is what I have done in the past.

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lol I just bought myself 2 lbs of hops not too long ago! I have nothing to buy! I just built some tap handles for my kegerator, I just got a stir plate, I just got a burner. I have nothing to buy!

HalfPint said:

lol I just bought myself 2 lbs of hops not too long ago! I have nothing to buy! I just built some tap handles for my kegerator, I just got a stir plate, I just got a burner. I have nothing to buy!

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Man, you are a pain to shop for aren't you?!?!?!

One of those that has everything and wants nothing!

I kid. I am the same way. I don't need much, but it is the thought that counts.
I would suggest offering it up for your home in that both you and the SO picks something out. That or donate it to Habitat for Humanity.

or $100 worth of screws, nuts, washers, nails, etc. You can never have too many left-handed bolts.

arturo7 said:

...while sitting in front of the newly adorned fire.

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Seems that way...any way, off to Korea in about 9 hours...be back in 2 weeks...

Brew-Happy said:

Man, you are a pain to shop for aren't you?!?!?!

One of those that has everything and wants nothing!

I kid. I am the same way. I don't need much, but it is the thought that counts.
I would suggest offering it up for your home in that both you and the SO picks something out. That or donate it to Habitat for Humanity.

or $100 worth of screws, nuts, washers, nails, etc. You can never have too many left-handed bolts.

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LOL.

I don't have anywhere close to everything I want, but at this point a lot of that stuff just isn't practical. I suppose in a few years when I have a garage I'll be able to build that awesome brew stand ran off of NG, but for now, I'm on the porch with the blue rhino. It's not a hastle, I've been doing it for a long time and I've gotten my routine down to the T. The SWMBO is almost as passionate about fixing up the house as I am, so it shouldn't be too hard to let her find something at HD, but hell, this is my GC! This is one of the few times I get to buy something for my hobby that she can't dictate how much it costs b/c I have a $100 GC!

I'm thinking about buying some hop growing supplies b/c I want to grow some hops this spring.

HalfPint said:

LOL.

I don't have anywhere close to everything I want, but at this point a lot of that stuff just isn't practical. I suppose in a few years when I have a garage I'll be able to build that awesome brew stand ran off of NG, but for now, I'm on the porch with the blue rhino. It's not a hastle, I've been doing it for a long time and I've gotten my routine down to the T. The SWMBO is almost as passionate about fixing up the house as I am, so it shouldn't be too hard to let her find something at HD, but hell, this is my GC! This is one of the few times I get to buy something for my hobby that she can't dictate how much it costs b/c I have a $100 GC!

I'm thinking about buying some hop growing supplies b/c I want to grow some hops this spring.

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This could be the idea. Build a set of raised beds with compost and other soil amendments. Google how to build raised beds for some nice or neat ideas. Plus add in a stringed support system for the vines.

Good idea. Add enough space to grow some veggies as well.