Ideas for Brew gifts?

Hello Home Brewers!
I am no brewer myself - just an outsider looking in - but I want to get a great gift for a good friend who is an avid home brewer. What are some home-brew tools, accessories, or ingredients that you would love to have, but might not be willing to buy for yourself? What would be on your dream wishlist of home brewing?
Many, many thanks for your ideas and suggestions.

I just checked out mashpaddle.com and thought "nice, but more of a luxury." I'd love it as a gift!

Assuming price is immaterial http://www.brew-magic.com/bm_pricing.html

Many thanks, Reelale and yogensha. Sadly, price is an object, although I'd love to hook my friend up with that rig! The mash paddle is pretty sweet and more in my price range. Appreciate both ideas though - thanks!

Every brewer loves free hops. For my birthday a friend went through the stock at the LHBS and picked up an ounce of 6 or 7 different varieties of leaf hops. At a couple bucks an ounce it was a nice inexpensive gift. The cool thing for me was that I got hops that I normally use, as well as hops that I've never even tried before. Just a thought.

If you need to go cheaper than that, get him a cheap bottle of vodka for filling up the airlocks.

What about something for the end-product, like beer glasses? You could get a nice set of standard glasses or customize a few. Check out http://www.pubglasses.com/.

Everyone loves an extra carboy to ferment in! Maybe I suggest this because I've been staring at them all day?

http://morebeer.com/view_product/18739//Brewing_Refractometer_With_Brix_Scale

http://www.brewershardware.com/Brewers-Hardware-Stir-Plate.html

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/blichmann-brewing-gloves.html

If he/she kegs: http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi.../bottles/2-liter-growler-romantic-handle.html

Books:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-lager-beer-2nd-ed-greg-noonan.html
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/designing-great-beers-ray-daniels.html
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/principles-of-brewing-science-2nd-ed-fix.html
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/how-to-brew-by-john-j-palmer.html

Would have been nice to have details on your budget and how serious a brewer your friend is.

A subscription to Brew Your Own might be appreciated.

As archiefl98 mentioned hops are a great gift. No matter how he brews be it all grain or extract he will definately use hops. A bottle of yeast nutrient or a bag of extra light dry malt extract to use when making yeast starters is good too

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/blichmann-brewing-gloves.html

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WANT.






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I second the refractometer. I never had one till recently. I always thought my hydrometer was "good enough". Well, I eventually got a few extra dollars saved up and after a few more batches of having to wait for the temps to drop blah, blah, blah, I finally bought one. While I have yet to brew with it, I am looking forward to it! Instant Readings FTW!

It's hard to suggest when we don't know his process or what he has for equipment already.

I agree with hops, used not matter what you have, how you brew or what you brew they will be used. Well, unless he ONLY brews specific beers but that is his problem then, that or pick some other hobby to buy for.

Homercidal said:

I second the refractometer. I never had one till recently. I always thought my hydrometer was "good enough". Well, I eventually got a few extra dollars saved up and after a few more batches of having to wait for the temps to drop blah, blah, blah, I finally bought one. While I have yet to brew with it, I am looking forward to it! Instant Readings FTW!

It's hard to suggest when we don't know his process or what he has for equipment already.

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The only problem I see with buying equipment is he may already have it. Sounds like the OP does not know enough about brewing or his brewing to know just what he could use.

Ok, I guess I have to say it.

Oral Sex.

Homercidal said:

I second the refractometer. I never had one till recently.

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They are on Back order. Just got an email from Morebeer, so i wont be getting mine this week.

beer magazine subscription. maybe a couple of bottles of their favorite beer. I like the idea for buying some actual ingredients such as hops. A carboy would be awesome.

The thing I recently bought and really use is my mash paddle. I spotted it at Sportsman's Warehouse for around 11$ Its plain, and decent size with plenty of room to put something extra on it.
If you have a way to personalize it or take it someplace to have it done all the better.
Or Pop for a mashpaddle.com one.

Those brewing gloves are very interesting!

This is slightly pricey but if he doesn`t have it already it would be a fantastic addition to any brewers process

http://morebeer.com/view_product/16664/102282/Ranco_Digital_Two-Stage_Temperature_Controller_-_Wired

If he doesn't already have one, how about a paid subscription to this site? Regards, GF.

A variety of hops is the best idea I've seen so far - they will get used, no matter if he already has some of that variety or not. I just bought the grab bag from Austin Homebrew for myself, comes with 8 kinds of hops and some cleaning/sanitizing stuff for 20-something bucks.

A custom keg tap or glass would be cool. If you got his name on a glass (Johns Brewery) or w/e.

The etched glass idea is good. I love mine:

Its tough without knowing how much equipment he already has. I've received a few beer related gifts and know that they can be both a blessing and a curse. Its good to see you coming to other brewers for recommendations.

I like the hops idea, or maybe a precision scale to go with said hops.

A Stir Plate would be a great gift as well.

A buddy of mine is about to gift his girlfriend an entire all grain system. I think he's hoping she'll love it for like a month then he'll get to use it.

There's always the gift certifcate if you can't decide.

i like these ideas

hops
beer glasses
subscription