Appreciating Gifts...

[Kevin Dean]

This Christmas my mother in law got me a recipe kit. On one hand, that's VERY cool since her gift was certainly tuned in to me, an knowing next to nothing about beer, she didn't do too bad.

It was a MoreBeer Christmas Ale extract kit.

I've been brewing all-grain for a while now so when I got it I was a little put off - my wife and I decided we'd "regift" it after brewing it and aging it for a year.

I brewed it today, actually, at the tail end of being sick. I swear I have never been SO glad I did an extract brew! By the end of that I was beat and seriously almost considered leaving the fermenter bucket downstairs in the basement (nasty!) until I had more energy to move it upstairs.

Here's to surprise endings and being able to still brew while I was sick!

 

[Fingers]

That's terrible! You were 'put off'? Sounds like Mom was really trying to do right by you. Does she live with you? If so, I can see a raised eyebrow to some extent, but hell, even my wife wouldn't how to buy me a kit. If she doesn't live with you, you can't really expect her to know anything at all. The fact that she came so close really speaks to her character.

 

[Kevin Dean]

I certainly think she did a great job. The thing is, I do not enjoy brewing extract kits - she doesn't know this and I truly appreciate the time and effort she put into getting it for me.

The fact that I'm not fond of extract brewing makes this gift even MORE cool, which was the point I was trying to make here. I found the silver lining, that was my point.

I couldn't have gotten through an all-grain brew day today - what my gift was, really, was being able to squeeze in a batch where I wouldn't have been able to. I think that's cool.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Consider yourself lucky. My MIL got me a sweater. She's known me 20 years and has never seen me wear sweaters. I hate them and she knows it.

 

[BierMuncher]

I understood what you meant...not so much "put off" as thinking "close...but not quite".

I still reserve the right to do a quick extract if it's an emergency.

PS - I just opened a 1-year old English Ale that was an extract from last (2006) December 29th. It was awesome.

 

[Beerrific]

My (soon to be) MIL got me a pound of hops from HopsDirect, a $30 gift certificate to Northern Brewer, Designing Great Beer, Brewing Classic Styles, a bunch of (good!) nips, and a home cheese making kit. Sorry.

 

[mrk305]

I got an extract kit from my daughters for Christmas. I have been making all grain for a couple of months. I went to the LHBS and got a pound of DME and it has been in the fermenter now for 8 days. I could have taken it back and traded it for something else, but no way. One of my daughters asked me yesterday if I tried it yet, and I told her it takes a month to make, and it has been in the bucket for a week. It would have sucked if I told her I traded it in on something.

I had seen it under the tree, but hadn't picked it up. As soon as I picked it up, I knew what it was but I was surprised. Beer! You gave your Dad 5 gallons of beer!

I had suggested that they get me a beer recipe book. The got me a book. Cooking with beer.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

and a home cheese making kit.

Now THAT sounds like fun!

 

[BierMuncher]

...I had suggested that they get me a beer recipe book. The got me a book. Cooking with beer.

Now that's a freakin riot....

Somehow I think that you're going to end up bottling up that X-mas beer and cracking it open, only on the most special of occasions.

 

[98EXL]

I'm sorry dude, my mother did it right and got me a gift certificate to the LHBS, she knows nothing, so went the safe route

 

[rdwj]

Consider yourself lucky. My MIL got me a sweater. She's known me 20 years and has never seen me wear sweaters. I hate them and she knows it.

I have an aunt that does that to me every year. I HATE sweaters and I get one nearly every year from her. Last year, I got one of those sweater vest things. My wife couldn't help but snicker a little when she saw me open it.

 

[Soulive]

My M-I-L got me a new 18v drill, golf bag, 200 peice drill bit set, and $200 for misc. With that said - if she got me some extract kit from the HBS, I'd take it and happily put it to use...

 

[Lil' Sparky]

I think it's really cool when people put a lot of thought into gifts. We try really hard to make sure people will like what we get them.

When SWMBO asked about Christmas gifts, I gave her some beer-related ideas, at which point her head started spinning. In the end I made the order, but we usually don't do big surprises for each other, anyway.

My Mom, on the other hand, wanted to get me something beer related, but she didn't know what to get. So she went online to fine a retailer to see about a gift card. After she bought it, she asked my wife, "I got him a gift card to Austin Homebrew Supply. Is that good?" SWMBO assured her it was PERFECT! $200 of beer related goodies at my full disposal! What more could you ask?

 

[JustDave]

Man, poor sweaters are getting no love in this thread!

Sure we all hate ugly sweaters ... but if they look nice and aren't horribly itchy they come in handy in these cold New England winters. Plus, if they're big enough they hide my man boobs.

 

[TexLaw]

That's a great story, Kevin. It's great to hear how your MIL is tuning into you, and even better to hear how it all worked out.


TL

 

[shafferpilot]

Consider yourself lucky. My MIL got me a sweater. She's known me 20 years and has never seen me wear sweaters. I hate them and she knows it.

Now that's funny as hell. whats the "best" gift you've gotten from her?

 

[PseudoChef]

The one and only extract beer I did is still a great one. If i'm ever running low on beer, I may just do another one because it was so easy.

My MIL got me steak knives. Looks like I could easily saw a finger off with them.

 

[sTango]

My (soon to be) MIL got me a pound of hops from HopsDirect, a $30 gift certificate to Northern Brewer, Designing Great Beer, Brewing Classic Styles, a bunch of (good!) nips, and a home cheese making kit. Sorry.

thats awesome....have you ever made cheese before? it looks cool..

 

[Jester369]

I no longer have a M.I.L., but my gf and her parents bought me a conical, so I have absolutely NO complaints. For my bday last year they got me a CO2 setup. It helps that my lady brews with me, so she knows the whole process, and that her parents ask her what they should get me.

 

[98EXL]

I no longer have a M.I.L., but my gf and her parents bought me a conical, so I have absolutely NO complaints. For my bday last year they got me a CO2 setup. It helps that my lady brews with me, so she knows the whole process, and that her parents ask her what they should get me.

yes, you are so lucky we know

 

[the_bird]

I no longer have a M.I.L., but my gf and her parents bought me a conical, so I have absolutely NO complaints. For my bday last year they got me a CO2 setup. It helps that my lady brews with me, so she knows the whole process, and that her parents ask her what they should get me.

As if we didn't need even MORE proof of Red's uber-coolness...

(BTW... I'm willing to wager that Red's invited along to Glib's place, as well... )

 

[shafferpilot]

I no longer have a M.I.L., but my gf and her parents bought me a conical, so I have absolutely NO complaints. For my bday last year they got me a CO2 setup. It helps that my lady brews with me, so she knows the whole process, and that her parents ask her what they should get me.

WTF. Seriously Hot redhead chick, likes getting oogled, with Awesome parents who give you awesome christmas presents... WTF Who did you sell your Fricken soul to, dude?

 

[mrk305]

I got an extract kit from my daughters for Christmas. I have been making all grain for a couple of months. I went to the LHBS and got a pound of DME and it has been in the fermenter now for 8 days. I could have taken it back and traded it for something else, but no way. One of my daughters asked me yesterday if I tried it yet, and I told her it takes a month to make, and it has been in the bucket for a week. It would have sucked if I told her I traded it in on something.

I had seen it under the tree, but hadn't picked it up. As soon as I picked it up, I knew what it was but I was surprised. Beer! You gave your Dad 5 gallons of beer!

I had suggested that they get me a beer recipe book. The got me a book. Cooking with beer.

Drinking my Christmas beers tonight. Can of extract plus I added a pound of LME, heated to 180 and added an ounce of I forget hops.

It's not bad!! I have better, but it's not bad!! I will drink and enjoy all 24 22oz bottles!

 

[NewBlood]

Well I think I have you guys beat...Christmas Eve. Mother in Law says hey do you mind to run to the store and pick up a last minute gift for my brother in law. She says he just got a new Ipod and needs some stuff for his vehicle. She says just go buy whatever you would want since you know about that stuff. So fast forward a few hours and we are opening gifts...I went and bought my own gifts. I about fell out of my chair. You know with Christmas being at a different time this year it must have thrown her off and she just wasnt prepared.

 

[Danek]

My (soon to be) MIL got me a pound of hops from HopsDirect, a $30 gift certificate to Northern Brewer, Designing Great Beer, Brewing Classic Styles, a bunch of (good!) nips, and a home cheese making kit. Sorry.

Does she have any other daughters who happen to be single?

 

[Chaos_Being]

Man, I wish my in-laws would give me gifts like that! I always get pants that don't fit, and ties I won't wear!