Author: Brülosophy Crew

Every year around this time, at least for the last few years, we begin receiving emails asking for recommendations of what we think would make great gifts for homebrewers. With so much great stuff out there and so many new products coming out each year, keeping such a list appropriately sized can be difficult. Also, after going over the lists from years past, we still firmly stand by those recommendations. So, rather than rehashing the same stuff, we came up with a list of cool stuff we haven’t already recommended, some that may not seem necessarily homebrew-centric at first but that we’ve found improved our overall brewing experience.

2017 Gift Ideas For Homebrewers

Since preference is subjective, all of the Brülosophy contributors provided a list of their own gift ideas that was then discussed among the crew and distilled to its final form with the order being randomized. The contributor/s who made the suggestion also provided a brief explanation of why they think it’d make a great gift.

Amazon Echo Voice Controlled Speaker

Recommended by Marshall

I’m no Luddite, but when voice controlled speakers hit the market a couple years ago, I was skeptical they’d catch on and held off on getting one. That is until last year when my wife gifted me an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas. A novelty at first, we quickly came to rely on it for music, weather checks, and to inquire about things we’d usually search Google for. My wife liked it so much, she recently grabbed a white Echo Plus with built-in speaker for our bedroom and we were both shocked by the sound quality. Desiring a sleeker music solution in my garage brewery, I ended up picking up a black Echo Plus along with another Dot for my daughter’s room. From 1 to 4 just like that! We finally decided to look into everything these things could do and that’s when I realized it’s utility as a brewing tool.

The Amazon Echo line of products all have multi-timer capabilities as well as the ability to set various reminders. “Alexa, set a timer for 60 minutes.” With a task like brewing that requires hop additions at various points during the boil, this is immensely convenient. For a more personalized experience, “Alexa, remind me to add hops to the boil in 30 minutes.” Once 30 minutes has past, you get an audible reminder as well as a notification on your phone, “This is your reminder to add hops to the boil.”

As if that weren’t enough, there’s another feature of the Amazon Echo that has come in way more handy than I ever expected. I brew in my garage, which means I’m outside and away from my family for a good 4 to 6 hours per brew day, so if I’m needed for anything, someone has to come get me. Not anymore– “Alexa, drop-in on garage.” Boom, wife or kids can talk to me from inside the house through our Echo devices. I get that some might find this an inconvenience…

The Amazon Echo is also compatible with smart plugs, which on the surface may not sound like it’d be all that useful to a homebrewer. But, for those who use pumps, heat sticks, or other electric devices, it’s actually quite convenient. “Alexa, turn off heat stick” or “Alexa, turn on pump.” Using a 15a smart plug, all of this is possible, and I love it!

These are just some of the reasons the Amazon Echo tops my list of killer holiday homebrew gifts! Amazon recently updated this product line, so be sure to pick the one that suits your needs best. While the Echo Dot sounds surprisingly decent in a bedroom, I’d strongly recommend either the Echo or Echo Plus for garage/outdoor use; if you have a sound system in place, the you can easily connect the Dot to it for killer sound, the same way I have it in my living room.

For a detailed review of the Amazon Echo, check out contributor Jason Cipriani’s review on ZDNet. Also, Refurbished Echo devices are currently being sold at a really good discount, a great way to jump into voice controlled speakers at a lower price-point.

As an aside, Amazon Music Unlimited has been beyond worth the $7.99/month we pay as Prime members. We’re a music loving family, from Yacht Rock to Modern Pop, we’ve got the tunes blaring nearly every waking second. And the selection is truly incredible!

Folding Work Table

Recommended by Ray

Often overlooked, figuring out the best place to put one’s mash tun is a dilemma every homebrewer faces. Counters are convenient, but most of us brew outside and are forced to finagle a solution, I’ve seen everything from cinder blocks to cumbersome picnic tables. Seeking something portable and space-saving that was strong enough to withstand the weight of a full mash tun, I did some searching and eventually found this convenient folding work table.

Rated to hold up to 1,000 lbs/454 kg, it poses no issue for even my biggest mashes, and the lower shelf is perfect for holding all of my brew day wares such as a thermometer, hydrometer, and pH meter. Of course, this work table is super handy for other household projects as well, I’ve found I end up using it between most brew days. Folding it up is as easy as pulling up on the side handles and it compacts to a size easy enough to stow it away in a small space, leaving my garage open and free of clutter.

Dart Board

Recommended by Jake

Let’s face it, brewing consists of a lot of waiting– mash in, wait an hour, rack wort to kettle, wait another hour while boiling, and so on. Since I don’t like to leave my brewery-in-action unattended, it’s nice to have something to do to kill the time… like throw darts! While some might prefer the experience of chucking metal spears into a traditional dart board, others may enjoy the multiple built-in games and ease of scoring offered by electronic versions. Thankfully, there exists abundant options for both in a range of prices. With as often as I brew, my dart game has gotten pretty strong. World Darts Championship, watch out!

Brewery Cleaning & Sanitation Kit

Recommended by Matt Del Fiacco & Brian Hall

The worst part of brewing is the clean-up, which given the fact good beer demands clean and sanitary gear, it’s very important. Unfortunately, likely due to the lack of fun involved in cleaning and sanitizing, brewers often fail to realize their out of cleaner or sanitizer until they need it, which is why we think a kit would make a perfect gift for any homebrewer! Essential to any brewery is a good all-purpose cleaner such as Craft Meister Alkaline Brewery Wash and Five Star PBW, which can be used to clean everything from tubing and carboys to kegs and kettles. While Five Star Chemicals’ Star San has seemingly become the preferred sanitizer by many breweries, I like to keep some Iodophor on hand as well, intermittently using it to sanitize fermentors and kegs just to be on the safe side.

A deluxe cleaning and sanitizing gift set might also include a keg cleaner such as the Mark II Corny Keg & Carboy Washer, or for the DIY brewer in your life, all the parts necessary to build a BrüBlaster Keg & Carboy Washer!

BrewHardware HotRod Heat Stick

Recommended by Jason, Brian, & Marshall

Brewing requires a lot of energy that has traditionally been in the form of propane or natural gas for homebrewers. However, electric brewing seems to be growing in popularity quickly, spurring the development of awesome new gear like BrewHardware’s HotRod Heat Stick.

The HotRod has a 1500 watt element and works on any standard 120v circuit, which may not be enough as the sole energy source 5+ gallon batches, but it’s a fantastic heating assistant! Combined with a smart plug with integrated timer, I use the HotRod to preheat brewing liquor prior to the start of my brew day, it’s been so incredibly nice. Brian relies on his HotRod to heat strike water to avoid having to deal with frozen propane tanks, a common issue on cool Anchorage brew days, while Jason just picked up a HotRod to assist with heating water faster in his Grainfather setup. I’ve little doubt any homebrewer would be thrilled to receive a BrewHardware HotRod Heat Stick as a gift. A good better-safe-than sorry accessory is a portable GFCI adapter, essential when using electricity around water.

Portable Grain Milling Station

Recommended by Ray

I’ve never met someone who regretted purchasing (or receiving as a gift) their own grain mill, a necessary piece of gear for serious homebrewers who purchase their grain in bulk. Not only does it allow for total control of the crush, which will influence efficiency, but it also makes spontaneous brew days much easier since no trip to the homebrew shop is required. Something every mill owner has to consider is setup and storage, which inspired me to put this portable grain milling station together using an inexpensive rolling cart I found on Amazon.

Simply cut out a hole for the grain to fall through, attach the mill to the table, and position the sliding shelf so a bucket fits on it to create a convenient rolling grain milling station that also has storage space. I went the extra mile by attaching my high-torque/low-speed drill to the cart as well as my grain scale, which really makes brew preparation a cinch!

Brewing Water Adjustment Kit

Recommended by Brian & Marshall

With water chemistry exBEERiments focused on mineral profile consistently returning significant results, making adjustments to brewing water is perhaps more important than many have been led to believe. Some avoid this step because it seems daunting, relying instead on blindly using the same tap water for every batch, but it’s actually quite easy and cheap. The first step is ensuring a solid starting point, which for most means picking up a water filter. For those whose tap water is soft, doesn’t smell like a pool, and from a consistent source, a simple RV filter ought to work fine. For brewers not so aqueously blessed, a reverse osmosis (RO) filter and garden hose adapter is the better solution. A cheap TDS meter is good to have around as it’s a quick and easy way to determine if filters need to be replaced.

From here, all that’s needed is some minerals and acid, all of which can be purchased in bulk sizing to reduce costs and ensure consistent availability. The two minerals I most commonly use are gypsum (calcium sulfate) and calcium chloride, though I like to keep some pickling lime and Epsom salt around as well. Most brewers have at least 1 scale in their brewery, but if not, we really like the precision, price, and size of the American Weigh Blade Scale.

DIY Glass Etching Supplies

Recommended by Ray

Personalized beer glasses are badass, but they can typically only be ordered in bulk, which puts them out of the range of reasonable for most homebrewers. I discovered a really cool and inexpensive way to customize drinkware, or any glass for that matter, is to use glass etching cream. It couldn’t be simpler, just attach an appropriately sized stencil to your glass of choice, apply the cream, then wait for a few mintues before washing the cream off. Voila, a one-of-a-kind customized beer glass! The stencil options are basically endless as well. Got a logo for your homebrewery? Print it out the size you want, use a sharp knife to cut out the portion you want to etched into your glass, then proceed as usual. Stickers, tape, and pre-made stencils work equally as well. Just be sure to use gloves and safety glasses when using the cream, as it will burn skin and eyes.

Barrel Alternatives

Recommended by Brian & Matt

Barrels are romanticized in the craft brewing world for their ability to impart the characteristics of a favorite spirit to a glass of suds. As elegant as they look, barrels are often impractical for homebrewers not only because of their cumbersomeness, but they require regular maintenance and need to be consistently filled with some liquid to avoid drying out. Elegance is fashionable but homebrewers tend to look towards the practical, which is why I think barrel alternatives are a great gift idea.

Through the use of wood chips, cubes, spirals, staves, or honeycombs in their various levels to toast and char, homebrewers are given the opportunity to create unique tasting beers they might otherwise be unable to make. Using barrel alternatives is very easy, simply boil for about 10 minutes to sanitize and remove some tannins then either toss is it straight into the fermented beer (primary or secondary. For additional character, allow the wood to soak in a favorite spirit for a few days before introducing them to the beer. Adventures In Homebrewing and MoreBeer offer a wide variety of barrel alternatives, have a look and pick something fun!

Easy Hard Cider Kit

Recommended by Matt

I love brewing and drinking beer, but I also enjoy dabbling in other zymurgical activities. Making hard cider is an age old tradition and one of my favorite ways to apply fermentation process to new drinks. Plus, it’s incredibly easy! All that’s required to make a surprisingly delicious hard cider is some apple juice, yeast, and something to ferment it in! What homebrewer wouldn’t love to receive a thoughtful kit playing to their passion for fermentation?

While some swear by fresh pressed or organic apple juice from unique apple varieties, I’ve had great results using preservative free store-bought juice. For small batches, a 1 gallon container of juice works as a perfect fermentation vessel, just pour off a few ounces before pitching the yeast then plop on an airlock and let ‘er rip. Since cider goes so fast in my house, I prefer 5 gallon batches, which requires a larger fermentor. For yeast, I’ve come to appreciate the dryness and flavor I get from Danstar Belle Saison. Those who prefer their hard cider on the sweeter side will need to pick up some potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfate, which when added to the fermeted cider will knock the yeast out and allow for back-sweetening without further fermentation, 2-3 cans of thawed apple juice concentrate added at packaging is all that’s needed to add a sweet touch without being cloying.

There you have it, 10 things we believe any homebrew would love to receive as a gift this holiday season. If nothing tickled your fancy and you want even more ideas, have a look at the list of products we’ve reviewed as well as our gift ideas from prior years:

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If you have any questions about the recommendations we made or thoughts you’d like to share, please leave them in the comments section below!

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