Attn Homebrewers: Your wishlist?

[cowboyardee]

A good friend is deeply involved in homebrewing various beers. I would like to buy this friend a christmas gift, and I figured that getting him something for this hobby would be the way to go. Unfortunately, as is usually the case when buying a present in the vein of someone else's hobby, I know a good deal less about it than he does.

So, homebrewing hounds, what would you like as a Christmas gift? I know his interest runs more towards ales than lagers, if that helps. Also if it helps, he brews primarily out of his kitchen, with a few 5-10 gallon plastic tubs for fermenting in his basement. In other words, still a fairly low key operation.

Ideally, a gift would cost $20-$60, but I'm flexible to an extent. Equipment and ingredient suggestions are both welcome, as well as anything else you can think of.

Thanks.

[LStaff]

Here are the Christmas gifts I have asked for over the years:

Barleycrusher (only useful if he is brewing with grain - or wants to)
Refractometer
12" thermometer
Large bottle of Iodophor
Large cannister of PBW
Brewing related books. Radical Brews by Randy Mosher or Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels are must haves

And I keep asking for a 14 gal. Stainless temperature controlled conical fermenter, but Santa never seems to bring it. ;-(

[tofuburrito]

Definitely the wort chiller. With your extra $ search around and see if you can find some fun bottle caps.

[Tom from Raleigh]

Too late for this Christmas, but for posterity's sake, here's my answer:

Wort chiller is a great idea. Another great idea is to get him the start of a kegging system. You can get into kegging for about $150. Going from bottling to kegging is a game changer.

[juantanamera]

A wort chiller is absolutely at the top of my list.

[Ernie Diamond]

I suggest two glass carboys w. airlocks, a bottle brush and some b-brite cleanser; basically what he needs to move from the bucket to glass. It's a little more work but I think it is more fun and more professional looking. It isn't so advanced as to be intimidating but it helps to move him a little farther along in the gear category...of which, one can never have enough.

BTW - A wort chiller is handy no matter what size brew.

[mazultav]

I think you could get him a wort chiller for around $50ish. Its a long coil of copper tubing that cools the wort to yeast pitching temperature faster.

[cowboyardee]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think he uses a wort chiller. Is this a good one for his (comparably) small batches of brew?
http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingca...

If I bought him that, I would still have money left for another small but nice gift. Keep the suggestions coming.