[swmbcherished]

hi,
I'm looking for ideas to make a nice gift for my husband. I have several occasions coming up and I figured a homebrewing group of guys would know better than my firends over on the crochet forum 

What are some cool gift ideas you'd like your wife to get for you?

[SiameseMoose]

I used to work in a homebrew store, so I got a lot of questions like this. Most people ended up buying gift certificates, mainly because they didn't know what gear the recipient already had. Beyond gift cards, my most successful recommendations (success=not returned) included: refractometers, bottle trees, decorative growlers, and mini-keg systems. At the time we did not sell pumps, but that's the best homebrew gift I've ever received.

Good Luck!

[jeffy]

Love your name.
It depends a lot on what he's got already, but a refractometer is a nice gift as well as a pH meter.  I'd go with more tools than ingredients.  Does he have a cajun cooker to brew outside?  Kegs are nice.  Why not let us know how deep he is into the hobby.
That gift certificate is also pretty nice, but it isn't quite as "personal" if you know what I mean.

[phillamb168]

This isn't homebrewing related per se, but one of the coolest things my wife has ever gotten me is one of these, which she gave me for our two-year anniversary this year:

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000MX5Y9C

I use it for checking temps on the grill, the fryer, the boil, etc etc. Plus it's neat to just point at something and know its temperature.

[tygo]

This isn't homebrewing related per se, but one of the coolest things my wife has ever gotten me is one of these, which she gave me for our two-year anniversary this year:

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000MX5Y9C

I use it for checking temps on the grill, the fryer, the boil, etc etc. Plus it's neat to just point at something and know its temperature.

Or, on a similar note, one of these:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/thermapen-digital-thermometer?go=DetailDefault&ref=ti&select=C82&byCategory=C515&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=thermapen&utm_campaign=brandterms&utm_term=thermoworks_thermapen&gcl

I bought this primarily for checking mash temps but it's great for cooking as well.

Edit - I'm not endorsing that particular site, it was just the first one that came up.

[tschmidlin]

Yeah, without knowing him or his setup it's really hard to guess what he might want or need.  Can you ask any of his brew buddies?

My wife got me a new 3-gallon keg one time when we were dating, that was cool.    She went to the brew store with me because she "had an errand to run" nearby.  Then she followed me around and asked about stuff until she figured out what she could get me.  Sneaky.   

[swmbcherished]

thanks for your answers 
I couldn't describe his set up but he has quite a bit! Maybe not a refractometer though...
A customised or decorated keg or kettle could be nice too. Where can I get those?
Otherwise I was thinking about a nice old fashioned bar stool, and a home depot gift card to make a nice bar in his homebrewing cave, or does that sounds lame?

[ryang]

Otherwise I was thinking about a nice old fashioned bar stool, and a home depot gift card to make a nice bar in his homebrewing cave, or does that sounds lame?

That definitely does not sound lame.

A customised or decorated keg or kettle could be nice too. Where can I get those?

Not sure about kettles and kegs, but you can easily do a custom barrel... if he's into that sort of thing.  http://stores.ebay.com/Arts-and-Crafts-of-Mexico
I'm sure there are possibilities for customizing a keg or kettle

[EHall]

I think you just answered your own question... a barstool and GC to homedepot to build his own bar in his cave... Make sure you include a card with it that reminds him how awsome of a wife he has!

[euge]

If he doesn't have a good thermometer then the superfast thermapen is a nice gift. I swear by mine. And you/he can use it when cooking too.

[phillamb168]

I think you just answered your own question... a barstool and GC to homedepot to build his own bar in his cave... Make sure you include a card with it that reminds him how awsome of a wife he has!

+1,000,000 to this one.

[Steve]

I've wanted this for Christmas for the past two years but no one gets it for me. <insert whining here> $32.99. http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Industries-ET-74-Turkey-Thermometer/dp/B0009XBIM2/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I6ANCBJ6P9TYT&colid=1LBEA1W2N516E You can walk around and see the temperature at any time.  A bit better than the long probe round dial.   "Set it and forget it!" Almost!

[stlaleman]

One of these is what he needs.... http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/The-Brewhemoth/144437928937396

[MrNate]

I've wanted this for Christmas for the past two years but no one gets it for me. <insert whining here> $32.99. http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Industries-ET-74-Turkey-Thermometer/dp/B0009XBIM2/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I6ANCBJ6P9TYT&colid=1LBEA1W2N516E You can walk around and see the temperature at any time.  A bit better than the long probe round dial.   "Set it and forget it!" Almost!

I have one but don;t use it much anymore. Where are you located?

[gordonstrong]

I think you just answered your own question... a barstool and GC to homedepot to build his own bar in his cave... Make sure you include a card with it that reminds him how awsome of a wife he has!

If he doesn't realize that without the card, use part of the home depot card to buy a 2x4 and whack him in the head.