$50 Shopping Challenge

[King Brown]

So I have to right a Christmas list for the missus' families gift registry, everyone gets $50 spent on them. I'm kinda stuck for what to put on the list, so I thought it could be fun to get everyone to post what they think the best brewing gear that can be bought for $50 or less and why...

 

[Fermented]

* Fermenter & necessary accessories (can never have too many)
* Quality spirit thermometer (just plain old useful, especially the big English wide range glass ones)
* Quality multimeter with K-type thermocouple or other temperature probe
* Hydrometer (you never know when you're going to break one)
* pH meter (if you're into tweaking your water)
* Bottle tree (makes bottling in a limited space a breeze and it's tidy for draining clean empties)
* Super-automatica capper for anyone still silly enough to be doing it the hard (and dangerous) way
* Glasses! Victoria's Basement has/had a sale on and I think Target may still have 25% off on some decent beer glasses
* More glasses! A set of decent Nonics (plain or nucleated)

That's about all I can think of...

Cheers - Fermented.

EDIT: Added pH meter.

 

[clean brewer]

I would ask for a Refractometer..

 

[afromaiko]

Fridgemate

 

[afromaiko]

I would ask for a Refractometer..

Yeah, or what he said! Who has them for < $50 ?

 

[Stuster]

Ebay sellers should have refractometers for less than $50. But hard to ask a non-brewer to sort out which is a reasonable seller and get the right type for brewing. :huh:

All of Fermented's suggestions look good. What kind of brewer are you right now?

 

[Fermented]

Yeah, or what he said! Who has them for < $50 ?

If you're not too fussy about used gear they show up on Grays and the like and often go for $18 + S/H. There are some lab / biotech liquidations on there now (or there was a couple of days ago).

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[Sammus]

<snip>
* Quality multimeter with K-type thermocouple or other temperature probe
<snip>

Aren't they closer to $500? I guess it depends what you mean by quality

 

[Fermented]

Aren't they closer to $500? I guess it depends what you mean by quality

There's some utter shite around for about $15 for the DMM and $10 for the probe. They have an repeatability of about +/- 5C and are about as accurate as using your finger.

$500+? No wuckers! Let's get a Fluke! Or maybe some other more exotic German kit.

I was referring to some stuff from Jaycar and the like (not DSE!) that' accurate +/- 0.2C repeatable which is just fine for brewing purposes and is about fifty bucks.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[King Brown]

Ebay sellers should have refractometers for less than $50. But hard to ask a non-brewer to sort out which is a reasonable seller and get the right type for brewing. :huh:

All of Fermented's suggestions look good. What kind of brewer are you right now?

Yeah that thought did cross my mind, I think I'll just tell them to check out their LHBS. I'm an extract brewer atm, but I do intend on making the leap to AG eventually, when I have my own place and my own brew shed

I have considered a fridgemate, but a quick query, does it need to be used on a working fridge or will it be ok on a broken down one?? ie does it actually cool/heat, or does it just control the temperature of a cooling/heating unit?

 

[Batz]

Ebay sellers should have refractometers for less than $50. But hard to ask a non-brewer to sort out which is a reasonable seller and get the right type for brewing. :huh:

All of Fermented's suggestions look good. What kind of brewer are you right now?

That would be my pick as well,Ross has them for $57.00,give them $10.00 and say I really want this.


Batz

 

[clean brewer]

Yeah that thought did cross my mind, I think I'll just tell them to check out their LHBS. I'm an extract brewer atm, but I do intend on making the leap to AG eventually, when I have my own place and my own brew shed

I have considered a fridgemate, but a quick query, does it need to be used on a working fridge or will it be ok on a broken down one?? ie does it actually cool/heat, or does it just control the temperature of a cooling/heating unit?

King Brown, you dont need to do AG to use a Refractometer and expect them to be much dearer at your LHBS, mine is..

Fridgemate needs to be used on a working fridge..

Maybe give them craftbrewer website and get them to buy you Gift Vouchers(I think they come in $10 lots) , then you can get what you want..

 

[SJW]

For the boys in NSW or Newcastle/Sydney MHB is selling un-named malt for $2 per Kg. For what its worth I would love another bag for christmas. I did a test brew with a few kgs and some darks malt and made a Schwartzbier last week and I hit 85% efficency into the kettle, 10% more than normal. this malt is sensational and at $2 per Kg its gold.
(sorry Mark it had to be said )
Steve

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

For the boys in NSW or Newcastle/Sydney MHB is selling un-named malt for $2 per Kg. For what its worth I would love another bag for christmas. I did a test brew with a few kgs and some darks malt and made a Schwartzbier last week and I hit 85% efficency into the kettle, 10% more than normal. this malt is sensational and at $2 per Kg its gold.
(sorry Mark it had to be said )
Steve

$2.00 a Kilo = Bargain.Buy now.No name? must come from some one.
GB

 

[Tony]

chewed on some last time i was in and it tasted good.

ITs just whats left in a silo when the next truck load comes in at a local micro i think.

cryer, IMC, JW...... all the same these days

 

[SJW]

It's B&B.

 

[T.D.]

Ahh thought so, thanks for confirming that. I picked up 80kg a couple of weeks back. Was great to finally meet Mark too. Great bloke and awesome store - I was like a kid in a candy shop!

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

It's B&B.

BB Ale , Pale ? Either way its good value. Good on you Mark.
GB

 

[Tony]

If i had $50 i would buy a good book

Designing great beers.......... New brewing lager beers.

worth every cent!

Never read palmers book..... dont intend to. Its like cascade i guess.

cheers

 

[King Brown]

If i had $50 i would buy a good book

Designing great beers.......... New brewing lager beers.

worth every cent!

Never read palmers book..... dont intend to. Its like cascade i guess.

cheers

Yeah, I put a few books that have been reccomended to me on the list