Gifts for Homebrewers: What to Get a Brewer, by Setup
Gift ideas a homebrewer will actually use: stocking stuffers, brew-day upgrades and big gifts, plus how to check what fits their setup and the Christmas order-by dates.
In this post
The short answer: the best gifts for a homebrewer are the upgrades that make brew day easier or the beer better, not novelty gadgets. If you're not sure what they brew on, a gift card is the safe bet. If you can peek at their setup, pick one of the ideas below that fits it.
| Gift | Good for | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Gift card | Anyone, when you don't know their setup | Everything |
| Steam condenser | Brewing indoors without an exhaust hood | Kettles with a 1.5" tri-clamp top port |
| Counterflow wort chiller | Chilling wort faster, in one pass | Any system with a pump |
| Spunding valve | Pressure fermenting and carbonating in the tank | Unitank fermenters |
| Brew table | A comfortable working height and a tidy brew space | Unibräu, BräuPro and HERMS |
First, check what they brew on
Most brewing gear connects with 1.5" tri-clamp fittings, but not every part fits every system. Before you buy, take a quick look at their setup, or ask a brewing friend:
- A single kettle with a grain basket? That's a single-vessel system like the Unibräu.
- A stainless cone-shaped fermenter with a jacket? That's a Unitank, and the fermentation gifts below fit it.
- Plastic buckets and a pot on the stove? They're ready for a big upgrade, or a gift card toward one.
Stocking stuffers
| Gift | Why they'll use it |
|---|---|
| Tri-clamp thermowell | Holds a temperature probe in a 1.5" port for accurate, repeatable readings |
| Tri-clamp sample valve | Pull a gravity sample without opening the fermenter |
| Rotating CIP spray device | Cleans a fermenter or kettle in place, with a pump |
| Silicone tubing | Every brewer runs out, and it's the kind that takes boiling wort |
| Brew-in-a-bag brew bag | For brewers who mash in a bag in their kettle |
Brew-day upgrades
| Gift | What it does | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Steam condenser | Turns boil steam back into water, so they can brew indoors | A 1.5" tri-clamp port on the lid or top of the kettle |
| Counterflow wort chiller | Chills wort to pitching temperature on the way to the fermenter | They need a pump to push wort through it |
| HopBlock filter plate | Keeps hops out of the pump and chiller | Unibräu Tri-Clad kettles only |
| 120V element upgrade kit | A second element for faster heating | A 120V Unibräu, and a second 15 A circuit nearby |
| Carbonation stone | Carbonates beer in the tank; also oxygenates wort before pitching | A Unitank or a tri-clamp port |
| Spunding valve | Sets the pressure to ferment under pressure and carbonate naturally | A Unitank |
| Oxygen-free HopDrop | Adds dry hops without letting air into the tank | A fermenter with a 3" tri-clamp top port |
Big gifts
- Brew table: brings a Unibräu, BräuPro or HERMS to a comfortable working height.
- Fermenter temperature control kit: holds a jacketed fermenter at the right temperature, on tap water or glycol.
- Unitank: a jacketed stainless conical fermenter they can pressure-ferment and carbonate in.
- A glycol chiller: for lagers and cold crashing any time of year. Use the sizing calculator on our glycol chillers page to pick the right one.
- A whole brewing system: the Unibräu DrainPro mashes, sparges and boils in one kettle. Not sure which system suits them? Our Brew Day Planner shows how a brew day runs on each one.
When to order for Christmas
Order brewing systems by Friday, December 4 and accessories by Friday, December 11 for delivery before Christmas. Every system is built to order in 5 to 10 days.
Frequently asked questions
What do homebrewers actually want as a gift?
Something that fixes a nuisance on brew day: faster chilling, less steam in the house, easier cleaning, or better temperature control. Ask what slows them down, and the answer usually points to the gift.
Is a gift card a good gift for a brewer?
Yes, especially if you don't know their setup. Brewers are picky about what fits their system, and a gift card lets them choose.
Will it fit their equipment?
Most Bräu Supply parts use standard 1.5" tri-clamp fittings, and each product page lists what it fits. Some parts are system-specific, like the HopBlock filter for Tri-Clad kettles or the element upgrade kit for the 120V Unibräu.
What can I give a beginner?
A good first brew-day upgrade is a counterflow chiller or a steam condenser. If they're still on a pot and buckets, a gift card toward a Unibräu goes a long way.
Related guides
Essential homebrewing equipment, electric brewing for beginners, brewing a Christmas beer and all our recipes.