BeerBorg

I didn't get anyting brewing related, but I got quite a bit of decorating items. I'm in the beginning processes of redecorating my basement/brewing area into more of a pup area. So I got some some signs, a light, a bar type bottle opener (the kind you put the bottle into and snap down, and the bottle cap drops into a little cannister below), two bar stools and a couple other items that will help make the place look less like a basement. Once I start the project, I'll take some before and after pictures.

Some of you may know I collect bottle openers. I display them on the framing of my beer closet, and I've come up with some interesting ones, and some which commemorate special places and/or special occasions.

My wife got me this one, made from part of a game-used bat by my team, the New York Mets. It's going to have pride of place in my display. It's a real beauty!

ETA: I just looked up the authentication details. "Made with a piece of this game used broken bat from Miami Marlins @ New York Mets on September 17, 2014 - Batter - Ruben Tejada, Pitcher - Henderson Alvarez, pop fly to SS."

I didn't get much of anything brewing related this year. I could have, I mentioned to the wife maybe some brewing books or this nice timer/thermometer I seen online. But I never pointed her to anything directly, otherwise I probably would have gotten them. It's ok, nothing more I really need and I just made some upgrades in the past couple months. The wife and I decided to go light this year both on ourselves and the kids. They still made out pretty nice and got things they needed, wanted...etc we just didnt' go all out.

But I did get a new notebook for my brewing notes. I usually fill one up every year (the smaller half size spiral note books) with recipes and notes from my brewday. I have a collection of them from over the years and I like to look back at them for ideas or things I want to pick from or reference for a new batch. The one she got me is a nice, black, magnetic closable, leather covered notebook. It's quite nice. I'll start off the new year with that when I brew on Sunday...close enough to the new year.

Nothing brewing related, but I have most everything I want minus the elaborate brew toys. Most everything was running related. It seems the family much more openly supports my other hobby

The wife and one of my daughters did this for me. They got six of my empty bottles of home brew that still had labels on them, and where they found them IDK because I usually clean them off and don't label all that much anyway unless to give some beer away. They had someone drill a hole in the bottom of the bottle and then they stuffed Christmas lights in them and put a used bottle cap back on.............


Quite cool, I will put them on my bottle and glass shelf. That's the kind of presents I really appreciate,

I like it! Never have seen that one before.

That's really awesome and thoughtful. Definitely the best type of presents!!

Got an unexpected brewing gift from my wife and I love it! It's a brewing Journal like mentioned in Mad Brewers post. I took some photos to show. It is really awesome! Instead of bringing my laptop down to brew now and printing the recipe I can write it down in my journal with notes and such. In the journal it also has a few pages in the beginning with reference things like conversion charts for temp, mass, volume, color glassware, ABV, and hops and yeast strains. It is quite handy!

Here are some photos.

Here are the record pages:

Nothing beer related here. I did get a Lowes gift card that I will use for some L6-30 plugs and some wire I need for my brewery build.

I was very happy to receive a number of gifts, all great...

Back on vinyl again after many, many oh too many years via a great turntable my youngest daughter got me... My wife gifted the matching record stand... Feels like 1970 again! Now I've got to enhance my existing album collection... Never thought I'ld be looking at picking up new 180 gram vinyl pressings of some of my old favs like Zeps Physical Graffiti and other reissues..., The White Album, some replacement Floyd Boys, etc...

From sons and d-i-l, dinner cards, movie passes, some great pants (jeans with flannel in them, now that that I have them I hope it will never snow here in WNY! LOL!)

Beer Related, got a fancy dancy bottle opener of the wall mount bar variety, in black, mounted on a verticle rectangle of wood that is finished like mahogany... The cool thing? There a magnet and bottle cap mounted below the opener so that any caps that fall get caught by the magnet and pile up there, hanging by the force... Sweet!

Also Beer Related: A very generous gift certificate to my LHBS from another daughter and her two kids...

Didn't get to see two kids yet, that will be later due to the flu etc. on their end.

Got a great Pink Floyd shirt and a bikini clad shot glass from my oldest grandson....

And from another grandson, my buddy... Got this handmade treasure on a tile square... (Sorry for the lousy pic, cell phone, low light...)
Looks like he did this in school after we went Christmas shopping but in addition we spend a lot of time playing xbox, riding bikes, watching movies and Dr. Who, tending a garden, playing catch, board games, trivia games, music (he plays trumpet, I play guitar) etc. etc. etc...

Loving life I say, loving life!

Love these handmade gifts! I did receive a dual regulator from my BILs. With my splitter, I can now carb two levels (the max of my fridge) and have an open line for carbing, beer gun, etc.

Side note...any ideas to use my current regulator, or should I just resell it?

MrBandGuy wrote:Side note...any ideas to use my current regulator, or should I just resell it?

Keep it and get another tank. I use mine all the time for purging/sealing kegs, pushing beer when needed (ever try to get 10 gallons out of a Rum barrel), quick carbing beer in 2 liter bottles, portable keggerator, many, many things. I have managed to score two 5 lb tanks from Craigslist for $10 each.


LOVE the tile BPG!

Rabbit, my sister got me that very same one! Can't wait to use it!

Inkleg wrote:

MrBandGuy wrote:Side note...any ideas to use my current regulator, or should I just resell it?

Keep it and get another tank. I use mine all the time for purging/sealing kegs, pushing beer when needed (ever try to get 10 gallons out of a Rum barrel), quick carbing beer in 2 liter bottles, portable keggerator, many, many things. I have managed to score two 5 lb tanks from Craigslist for $10 each.


LOVE the tile BPG!

That's an idea!