Gifts for Home Brewers & Distillers

Looking for gifts for home brewers, distillers or anyone who likes making things from scratch? This page brings together the gear and kits we'd happily give ourselves: cocktail shakers and bar tools, cheese and kombucha kits, beer starter kits, oak barrels and complete Air Still distilling kits. Everything here is a real, practical gift they'll use rather than a novelty that ends up in a drawer.

If you're buying for Christmas, place your order early. Couriers get busy in December, and ordering ahead gives your gift the best chance of arriving in time.

Gift ideas by budget

Under $50

Small gifts that still get used. A VINKA Boston shaker kit or glass jar shaker suits anyone who mixes a drink on a Friday night, and a box of VINKA Old Fashioned glasses pairs nicely with a bottle of whisky. Oak chips and spirit essences make easy stocking fillers for someone who already owns a still.

Under $100

This is where the Mad Millie kits come in. The Greek Yoghurt, Kefir and Kombucha kits are simple to start and keep giving, the 15 Minute Sourdough Kit suits the weekend baker, and the Limoncello Kit is a fun one for summer. For the home bartender, VINKA coupe glasses and the Campfire Essentials VINKA Cocktail Pack sit in this range too.

Under $250

A proper hobby in a box. The Mad Millie Italian and Fresh Cheese Kits make mozzarella, ricotta, feta and halloumi at home. For beer lovers, a Mangrove Jack's starter brewery or our Beer Making Kit covers the first batch and the gear to keep going. The Mad Millie Ginger Beer Kit is a good middle ground for the whole family.

Big gifts

For a milestone birthday or a very good year: an Air Still home distillery kit, the Air Still Pro, a Mangrove Jack's Craft Series Microbrewery, an American white oak barrel for ageing spirits, or a HIZO G14 gas pizza oven for the backyard. The Grainfather G30v3 starter brewery is the one for the serious all-grain brewer.

Gift ideas by recipient

For the beer lover

Gifts for beer lovers don't have to be another six-pack. A starter brew kit lets them make their own, and our home brew starter kits range runs from simple fermenter kits to full microbreweries.

For the whisky drinker

Whisky gifts for someone who distils can be as simple as a few essences and a bag of oak chips, or as generous as a 10L or 30L oak barrel to age their own spirit.

For the cocktail maker

A cocktail kit gift can be a shaker, a set of glasses and a couple of mixers. Browse our bar, glassware and cocktails range for shakers, jiggers, pourers and VINKA mixers.

For the cook

Cheese, yoghurt, sourdough and kombucha kits from our cheese, yoghurt and fermented foods range need no experience and use everyday kitchen gear.

Christmas gifts for dad

Dads who like a project tend to love an Air Still, a beer starter kit or a pizza oven. If you're not sure what he already owns, a Distillery King gift card lets him choose.

FAQ

Is it legal to give someone a still in Australia?

Yes. Owning and using a still is legal in Australia. Stills of 5 litres or under, like the Air Still, need nothing further; stills over 5 litres need a free still permission from the ATO. Distilling water and essential oils needs no licence, while making spirit needs a free excise manufacturer licence. Our guide on whether it's legal to distil alcohol in Australia has the detail.

When should I order for Christmas delivery?

As early as you can. Delivery times stretch in the lead-up to Christmas, so ordering well ahead is the safest bet.

What if I don't know what they already have?

A gift card is the safe choice. It can be spent on anything in the store, from essences to a complete still.

Will everything arrive in one parcel?

We ship from warehouses in Brisbane and Melbourne. If your order includes items from different warehouses, they may arrive in separate parcels.