A Brew Kit for the Mrs

[Apparition]

Thankfully, I'm lucky enough to have a very outdoorsy girlfriend who understands and supports my overriding need to make cups of tea outside. More often than not she's there with me, supping my brew. She mentioned to me a few weeks ago (as she was drinking my tea), that she might like a little brew kit of her own. So, being the lucky sausage that she is, and me wanting to drink my own tea occasionally... I pieced her one together from various bits and bobs I had laying around. I thought I'd share it here on the forum, just for funzies before I wrap it up in time for tomorrow. Don't worry though.. I've bought her some nice girly things too :)

Now I've finished, I quite like how small the whole setup is. It's fairly light too, at about 375g for the entire setup without water. The little vaseline tin meths burner boils a full cup in less than 5 minutes. The tin is about the size of a 50p piece. It's one of those little lip balm type jobbies, rather than a full size tin. The folding handle cup was from Go Outdoors a while ago. The foil bits are all cut from a disposable roasting tin. The cup stand is fashioned from a coat hanger and some wire. The two shotgun cartridge containers contain vaseline soaked cotton balls, matches, and little rubber strips. There's some larger patches of rubber from an inner tube in the tin, a mini firesteel, and a little multitool for handling hot bits of metal. The tin and multitool are kept inside an old memory card case I had kicking around. I figure she can keep some dry tinder or teabags in there too.

So there we are. Job done. Never let it be said that I'm a cheapskate at Christmas.

Have a good one guys!

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[LandRoverMatt]

nice kit there mate

[Johnnyboy1971]

Proper dinky is that. Like it a lot. My missus says I have to carry two mugs and let's me make the brews.
You lucky boy.

[Tony1948]

That looks the dogs whatsitssss..................nice bit of kit, keep em sweet and you should ave no trouble:rock-on:

[Realearner]

Love the size of it all, like the little burner. How much meths does it take for a boil?

[bigzee]

I like the cup particularly - nice neat folding handles. Nice neat folding brew kit too.

[Apparition]

Thanks chaps! Glad you like it. Hope the mrs appreciates all my hard work ;)


Love the size of it all, like the little burner. How much meths does it take for a boil?

I've not really measured it. I fill it until I can see it start to pool just slightly above the level of the loft insulation that it's stuffed with. That's maybe around 25-30ml? It's certainly not much. Less than my trangia needs anyway. That amount of meths gives about a ten minute burn.

[bikebum1975]

Nice little kit really dig the shotshell match case and cotton ball case cool stuff

[GwersyllaCnau]

WOW what a great setup

[Realearner]

I think I will make me one of those burners, it can go anywhere.
Might even see if the meths stays in the tin ready primed.

[Apparition]

I think I will make me one of those burners, it can go anywhere.
Might even see if the meths stays in the tin ready primed.

I've got one that I made for myself a few weeks ago to test before I made one for the mrs, and it works well when pre-primed with meths. The lid is pretty secure. I'm not sure I'd keep it amongst my food/water etc, but it sits in the bottom of my crusader cooker just fine.

Hope to see some brew pictures once you've made yours :)

[Ben Casey]

I like it :)

[Kieran]

Amazing!

[bare grills]

hi everyone .
i'm slowly collecting all the parts for this kit ;) but am left wondering what fuel the burner takes ?
if it's meths why is there cotton wool in the tin as i'm sure this will just burn away in a flash ! or is it as i suspect vasaline soaked cotton wool ? i'm confused as the builder states a meths tin burner !

please help ...
regards bare x

[Johnnyboy1971]

The burner does use meths as fuel but you will find the filling isn't cotton wool but rockwool the stuff you use for loft insulation. I knocked one up after seeing this thread and it's quite impressive. My next job is to make a small trivet to hold my cup.

[Apparition]

I'm glad to hear a few of you guys are having some success with the little burners. I'm eager to see your kits once they're up and running!

[bare grills]

hi . so whats the soaked cotton wool for in the shotgun shell ?

bare

[Johnnyboy1971]

Just another form of tinder for fire lighting. The cotton wool will probably be soaked in petroleum jelly so it extends the burn time. I'm sure Apperition will be along to explain and give details.

[Kieran]

where is the mug from?

[bare grills]

go outdoors.... but they don't do them anymore , i've checked :(

[Kieran]

go outdoors.... but they don't do them anymore , i've checked :(
damn. Do you know of anywhere else?

[Apparition]

Yes, the Vaseline cotton balls and other bits are for making a fire in the absence of meths etc. Just one more lightweight way of making a brew, and that's never a bad thing in my experience. The cup was indeed from Go Outdoors ages ago but I've also now bought the mrs a sturdier Swedish army surplus mug as an alternative to the one shown in the kit.

[bare grills]

any good to you ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Camping-Hiking-Stainless-Steel-Portable-Mug-Cup-220ml-/310268895799?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Camping_CookingSu pplies_ET&hash=item483d77a237

[Johnnyboy1971]

I personally prefer the Tatonka mug. Just about big enough to cook in as well as a brew. Wish I could get a lid for it.

I also use the MSR Titan kettle if out with someone, that way it holds just enough to make two cuppas

[bare grills]

anyone got any experience / knowledge of these ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless-Steel-Travel-Camping-Folding-Collapsible-Cup-/220694306847?pt=UK_HG_Crockery_RL&hash=item336267e01f

[Johnnyboy1971]

Could be ok to drink from but wouldn't put it over a flame. Because it's in rings as the heat builds up from the bottom they will expand and then maybe leak.

Just keep a lookout for a decent single walled stainless mug. I think Go outdoors had some pressed aluminum mugs but they had plastic handles.

[bare grills]

maybe one of these then ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160710320709?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_632wt_902

[Johnnyboy1971]

Nowt wrong with those but look for a stainless one instead.

[bare grills]

Nowt wrong with those but look for a stainless one instead.

for what reason ? ally is lighter , quicker to transfer heat and easier to bend back to shape WHEN i crush it somehow ;)

[Johnnyboy1971]

Bend a piece of aluminum and what happens. It cracks.

[Kieran]

anyone got any experience / knowledge of these ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless-Steel-Travel-Camping-Folding-Collapsible-Cup-/220694306847?pt=UK_HG_Crockery_RL&hash=item336267e01f

pointless

[Martin]

As Kieran says, 'pointless'. At 2.5 inches high, it doesn't seem much point. I'd also be very reluctant to put a hot drink into a collapsible metal cup.

Martin

[Kieran]

As Kieran says, 'pointless'. At 2.5 inches high, it doesn't seem much point. I'd also be very reluctant to put a hot drink into a collapsible metal cup.

Martin

You wouldn't be able to drink it either.. you'd just burn your hands.

[Johnnyboy1971]

Nice for the odd tipple though when sharing a bottle. I have seen these at the size of a standard household mug.

Depends what you need the mud to do. If it's only to drink from it needn't be too big or elaborate. If it's for boiling water in I would look at either the tatonka or something similar. Personally I'm not keen on aluminium especially on an open fire.

[markal17]

cool pic looks like a nice set thanks