After their initial success, they developed a more elaborate copper pipe system with a Jacob's Ladder and dubbed it VOLT/AGED. Throw in a safety cage, Oil Punk plexiglass, and a timer that determines how many years the alcohol should be aged and you have a functional piece of equipment that is also interesting to look at. My liver hurts just thinking about it. [Jon Sarriugarte via MAKE]

You can set up a CCTV camera feed from your front door to this TV and know exactly when your mother-in-law arrives. Once she's inside, activate the Auton lift system to reveal the booze underneath. That'll keep her from yapping about how you should get a better job. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Auton via Geekologie]

Product Page [Via Newlaunches]

Shots Liquor Console by J.P. Meulendijks [Liquor Snob]

The wine/liquor rack holds 12 bottles, ensuring your turn-of-the-century theme party goes off without a hitch, all with grade A whiskey within arm's reach. Just don't get too soused that you can't appreciate the 8" subwoofer. It's like your house has become a speakeasy seemingly overnight. Thanks, CucumberLab!

Good luck getting a hold of one, though, since it's only available in "limited production," and their phones appear to be ringing off the hook. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [CucumberLab via OhGizmo!]

Product Page [Via Gadgetizer]

Forget those DIY Beer Brewing kits, you never use them anyway—and when you do your beer tastes like crap. Just go to the corner bodega and get yourself a six pack. It'll take less time, your tastebuds will be happier and so will those of your friends. Besides, if you really wanted to impress, you'd be making your own wine.

Provina's WinePod is a two-foot tall insulated metal egg with a two-ton metal press and automatic temperature control that sits in your apartment and ferments your wine; your wait can take from a few months to a year or more, depending on what sort of wine you decided to make. Like almost everything else made these days, the WinePod connects to your computer wirelessly to make daily suggestions on its own settings, or tell you when your wine is finally ready to drink. Provina can provide you with grapes from their own vineyard, but you're of course free to use your own. Couldn't find a price for this baby but you can bet it's very expensive.

Update: Reader Doug wrote in with a price guesstimate:

"If you drink one glass of wine with dinner each night, it can pay for itself in 2-3 years."

Bottle of wine: $15, 750ML
One Serving of Wine, 240ML, so 3 servings per bottle, so $5 per night.
Doing the math: $5 * 365 *2 to 3 = $3650 to $5875?

My bet is on the $5k range.

Update: Ben from Thrillist tells us the WinePod goes for $2k. Still pricey but at least it's not insanely so.

Personal Winemaking [Provina]
WinePod [Thrillist]

The LED is held in a small base which also holds a battery capable of 3,000 uses, or approximately 35 gallons of liquor. During my hands-on usage I found these shot glasses most useful with drinking games. It was kind of like a game show—whoever's shot glass lights up first wins. They are also extremely durable; breaking the glass during a slam worried me at first, but as the liquor flowed down, the worries went away and these shot glasses held their own really well.

The inventor has already donated some of these shot glasses to a fundraising event held by Forbes to raise money for Katrina relief. The glasses are available online for $9.99. Check out the website for product ordering information, drink recipes and even pictures.

Product Page [Envious]

Gray Kangaroo Liquor Filter Review [Liquor Snob]