An Idea For The Fresh Wort Retailers

[bigfridge]

How much more would it cost to package into 5L packs rather than the current cubes? Exactly where does this sudden leap in costs occur?

Good question WG.

If we take take $35 as the Fresh Wort Pack cost, then I would guesstimate that the 5 litre one would need to sell at close to $18 each to cover the extra labour and container costs.

Can't see anyone willing to pay that.

What does a Coopers PET bottle cost, and would people be happy to buy a bottle of starter wort all distorted from the heat ?

HTH
Dave

 

[domonsura]

It all seems easier to me just to make my own starter. Sorry, but the suggestions here all involve more cost, pretty much just adding a couple of dollars to the cost of a brew at least, and then the hassle of having to buy something else from someone else involving god knows how many middle men. Doesn't that defeat the purpose, I mean, isn't it just one step closer to buying beer? Buy the grain, yeast, hops, yeast and the starter wort?
Does it all really matter that much to the average guy who just wants to make some beer? Surely if you're already mashing, it's not much of a drama to make a starter from the runnnings...especially if you 'no-chill' and have time to wait for the starter to get going.......
Forgive me, but it all sounds like a big PITA that just adds another $$$ step to a brew day (regardless of if you pour off the starter beer or not...)

 

[Kai]

Starters *can* produce off flavours. It does not mean they will. Depending on the starter and the flavour, it may get eaten up during the ferment too. To me pitching the entire starter as opposed to pitching the yeast only is purely a matter of logistics and convenience. If my starter is ready long before my wort is then it gets cooled, the yeast settles out and I pitch that only. If my wort is ready and my starter is not then the whole starter goes in just as soon as it is at active ferment.

I don't particularly care about theoretical optimum techniques, I make grouse beer either way and I'd rather take flexibility any day.

 

[Gulf Brewery]

OK, point taken, although I wish you'd drop this idea of selling it by the 330ml stubby

Wortgames

330ml is the size most microbreweries package their beer. With the bottling lines is isn't practical to have 2 different size bottles and I am not sure how many microbreweries produce larger bottles (Little Creatures do)

As for 5 litres - the difference in cost to 18 is bugger all, it would take more effort to fill 5 litre containers and the cost of 4 x 5 litre ones would be a lot more than 1 x 20 litre one.

Cheers
Pedro