Beer Machine Money Trap Warning Don't Buy

[Chooky88]

Hi. I bought a Beer Machine. The thing is useless without one defoamers disk per brew. Each disc weighs under a gram. You can only get them in Australia through one place. The link is on the BM website. Won't mention the place but it's a cake shop in Victoria. Target won't stock them. Beer Machine won't send them to Australia. In the USA
they are $1.70 for 3 disks. The Vic shop want $3.50 for three and an outrageous $13.25 postage. That's an extra five bucks a brew of 10litres. Or 10 bucks for a 20l brew.
Bloody thing is hard to seal and uses 5 bucks worth of c02 bulbs a batch. Making it really not worth the cost.

 

[Diesel80]

Hi. I bought a Beer Machine. The thing is useless without one defoamers disk per brew. Each disc weighs under a gram. You can only get them in Australia through one place. The link is on the BM website. Won't mention the place but it's a cake shop in Victoria. Target won't stock them. Beer Machine won't send them to Australia. In the USA
they are $1.70 for 3 disks. The Vic shop want $3.50 for three and an outrageous $13.25 postage. That's an extra five bucks a brew of 10litres. Or 10 bucks for a 20l brew.
Bloody thing is hard to seal and uses 5 bucks worth of c02 bulbs a batch. Making it really not worth the cost.

Ouch.

Chooky, with a little more time spent reading up around here, you won't need any gimmicks to knock up decent beer. Can't vouch for the BM quality of brew, but i do know that after some moderate investment in gear, i can knock up very nice beer (i think so anyway) at $1/L, using the All grain BIAB method. Most expensive ingredient in a brew is time, but i like the the hobby so don't mind

Welcome to the future / addiction.
Study hard and reap the Benefits.

Good luck.

oh and welcome to the forums

Cheers,
D80

 

[Batz]

Hi. I bought a Beer Machine. The thing is useless without one defoamers disk per brew. Each disc weighs under a gram. You can only get them in Australia through one place. The link is on the BM website. Won't mention the place but it's a cake shop in Victoria. Target won't stock them. Beer Machine won't send them to Australia. In the USA
they are $1.70 for 3 disks. The Vic shop want $3.50 for three and an outrageous $13.25 postage. That's an extra five bucks a brew of 10litres. Or 10 bucks for a 20l brew.
Bloody thing is hard to seal and uses 5 bucks worth of c02 bulbs a batch. Making it really not worth the cost.

have a look at these guys

http://www.priceusa.com.au/

You can buy from the US through them, you would need to buy quite a few to make it worthwhile.
But perhaps chucking it on ebay maybe the best option.
Batz

 

[Florian]

I totally understand your frustration, but by calling it 'money trap' you make it sound as if the beer machine was designed so a cake shop in Victoria could get rich on postage fees.

Have you contacted them and asked for realistic postage costs? By the sounds of it these discs should fit into an $1.80 envelope or less, so i would ask them to charge you that plus maybe a dollar or two for packing materials etc.

Much better still, follow Diesel's advise and give the thing a flick and invest some time in reading, and you'll be making alright beer in no time.

 

[Chooky88]

I totally understand your frustration, but by calling it 'money trap' you make it sound as if the beer machine was designed so a cake shop in Victoria could get rich on postage fees.

Have you contacted them and asked for realistic postage costs? By the sounds of it these discs should fit into an $1.80 envelope or less, so i would ask them to charge you that plus maybe a dollar or two for packing materials etc.

Much better still, follow Diesel's advise and give the thing a flick and invest some time in reading, and you'll be making alright beer in no time.

Thanks for the replies. I did email them and they sent such a rude reply about postage handling money even reading the email etc it got me seeing red. My wife has, a small business. Postage is 6 dollars for a 500gram pack. Anyway. I will take your advice and build a system. My local homebred shop in Greenwood are good fellas too. Thanks again and I'll get into my homework

 

[Rowy]

Thanks for the replies. I did email them and they sent such a rude reply about postage handling money even reading the email etc it got me seeing red. My wife has, a small business. Postage is 6 dollars for a 500gram pack. Anyway. I will take your advice and build a system. My local homebred shop in Greenwood are good fellas too. Thanks again and I'll get into my homework

Look at Nick JD's AG for under $30.00 thread. If I was computer literate I would know how to send you the link.

 

[going down a hill]

Move to All Grain for $30-
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=38674

It's a great thread, got me over the line.

 

[pyrosx]

Without trying to defend the beer machine thingy (they've always looked like a ripoff at first glance to me too):

Why not buy 30 of these disc thingys? Then it's only 43c postage per brew

 

[Charst]

I did a very quick search and by the look of it the disk and cup pretty much are just a spot for the krausen (fermenting beer foam) to overflow.
you could possibly buy a bottle of foam control (link below, put a drop into your batch) it decreases the surface area (to memory) and pretty much knocks foam out I use it in starters to stop foam overflow. whether that resolves your issue or not i don't know you'll need to read more about what the Foam disk actually does.


http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/product_in...roducts_id=7485

EDIT:

http://www.ecomart.ws/Products-ecoLIFESTYLE/BrewGuide.pdf

check the section "Pressue Control Valve" for full explanation of the roll of the disk. be careful not to let anything explode!

 

[MaltyHops]

Without trying to defend the beer machine thingy (they've always looked like a ripoff at first glance to me too):

Why not buy 30 of these disc thingys? Then it's only 43c postage per brew

What's the purpose of these discs? Can you use the machine as a cask
primed keglet and skip using the bulbs? At least it wouldn't be a total loss.

 

[thebeemann]

SWMBO was going to get me 1 for xmas , lucky she changed her mind and got me real brewing stuff ( refractormeter etc ) and our local Target has them on special this week and i put 1 on laybuy .... trip to the shop ffor a refund tomorrow ... Thanx for the warning Just in time. :icon_chickcheers:

 

[pcmfisher]

What about the little gas bulbs?
I heard people are having trouble getting them.

 

[mmmyummybeer]

What a great idea for starters. I had scene the product on grain and grape site but they don't say anything about how to use it. Sounds perfect for starters but was also wondering how it effects the fermented beer, ie. How does it effect the foam and head retention etc in the finished beer ?? Would love to know more if any one has some more info.

Cheers

I did a very quick search and by the look of it the disk and cup pretty much are just a spot for the krausen (fermenting beer foam) to overflow.
you could possibly buy a bottle of foam control (link below, put a drop into your batch) it decreases the surface area (to memory) and pretty much knocks foam out I use it in starters to stop foam overflow. whether that resolves your issue or not i don't know you'll need to read more about what the Foam disk actually does.


http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/product_in...roducts_id=7485

EDIT:

http://www.ecomart.ws/Products-ecoLIFESTYLE/BrewGuide.pdf

check the section "Pressue Control Valve" for full explanation of the roll of the disk. be careful not to let anything explode!

 

[kona51]

Also made the mistake of buying one, the USA beer is both tasteless and flat, fact is to get the machine to give a beer that has gas you need to use one of the gas cylinders every time, the other problem is that the last 40mm is cloadly due to the sediment coming back up, wasted a $100 so a little smarter for the experience, I could not recommend this product even to people I do not like as that would be unfair even to them.

I also went back to the manufacturer with some pacific issues, the main one was that this has not been designed well, the gasket is very difficult to get in the correct position and needs to be checked prior to each brew you intend to make, have not heard back and I did supply my details, will take on board and be a lot smarter next time, the only issue I have now is that this company is getting money for a really poor designed product that gives no satifaction to the owner, end result is those who purchase will say it is all too hard and walk away

 

[poppa joe]

I bought one at a Garage Sale...$5.00....
Now it's on the top shelf in the garage where i can not get to it.
Best place for it..
PJ

 

[Bribie G]

Beer machine refills and defoaming discs are at Big W - I once considered buying a couple of packs and fermenting a normal quantity of beer just to see what it's like, but it would cost around $30 so scrapped the idea.

 

[flocculated]

I was given a Beer Machine for Christmas a couple of years ago. Two or three brews later it went back in the hall cupboard.

Three years on, I'm just about to have a crack at a BIAB and I'm thinking of using the BM as a "mini fermentation vessel" for the 9.5l batch. I'll probably still bottle the brew as I don't like the idea of using the FV as a keg. Since it cost me nothing, it's not a bad FV - brown plastic with a built-in tap, thermometer and valve. We'll see...

 

[Fu ManBru]

What are people's thoughts on using as a mini keg? Just prime in the BM, then once carbonated chuck in the fridge?

Saw one second hand for $30 which seems a cheap way to reduce bottling.

 

[crowmanz]

I think they have been had new for $30-40 from Target or Big W as they are getting rid of them, never used one but should work ok how you intend