Big W - The Corrupter Of Home Brew

[Lobsta]

**CAUTION, RANT FOLLOWS**

i was just walking around in my local Big W (Carindale) and i decided to have a look in the Home Brew section, and i had a look at theur kits that they had for sale. The newest one was about 3 months off expiring (a can of malt shovel something or other), the majority were about a month out of date (pretty much all of their Cooper's range), and a large percent of them were out of date by 4-5 months (the whole Tooheys range and the whole of some other range that i can't remember, starts with "b").

Here's my beef: when a store sells stuff of this low quality (im talking about the dates, not the brands) as its home brew section, it is no wonder that the majority of the public thinks that home brews always taste like cr*p and don't get involved in it. Even if a brewer manages to find out that the cans shouldn't be fermented at 24 degrees, there is very little chance that a can that expires in 3 months will yield decent tasting beer, let alone one that has been expired for 5 months. And while people can go to a HBS and get some decent advice and products, the majority of people do just try a kit from Big W, and get turned off this great hobby.

just a general rant that i felt like getting out. if anybody wants to go after the head of the Woolworths corporation, maybe we can form a lynch mob or something and take to the streets with our mash paddles and burners...

Lobby.

 

[Muggus]

just a general rant that i felt like getting out. if anybody wants to go after the head of the Woolworths corporation, maybe we can form a lynch mob or something and take to the streets with our mash paddles and burners...

I like the sound of that.

I gave up buying anything of the brewing sort in supermarkets and large chain stores a while back.
I recall the homebrew section in my local K Mart looking as if it had not looked upon for a few months last time I went shopping there.
I'd rather spend my little bit extra on at my local homebrew shop. At least they look after their stock and I know that the money isn't going to some giant blood thirsty company.

 

[browndog]

Did you happen to let them know they were trying to sell out of date stock? :blink:

cheers

Browndog

 

[Duff]

You could of got it for free :lol:

 

[b_thomas]

I tend to walk past the brewing section at supermarkets with a mixed look of disdain and disappointment. Disdain in the poor quality and display and Disappointment that so many people out there are potentially missing out on such a great hobby solely because of the whim of a supermarket. Mind you anyone seriously thinking about getting into a hobby would be doing some research (as I did) and finding their way to a LHBS or a great forum like this.

I'm actually going to check out my local Big W to see if the issue is company wide or just a store stock rotation issue.

 

[hotboost]

The only thing worth buying from big w is the Pet bottles . theyre about $4.00 cheaper than local hbs. doesnt seem alot but 2 carton theres $8.00
and buy beer from the local hbs. everyone wins then.

 

[pokolbinguy]

Well I only buy stuff at Big W etc when they are on special to make a "bulk pleaser" beer... for parties etc.

However I have made some nice beers from the coopers / cascade ranges with a bit of added extras.

If only the product was always fresh.

Pok

 

[goatherder]

The yeast will be in pretty poor shape after that long on the shelves. No wonder homebrew has a bad name.

 

[paul]

At my local Coles they cant keep the shelves stocked. They have one bay allocated to homebrew. Most of the time half of the shelves are empty as its a quick seller

 

[Batz]

**CAUTION, RANT FOLLOWS**

i was just walking around in my local Big W (Carindale) and i decided to have a look in the Home Brew section, and i had a look at theur kits that they had for sale. The newest one was about 3 months off expiring (a can of malt shovel something or other), the majority were about a month out of date (pretty much all of their Cooper's range), and a large percent of them were out of date by 4-5 months (the whole Tooheys range and the whole of some other range that i can't remember, starts with "b").

Here's my beef: when a store sells stuff of this low quality (im talking about the dates, not the brands) as its home brew section, it is no wonder that the majority of the public thinks that home brews always taste like cr*p and don't get involved in it. Even if a brewer manages to find out that the cans shouldn't be fermented at 24 degrees, there is very little chance that a can that expires in 3 months will yield decent tasting beer, let alone one that has been expired for 5 months. And while people can go to a HBS and get some decent advice and products, the majority of people do just try a kit from Big W, and get turned off this great hobby.

just a general rant that i felt like getting out. if anybody wants to go after the head of the Woolworths corporation, maybe we can form a lynch mob or something and take to the streets with our mash paddles and burners...

Lobby.

That's disgusting !!
The manager of that store should be dragged outside and be given a good thrashing with a wet hop flower !

Batz

 

[staggalee]

That's disgusting !!
The manager of that store should be dragged outside and be given a good thrashing with a wet hop flower !

Batz

By a moderator of AHB forum'
Shit sorry.... forgot.
You are one :lol:

Sorry

stagga.

 

[EK]

I was at a HBS last year looking at a couple of kits, when I noticed that there was a lot of dust on all of the stock. After checking the dates on the cans I found that almost all of what I was interested in was out of date by at least a month. Which surprised me as there is usually a pretty good time frame, according tot he use by dates at least, before they expire.

No wonder home brew gets a bad name...when HBS's have out of date stock!

EK

 

[staggalee]

What did the hb shop owner say when you brought this to his notice?

stagga.

 

[browndog]

Retailers trying to sell out of date stock undisclosed at full price is disgusting. The only thing worse is selling a newbie brewer out of date liquid yeast at full price and after the newbie pointing out the expired date, the retailer telling him it's still good for months after that date, never been back to that store near Indropilly since.

cheers

Browndog

 

[Ross]

I've watched a local HBS rubbing off the expiry dates of their tins that were near/past there best by date, with the comment "what they don't know won't hurt them"....Why they couldn't just discount & be honest is beyond me...

Cheers ross

 

[peas_and_corn]

You could of got it for free :lol:

Well, that wouldn't happen. I can't recall what the case with cans its, but from what I gather stuff with a 'due date' cannot be sold at all after the date (this is especially the case with dairy), and 'best before' is heavily discounted.

Retailers trying to sell out of date stock undisclosed at full price is disgusting. The only thing worse is selling a newbie brewer out of date liquid yeast at full price and after the newbie pointing out the expired date, the retailer telling him it's still good for months after that date, never been back to that store near Indropilly since.

cheers

Browndog

The odds are that the people at the store are unaware. Fillers ignore rotation rules because they are forced to fill as fast as possible. There is generally only one person who acts as a 'code checker', normally part time- the HB section normally gets neglected for other sections (such as the aforementioned dairy section and other section that has short codes) as a result.

 

[browndog]

Well, that wouldn't happen. I can't recall what the case with cans its, but from what I gather stuff with a 'due date' cannot be sold at all after the date (this is especially the case with dairy), and 'best before' is heavily discounted.



The odds are that the people at the store are unaware. Fillers ignore rotation rules because they are forced to fill as fast as possible. There is generally only one person who acts as a 'code checker', normally part time- the HB section normally gets neglected for other sections (such as the aforementioned dairy section and other section that has short codes) as a result.

LHB stores with one or two guys working in them have no excuse there what so ever for having out of date stock on the shelves mate, they are not run off their feet like the kids behind the macdonalds counter.

 

[pokolbinguy]

they are not run off their feet like the kids behind the macdonalds counter.

Thus must be why the burgers sit there for what seems hours before you get it served it to you and they taste like crap.

Pok

 

[peas_and_corn]

LHB stores with one or two guys working in them have no excuse there what so ever for having out of date stock on the shelves mate, they are not run off their feet like the kids behind the macdonalds counter.

I was referring to supermarkets- the subject of the thread.

 

[Murcluf]

I've watched a local HBS rubbing off the expiry dates of their tins that were near/past there best by date, with the comment "what they don't know won't hurt them"....Why they couldn't just discount & be honest is beyond me...

Cheers ross

It doesn't just happen with tinned stuff, I once worked for a (fresh?) food wholesaler who had the habit of removing the out of date used by sticker and put another one on with an extra 6 to 12 months on it. When I questioned the practice was also told the same"what they don't know won't hurt them".... Strangely enough after refusing to follow their code of practice, they nolonger required my services.