Hardly Normal brew set up

[Yob]

Think we should start taking odds on how many pages this thread gets to before its locked. h34r:

Technically still on topic right?

 

[Siborg]

I'm curious as to what kind of "science" makes their rig "make beer in 7 days". Yes, most ale strains can ferment out in that amount of time, but anyone on here will tell you to wait because it "makes it better" and that's before even go into the biology behind it. Flocculation, yeast metabolism of esters/phenols/other fermentation by products etc.

I suppose this is the thing with advertising laws. They can get away with it as long as its at least partly true.

By the way, this is only the second time I've heard of this williams warn brew thing. The first time was yesterday on gumtree when I typed in "brewery" and came across this ad:
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/killarney-heights/miscellaneous-goods/williams-warn-home-brewery-setup/1099115477

 

[pcmfisher]

I'm curious as to what kind of "science" makes their rig "make beer in 7 days".

No science, just magic.

 

[Yob]

Perfect beer.. A nice guarantee to have...

™ WW

 

[TheWiggman]

The cost:benefit argument will go on through the ages, as will the challenge about the functionality and some limitations (eg. only one brew at a time) but there is no doubting this is a quality piece of kit and will help brew good beer. If you want details, it's all been done before here:

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/76912-williamswarn-personal-brewery/

There's also some responses from the company owner which are worth a read.
Siborg, it ferments under pressure and there is plenty of science behind high pressure fermentation allowing warmer and faster ferments with no payoff. This is the main benefit of the unit aside from the temp control. Not to say the same result can't be achieve for less money with cheaper equipment (many on the forum do ferment under pressure and there are threads about it) but this is what it does, and does well.

 

[technobabble66]

Keep in mind some people earn enough cash that $7000 is not a big issue.
So their value system is greatly different to many of the rest of us. Kinda as if the system was $1000 to the rest of us.
Still not the ultimate choice in brewing setups, but if you had no space and just wanted a simple system to use, i reckon there'd be people here who might be tempted if it was $1000.

I personally think it's ridiculously priced, but i can see how certain peeps might get into it.
Apparently some people don't rehydrate either... h34r:

 

[Siborg]

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/76912-williamswarn-personal-brewery/

Siborg, it ferments under pressure and there is plenty of science behind high pressure fermentation allowing warmer and faster ferments with no payoff. This is the main benefit of the unit aside from the temp control. Not to say the same result can't be achieve for less money with cheaper equipment (many on the forum do ferment under pressure and there are threads about it) but this is what it does, and does well.

Curiosity piqued. As I said, only the second time I'd heard of the thing. I personally think $7k is ridiculous considering the number of other complete systems out there (Brau amongst others). But, as technobabble said, some people earn so much money that that isn't an issue

Keep in mind some people earn enough cash that $7000 is not a big issue.

Apparently some people don't rehydrate either... h34r:

I haven't rehydrated my last 2 batches, but they're fresh packs of US05..... no excuses and going OT. I'll get back to rehydrating.

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

I have not doubt that this is squarely aimed at a US market, folks who would love to be able to brew without the mess and larger footprint of other methods. The greenback works in their favour and there are plenty of cashed up punters there. That and the fact that their megaswills are complete shite and it would not be too hard to make better beer with this equipment as long as the ingredients are not stale.
Personally I would not go near the thing but you have got to admire the ingenuity of it.

 

[klangers]

I've seen one of these at a client's brewery, where they use it for fermenting experimental beers. They said it did the job ok - but it wasn't their money they were spending!

It's certainly nothing special, and nothing many people on here haven't already done. It's just a pressure-rated conical with a heating and cooling circuit and some automated valves. You still have to clean it, and cleaning is 90% of a brewer's job.

It's clearly marketed at people who have more dollars than sense.

 

[Barge]

Smiley face in OP makes the third duck egg. Its called ironny Madge

Dunno if it's chrome but on the PC I can't see a smiley face, just a faint rectangle that I didn't even see until taking a second look. Smiley is on the mobile version.

Edit: And if someone bought me one of these, I would use it. Or more likely sell it and buy a stainless conical, fridge and kegerator. And with the difference get a grainfather. That's if I could sell it for a decent price. And if not I would use it happily because it seems like well engineered kit. I don't think there would be too many people complaining if they were given one.

 

[Siborg]

And if someone bought me one of these, I would use it. Or more likely sell it and buy a stainless conical, fridge and kegerator. And with the difference get a grainfather. That's if I could sell it for a decent price. And if not I would use it happily because it seems like well engineered kit. I don't think there would be too many people complaining if they were given one.

I'd probably use it as well if someone bought one for me. But in terms of raw material, I can't imagine where it is justified. Even, adding the R&D/IP onto the raw material cost, it just doesn't seem justified - it doesn't seem like that novel of an idea (compared to something like the picobrew) - just a pressurised stainless conical. I wonder what the wholesale price is on these and what kind of markup retailers are putting on them.

 

[Barge]

I wonder what .... kind of markup retailers are putting on them.

Not a lot, I imagine. Or, to put it another way, the same markup as the manufacturer puts on it when you buy direct from the website. The same kit is about $6860 ex GST, which equates to about $7545 after tax.

It will be interesting to see how long they stay in business. If they're still around in 10 years then there must be enough people who see the value. If there's a ton of these going 2nd hand then the company would surely struggle as people will just pick one up cheap (and probably hardly used).

Thermomix are in a similar boat. $2000 for a blender that cooks, etc. They've been around for decades.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

With my dealings with HN the mark up was 59% usually that was the minimum of 50% and 9% for those who wanted to purchase interest free.
The wholesaler would not be able to sell at anything less, otherwise he would loose his retailer, its an odd item for HN to be getting involved in, I can't see a lot of punters buying it, maybe the purchase manager for the stores is a home brewer and wanted one for himself.

 

[pcmfisher]

Thermomix are in a similar boat. $2000 for a blender that cooks, etc. They've been around for decades.

I wonder if WW would make you sign a gag order before giving you a refund after it has blown up and given you third degree burns.............

 

[Siborg]

I wonder if WW would make you sign a gag order before giving you a refund after it has blown up and given you third degree burns.............

Did thermomix do that to that woman who was injured from their product? Anyway, anyone reading this thread should have a good read through the linked thread about this WW product... I read through it all in its entirety and it is definitely interesting.

 

[Goose]

Fresher than commercial and superior to homebrewing.

Cost aside, I do like this bit of kit, it has a good implementation of pressurised fermentation and CO2 retention but it doesn't make wort and if I am not wrong you have to finish off one batch before you can fill it again with the next one. So several days with just one beer, then 7 days minimum with no beer. Not for me.

 

[Bribie G]

You could always have two or three on the go.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I personally think its a great bit of kit, wobbly has written in the past about how useful it is when used in conjunction with the BM and logically it is, for the cost, as consumers we will often pay over and above what an item of goods is worth and if we work on percentages I doubt whether those items would be much different percentage wise to the W.W.

 

[Goose]

You could always have two or three on the go.

Indeed. I reckon 8 taps would be optimal ?

 

[Dave70]

Perfect beer.. A nice guarantee to have...

™ WW

Don't be to cynical.
'Eternal life' has shifted a few units over the years.