The Beer Factory

[Spartan 117]

Hey everybody,

Not sure if this is up here or not but i seen on the box tonight and thought that I'd share the love. Apparently its this place where you brew your beer and take it home the same day.

http://www.thebeerfactory.com.au/

enjoy.

Aaron

no affiliation or anything like that just a nifty idea I think.

 

[DJR]

You don't take it home the same day...

http://www.thebeerfactory.com.au/costs.html

about $160 for a 50L batch + bottles. I could buy 6x cases of Oettinger for not much more

I know which option i'd take but might be a good option for those not willing to splash out on the works...

Anyway i don't want to shoot it down in flames or anything but i just struggle to see the model behind these BOPs that sell beer for a tiny bit less than the shop, make you wait 2-4 weeks and for the costs involved in say 2-3 batches you'd be home and hosed with a cheapo AG setup

 

[mr_tyreman]

about $160 for a 50L batch

Jeebas!

and its goop beer!

 

[thanme]

That's much like U-Brew-It that we have over here.

To be honest, it's kind of what started me off. I forked out for a kegerator setup at home and started making beer there, which was pretty good to help learn what went on, and now I've started doing it at home
I also find it handy if I need beer for a party. UBI tend to have some already done, so if you don't get around to making it or pre-ordering, you can go down and pick one they have ready.

 

[Bribie G]

That's much like U-Brew-It that we have over here.

snip>>>>> so if you don't get around to making it or pre-ordering, you can go down and pick one they have ready.

So in other words they are brewing beer and selling it to punters who walk in off the street . Hmmm I wonder if they have a liquor licence to do that ? And if other liquor outlets are aware of this??

Edit: re kegerator does that mean they also fill your Cornie???

 

[[email protected]]

I had a go at brewing at one of the U Brew It sites, wasted $150. Made a Larger and then found out they don't have a Larger Fridge to ferment in. Fermented too hot and tasted foul.
Also you don't brew it yourself either. You get the ingredients out of the containers and the staff put it in the kettle for you. You come back in 2 weeks and someone has already filtered and force carbed it so you end up being the bottling line. You don't even measure the SG and FG to find out what ABV it is.

 

[kevo]

So in other words they are brewing beer and selling it to punters who walk in off the street . Hmmm I wonder if they have a liquor licence to do that ?

Had read somewhere that the customer simply adds the yeast, everything else in the process is done for you. I guess this way the business is just making sugary water, the customer is adding the yeast and making the beer.

Never been to one and don't plan to. They're taking all of the fun out of it!

Kev

 

[peas_and_corn]

I had a go at brewing at one of the U Brew It sites, wasted $150. Made a Larger and then found out they don't have a Larger Fridge to ferment in. Fermented too hot and tasted foul.
Also you don't brew it yourself either. You get the ingredients out of the containers and the staff put it in the kettle for you. You come back in 2 weeks and someone has already filtered and force carbed it so you end up being the bottling line. You don't even measure the SG and FG to find out what ABV it is.

Eww, that sounds horrible.

 

[thanme]

Edit: re kegerator does that mean they also fill your Cornie???

Yep.

Never thought of the liquor licensing thing...
I've quite literally bought some they've had already ready to go. I just dropped my cornies off in the morning and picked them up on the way home.

 

[Phrak]

I've been given a $100 voucher for the beer factory for my birthday that I've been meaning to try out.
Minimum prices are $125 for the light beer range, to $189 for the "Super Range" which includes Ginger Beer. :huh:

Edit: ouch - apparently the prices have increased since I got my gift:

NEW costs components of brewing at The Beer Factory:

Beer (prices 50 litre brew)

* Light beers - $127.95
* Full strength mainstream - $151.95
* Domestic premium - $157.95
* Imported premium - $167.95
* Brewers reserve - $177.95
* Super range - $191.95

aaaaaaand, here's something I thought was odd:

14 August 2009
Please note that Excise has again increased and as such our prices have had to be amended from Monday 10 August to reflect this. Thankfully we have managed to minimise the impact to you ($2 per 50 litres or around 30 cents per carton) and your savings will be even greater at The Beer Factory as the full increase is passed on to commercial beers.

Anyone know what they're paying excise on, if they're not selling alcohol?

 

[DJR]

I've been given a $100 voucher for the beer factory for my birthday that I've been meaning to try out.
Minimum prices are $125 for the light beer range, to $189 for the "Super Range" which includes Ginger Beer. :huh:

So if you rock up and pay for the $125 can you then just BYO 2 or 3kg of LME to up the gravity?

 

[Phrak]

So if you rock up and pay for the $125 can you then just BYO 2 or 3kg of LME to up the gravity?

LOL, the thought crossed my mind of "accidentally" dumping a pile of Hops into the beer at the end of the boil, yeah.

How much is a 3kg bag of LME nowadays? Been so long since I've used the stuff....

If anyone wants to buy the voucher off me, I'm open to reasonable offers! B)

 

[WHYPSI]

i did a brew there a couple years ago. and yeah the customer has to pitch the yeast. it wasnt too bad. bottling was a fun excercise, fill bottle from tap in the wall, fill glass, fill more bottles , fill glass, and so on. only took 2 weeks. they filter and force carbonate it so its ready to drink. but at least now i have lots of stubbies for my homebrew

 

[marlow_coates]

I think if you are using this website, then you are proably past the U-Brew stage, though I know many people who have given it a go, liked the product, and moved on to doing it at home.

Just another way you can get started, with probably better results than the first K+K at 28 degrees :icon_vomit:

The way they get around excise and other alcohol taxes (or so I was told) is because they are not selling alcohol.
They are selling sugars and yeast and water, then renting the use of their equipment for your personal purposes.
That is why it has to be the customer who puts the yeast in, they aren't making the alcohol, the customer is.

A technicality (spelling?) I know, but keeps their business alive by exploiting a loop hole, and I reckon good on them.

The same thing is done by the FWK guys. They are just selling you a sugary, hopped syrup, with no alcohol, so they can't be targeted for any of its taxes. Making the product cheap enough to be worth it at a home level.

I reckon if you went to one of these places, knowing nothing about beer, you would walk away with at least a little knowledge, and a thirst for more, then hopefully search out a site like this, and never look back.

Carn the Home Brewers :icon_cheers:

Marlow

 

[mwd]

Fresh Wort Kits are better value for money and you get to keep the cube.

BTW they ferment beers and lagers at 18C in the airconditioned cool room.

 

[Steve]

Brother in law tried the u-brew it thing a few of months ago with a few of his mates.....he was so proud bringing a crate of longnecks round to sunday dinner to my in laws place that cost him next to nowt. I wasnt at that particular sunday dinner so er in doors brought me a longneck home. I cracked it open, poured, fantastic clarity, no head whatsoever, and then the taste........fark in ell. Went straight down the sink, glass and longneck. For me that says its terrible. Sweet, clear, golden liquid. Spoke to him a few weeks ago and he said never again. He couldnt give them away and has put him off home brew for life.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Steve]

Brother in law tried the u-brew it thing a few of months ago with a few of his mates.....he was so proud bringing a crate of longnecks round to sunday dinner to my in laws place that cost him next to nowt. I wasnt at that particular sunday dinner so er in doors brought me a longneck home. I cracked it open, poured, fantastic clarity, no head whatsoever, and then the taste........fark in ell. Went straight down the sink, glass and longneck. For me that says its terrible. Sweet, clear, golden liquid. Spoke to him a few weeks ago and he said never again. He couldnt give them away and has put him off home brew for life.
Cheers
Steve

 

[nickel]

Glorified extract crap the last batch I made there a few years ago had a metal twang too it, told them and they got all offended not too worry moved on, learning and making better beer now.

 

[vykuza]

Glorified extract crap the last batch I made there a few years ago had a metal twang too it, told them and they got all offended not too worry moved on, learning and making better beer now.

Could it be worth it for the bottles? 6 cases of longies or 6 cases of stubbies?

Surely out of the 100-odd brews they offer something has to be drinkable.

 

[smudge]

I'm pretty sure these guys do pay a "concessional" excise...nothing like the real thing, but something to keep the treasurer
from unleashing the dogs on them. I don't think however, that the legislation allows them to sell fermented beer....at all!!

There are some brewers who will benefit from paying the dollars to do one of these. I know a couple of novices who have
brewed their own (30*C fermentation, poor sanitisation, no O2 awareness) and their beer is shite!! I've tasted some of the
UBrewit type of beer and some of it has been OK. Not good, but OK. When these novices do one of these and end up with
drinkable beer, they start to investigate the process...maybe even head to AHB.

And there the journey begins...................

Cheers,
smudge