Fancy a trip to Muntons? Actually, we'd really like your help...

[Chippy_Tea]

Some very negative comments on here considering Muntons are putting this on at their own expense in order to improve their offering to market, which in turn will benefit all kit brewers.

Also bear in mind JJPerry had to become an advertising sponsor to post this so the forum has benefited financially.

 

[Satellitemark]

I've applied to go and await a reply, I do live the other side of the country but I consider it worth the cost of travel for the learning experience.
I'm very impressed that a major manufacturer is interested in their customers views, almost unheard of these days !

If I'm lucky enough to be selected I will report back.

Mark

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Nice one Mark, it would be good if some members from here were selected one hell of a meetup thread in the making.

 

[JJPerry]

... +1 from me

... hope you have a great day, and I'll look forward to reading about your experience

A question I might have been tempted to ask, had I had the opportunity to attend, would have been about whether Muntons may have any plans to start offering "other" types of kits ... in particular;

• extract kits - kits of (unhopped) dried or liquid malt extract with or without specialty grains for steeping and dried hops to boil up
• partial mash kits - kits of (unhopped) dried or liquid malt extract with specialty grains and (smaller amounts of) base malts to mash and dried hops to boil up
• all-grain mash kits - kits of specialty grains and base malts to mash and dried hops to boil up

... at the moment these "other" types of kits seem to only be put together by homebrew retailers (or a few specialist providers), but with the increasing popularity of the hobby there may well be a time when more mainstream providers like Muntons may consider moving into that market

@GhostShip perhaps that may be something you might raise on the day ... and/or @JJPerry perhaps that may be something you'd like to discuss with the homebrewers who attend

Cheers, PhilB

Hi Phil, anyone would think you've had a sneak peek at my agenda!!!! ;-)
With regards to extract, we do have an unhopped range of extracts which available to anyone https://www.muntons.com/brewkit_type/muntons-red-can-range/

 

[JJPerry]

It's too far for me to travel (would involve a really early start or an overnight stay the night before) but I look forward to reading the results when you post them on here.

I think it is brilliant that a major manufacturer is seeking feedback from a forum like this especially if it results in more choice of kits and a product which we want to buy. If I were able to attend, I would be interested in asking if Muntons have thought about introducing kits with hops for dry hopping (like the Festival/Bulldog/Youngs American kits) and partial/mini-mash kits.

All noted.... ;-)

 

[Satellitemark]

Hi Guys,

I've had my invitation and am looking forward to my visit.
As a novice, my questions and thoughts will mostly be kit related, but I'm happy to forward any other questions anyone has .

Mark


Mark

 

[GhostShip]

Hi Guys,

I've had my invitation and am looking forward to my visit.
As a novice, my questions and thoughts will mostly be kit related, but I'm happy to forward any other questions anyone has .

Mark


Mark

I’ll see you there, Mark.

 

[Satellitemark]

Looking forward to it mate !

Mark

 

[foxy]

If I wasn't just south of Humpty Doo I would love to go, don't suppose there are any Malt Loaf kits in the pipeline.

 

[JJPerry]

If I wasn't just south of Humpty Doo I would love to go, don't suppose there are any Malt Loaf kits in the pipeline.

A malt loaf kit, now there's a thought....

 

[terrym]

Hi Phil, anyone would think you've had a sneak peek at my agenda!!!! ;-)
With regards to extract, we do have an unhopped range of extracts which available to anyone https://www.muntons.com/brewkit_type/muntons-red-can-range/

Out of general interest what ever happened to diastatic malt syrup? Years ago it was available to homebrewers e.g. Edme DMS and useful to extract brewers for mashing top-up grains like oats and wheat with no diastatic power.

 

[user 23602]

I've been invited. Especially as a kit brewer, I think this could be great. Just trying to work out how to best travel from Bristol.

 

[Satellitemark]

Hi Grizzly,

I'm staying over with family on the Thursday night, but I did look at premier Inn and it came out at £38 for the night.


Mark

 

[Banbeer]

I've been invited. Especially as a kit brewer, I think this could be great. Just trying to work out how to best travel from Bristol.

Helicopter

 

[pms67]

Some very negative comments on here considering Muntons are putting this on at their own expense in order to improve their offering to market, which in turn will benefit all kit brewers.

As Stowmarket is not too far from me, I e-mailed Joanna and she replied straight away inviting me on 27th. I'll be happy to report back on here.

Wasn’t being negative mate, their pitiful yeast sachet has been a complaint for years, feedback is feedback and good to receive an answer

 

[terrym]

Some very negative comments on here considering Muntons are putting this on at their own expense in order to improve their offering to market, which in turn will benefit all kit brewers.

Without wishing to appear churlish and in any way disrespectful to Muntons this is a business decision. The few £00s for this exercise will come out of a budget allocated for this very sort of thing so that Muntons get quality feedback of all types from real homebrewers so that they can identify where improvements can be made to their homebrew product line, with a view to increasing overall profitability. So any costs are already accounted for, and long term should be more than recouped if they get their subsequent business decisions right. This is how businesses operate, especially in this sort of industry
Notwithstanding that, it is a win-win-win-win situation, win for Muntons via their market research gains, win for those attending who should have an enjoyable and informative day, win for those homebrewers who buy Muntons products, and apparently a win for the Forum who should receive some sponsor funding . So all good.

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi @JJPerry

Hi Phil, anyone would think you've had a sneak peek at my agenda!!!! ;-)
With regards to extract, we do have an unhopped range of extracts which available to anyone https://www.muntons.com/brewkit_type/muntons-red-can-range/

... I was aware you produce cans of malt extract ... and I'm also very aware that you produce a very wide range of malts ...
https://www.muntons.com/malt_type/brewing/
... so it seems you would be fairly readily capable of adding kits of ingredients into your product line-up

I hope you don't feel aggrieved at my pointing out the sorts of things your competitors are doing ... but the website there (link) is a really valuable resource for homebrewers looking to get the most out of that supplier's products, with tried and tested recipes ... and I'm led to believe that in that suppliers home country, packs of ingredients (kits) to make up the sorts of recipes I linked to above can be purchased from them. That's the sort of thing I'm wondering whether Muntons might consider offering in future

Cheers, PhilB

 

[PhilBrew]

... don't suppose there are any Malt Loaf kits in the pipeline

... I believe you're an all-grain brewer foxy ... below is my recipe for an all-grain banana malt loaf :hat:

Cheers, PhilB

Banana Malt Loaf
Ingredients:

125g of pale malt
0.3l of warm water
sunflower oil, for greasing
85g dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
250g plain flour
2 large ripe bananas mashed
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda​

Method:

1. Pre-warm a 1ltr thermos flask with boiling water Empty the thermos flask, add 0.3l of water at 74C, add the pale malt seal and shake well to mix up. Leave for 1hr to mash.
2. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and ends of two greased 450g/1lb non-stick loaf tins with strips of baking parchment.
3. Pour the contents of the flask through a sieve into a mixing bowl with the sugar, set aside a little of this malt syrup for later. Stir well, then add the eggs.
4. Tip in the flour and bananas and mix, then quickly stir in the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and pour into the prepared tins. Bake for 50 mins until firm and well risen. While still warm, brush with the saved malt syrup to glaze and leave to cool.
5. Remove from the tins.

Serve sliced and buttered, if you like.
If you can manage to not eat it straight away, it gets more sticky after wrapping and keeping for 2-5 days.

 

[Eight Ace]

I'd have been more than happy to sign up for this being relatively local. Except I have no holiday left and pulling a sickie isn't an option. Bugger.

 

[Spratt]

Could any of you who are going, ask them if they would consider producing ready made starters like the Propper starters sold in cans? I've found them really useful when in a hurry, but they are far too expensive to be used on a regular basis, and I imagine part of their expense lies in shipping bulky and heavy tins from the States.