Just back from The Malt Miller...

[calumscott]

I'm in the fortunate position of working a few miles from The Malt Miller, so with an impending brewy weekend and an IPA kit which I want to "amplify" I thought I'd pop down and pick up a pack of hops.

Physically I spent a few quid - mentally I spent a few hundred!!!

First, and most important in my book, what genuinely nice, knowledgeable people they are.

I was also impressed by the fact that they are doing what a good small internet-based company should be doing. Keeping the overheads low, but providing a great niche product with really personal service.

I got a look around all the stock from grains to malts to yeasts to candi sugars to shiny pots to false bottoms to malt extract. What a range! Particularly the hops - racks and racks of meticulously labelled, boxed, vac-packed hops and pellets, I recognised loads of varieties but there are dozens I'd never heard of (admittedly I'm a noob but still...).

The smell in their bulk grain store... beautiful!

Grains? Well I think I saw pretty much every variety of malt that I've seen in recipes as I've browsed on here and when they say that they mill fresh to order, they mean it. There were no pre-milled grains anywhere, just racks of whole grains ready for milling in big plastic tubs and sacks in nice dry storage. Then a big milling machine waiting to be loaded up...

...in conclusion, I'm rather excited about getting to the point of AG brewing. I'll be able to, on any given future brew weekend, decide a recipe, ping the grain bill off to Rob for him to mill the malt on Friday morning, pick it up Friday lunchtime along with hops and yeast and brew it on the Saturday...

...who's a lucky boy then!?!?!

And because I know Rob lurks on here from time to time, great to meet you and the crew, see you again soon!

 

[Darcey]

I would be poorer than I am if I lived that close!

I have to say that the service is fantastic. Next day delivery freshly milled malts! Spot on. I know I can order in confidence on a Monday that I can be brewing on the Wednesday morning with everything I need.

D

 

[hedgerow pete]

well i put my first order in today, for my first ag brew, i wimped and went for one of the premade sets as a starter, i will then try a few single grain/hop brews before going into the mix up lot, we shall se orderd at 3pm on monday and i hope to brew for wednesday evening

 

[Slate Miner]

Oh dear! I didn't realise they're based in Oxfordshire. :lol:

I live in West Oxfordshire, so 'Diddy' is easy to get to ..........however I'm still at the kit stage trying to gain a bit of confidence and experience. Extract will be next though : .......

 

[calumscott]

Where abouts in WestOx, Slate?

 

[Slate Miner]

Where abouts in WestOx, Slate?

A village called Stonesfield between Woodstock & Charlbury, hence the name 'Slate Miner' - Stonesfield was once well known for Stonesfield Slate which can be seen on many Cotswold cottages. :thumb:

I take it your also in Oxfordshire?

 

[calumscott]

I know Stonesfield very well! Very pretty round there.

I'm in Cartoontown for the next little while but moving to our ne brewery - sorry, house - in Bampton soonish...

 

[Slate Miner]

I know Stonesfield very well! Very pretty round there.

I'm in Cartoontown for the next little while but moving to our ne brewery - sorry, house - in Bampton soonish...

Born and bred in Oxfordshire, always appreciated how lucky I am to live here, I like to tell people that my next door neighbour is the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace :rofl:

Good luck Calum with you move to Bampton, nice place, I haven't been there for a while, I remember there used to be a CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pub called the Morris Clown

Do you use the LHBS in Witney.

 

[calumscott]

I know Stonesfield very well! Very pretty round there.

I'm in Cartoontown for the next little while but moving to our ne brewery - sorry, house - in Bampton soonish...

Born and bred in Oxfordshire, always appreciated how lucky I am to live here, I like to tell people that my next door neighbour is the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace :rofl:

It's funny really, I was born and grew up in Perth, so I'm used to my scenery a bit more imposing and my weather a bit more, well, Scottish. I find that this bit of the world is just as lovely, albeit in a very different style. We're very lucky indeed (except the house price bit of course!).

Good luck Calum with you move to Bampton, nice place, I haven't been there for a while, I remember there used to be a CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pub called the Morris Clown

Yup, the Morris Clown is THE beer pub, gets a very good name for itself. They've also vowed (I think) never to do meals... pints and pork scratchings it is!!

Do you use the LHBS in Witney.

I do, yes. Lovely people and their prices are really quite good.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Good lad Rob, be nice to meet him again at the summer meet up if he's going!! :thumb:

BB

 

[BeerEagle]

Take care in the Morris Clown over Whitsun. Lots of very strange folk gather there on the Monday. (including me last year).

I'm now in Kent but used to live in Carterton and went to school in Witney (home of the Wychwood Brewery)

 

[Aleman]

Good lad Rob, be nice to meet him again at the summer meet up if he's going!! :thumb:

BB

He was but decided to pull out when he heard that a certain yorkie was going :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

And for those of you in Oxfordshire don't forget The Oxford Craft Brewers Group

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Good lad Rob, be nice to meet him again at the summer meet up if he's going!! :thumb:

BB

He was but decided to pull out when he heard that a certain yorkie was going :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

LoL :thumb:
He's my rich southern buddy, he'll be there....

BB

 

[oldstout]

...in conclusion, I'm rather excited about getting to the point of AG brewing. I'll be able to, on any given future brew weekend, decide a recipe, ping the grain bill off to Rob for him to mill the malt on Friday morning, pick it up Friday lunchtime along with hops and yeast and brew it on the Saturday...

...who's a lucky boy then!?!?!

.....farewell my BetterBrew brother :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Taken by the dark side I fear.......

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:



:

 

[dennisking]

Good lad Rob, be nice to meet him again at the summer meet up if he's going!! :thumb:

BB

He was but decided to pull out when he heard that a certain yorkie was going :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

LoL :thumb:
He's my rich southern buddy, he'll be there....

BB

I'm looking forward to round 2.

 

[hedgerow pete]

And for those of you in Oxfordshire don't forget The Oxford Craft Brewers Group



is there a birmingham craft brewers group, or should i be googling for "hairy, yam yams, that knock out beer in sheds next to pork scratching factory" dot com

as some times i i could do with a few pointers in the right direction as its all self taught.

as for rob, well it seamed like a good enough deal price wise, the forum has his sponsership so its seamed reasonable that they were not going to let a plonker rip them off

the next sponser i shall use is the pid people

 

[Slate Miner]

I know Stonesfield very well! Very pretty round there.

I'm in Cartoontown for the next little while but moving to our ne brewery - sorry, house - in Bampton soonish...

Born and bred in Oxfordshire, always appreciated how lucky I am to live here, I like to tell people that my next door neighbour is the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace :rofl:

It's funny really, I was born and grew up in Perth, so I'm used to my scenery a bit more imposing and my weather a bit more, well, Scottish. I find that this bit of the world is just as lovely, albeit in a very different style. We're very lucky indeed (except the house price bit of course!).

It can be absolutely stunning north of the border, just so cold!!! :rofl: Agree about the house prices around here though. :shock:
[quote="Slate Miner":11b0ctya]Good luck Calum with you move to Bampton, nice place, I haven't been there for a while, I remember there used to be a CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pub called the Morris Clown

Yup, the Morris Clown is THE beer pub, gets a very good name for itself. They've also vowed (I think) never to do meals... pints and pork scratchings it is!!

My kind of pub :thumb: :drink:

Do you use the LHBS in Witney.

I do, yes. Lovely people and their prices are really quite good.[/quote:11b0ctya]

Agree, get most of my brewing bits and pieces from them, always try and support local business/shops when I can.

 

[Slate Miner]

Good lad Rob, be nice to meet him again at the summer meet up if he's going!! :thumb:

BB

He was but decided to pull out when he heard that a certain yorkie was going :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

And for those of you in Oxfordshire don't forget The Oxford Craft Brewers Group

Thanks for the link Aleman. :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

.....farewell my BetterBrew brother :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Taken by the dark side I fear.......

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:



:

It's looking very much like it!

Will I never brew a kit again? I think that highly unlikely. The ability to get 40 pints together so quickly will be relied upon in times of time-shortage I'm sure. And until I get sorted with with a temperature controlled environment then I'm struggling to see it being worthwhile trying to produce lagers when the BB pils comes out so well at room temperature.

 

[hedgerow pete]

well we ordered the kit on monday afternoon, i had a phone call from rob pointing out that being a wally i had forgoten to order the yeast, with that sorted he finished the order off and it was recived on wednesday afternoon, all present and correct.

so thats one happy customer in brum :party: