Rumour? is Wilko's going into administration?

[Nashbrew]

Not had there Gervin Ale yeast in stock for months now

 

[An Ankoù]

Not had there Gervin Ale yeast in stock for months now

Perhaps Gervin have gone bazookas up!

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I went to the Woking branch yesterday and they had a few packs of Gervin Ale yeast. The what now is the hombrew shelf (rather than an entire section) was thinly stocked with a few kits.
The Pick 'n' Mix was fully stocked though. Yum.

 

[Nashbrew]

Perhaps Gervin have gone bazookas up!

Wilko's Gerwin is a repackaged Danstar Nottingham, still going strong.

 

[klaus]

For weeks my local branch had three beer kits on the shelf (Geordie + 2xTom Caxton). Then the Gordie disappeared (assume sold), then the Caxtons were standing again lonely for weeks. I thought I might just buy both of them @£17 each which is cheaper than online... In the end I decided to take just one, the Real Ale kit, that was a couple of weeks ago. Today I had a walk through, bought a few household items and then a look at the HB section (what's left of it) and the other kit was gone, only a few wine kits left, a few DJs, a few misc items. I guess they'll try and get rid of what remains and that will be that! Most other sections are reasonably stocked with some gaps like everywhere else.

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

I was looking for Beer Kit recently and missed the HB section entirely. So I asked assistant if they had any and she directed me to where I had looked

She added they are reflecting on the whole range of products they stock and HB is one of them so it may be phased out once the "reflection period is over "

 

[Branny]

I was looking for Beer Kit recently and missed the HB section entirely. So I asked assistant if they had any and she directed me to where I had looked

She added they are reflecting on the whole range of products they stock and HB is one of them so it may be phased out once the "reflection period is over "

Judging by the state of every Wilko HB section I've been in I'd say the decision has already been made!

 

[clib]

Tesco used to do some HB stuff and phased it out a few years ago. If Wilko also drops HB it will be very difficult for a lot of people to get anything from a shop. In Manchester we are down to one HB store now with the recent closure of Salford home brew. Bolton has one but I think that's it for the whole of Greater Manchester now. I've never been in The Range but I don't think they do much?

Could do with B&M taking it on. Or does nobody buy kits and bits in shops any more?

 

[MashBag]

I think Mr I.N.Ternet is who they buy it from.

 

[marshbrewer]

Like many things, it's mostly online now I guess.

 

[Sandimas]

I try to pop into Wilko when I'm in the office, which is a short walk away, it always seems busy but the homebrew section has been run down over the last few years. I like their Gervin yeast.

 

[clib]

I guess they are using the click and collect thing to reduce stock in shops?

The prices have got silly though. £15 for the 1.5kg kits like Cerveza and £20 for I'm Feeling Hoppy 1.8kg. Priced to fail?

 

[Tanglefoot]

Hardly any brewing stock in my local Wilco's when I went in last week but worth the visit for the seeds - absolute bargain e.g large bag of broad beans for a pound.

 

[Guzzie]

I was in Wilko Warrington at lunch time and had to ask where the homebrew section was !! The items were spread over 3 half shelves. One can of cider, two cans of wine, 2 demijohns and 2 wine starter kits and some smaller items. The 2 wine starter kits were £20 which is much cheaper than the individual items so I think they are just stopping the homebrew section and maybe one or two others as there were many sections fully stocked.

 

[YeastFace]

Wilko Redhill was rather bare when I went in last weekend. No DME, a fair few kits, bit of yeast, and some sundries.

Shame as was decent for DME for starters.

 

[Bzee]

In general are less people home brewing or are new joiners to our hobby just going straight to mash kits and all in one systems. Have kits had thier day ?...

 

[MashBag]

In general are less people home brewing or are new joiners to our hobby just going straight to mash kits and all in one systems. Have kits had thier day ?...

Bleddy a good question.
I don't know the answer, but most people on forums IMO talk about making from grain.

But is that cos from grain is more complex hence raises more questions?

Can we do a poll?

 

[clib]

I put the Simple AG post on here in 2015 because the majority on this forum seemed to be doing kits at that time. There seems to have been a significant change since then, driven by all the info available on the internet.

But I think Wilko has it's own problems. People are buying kits online. Much wider choice and better prices. I reckon brewing has grown in popularity and numbers. Mainly because the stigma has gone. Home brewed beer can be really good. It's not that long since the general perception was that home brew is terrible, something to joke about.

 

[The Baron]

I think kits have come on leaps and bounds and there are plenty of kit brewers out there. I and quite a few AG brewers still use kits now and again to boost stocks when time(life gets in the way)is at a premium so IMO I think it is not kits in decline but a Wilko problem.
I think I read some where they had a cash flow problem at the back end of last year

 

[Sadfield]

In Manchester we are down to one HB store now with the recent closure of Salford home brew. Bolton has one but I think that's it for the whole of Greater Manchester now.

The Mounting Stone (Made Of Stone Brewery) in Bramhall sell homebrew supplies. I think technically that's Greater Manchester. I'm not sure how extensive their range is though.