wilkinsons own homebrew beer kits

[sc0tty81]

I used to be a drayman for Scottish courage, the landlords for enterprise were getting screwed over big time, almost £300 for a keg of lager when free houses could go to wholesale and pay £120, they connect their taps to the phone lines so they know how much beer they've poured so they can fine them if they bought their own,
No wonder they were shutting down!!

 

[Pete H]

rpt

I used the same as the pilsner, 1kg of dexrose and 500g of light spraymalt

 

[Kinleycat]

Well the Wilko Cerveza is in the FB!
1kg Muntons Brew Enhancer and 500g Brewing Sugar. :thumb:

 

[DamageCase]

I've had the Wilkos Newki Brown which was nice but a bit watery, brewed to 23 litres with brewing sugar. I've learnt from this and brewed their Hoppy Copper Bitter to 20 litres instead and I'm really looking forward to trying this one. My opinion so far is that they're very good kits for the money.

 

[winelight]

where's all the people who don't smoke who were staying away from pubs because of the people who smoked in them?? they're staying away because of the beer prices.

Yes that's pretty much correct. I think the recession/high prices are the killer. Work out how much you spend in a pub in a year... takes a big chunk out of household income. I'm lucky to be able to get a pint for £2.60 but even that adds up.

 

[Kinleycat]

where's all the people who don't smoke who were staying away from pubs because of the people who smoked in them?? they're staying away because of the beer prices.

Yes that's pretty much correct. I think the recession/high prices are the killer. Work out how much you spend in a pub in a year... takes a big chunk out of household income. I'm lucky to be able to get a pint for £2.60 but even that adds up.

The thing is that prices don't need to be as high as they are.
Based on the volume, i'd love to know what an actual pint of Carling or whatever costs to make.
Ok there are other costs involved and taxation, and the landlords costs on top of all that.
Most of the pubs round Wakefield that are empty or as good as, are Enterprise Inns pubs - enough said!!

 

[sc0tty81]

Like I said before, a landlord with no ties can pick up a keg from Clarke or wherever for £60, those that are tied are forced to pay £120 upwards or get a hefty fine If they buy in, don't know why enterprise and the likes don't just take the lease money and let landlords buy from where they want, the price of a pint would come crashing down as there would be more competition!!

 

[Kinleycat]

Like I said before, a landlord with no ties can pick up a keg from Clarke or wherever for £60, those that are tied are forced to pay £120 upwards or get a hefty fine If they buy in, don't know why enterprise and the likes don't just take the lease money and let landlords buy from where they want, the price of a pint would come crashing down as there would be more competition!!

Presactly!!! :thumb:

 

[TRXnMe]

I really don't understand the Enterprise Inns business model, unless it is very short term.

They only manage to exist while there are folk who do not know how they do business, once they've gone through the available 'idiots' and fleeced them for all they were worth where do they expect their income to come from? From what I see pubs that have shut don't have a huge demend for new owners, the ones near me are either still empty, or if they are large enough have been converted into flats.

 

[skippy]

The Wilko's 2 can kits are now down to £15..

 

[rpt]

I think they are £16 in my local Wilko but still a big improvement on the £22 they were previously at. Perhaps they weren't selling many compared to the Wherry for £18.

 

[dgriff]

Just picked up a golden ale for £16. The yeast sachet looks like the one which came with the Wherry, so i assume that it is Muntons who make the Wilko kits.
Griff.

 

[DamageCase]

I spotted that they've got their Two can kits on for £16 today. I might spring for one while the price is down. Has anyone tried these two can ones? A 3 kilo all malt kit is almost too good to be true for that price.

 

[dgriff]

Not tried them yet. The last time I was in there I considered them, and went for the tried and tested Wherry because it was 4 quid cheaper.
I will be starting the Golden Ale in the next couple of days, but it will be brewed short with possibly extra malt because I like my HB to be about 5%.
Maybe some hop tea as well.

 

[rpt]

The Wilko kits are made by Muntons like the Wherry so I would expect them to be good quality. A bargain for £16. I must pick one up.

 

[dgriff]

I started the Golden ale kit yesterday afternoon. Brewed short to 20L, OG 1045. This morning there was a massive yeast head on it. I will leave it in the FV for 14 days before racking and bottling. I might still dry hop/hop tea after 7 days. Any suggestions re: hop variety and quantity?

 

[tricky_dicky]

I was thinking of doing the Wilkos Golden Ale, with 50g of Cascade dry hop

 

[Scott]

Sat drinking a pint of Wilko Newkie Brown which I bottled about 4 weeks back. Brewed it short to 20l and added a kilo if beer kit enhancer. It is a very drinkable pint, I think I under primed though, I used one carbonation drop per 500ml bottle and there isn't enough fizz in it for my taste, may have to go to two drops.

 

[Bogwitch]

My first beer was a Wilco stout. I'm using the cheapest of equipment, so it went into a Wilco 16 quid barrel, no Co2 injection, etc.
The beer is a little flat but that's to be expected but the taste was perfectly drinkable - I've had much worse Guiness in pubs that didn't know how to look after it properly!

I have lacked the patience to leave it to mature and I've been tapping it off after it sat for a week, I'm sure it would have improved had I left it longer.

My first experience just showed me that I need to invest in: a pressure cap and Co2 injector and some bottles. I'll be doing Wico kits again, very cheap and convenient and, if a first brew came out that well, pretty much foolproof. Well, /this/ fool proof anyway!

 

[winelight]

Don't invest in the bottles, get them free from a pub, bar, friends who drink beer, someone you see with a carfull at the recycling centre, etc...