Deflated

[Scooby]

Well the happy truck has been making regular appearances at my door, and I’ve been busy making and modifying things, inspired by you guys and the wealth of information available on the forum.
Reading through the posts have made me change my initial thoughts about my brewing process, I’ve decided not to mash in the bruheat and have made an insulated mast tun and also constructed a CFC. I can see the American influence and their obsession with equipment, (shiny things).

So I placed an order for ingredients with H&G last Sat and the excitement has been building in anticipation of a revival of my brewing after a very long break, no happy truck by Wed so rang, “ its going to be despatched todayâ€

[Seveneer]

That sounds pretty poor. Is there no local shop you can go to?

/Phil.

[Scooby]

About 25 mins away Sevener, I try to use them amap but its very small, part of a grocery store and I'm not sure the have a very big turn over,

Where do you use? I don't think I'm not far from you, Newbury is about 25 min and Basingstoke the same again.

[Seveneer]

I use the shop in Farnborough which is 25 minutes further still. I used to live about a couple of miles from them and have used them for 20 years. I also work in Guildford so I can easily call in on the way home from work.

/Phil.

[Scooby]

Thats bad form for H&G, i've found that it may take a day or two to dispatch if you order close to the end of the week but 7 days is a bit lax, either they have taken their eye of the ball or they are busy, it is the start of the brewing season after all. Still I dont blame you for deciding not to use them again, vote with your wallet

Good news about the keg though, you just need some beer to put in it

Right, it is possible they are busy as it is the start of the season, I would have been more understanding if the had let me know, they have my email and phone no, anyway another reason to be cheerfull, I got a 14lb co2 cylinder for £15.86 no rental, no deposit and only just over 1 hr drive round trip.
JUST GIVE ME INGREDIENTS. Oh and a regulator, (that can wait).

[Andy]

Guildford eh Phil, so you must use the A331 from M3 -> Hogs Back ?

If so, wave as you approach the Aldershot turnoff as my house is about 150m away at that point

[Scooby]

Is that 'The home brew shop'? I see they have a web site. I will use my local shop when I can but will have to use the net as well and may well give them a try.

[Andy]

Scoobs - that's the place.

[Seveneer]

Guildford eh Phil, so you must use the A331 from M3 -> Hogs Back ?

If so, wave as you approach the Aldershot turnoff as my house is about 150m away at that point

Never mind waving, what you got on tap?

/Phil.

[eskimobob]

So I placed an order for ingredients with H&G last Sat and the excitement has been building in anticipation of a revival of my brewing after a very long break, no happy truck by Wed so rang, “ its going to be despatched today”. Roll on the w/e. Rang again today, the guy didn’t want my order no but took my ‘phone no and said he would call me back. Did he F--k. I’m really pissed off and deflated, and won’t be using them again.

I'm surprised at that. John and Patsy are usually spot on although I used to pick my stuff up rather than have it delivered when I lived nearby. I placed an order with them on Friday actually and was expecting to receive it today but nothing so far. I might well give them a call tomorrow to check on expected delivery...

[Vossy1]

I've been in contact with John and Patsy a lot recently.

They are very busy at the mo, the average day finishing at 2030 hrs.

This is no excuse for poor customer services though

[eskimobob]

I might well give them a call tomorrow to check on expected delivery...

I spoke to Patsy today on the phone. She tells me thay are currently about 3 days behind on despatching their orders. My delivery is now expected on Thursday almost a week after I placed it.

Bit of a pain because I have a primary waiting to go into secondary but that currently has a brew in it waiting to go in a cornie for which I am waiting on some O-rings. Arrgh...

Oh well, never mind

[Scooby]

My order was delivered yesterday, Just before it arrived I phoned H&G and was told dispatch was last wed and I should have had it by now, (ordered sat) and they would get back to me. I phoned as soon as it arrived, they told me the carriers informed them delivery was last thurs!!! I was not happy and told them so, the service of their carriers reflects on them and they had not returned my call last fri. No apology whatsoever was forthcoming so I shall still vote with my wallet.

BTW brewed today, write up and images soon

[PieOPah]

Damn shame that you had to wait so long.

I had similar problems but it was completely due to the delivery rather than H&G - the delivery guy never knocked on the door and assumed we were out - maybe he just didn't want to lift 25kg of grain.... The result was not having my delivery for a further week (was really worried obout my yeast at the time!)

I will be using them again but only because the grain is so much cheaper than anywhere else I have found.

I will make sure I order well in advance of wanting to brew though

[eskimobob]

I can have some in the post tomorrow EB, just send me the H&G ones once they arrive. PM me your address if you want them.

Thanks DaaB. As it happens, my delivery arrived yesterday - a day earlier than they expected.

Similar to PoP, the stupid postman didn't ring the bell so I had to go and pick it up from the post office. This is the second time this has happened recently.

I started reconditioning two of my cornies last night and everything seemed to be going well. After cleaning and fitting the new seals I pressure tested one and all the seals held tight so I racked my Bumble Bee into it, sealed up and pressurised it and... found a leak

It seems the neck of the cornie is leaking through the steel - looking at it, there are stress marks on the neck where the metal was pressed into that shape so it has probably always been on the dodgy side since it was manufactured. I had to transfer the beer to the other cleaned cornie which fortunately is ok.

I'm not desperate for the keg as I have a few others that I can use but I'm thinking of trying to fix it with some Araldite all the way around the neck.