Sticking Munton's (Woodfordes) Kits - Information and offer

[Jimjiber]

Well I just gave in to temptation and poured a wee drop of my Great Eastern Ale... I started it on October 20th, kegged it on the 31st and just poured a crystal clear half pint!

This has turned out so much better than the Wherry and I am not joking when I say this is very drinkable right now. I don't see how it can improve with more time!



Sorry the photo is not great - it is off my 2MP phone camera...

[BlackBag]

Well done Chris. A well composed communication deserving a timely and professional response.

[sparky Paul]

Good work Chris, I can't understand why Munton's are such hard flog. You would think that they would at least like to be seen to be trying to resolve this.

I know its been said before, but another problem with these kits is the ABV they quote. Its all very well saying the Wherry kit will make 40 pints at 4.5%, but with a SG of around 1040 (or sometimes below) and a FG of 1014, it isn't going to happen. I've just bottled another Wherry, and if I had made it up to the full 5 gallons, the SG would have been about 1038 - I made it short to get it up to 1040. To get 4.5% out of 1038, it would have to ferment down to 1006, even after taking account of priming, and I can never get Wherry below 1015.

To be honest, I can't see how they would get a SG any higher than that with 3KG of extract, but it would also help if the cans were full. This one had about 3/4" of air in each can. I know cans have to have a small headspace, but that is a short fill to me, and it seems to be a regular occurance with these kits.

[oxford brewer]

I met Linda(I think it was her?)at a homebrew event run by my LHBS and had the chance to ask her about the problem with their kits sticking?.The first thing she asked was if I was a member of any homebrew forums upon saying I was with JHBF(I think she doesnt rate some of our members to highly ), she then spun me a tale that the reason for the kits not fermenting out was due to the sachets of yeast.She explained that during production the sachets somehow ended up with a pin prick in them (lucky they dont package condoms )and the yeast lost its ability to work properly.When I stated that people still had stuck fermentations using other dried yeast her response was to say that if people used a different yeast(as the one supplied is designed for that kit!) or added any grains or hops to alter the kit in anyway then it could effect fermentation .After that I took my free Muntons mug and walked away chuckling to myself

[Jim]

We'll find out the score tomorrow but I wont be accepting a story about pricks in the Muntons yeast department

[batemans fan]

I have had a few of the Woodforde's kits. I don't measure out my liquids that accurately - just aim for more or less the same height on the fermenting bin, and I don't expect to get the same OG every time but it's usually around 1042 and it usually finishes at 1012 to 1014 - which I reckon as being a scant 4% BV.

My last kit was an Admiral's Reserve which I probably topped up with water a tad on the generous side and got an OG of 1038 It stuck at 1018 but went down to 1002 after addition of DBE - made for a quite pleasant pale, dry, hoppy ale after conditioning for a further three weeks or so.

Here's the readings:

Day 0 1038
Day 2 1024
Day 4 1020
Day 5 1018
Day 7 1018 DBE added
Day 8 1014
Day 9 1011
Day 11 1008
Day 14 1004
Day 16 1003
Day 17 1002

Might try it again with the DBE thrown in at the start

Edit: Fermenting temperatures stayed a degree or so either side of 21ºC.

[quiff]

Nice one Chris,
How stupid do they think we are to spin us such pathetically incredulous platitudes???????
Batch SYB must have been one hell of a sizeable batch if that steaming pile of horse sh1t is to be believed!!!
Ripping punters off by continuing to refuse to acknowledge obvious substandards in their products is one thing, insulting their intelligence is another thing altogether......

[Marts]

To be fair to Linda she is just their Homebrew Sales Executive. It's the wan*er in their technical department that's telling her "Say its a problem with the yeast" you want to have a go at.

[Jim]

Just to say that I had a bounced registration email from someone at Muntons, so perhaps they want to reply to this thread.

I've re-sent it, so hopefully they'll be along shortly.

[faeyd]

My latest Wherry hit 1010 in 4 days. I still have 3 more to do which will put me in the region of 10 total and so far it's 7/7 hitting the spot OK.

Temperature: 21 degrees
Yeast: Pack supplied

[Andy]

Good work chaps, not picked up on this thread for some time but hats off to Chris for trying to get this issue resolved.

Hopefully Muntons will be able to work with us on this one to the benefit of the homebrewing community.

[Andy]

Oh, and I've activated Linda's account so she can now login.

[sparky Paul]

Great work Chris, I really hope they can get a handle on these problems.

I've been quite supportive of these kits in the past, I always found them very good despite regularly reaching a FG no lower than 1015/16. As the results were good, I never really saw this as a major problem...

What I do see as a problem is that the last two have stopped fermenting in the 1022 region, and have needed assistance to get down to the 1015/16 figure. A good rouse of the yeast has worked both times, slowly restarting the fermentation, but these recent experiences have knocked my confidence in these Munton's two can kits and I will be avoiding them until this issue is rectified.

Another good reason to crack on with the AG.

[sparky Paul]

I was wondering why you were still making kits SP

As you know, AG this summer gone was the plan, but unfortunately some unforseen events got the better of me and I didn't have the time to think about sorting it out. However, things are settling down now and I'm collecting the equipment to put it together next year. I'm not far off now, but the next project is a mash tun... shiny Thermo Box or good old cooler box?

People still keep buying/giving me beer kits too... I know, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. I've told OH that she's not to buy me anything beer kit related for xmas, and she hasn't a clue what I'm doing with all the AG stuff.

[sparky Paul]

...and just to warn you in advance, I'm sure I'll be making a nuisance of myself next year when it comes to putting it all together.