Home Brew News – July 2015

Hello Home Brewers,

Time for another newsletter and to also update you on our revised freight policy.

Revised Freight Policy – Effective July 2015

We have received numerous enquiries regarding a change to our freight policy this week and I would like to take this opportunity to explain in detail why the change has taken place.

For many years Aussie Brewmakers has offered $10 freight on orders under $100 and free freight on orders over $100 to anywhere in Australia, regardless of weight.

Over the years the cost of freight has continually risen, as you are no doubt aware if you ship anything via Australia Post or 3rd party courier companies. Aussie Brewmakers until this week has subsidised this increasing cost 100% for all orders above the already heavily subsidised freight offering.

Unfortunately at the beginning of July 2015 we were repriced on our freight contracts to a point where the existing freight structure was not viable any more.

After careful consideration and analysis Aussie Brewmakers changed its freight policy to ensure the viability of the business. It was a decision that was not taken lightly and we fully understand the angst / dismay it has caused our customers.

The new freight policy for Aussie Brewmakers on the majority of orders (excluding Keg Master Fridges and bulk sugar / beer kit orders) is:

Orders with a total value less than or equal to $100 incur a $15 freight charge.

Orders greater than $100 incur a $20 freight charge.

Orders in the Mansfield Victoria district are hand delivered at no cost

Please note: On occasions, Aussie Brewmakers reserve the right to adjust freight charges on very large / heavy and bulky items, especially to remote areas, Western Australia and Northern Territory. If you are in a remote area and do not contact us prior to ordering online, you may be contacted and asked to accept these additional freight charges before your order is dispatched. If the additional charges are not acceptable to you, a full refund will be offerred and the order cancelled.

Without the change to our freight policy it was evident the business structure would not remain viable into the future. The level of subsidy reached a point where at its simplest level, we were selling / shipping product and actually paying out to do it. We hope you can understand this is not something we could do for long!

The change in freight prices has been kept to the bare minimum. This means we still heavily subsidise the freight cost however, we are doing it at a level that is sustainable. We assure our customers we are charging the lowest freight that we can and that we are not ‘clipping the ticket’ on these charges.

We note the following with regard to our new freight policy:

• We have a simple freight structure so our customers know what the freight is per $$ order – no nasty surprises at checkout
• We firmly believe Aussie Brewmakers freight policy makes us extremely competitive in the home brew online market on an ‘overall cost to your door’ basis

Aussie Brewmakers prides itself on providing service and value to our customers. With the changes to our freight policy we will continue to be here to meet your home brew needs.

We sincerely hope our long term customers understand our position and continue to support us moving forward.

If you have any concerns or would like to discuss the above please contact Kerry on 0412 784 745 or via [email protected]

Winter Brewing – Watch That Fermenter Temperature!

We note winter is a great time to be brewing lagers and stouts due to the lower fermentation temperatures of some yeasts.

It is however extremely important to monitor the temperature of the fermenter. Yeasts once going are forgiving, but only to a point. Too cold, yeast will not die but will hibernate. Too hot, and the yeast will die.

We have sold many heat pads for fermenters this year which are an essential item for winter brewing in some areas of Australia (especially here in Mansfield Victoria). We have recently heard of incomplete or failed ferments from some customers. Upon discussion, it appears the fermenters have been over heating and killing off the yeast (which is not necessarily fatal but that is for another newsletter). Please note, just because it is cold outside does not mean you need to heat your fermenter if it is inside. Watch the temperature and adjust heating as needed. This is especially important if you are heating your house! Temperatures in your fermenter can change significantly during the ferment, so watch it closely and take into account the method and temperature of heating in your house / man cave or shed.

BTW, if you like a lager – our current favourite is Morgans Blue Mountain Lager. Ferment it with a Brew Cellar Premium Lager Yeast (15grms) for a great drinking full bodied beer.

Aussie Brewmakers is Moving!

Aussie Brewmakers will be relocating on 20 July 2015 to a retail outlet in Mansfield Victoria. The new address is Shop 6D, 20 Highett Street Mansfield Victoria 3722. We are excited about the move into the new premises and look forward to expanding our product offering both online and to our ‘walk in’ customers.

We always enjoy meeting our customers, so if you are ever in Mansfield Victoria please take the time to drop in and say hello (and maybe sample a brew or two!). Just turn left at the roundabout as you come into town from Melbourne and you will find us.

That is about it for now. As always, please let us know if we can assist you in any way. We are here to help!

Happy Brewing!

Aussie Brewmakers