"Beer In A Bag"

[SeaHog]

Several years ago, I saw an ad in a magazine for "Beer In A Bag". It was a (presumably) plastic bag containing all necessary ingredients. All you had to do was add water and wait. I would like to try this as an easy alternative to normal home brewing. But I don't remember what I did with the ad. No luck searching the web. Has anybody heard of this, or know where I should try? I seem to remember that the outfit was in California, possibly around Santa Cruz. Any help is appreciated. Bottoms up!

[drstandley]

Hey Seahog,

It's funny you mentioned that. Several years ago a friend of mine bought me, and another guy a "beer in a bag" for Christmas. All you did was add water and wait. It was a burlap sack with a tap on the bottom, and a fitting at the top to add water and seal it.

You hang it in the garage, wait about 4 weeks and drink it. I tell you, it was really good beer. Couldn't believe it.

I will try to contact the guy that gave it to us, and see if he can remember where it came from. We've talked about that beer in a bag many times, remarking how good it really was.

[SeaHog]

DrStandley,

Thanks for the reply. I'll be interested to hear if your friend can remember the source. I'm surprised that it was such good beer; I wouldn't have expected that! Now I'm even more anxious to locate it. Thanks again.

[drstandley]

Sorry man, he has no idea where he ordered it from. Said he got it from an ad in a Mag. That was many years ago. I'll poke around the net too, and if I come up with anything, I'll let you know.

[CaptHook]

These were imported from England. The 2 I tried were not very good (maybe it's me) and expensive @ $30.00? The Irish and
English import shops had them. But don't see them anymore.

[SeaHog]

Thanks CaptHook. Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I didn't get an e-mail telling me there was another reply. I just checked in and saw yours. Thanks for the reply. I'll keep searching.

[Licensedtoquill]

The stuff was really great compared to the chemical offerings available in the US from the major breweries although they did need a bit of tweaking bY adding hops etc. I still have a few bags left and wonder how easy it would be to sterilise them and reuse them. (I am NOT a purist)

And there didnt seem to be any way of stopping the fermentatino process. You had to drink the beer rather quickly or it would continue fermenting and ultimately become too sweet (and if you did this TOO quickly it became flat as well as the CO2 escaped)

My local brewmaster said that he wasnt impressed by the idea of brewing in something which has flexible sides so I wonder if MrBeer or the Beer Machine woudl work as well. WOrd has it on rec.crafts.brewing that (assuming you are not a total purist) it would (I had thought that the flexible sides were useful to expel all the air during the brew process)

[Tom C]

Your LHBS may sell ready to pitch ales/lagers. They are like the wine kits that all you do is take the bag out, open it, empty it into the primary, pitch the yeast and wait. I imagine with the exceptional extracts that are out in the market right now that they would make a fine ale, but is it really brewing. At that point, I 'd rather just buy a 6 pack.

Tom C

[bigmf]

Check this one out http://celebrator.com/200002/spagnols.html

Just add ~ 2 gal of water to the primary with pre-boiled wort make sure its the right temperature and pitch the yeast. I am sad to say I haven't been able to make a better stout than by using the brewhouse kit.

However it's only in Canada I beleive.

[bigmf]

That's a poor link try this one:

http://www.thebrewhouse.com/main/res/handouts/advbrew.htm