FAQs — Shipping, Returns & Brewing Help

I've never brewed before. Where should I start?

Start with our Getting Started guide. For kits, try a starter kit or extract kit — they handle most of the complexity. Most first batches succeed.

How long does a brew take?

Typically 4–6 weeks from brew day to drink: about 1–2 weeks fermenting, then at least 2 weeks conditioning in the bottle. Fast wine kits such as WineBuddy are quicker, at around 7 days. The wait is worth it.

Do I need special equipment?

Our starter kits include everything you need to get brewing — fermenter, airlock, thermometer, hydrometer and more. Note that most kits don't include bottles, so you'll need your own (or ours) for bottling day. Beyond that, you might want a heat belt (around £25) to control fermentation temperature, or a bottling wand (around £2.70) to speed up bottling.

How long do yeast, hops and kits keep for?

Dried yeast: Best used within its printed best-before date, stored somewhere cool and dry (or in the fridge for longer life). Still usable a little past this date, but expect a slower start.

Hops: Best kept in the freezer once opened — they'll lose aroma and bittering power over time at room temperature. Sealed, unopened packs keep well for 12+ months in a cool, dark place.

Brew kits: Check the best-before date on the tin or pouch. Unopened, most kits keep well for 12–18 months in a cool, dry cupboard.

How do I place an order?

Add items to your cart and proceed to checkout. Provide your delivery address and select your payment method. We aim to dispatch orders quickly, usually within 1–2 working days.

Can I amend or cancel my order after placing it?

We'll always do our best to help, but please double-check your order — including your delivery address — before checking out. Once an order is placed, amending or correcting it (including address errors) is the customer's responsibility, and we can't guarantee changes will be possible once an order is being processed or has been dispatched.

If you need to change or cancel an order urgently, the fastest way to reach us is by calling us rather than emailing — we may be able to catch it before it's picked and dispatched.

Can I collect locally?

Yes. Local collection is available Monday–Friday 9am–3:30pm and Saturday 9am–1pm at our Sowerby Bridge shop (closed Sundays). Contact hello@brewco.uk if these times don't work.

Do you offer gift cards?

Yes — BrewCo gift cards are available in a range of values, delivered digitally by email so they're ready to use straight away or forward on as a gift.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept Credit Cards, Debit Cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay at checkout. Card and cash are both accepted in store.

Address: Unit 4b, The Former Post Office, Victoria Road, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, HX6 3AE

Delivery Times

We aim to dispatch orders quickly, usually within 1–2 working days. Delivery times vary by method:

• DPD Next Weekday: Delivered next business day
• Express: 1–3 business days
• Outside the UK: we don't currently deliver to other countries (we do deliver to Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man)

By default, we don't authorise DPD to leave parcels in a safe place, with a neighbour, or at a pickup shop. If you request one of these options directly with DPD yourself (e.g. via their app or tracking link), that's done at your own risk and becomes your responsibility, not ours.

Shipping Costs – UK Mainland

Shipping Costs – Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man

Northern Ireland (Express): £5.99, any weight. DPD is also available, priced by weight at checkout.

Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man (Express, Royal Mail):

• Up to 5kg: £6.49
• 5–15kg: £7.49
• Over 15kg: £7.99

DPD 2-day is also available to the islands, priced by weight at checkout.

Tracking Your Order

All orders are sent with a tracking number via email. Track your package here:

Can I return my order?

Yes. You have 30 calendar days from delivery to return an item. To be eligible:

• Item must be unused and in original condition
• Original packaging must be intact
• You must have proof of purchase (receipt)

Custom or personalised products (including anything made or mixed to order) can't be returned unless faulty, as these can't be resold once created.

My item arrived damaged — what do I do?

Please tell us within 10 days of delivery, with photos of the item and the box, and keep all packaging until we've sorted it. After 10 days we can no longer claim from our courier, so we'll need you to send the item back to us for inspection.

If we confirm it arrived damaged, we'll refund your return postage along with the repair, replacement or refund. If we find no transit damage or fault, return postage isn't refundable. This doesn't affect your statutory rights.

To help us sort this quickly, please email hello@brewco.uk with photos of:

• The outer box, showing the DPD or Royal Mail shipping label
• The outer box itself (all sides, if damage is visible)
• The product as it arrived
• A close-up of the damage

The more photos you can send, the better — this is what the courier needs to investigate the claim properly, and it helps us get things resolved for you faster.

What if something's missing or wrong with my order?

Please check your order as soon as it arrives and tell us about anything missing or incorrect, ideally within 7 days of delivery, so we can look into it with the courier while it's fresh. This doesn't affect your legal rights.

Refund Process

Once we receive your return, we'll inspect it and notify you of the status. If approved, we'll refund you to your original payment method within 14 days of receiving the item back (your bank may take a few more days to show it).

Return postage: If you've simply changed your mind, you pay the cost of sending the item back. If you cancel a whole order within the 14-day cancellation period, we also refund the standard delivery charge you paid. If an item is faulty, damaged or sent in error, we'll cover the cost of the return. Please contact us first and we'll arrange it.

Questions? Contact hello@brewco.uk

Do you offer trade or bulk pricing?

If you're a homebrew club, event organiser, or looking to order in larger quantities, get in touch at hello@brewco.uk with what you're after — we're happy to see what we can do.