diff --git a/woof/consumer.py b/woof/consumer.py
index aef8b89..4c1bcfc 100644
--- a/woof/consumer.py
+++ b/woof/consumer.py
@@ -58,13 +58,14 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.wait_time_before_exit = wait_time_before_exit
 
         if use_zk:
-            kwargs['api_version'] = '0.8.1'
+            kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version', '0.8.1')
             # ZK autocommit does not seem to work reliably
             # TODO
             self.async_commit = False
 
         else:
-            kwargs['api_version'] = CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION
+            kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version',
+                                               CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
 
         try:
             self.cons = KafkaConsumer(
diff --git a/woof/partitioned_producer.py b/woof/partitioned_producer.py
index cd3e7aa..4bf3552 100644
--- a/woof/partitioned_producer.py
+++ b/woof/partitioned_producer.py
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ def __init__(self, broker,
                  batch_send=False,
                  batch_send_every_n=BATCH_SEND_MSG_COUNT,
                  batch_send_every_t=BATCH_SEND_DEFAULT_INTERVAL,  # unused  - here for legacy support
-                 retries=3):
+                 retries=3,
+                 **kwargs):
 
         try:
             self.async = async
@@ -35,14 +36,15 @@ def __init__(self, broker,
                 _partitioner = CustomPartitioner(partitioner)
             else:
                 _partitioner = DefaultPartitioner()
-
+            kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version',
+                                               CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
             self.prod = KafkaProducer(bootstrap_servers=broker,
                                       key_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
                                       value_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
                                       batch_size=batch_send_every_n,
                                       retries=retries,
-                                      api_version=CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION,
-                                      partitioner=_partitioner)
+                                      partitioner=_partitioner,
+                                      **kwargs)
         except Exception as e1:
             log.error("[partitionedproducer log] GEN err %s  /n", str(e1))
             raise
@@ -104,16 +106,17 @@ class CyclicPartitionedProducer(KafkaProducer):
     use send() to send to any topic and distribute keys cyclically in partitions
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, broker, async=True, random_start=True):
+    def __init__(self, broker, async=True, random_start=True, **kwargs):
         self.partition_cycles = {}
         self.random_start = random_start
         self.async = async
-
+        kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version',
+                                           CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
         super(CyclicPartitionedProducer, self).__init__(
             bootstrap_servers=broker,
             key_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
             value_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
-            api_version=CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
+            **kwargs)
 
     def _partition(self, topic, partition, key, value, serialized_key,
                    serialized_value):
diff --git a/woof/producer.py b/woof/producer.py
index 7e80bee..62177b2 100644
--- a/woof/producer.py
+++ b/woof/producer.py
@@ -13,13 +13,15 @@ class FeedProducer():
     use send() to send to any topic
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, broker, retries=3, async=False):
+    def __init__(self, broker, retries=3, async=False, **kwargs):
         try:
+            kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version',
+                                               CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
             self.prod = KafkaProducer(bootstrap_servers=broker,
                                       key_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
                                       value_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
                                       retries=retries,
-                                      api_version=CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
+                                      **kwargs)
             self.async = async
         except Exception as e:
             log.error("[feedproducer log] Constructor error ERROR %s  /n",
diff --git a/woof/transactions.py b/woof/transactions.py
index a1ce874..d9008b6 100644
--- a/woof/transactions.py
+++ b/woof/transactions.py
@@ -15,19 +15,22 @@ def __init__(self,
                  vertical,
                  host=socket.gethostname(),
                  async=False,
-                 retries=1):
+                 retries=1,
+                 **kwargs):
         self.broker = broker
         self.this_host = host
         self.vertical = vertical
         self.async = async
         self.topic = _get_topic_from_vertical(vertical)
+        kwargs['api_version'] = kwargs.get('api_version',
+                                           CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION)
         # thread safe producer, uses default murmur2 partiioner by default
         # good for us
         self.producer = KafkaProducer(bootstrap_servers=broker,
                                       key_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
                                       value_serializer=make_kafka_safe,
-                                      api_version=CURRENT_PROD_BROKER_VERSION,
-                                      retries=retries)
+                                      retries=retries,
+                                      **kwargs)
 
     def New(self,
             txn_id,
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ def _send_log(self,
                  txn_id, msg)
         try:
             self.producer.send(self.topic, key=txn_id, value=msg)
+            print self.topic
             self.producer.flush()
         except KafkaTimeoutError as e:
             log.error(