I'm all about supporting the LHBS...

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 03-28-2008, 07:34 PM

But when your prices far exceed those of the online shops (I'm talking double the price. Even with shipping online is more affordable), you second guess your customer (went in looking to get some tubing for a blow off tube. Dude wanted to sell me 11' of it and looked at me funny when I said I only wanted 4' AND the "kegging" dept when I ask for 3 5/8" shank being told they only come in even lengths and they've never heard of such a thing, or a shank that comes with the nipple welded on) I have to really start questioning where I get my equipment. They've been great with ingredients, but the equipment side is severly lacking....

Sorry, just had to vent...

**the_bird** · 03-28-2008, 08:17 PM

Yeah, I'm not feeling quite the same love for the LHBS as I once did. Just remember, Northern Brewer is SOMEONE's LHBS, and all y'all are basically my local homebrew club, so why should my shop be any different?

For me, I like the owner... I like his son... but there's another guy there who's just clueless, regardless of the topic.

ME: "Are these kegs reconditioned?"
HIM: "Well, they're used..."
ME (IN THEORY): "I know they're ****ing used! Asking if they're reconditioned implies that I KNOW they're used, it's asking if you're cleaned them up and replaced the goddamn o-rings on these USED kegs!"

**EdWort** · 03-28-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

... but there's another guy there who's just clueless, regardless of the topic.

He just needs his sign...

[youtube]upXayzBPuzM[/youtube]

**jfish63** · 03-28-2008, 08:33 PM

I wish I had a lhbs to complain about. The closest one to me is 74 miles one way. The prices are about the same as on line with shipping.

blacklab · 03-28-2008, 08:33 PM

KB - are you going to Steinbarts, or somewhere else? I go to the one out in Hillsboro(Main Street) b/c it's very close to work.

I'm going over to the eastside tonight and was thinking about checking out Steinbarts; never been there.

The dude in Hillsboro is pretty good, but he really pushes the extract. I guess he makes a better margin on it or something. He was very anti-AG, and would give me very little help with it. On the flip side, they have had pretty much every variety of hop available, and only recently upped the prices.

That being said, I still order stuff from AHS all the time, and I pretty much get my advice from the HBT.

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 03-28-2008, 08:42 PM

Yeah, Steinbarts. It's less than 5mins walking from my office and actually where I learned to brew many many moons ago. I went in there a few weeks ago getting a racking cane and some tubing to make the BMBF and was asked what i was using the tubing for. Explained, and again a look of "WTF are you thinking, you can't do that".

Oh well...I'll still be using them for ingredients (they have rhizomes in by the way) but equipment will have to be elsewhere.

ChrisKennedy · 03-28-2008, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

Yeah, I'm not feeling quite the same love for the LHBS as I once did. Just remember, Northern Brewer is SOMEONE's LHBS, and all y'all are basically my local homebrew club, so why should my shop be any different?

If it doesn't make a difference to you whether or not they are there, then aside from altruism, there is really no point for you to support them. But if you need them for various reasons, emergency, convenience, advice, hangout spot, etc, then in order to preserve that you would support them, even when their prices aren't the best. Of course there is also the fact that your LHBS can get others into homebrewing as well, so I guess supporting the LHBS also supports the development of homebrewing in your community, which is something that is probably supported by all of us. But there are certainly other ways to do this.

So really, the "support your LHBS" mantra is for those who actually need an LHBS, which, is to say, is not everyone.

JustDave · 03-28-2008, 08:50 PM

The one I usually go to is small, but the prices are decent. They don't have a huge selection, but they can do special orders.

But their website is enough to make you go blind.

Laurel · 03-28-2008, 08:54 PM

My LHBS sells wyeast cheaper than AHS before shipping. I plan to price out grains/extract syrup online and then see how they compare costwise in that arena as well.

**the_bird** · 03-28-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisKennedy

If it doesn't make a difference to you whether or not they are there, then aside from altruism, there is really no point for you to support them. But if you need them for various reasons, emergency, convenience, advice, hangout spot, etc, then in order to preserve that you would support them, even when their prices aren't the best. Of course there is also the fact that your LHBS can get others into homebrewing as well, so I guess supporting the LHBS also supports the development of homebrewing in your community, which is something that is probably supported by all of us. But there are certainly other ways to do this.

So really, the "support your LHBS" mantra is for those who actually need an LHBS, which, is to say, is not everyone.

I know... I should say, too, that the "local" part of LHBS isn't really the case, it's an hour+ drive (each way) for me. So, if I don't have the yeast I need on brew day, brew day's cancelled regardless.