I have been going to this place for years for Cigars and to get those crazy hard to find beers but I never got into the brewing side of the store much because up until recently I never thought I could do it. So, I started brewing maybe 4 months ago and recently moved (more like jumped in head first with wreckless regard) to mini-mash and AG recipes. It was a lot more fun going there and picking out an Extract kit, much easier on my end and for the employees I guess because they didn't have to walk me through THEIR process of collecting the grains and grinding them, showing me where the hops and yeast are stored. I generally found them to be kinda helpful until I moved to PM's and AG stuff. Then it was like they automatically assumed I knew where everything was, knew that Roasted barley was in fact called a different name on the packaging in their store, etc.
The other gripe I have is that they seem to follow this insane theory that you have to get that beer off the yeast the literal second that the FG is hit and get it into a clearing tank. The guy I talked to last looked at me like I had 3 heads when I told him my RIS had been on the yeast for 4 weeks. I think because he doesn't follow the same methodology I do, he immediately thought of me as an inferior brewer. Though he has never had anything I have made, nor vice versa, I find that cold shoulder move to be a put off to wanting to return to that store. I think in the future I will just go there to buy the grain, make my own mill to grind at home, and spend as little time in there as I can. The only other option is the "other" LHBS that charges an arm and a leg for all their HB'ing stuff. I noticed their extract kits were $10 more on average than the one I normally go to. That store was also a rather weird experience and a lot less selection. How much is shipping these days? Maybe I'll just give my business to online dealers where I don't have to deal with people who are having a bad day, every day.
But then again, Maybe its me??
The other gripe I have is that they seem to follow this insane theory that you have to get that beer off the yeast the literal second that the FG is hit and get it into a clearing tank. The guy I talked to last looked at me like I had 3 heads when I told him my RIS had been on the yeast for 4 weeks. I think because he doesn't follow the same methodology I do, he immediately thought of me as an inferior brewer. Though he has never had anything I have made, nor vice versa, I find that cold shoulder move to be a put off to wanting to return to that store. I think in the future I will just go there to buy the grain, make my own mill to grind at home, and spend as little time in there as I can. The only other option is the "other" LHBS that charges an arm and a leg for all their HB'ing stuff. I noticed their extract kits were $10 more on average than the one I normally go to. That store was also a rather weird experience and a lot less selection. How much is shipping these days? Maybe I'll just give my business to online dealers where I don't have to deal with people who are having a bad day, every day.
But then again, Maybe its me??