cvstrat
Well-Known Member
I have a LHBS about 15 minutes away from where I work. It's pretty convenient and lately I haven't really been planning ahead enough with my recipes to order, so I just stop by and pick up what I need. However every time I go there the guy seems let me down in one way or another. Let me give you some examples:
First time I stopped in I was pretty noobish. He was explaining the fermentation to me as such: Sit it in primary until bubbles only come every 4 seconds. Immediately rack to secondary. It will finish fermenting in secondary. Immediately after it stops bubbling bottle it.
Now I had a feeling that wasn't right after what I've read here. There isn't supposed to be any fermentation at all in secondary. And the beer needs time to age and clean up before you bottle/keg. So I sort of ignored his advice.
Second time I went in to buy more bottle caps, and such. I asked if he'd ever heard of a dip tube for the bottling bucket. I told him I was going to break a racking cane at the bent part and use a stopper to fabricate one. He looked at me like I was crazy and said "that just sounds like a lot of work". So I went ahead and bought the stuff anyway, and of course they charged me a $1 extra because I used a visa and spent less than 10 dollars.
Third time I was in I was asking him about dry yeast and starters. After I mentioned that I had been using Wyeast smack packs he just looked at me with a condescending grin and sort of laughed like I was the dumbest person on the planet. Since then I've used the white labs vial, and safale us-05 dry yeast and both were great. In fact I've never had a bad fermentation with any yeast, but Wyeast is super convenient so I'm not sure wtf his deal was.
The last time I went in I had emailed them an order for a sierra nevada stout clone I had scaled up to 6gal. I still haven't managed to get a digital scale so I asked them to please measure the ingredients exactly. They like to sell in 1 or 1/2 oz increments. I needed exactly 4.5 oz of hops, 1.1, 1, and 1.4. I asked him since they charge the same price for hops no matter what style, could he just bill me for 4.5oz but measure them exactly to the recipe. All of this was by email, so when I showed up and asked if my order was ready he said "oh you are the one with the crazy order." Mind you that their website says "special orders are what we do". I said I don't have a scale could you weight it exact for me, even if you have to bill me extra. Their scale only weighs in ounces, and is only accurate down to 1/8th oz. So 1.1 oz is out of the question. I can get 1.125 oz but not 1.1. I can get 2.375 or 2.5 oz, but not 2.4. Call me crazy but I don't think measuring by the tenth of an ounce is too much to ask, especially at 3 dollars an ounce.
White labs vials are 8.80 each, which I will never pay for again (did it once in a pinch). And their in store prices are higher than their online prices, presumably because they don't update their website very often.
Finally I do have to say they have a pretty large selection. Their prices on some things are reasonable although online is always cheaper. If I walk in with a grain bill they fill it within 10 minutes. I always choose no mill but they will mill for free. And they are always willing to give advice (albeit incorrect) anytime you ask. So they are nice enough, just seem old fashioned and not really up with what the new age home brewers are into. So does my LHBS suck? I'm thinking of buying 2-3 recipes of grain online from now on and buying a bulk order of hops to avoid having to go back.
First time I stopped in I was pretty noobish. He was explaining the fermentation to me as such: Sit it in primary until bubbles only come every 4 seconds. Immediately rack to secondary. It will finish fermenting in secondary. Immediately after it stops bubbling bottle it.
Now I had a feeling that wasn't right after what I've read here. There isn't supposed to be any fermentation at all in secondary. And the beer needs time to age and clean up before you bottle/keg. So I sort of ignored his advice.
Second time I went in to buy more bottle caps, and such. I asked if he'd ever heard of a dip tube for the bottling bucket. I told him I was going to break a racking cane at the bent part and use a stopper to fabricate one. He looked at me like I was crazy and said "that just sounds like a lot of work". So I went ahead and bought the stuff anyway, and of course they charged me a $1 extra because I used a visa and spent less than 10 dollars.
Third time I was in I was asking him about dry yeast and starters. After I mentioned that I had been using Wyeast smack packs he just looked at me with a condescending grin and sort of laughed like I was the dumbest person on the planet. Since then I've used the white labs vial, and safale us-05 dry yeast and both were great. In fact I've never had a bad fermentation with any yeast, but Wyeast is super convenient so I'm not sure wtf his deal was.
The last time I went in I had emailed them an order for a sierra nevada stout clone I had scaled up to 6gal. I still haven't managed to get a digital scale so I asked them to please measure the ingredients exactly. They like to sell in 1 or 1/2 oz increments. I needed exactly 4.5 oz of hops, 1.1, 1, and 1.4. I asked him since they charge the same price for hops no matter what style, could he just bill me for 4.5oz but measure them exactly to the recipe. All of this was by email, so when I showed up and asked if my order was ready he said "oh you are the one with the crazy order." Mind you that their website says "special orders are what we do". I said I don't have a scale could you weight it exact for me, even if you have to bill me extra. Their scale only weighs in ounces, and is only accurate down to 1/8th oz. So 1.1 oz is out of the question. I can get 1.125 oz but not 1.1. I can get 2.375 or 2.5 oz, but not 2.4. Call me crazy but I don't think measuring by the tenth of an ounce is too much to ask, especially at 3 dollars an ounce.
White labs vials are 8.80 each, which I will never pay for again (did it once in a pinch). And their in store prices are higher than their online prices, presumably because they don't update their website very often.
Finally I do have to say they have a pretty large selection. Their prices on some things are reasonable although online is always cheaper. If I walk in with a grain bill they fill it within 10 minutes. I always choose no mill but they will mill for free. And they are always willing to give advice (albeit incorrect) anytime you ask. So they are nice enough, just seem old fashioned and not really up with what the new age home brewers are into. So does my LHBS suck? I'm thinking of buying 2-3 recipes of grain online from now on and buying a bulk order of hops to avoid having to go back.