My closest LHBS is charging $8.95 for Wyeast

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Not crazy. Even at that price, the markup above wholesale price is probably less than for most other products at the shop. Depending on where you are, shipping costs can be very costly. And finally, Wyeast has a very high perceived failure rate of somewhere around 20%, meaning that's the percentage of smack packs that get returned or can't be sold because the pack either doesn't inflate when it should, or is already inflated on arrival. Good luck telling most customers that the inflation thing is just a dumb gimmick and doesn't do anything to indicate the vitality and viability of the yeast.

Also, the shop offers $5.95 Wyeast with $30 purchase.
 
Well it seems high when 2 other LHBS (one within 15 miles the other within 15 miles from where I work) are charging $7.48 and $6.25
 
My local charges 9.99 for white labs... Has been for more than a year or so... Im into dry yeast mostly.
 
My LHBS has always charged $6.50 for Wyeast and that's in Chicago. $9 seems high unless it's in downtown San Francisco or NYC w/ rent up the wazoo...
 
ArcaneXor said:
Not crazy. Even at that price, the markup above wholesale price is probably less than for most other products at the shop...

He's REALLY rippin you on the other stuff!

: )
 
Not crazy. Even at that price, the markup above wholesale price is probably less than for most other products at the shop. Depending on where you are, shipping costs can be very costly. And finally, Wyeast has a very high perceived failure rate of somewhere around 20%, meaning that's the percentage of smack packs that get returned or can't be sold because the pack either doesn't inflate when it should, or is already inflated on arrival. Good luck telling most customers that the inflation thing is just a dumb gimmick and doesn't do anything to indicate the vitality and viability of the yeast.

Also, the shop offers $5.95 Wyeast with $30 purchase.
Yeah maybe wyeast should stop the whole smack pack thing. Honestly storage wise in the fridge I like the white labs vials better.
 
Yeah maybe wyeast should stop the whole smack pack thing. Honestly storage wise in the fridge I like the white labs vials better.

White Labs is for sure easier to store. Wyeast should pressurize that internal pack so when it gets popped it forces the outer package to expand no matter what.
 
Even with higher ingredients costs its way cheaper to homebrew when decent commercial beer goes for $20 a six pack and $100-120 for a case of 24.
 
Yeah maybe wyeast should stop the whole smack pack thing. Honestly storage wise in the fridge I like the white labs vials better.

It's really serves no purpose other than to prove viability. I think it's a gimmick.
 
Well it seems high when 2 other LHBS (one within 15 miles the other within 15 miles from where I work) are charging $7.48 and $6.25

I am not sure if you have poked around their sight much more, but they charge (slightly) more than most other LHBS for most ingredients. Granted, not 50% more.
 
I am not sure if you have poked around their sight much more, but they charge (slightly) more than most other LHBS for most ingredients. Granted, not 50% more.

True. Just took a quick look at Crisp Maris Otter and it was $0.15/lb more at the LHBS charging the least for the yeast. Although, the LHBS charging $7.48 was cheaper of other items. Too bad it would cost me like $12 in gas to get there and back. It would be cheaper for delivery.

So Ya, I guess you're right it's all relative. They can make up for the cost of the yeast by charging a little more on other things. That $9 for yeast just kind of smacked me in the face and I had to vent.:eek:
 
Stir plate and yeast farming time definately. You can keep cloning the yeast literally forever. Two or three cloned batches would buy the grain for another batch too. Give it a try. The worst you could do is kill a few million yeast or make a bad batch. But either of those possibilities are still pretty remote if you do good sanitation.
Bob
 
Stir plate and yeast farming time definately. You can keep cloning the yeast literally forever. Two or three cloned batches would buy the grain for another batch too. Give it a try. The worst you could do is kill a few million yeast or make a bad batch. But either of those possibilities are still pretty remote if you do good sanitation.
Bob

This is really on the front burner of where to take my brewing process next.
Cutting $8 or $9(more if I don't want to step up a smack pack) off the cost of brewing can go a long way. Even dry yeast seems to be creeping up in price.
 
$8.75 here for White Labs plus a 50 mile round trip.
I harvest the yeast, and buy a new vial about once every 6 months. Doing this, the cost is insignificant.

-a.
 
My local charges me $5 for dry yeast, which seems pretty excessive to me. They charge $8 for liquid yeast and $10 for sour yeast.
 
My local charges me $5 for dry yeast, which seems pretty excessive to me. They charge $8 for liquid yeast and $10 for sour yeast.

Depends on the strain. Coopers and regular Muntons are still very cheap. All the Safale and Fermentis (Danstar) strains have increased in price. Some of them are almost up there in liquid yeast territory now.
 
Hmm... I've been starting to save my yeast more than ever. Not a big fan of the Nottingham going up to like $4.50 a packet. Well, at most places anyway. My local lhbs still sells it for $1.79...
 
Have a look at the stir starter on Ebay. 49.00 bucks delivered, nice and quiet and comes with a stir bar and keeper magnet. I bought the optional 1 liter erlinmyer flask for 12.00 dollars too. Came well packed and has a lifetime warranty. Can't hardly go wrong like that.
Bob
 
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