Raleigh Brewing Company

Some of you may already know about this, but for those of you who don't I thought I might bring it up. Raleigh Brewing Company just (re)opened it's doors two weeks ago. Right off of Hillsborough Street in front of Meredith College. Great new place with some really good beers. Has a HBS attached to it as well in case you don't want to drive to Durham or NW Raleigh. You can grab a beer at the bar and shop for your next brew.

RBC

In my opinion, the best HBS in the area! Plus, after picking up ingredients you can stop in for a pint of their excellent Rye IPA and Belgian Golden!

I went by the HBS side of the brewery last week to buy a sack of grain. I was really impressed with the size of the place. Unfortunately I was coming from my lunch break at work and couldn't try the beers, but I'll definitely be back.

The Rye IPA, which is the Brewmaster's specialty, was really good and so is the Blatherskite

Visited yesterday for the first time. Great beer, the English ale was smooth and the rye IPA was fine. The HBS has great prices, $15 for co2 refill. Are you kidding me? And I got 8lbs of PBW for less than $40. Amazing.

They fill CO2 tanks now and for a very good price! It's about half what I was paying at the other store for my 5 lb tank.

They also just started selling whole leaf hops too.

Location, location, location. All those girls! Lol

Good luck!

Great brewery and an excellent hbs. They have a wide variety of everything, and their beer is exceptional.

I go in the HBS and ask the silliest questions but, their always more than happy to help.

I'll gladly give them my money.

Be sure to check prices around town too. I had them price match a CO2 tank yesterday and saved $5. That's the kinda service that gets you repeat customers.

They are really great with beginners. I've spent the most money at American Brewmaster but recently started going to ABS. In comparison, ABS seemed very willing to let me waste their time on seemingly dumb questions. American Brewmaster definitely shows a willingness to answer questions, but there was a different feel at ABS for some reason. They're also closer, which helps.

The HBS at Raleigh Brewing Co. is called Atlantic Brew Supply

http://www.atlanticbrewsupply.com/

I went in the week before Thanksgiving for a couple of minor supplies and wound up buying ingredients for their "Recipe of the Month". I am a beginner and the guy that helped me was extremely accommodating. He was very helpful in answering all my questions. I hear that American Brewmaster is going to open at Fortnight Brewery in Cary and that will be convenient for me, but Atlantic Brew Supply is a great place and I'll be back.

Another thing to check out at Atlantic Brew Supply is the "Raleigh Big Brew". It will not happen in December because of the holidays and I didn't get to participate in November because I was out of town. I will be there in the future, though! What they do is, one Saturday each month (except December), the "recipe of the month" ingredients go on sale for 1/2 price and you can brew it (or any other recipe) in their parking lot! (I am told that they have a couple extra burners to brew on, if you don't have one. I sure it is very limited and first come, first serve.) Then, they take your wort and run it through their brewery's chiller and return it to you! Sounds like a blast! If anyone has attended one of these events, I would like to hear how it went and what you thought about it. I think it would be a cool way to meet other brewers and share information. (And sample some of the brewery's beers!)

If you're interested in meeting other homebrewing (and tasting other people's homebrew) check out the CARBOY homebrew club. If you're in Cary they are local to you.

Darwin18 said:

If you're interested in meeting other homebrewing (and tasting other people's homebrew) check out the CARBOY homebrew club. If you're in Cary they are local to you.

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That sounds like good group of people to know! Thanks!

John, Mike, Alex, Kristy are all great people. I drive an hour and half just to get my supplies. They love my twice monthly trips as I never come alone and we spend a ton. All well worth it.

This weekend is the Carolina Quarterly Champion Brew-off. On Saturday from 5-9, the public can come in and judge the 4 beers that won the quarterly competitions. You get to sample each one and submit a ballot. Supposed to have some barbecue on site as well.

Enjoyed the Big Brew, Saturday. Learned a lot and had fun observing. I'll be brewing next month for sure!

Last week I was in Atlantic Brew Supply and was told that I had qualified for $30 off my next purchase so long as I made it within the next few weeks. I stopped in today and bought two recipes, a pale ale and a hefeweizen, along with a couple miscellaneous items. After applying the $30 off, I got two full recipes for $1.10.

Had a good number of people at the Raleigh Big Brew for February! Here's one view (doesn't indicate the number of people that were there!) and my little set-up. The recipe was Blonde Ale. I just observed last month. This month, I brewed! Great time!

Great beer there..especially their rye IPA. Their prices for supplies are a little less than American brewmaster for some things. I definitely will purchase the half off recipe of the month later this month.

lotusworker said:

Great beer there..especially their rye IPA. Their prices for supplies are a little less than American brewmaster for some things. I definitely will purchase the half off recipe of the month later this month.

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Having never brewed an IPA, I think it is time. For under $20, it is hard to pass up. American Brewmaster in Cary just opened up. Their prices seem decent and they have a room where you get your grain and mill it. Their mills look great too. I haven't gotten anything but yeast from there but I have to go today to get a wrench and a stopper. I like the guys in there better than the ones in their other store, they seemed more welcoming. ABS is still my go-to but convenience will win with American Brewmaster.

Hopefully the Cary branch of American Brewmaster is better run and staffed than the one in Raleigh. I stopped going there for several reasons including a jerk of an owner, limited supplies, and they lost several of my entries last year when they were a drop off location for one of the CBOY competitions. How do you lose a box labeled "Entries" in a store the size of a studio apartment?

Also - is the Cary branch going to sell grain in increments less < 1 lb? I thought that ABM in Raleigh wouldn't sell in < 1 lb increments but I could be incorrect.

In all honesty I've been to the Cary location. It's bigger, but I can't say that the staff is much more knowledgable. Seem nice enough but don't really seem to know what's going on.

RBC and Atlantic Brew Supply is my go to shop. After dealing with American Brewmaster and Bull City Homebrew and just getting either feelings of not caring about customers and not wanting to offer any suggestions, the guys at ABS feel genuinely awesome. Also, the Big Brew is a really cool thing to be part of.