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Ok guys,
Vacation is on here and I have two friends going over to the US. It´s my chance to finally get civilized wine products (though I have decent equipment). Keep in mind that I have to get a decent stock (it´s not like people here are going every six months there). I need help sorting out my priorities. Of course volume is the problem.

What do you think then is most important and in what proportion? I´m talking about yeasts, nutrients, energizers, starters, stabilizers, capmden tablets. Which ones to get, which ones to get a lot, what is not all that important. (maybe you can tell me a selection of 5 must have yeasts and I get 3 of each -one for carbonation!). I see that many recipes use Champagne, epernay II, d-47, but also that there is a mead specific yeast. Help me out

Also, what is the best LHBS in Miami and Boston?

Thanks guys

I'll start this off by addressing the nutrients, and suggest (if you do not already have one) that you get a digital scale (0-500g) that has a 0.1g resolution. Having this item will allow you to buy certain items in larger quanities, better control their use.

Assuming you'll be making 5-8 5 gallon batches in a year:
1) I'd get 100g each of Go-Ferm, Fermaid-K, and DAP
2) 50g potassium bicarbonate
3) 6-8 oz hot-mix sparkolloid

Then get 1 Lb of potassium metabisulfite (KMETA, replaces Campden tablets), and a 16oz container of StarSan. If you dont' get a digital scale, then do not get the 1 lb of KMETA.

I would stay away from liquid yeasts, and recommend that you store your dry yeast (unopened) in a refrigerator (not the freezer area). Also, check the yeast expiration dates to ensure they will not expire within the next year.

Lastly, I'm not sure where you are located, but I know someone who lives in Japan that buys his brewing supplies yearly from US online stores. Have you checked to see whether that would work for you? Two stores come to mind: Austin Home Brew & More Beer & Wine.

hightest said:

I'd get 100g each of Go-Ferm, Fermaid-K, and DAP

Then get 1 Lb of potassium metabisulfite (KMETA, replaces Campden tablets), and a 16oz container of StarSan.

I would stay away from liquid yeasts,

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In addition to the items listed above I'd also get:

Citric acid (to go with the K-meta for sanitizing) a couple of 1 ounce bottles
Potassium sorbate (to go with the K-met for stabilizing) a couple of 1 ounce bottles
pectic enzyme, dry (for reducing pectin haze and to help break down fruit during primary fermentation) a couple of 1 ounce bottles

Lallemand dry yeasts D47, 71B, K1V, RC212, EC-1118

If there's room, I'd suggest trying at least a quart of some exotic honey you can't get wherever it is you live: Tupelo honey and orange blossom honey are both available in Florida but probably not in Boston.

thorsr said:

...Also, what is the best LHBS in Miami and Boston?....

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None exist in Miami, the closest thing is in Ft. Lauderdale and they aren't a LHBS, they have supplies for brewing extract brews. Brewmasters is the name of the place.
About an hour and a half north there is an LHBS, I haven't been there but supposedly they have everything you would need. BX Beer Depot is the name of the place they are in Lake Worth.