Best place to buy ingredients?

I have a couple places that I like to purchase my beer ingredient kits from (Northern Brewer), but I'd like to know the best (cheapest) place to purchase random ingredients for recipes of my own design (i.e. not kits).

I have used Brew Builder to purchase ingredients before. I do like it as it's convenient to use and has flat rate shipping, but I think I may be paying more than I need to for the ingredients.

I'm probably going to buy enough stuff for 2 or 3 brews at a time, so not necessarily "bulk."

Thanks!

I like the way brewmasterswarehouse.com mixes and packages grains from their recipe software, and I make recipes for 3 gallon batches. Their shipping is cheap. I like their site a lot, but they could have more types of hop pellets available.

If its all grain, then Rebel Brewer. You can't beat their selection of grains. Literally.

Farmhouse Brewing Supply is nice. Hops at/close to $1.00 per oz for 4 oz quantities, most base malts about $1/lb for 10 lbs.

mike20793 said:

If its all grain, then Rebel Brewer. You can't beat their selection of grains. Literally.

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I've been tempted to buy from them but although their online selection is nice, they seem to run out of stock, and the "out of stock" sign isn't very noticeable.

Awesome, thanks for all the suggestions. The Brewmaster warehouse is what I meant by brew builder (I forgot the name!) :cross:

I'll take a gander at the others mentioned, thanks!

mojo_wire said:

Farmhouse Brewing Supply is nice. Hops at/close to $1.00 per oz for 4 oz quantities, most base malts about $1/lb for 10 lbs.

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Plus one here. Farmhousesupply is the best. Good customer service too.

Also look for a group buy in your area. I buy 55lb sacks of 2 row for $37. It's works out to be $.068 a pound. Not too shabby if your brewing a lot.

Kmcogar said:

Plus one here. Farmhousesupply is the best. Good customer service too.

Also look for a group buy in your area. I buy 55lb sacks of 2 row for $37. It's works out to be $.068 a pound. Not too shabby if your brewing a lot.

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Yeah, I'd like to start buying bulk, but I don't have a mill yet and I don't brew quite often enough to make it work. I'm actually only now about to brew my first all grain beer. :rockin:

onipar said:

Awesome, thanks for all the suggestions. The Brewmaster warehouse is what I meant by brew builder (I forgot the name!) :cross:

I'll take a gander at the others mentioned, thanks!

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If you find an online store that is cheaper without buying bulk and still maintains high quality, you must share! I would actually feel bad about spending less money. The only thing I have found that fits the bill is a local shop (local means about one hour trip each way, unfortunately).

Well, after your first all grain...you'll Want to brew more and more.

Here's a link to a good yet inexpensive grain mill. They go quick so get it while you can. (if you have the cash)

http://www.homebrewing.org/Cereal-Killer-Grain-Mill_p_2310.html

GOOD LUCK!

Is your LHBS insufficient?

TimpanogosSlim said:

Is your LHBS insufficient?

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My LHBS is about an hour away, unfortunately. I went there when I first started brewing, and then it was just easier to get the kits online (and cheaper).

I did check the LHBS online and prices for bulk items are generally more expensive too, even without shipping. I like to support them when I can, just wish they were closer.

Kmcogar, thanks for the heads up. It's funny, the brew kettle I purchased just arrives today, and it's from that same site (Adventures in Homebrewing). Great deal on the kettle; that mill looks like a great deal too.

Hops Shack is also a good one for hops. Just got 3lbs. of hops for $28 shipped.

This thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/online-homebrew-supplier-comparison-thread-313337/ has some good comparisons.

If you're going from kits to recipes of your own invention, you're going to start caring about how a vendor packages its various specialty grains. Austin Homebrew Supply will combine all your weighed grains into one bag for shipping, if you choose. I am supremely lazy, and I like the convenience of dumping a single bag into my mash tun. I know this is probably not the most compelling argument for going with a particular vendor, but to be honest, it's why I use them.

AHS sells either one-ounce increments (specialty) or half-pound increments (base grains). Which, if you're combining grains into one bag, comes in handy for recipes that use a small amount of potent grains. Other vendors sell only in half-pound or one-pound increments, so you have to weigh them out and store the rest until you figure out what to do with the leftovers.

tre9er said:

Hops Shack is also a good one for hops. Just got 3lbs. of hops for $28 shipped.

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I never heard of hops shack. I just checked them out. They have some good bill pricing. $6.99 for a pound of Columbus. That's ridiculous. My LHBS sells them for $3 for 2 ounces

Kmcogar said:

I never heard of hops shack. I just checked them out. They have some good bill pricing. $6.99 for a pound of Columbus. That's ridiculous. My LHBS sells them for $3 for 2 ounces

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Bulk hops...bulk grains....that's how you save money!!

Kmcogar said:

I never heard of hops shack. I just checked them out. They have some good bill pricing. $6.99 for a pound of Columbus. That's ridiculous. My LHBS sells them for $3 for 2 ounces

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hopsdirect.com too

yeah...you will probably want to invest in a food saver if you go bulk hops....but you can save a ton on hops when they go on sale...

Also read up on washing yeast.....harvesting your own yeast is a great way to save.

Join a brew club....even if you stick to buying from the online guys we always go in together on stuff so we only pay on shipping fee.

I buy my hops from Farmhouse usually, although they're out of stock on the hops I want right now. Prices are great.

I usually buy my grain from my LHBS to give them business. All grain @ $1.59/lb. Good enough for me.

Sometimes I buy 10lb sacks from Farmhouse too.

Very cool, thanks for the continued comments. I'm checking out that other thread mentioned, as well as all the stores.

There is a local brew club but I keep missing the meetings. I have to get more involved! :rockin:

Yeah, I'd like to start buying bulk, but as I mentioned, a few things are holding me back, (storage, a mill, not brewing frequently enough, etc). I also would really like to get my all grain process nailed down before going bulk. I figure after three or so brews, I'll be ready.

I've only written one recipe so far (Moon Hill Pumpkin Ale), but I'll definitely be doing that more often too, again, once my all grain process is where it should be.

I think by then I'll also have enough money saved up for the few things I'd need for storage, the mill, and maybe beer smith.

Just as a follow up: I added the same recipe in both Brew Warehouse and Farmhouse supply, and Farmhouse was a good $10 or more cheaper. The downside is of course not having the exact weights of each ingredient (which is one of the things I like about the brew warehouse.

A followup to my followup. I also just noticed that Farmhouse doesn't have a flat rate shipping. Well, they call it flat rate, but it increases based on the size of your order, as opposed to other places having a set $6.99 or $7.99 price.

That sort of blows the savings out of the water. I had three recipes in both Farmhouse and Brew warehouse, and Farmhouse was closing in on being $20 cheaper. But the cheapest shipping for them was $15.99 (brew warehouse was $6.99).

Farmhouse was still cheaper, but now only by a few bucks. Of course, something to keep in mind also is that the Brew warehouse would be shipping exact weights of everything for the recipe, whereas Farmhouse only sells in certain increments.

In other words, while the price difference seems pretty close, I'd have more than a few ounces of hops and a few pounds of grain left over from the Farmhouse order, that I could use later. So Farmhouse does still come ahead, though I wish their shipping was cheaper.

I'm stopping thru Milwaukee on the way to Michigan in July and will be going to Northern Brewer. Their grain prices are almost as cheap as we got the last time we did a group commercial buy through a really big-time brewer and businessman who has a commercial account. Paid $33 for 50# of 2-row in that buy. NB has it for under $40 and I'm already going to be up that way so the fact that it's a day's drive (and then some) is a non-factor. My other brewing friend is asking me to buy him stuff too...my van is going to be weighed down!

Brewmasters Warehouse have a good thing going with their software, and with their flat rate shipping. I have tried many times to use another site that has cheaper grain, but I not been able to leave the comfort zone that BMW has, or really been able to even costs out. Not that I mind. Besides, all grains are crushed and in one bag with a label... It doesn't get better than that (for me). I have already added two recipes and saved them there for when I come back from holiday. I will order them while I am on holiday so that it gets there the day I return so that I can get back to this!!! I must have fermentation!! Then again, I don't keep any left overs or save in bulk... Maybe one day. Plus, I don't really know the grain brands anyway.

iambeer said:

Brewmasters Warehouse have a good thing going with their software, and with their flat rate shipping. I have tried many times to use another site that has cheaper grain, but I not been able to leave the comfort zone that BMW has, or really been able to even costs out. Not that I mind. Besides, all grains are crushed and in one bag with a label... It doesn't get better than that (for me). I have already added two recipes and saved them there for when I come back from holiday. I will order them while I am on holiday so that it gets there the day I return so that I can get back to this!!! I must have fermentation!! Then again, I don't keep any left overs or save in bulk... Maybe one day. Plus, I don't really know the grain brands anyway.

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I agree about Brewmasters warehouse in that respect. I built my Moon Hill Pumpkin Ale there, and when it arrives, it was all ready to go. This order I'm getting from the Farmhouse supplies will need to be weighed out. I don't think I'll mind much though.

If I'm not doing a group buy, I like Morebeer. Free shipping on most stuff with a $59 order (and that ain't hard to do!). Great place IMHO.

Cheers!

Get in on a group grain buy either from one in your area started on HBT, or join a homebrew club that has them during the year. Also buy hops in bulk as they're available. I get my base malt through bulk buys and jumped on the highly discounted hop sale that was posted a couple/few months back. I now have a freezer full of hops and several sacks worth of grain available. I even did a couple of split sacks of grain (honey malt and amber malt). I use honey malt in a lot of my recipes so it's worth getting it that way.

As for the other grains I use, I typically get them from either Farmhouse or Rebel. Mostly because they HAVE the grains I want, or use, in stock. I do compare prices when it's time, between them and a couple of other vendors, to ensure I'm getting a solid deal still. I also buy unmilled grain, since I have my own malt mill.

I would suggest getting at least base malts in bulk. Especially if you have a mill, or have a friend with one. If neither is the case, then I'd plan to get one as soon as possible. It's one of the best things you can get for your brewing. It gives you the freedom to change a grain bill up until the very last minute. I also enjoy knowing that my grains are freshly crushed, so they're going to be the best in the batch. No matter what anyone else says, pre-crushed grains will start to lose freshness as soon as they're crushed. If you don't store them well, they'll degrade faster. IMO, if you're brewing, you're in it more for what you get at the end. So why not start with ingredients that are best possible??