Order online, last minute things at LHBS?

So what's the wisdom about ordering the bulk of your supplies online, then using the LHBS for last-minute or forgotten/overlooked things?

The reason I ask is because I accidentally ordered twice the amount of muslin bags, and half the amount of yeast I intended to buy.

I feel a bit ashamed to go into the LHBS and buy one packet of 34/70, but that's all I need.

I just buy where it's cheapest and support my LHBS as much as possible. If I have to buy something and it's the difference of a dollar or two, I'll buy from LHBS. If I'm doing a bulk hop/grain buy I typically order online because the price is better.

There's no shame in just running in for a pack of yeast. However I try to be nice when I'm there and pick up one or two small things that I know I'll need eventually... airlock, new spigot for bottling bucket or something like that.

If people didn't buy things from them, they would go out of business. You're lucky to even HAVE a shop that you can drop by and pick up a pack of yeast. If you're ashamed to buy one pack of yeast, then I'm sure you can find a couple of other things to throw in there. I find that whenever I think I need just one thing, I wind up getting together a decent order.

I would rather pick everything up from my LHBS. There is only one decent one here so I want to make sure they keep up there business or i will be stuck going to wine stores with two shelves of beer making supplies where they tell you that to make beer you buy a can of Lme and add a kilo of corn sugar and that's it. Bah. Besides I joined the local beer brewing club and get 10% off everything I get at the LHBS as well

Buy from your LHBS or they will not be there when you need them.

That being said, I feel I have a pretty good lhbs. Of course, it is tough for them to compete on all things, but I try to support them when I can and they are not too much money. They match northern brewer, and stock plenty of hops and grains. My rule first is that they need to have it in stock, and be compeititve with online. Now, when with shipping I can save 30-50% on stuff, I will buy online, but mainly it is equipment of maybe bulk hops.

mpruett said:

So what's the wisdom about ordering the bulk of your supplies online, then using the LHBS for last-minute or forgotten/overlooked things?

The reason I ask is because I accidentally ordered twice the amount of muslin bags, and half the amount of yeast I intended to buy.

I feel a bit ashamed to go into the LHBS and buy one packet of 34/70, but that's all I need.

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you're probably going to run to homebrewhq. they're hoping people will just wander in, they're so bored. i'm in arlington. i have a few massive harvested 3470's ready to go. good yeast

I buy everything from the LHBS. I like the dudes and I want them to stay in business. I dont have the room to keep bulk grains and hops around, but even if I did, saving a couple bucks isnt that important to me when I am friendly with the staff and know I am helping them to keep doing what they are doing.

If Wal Mart sold grains for cheap, would you buy there?

You CANNOT split your batch ingredients between two business. You will NOT end up with beer, but rather 5 gallons of Four Loko in your carboys! DO NOT DO IT!

Just kidding, business is business, they are't going to get mad at you for only buying yeast.

lumpher said:

you're probably going to run to homebrewhq. they're hoping people will just wander in, they're so bored. i'm in arlington. i have a few massive harvested 3470's ready to go. good yeast

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Indeed. They're more or less on the way home from work for me.

I was figuring that along with the yeast, I'd pick up an airlock and maybe a 7 gallon plastic bucket & lid- the 6.5 gallon carboy works well, but is heavy, awkward and kind of a pain in the a** to clean.

(plus I'd have enough capacity to rock 10 gallon batches if I so desired!)

really.. relax and stop stressing over this... I buy things where I want, when I want and I am never going to worry if some merchant is going to get mad at me for shopping somewhere else.

Besides, it might just be a couple bucks for the yeast but every sale counts. If they don't feel that way they won't be around long anyhow. If they are good at what they do they know if you buy a pack of yeast once in a while you'll buy other things too. And if not at least you're buying something. Probably not wasting a bunch of their time either.

theonetrueruss said:

really.. relax and stop stressing over this... I buy things where I want, when I want and I am never going to worry if some merchant is going to get mad at me for shopping somewhere else.

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Here here.

Now if you need a reason to buy more equipment or supplies then by all means, look at it however you want. something I like to keep in mind to convince SWMBO

MBasile said:

You CANNOT split your batch ingredients between two business. You will NOT end up with beer, but rather 5 gallons of Four Loko in your carboys! DO NOT DO IT!

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and what is the problem? ;-)

I buy most of my stuff from the LHBS because I want him to stay in business. I could probably save a couple of buck shopping online but I would rather support him. Also the more stuff people buy from the local store the fresher everything is. My LHBS turns over a lot of product so I have no worries about freshness.

Also if he gets the support and stays in business then when the time comes that I am in the middle of brewing and find I am missing something I can run over there and get it. Much easier.

I buy from my LHBS, I support them every chance I get. They are a start up (less than a year in business). They have no issue if you buy 1 thing or 10. I try to use cash for smaller purchases.

They are good folks and help me a ton, I feel like family when I go into the store, besides they host our Brew Club meetings.

Many times I go in to get one cheap item and they give it to me. I have some yeast that did not go active, they gave me a new pack free.

They earned my business and we are lucky to have them, heck I would not have gotten into brewing without them.

I'm doing my part to keep both LHBS in business. Both have good prices & I found that buying online & paying shipping is about the same as buying local & paying tax.

I'm lucky to have two excellent stores within a short drive, Northern Brewer & Midwest Supplies. I personally see no reason to order online. Now, if you weren't as lucky as me I could understand.

I'd buy everything but the yeast online.

I tend to buy everything online that I can, and use the LHBS for emergencies. It wasn't always this way, but every time I go in there I get interrogated about where I'm buying my other supplies/ingredients. When I admit I bought them someplace else, especially online, he gives me a long guilt trip. I really would rather support the local shop, but I also want to be left to my own devices when it comes to how I brew and where I buy my stuff. The guy is a brilliant brewer and I'd love to learn from his experience, but I can't talk to him without it quickly turning into me getting scolded.

I even tried another local shop, but it was the same thing. They're so desperate for business that they drive people away. Kind of counter-productive. I'm much happier now just dealing with a faceless website.

-A

I've talked with the guys at one of my LHBS's. They definitely don't mind people coming in to pick one or two things. They told me that their business thrives on the customers that just come in to buy a pound of grain or a packet of yeast or an ounce of hops. They know that they can't be price competitive on everything so they aren't going to get a lot big purchases.

If your LHBS gives you an attitude for buying a yeast pack you should take your money elsewhere. I wish I was near Midwest and Northern Brewer.

My lhbs actually suggested me to get in on bulk buys with local clubs, because with the amount of grain and hops I was going through, the cost was getting pretty steep.

I still go there for misc things, specialty malts, yeast, smaller equipment etc. The one closest to me is actually more of a beer, wine, and liquor superstore, so I'm always in there buying a 6-er. If the strictly hbs was closer I'd definitely frequent it more.

I'm probably going there to grab a 10lb bag of base malt, so I can brew this weekend, while I wait for the bulk buy to come through next month. Its still around $1/lb, but not bad considering if I had it shipped from anywhere it'd be comparable. Hops are another story, when you can pick them up for ~$1/oz, but the lhbs charges $3-4!! That's a LOT of $$ if you're brewing a 10g IPA!!

They understand, just make sure you support them in some way, even if its for a packet of yeast and especially WORD OF MOUTH!!

I will try to get my things a the LHBS, but will also go for a better price online if available. My local shop has two locations about equal distance away from me. One of the locations I always feel like I am interrupting the employees "alone" time with each other. The other location has a more welcoming feeling and I prefer to do business there. I have gotten some great advise from both locations and am glad they are around. I do need to be more careful on bulk items with them, such as caps, and find out how the charge for fraction of pounds on grain.