NB prices jump?

Just ordered three AG kits for my maiden voyage into AG brewing and noticed a jump in prices. Dead Ringer used to be $25.50 now is $29.50, they all went up. Is this a grain thing, a hop thing or just NB raising prices? Pretty dissapointed, thought I was gonna save money going to AG.

Wow, Rahr 2 row went up .50/lb! Doesnt look like extract went up, wierd. Guess I'll have to shop around.

Many wholesalers increase their prices around the beginning of the year. Keep in mind that demand for brewing ingredients is skyrocketing as the craft beer industry continues to grow near-exponentially, which drives up prices, along with continued high fuel costs (which affect pretty much every step of the process, from growing the grains to shipping the ingredients to the homebrew stores).

As always, I suggest talking to your local homebrew shop's owner first (some have bulk discounts, or will sell you a sack of domestic 2-row for ~$50 and let you use their mill whenever you need it). In the long term, shopping at the LHBS doesn't only help the local economy and allow you to pick up "emergency" ingredients without having to pay for express shipping, but it also keeps the homebrewing superstores (especially MoreBeer and Northern Brewer) honest as well. Even if it's a few bucks more per batch.

I saw a group buy for NJ/PA on this site for bulk grains, but you might be a bit too far for it to pay off.

ETA: It's the Philly area..

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f174/south-jersey-philly-group-buy-round-26-a-296980/

+1 for LHBS

Mine doesn't have a great selection of equipment (other than the basics) but their ingredient selection and prices are awesome! A couple of weeks ago, I paid $43 for a bag of 2-row.

I just sold a load of grain for 10% more than the best I got last year so the increase certainly could be the price of grain.

NB's 50 lb sack of Rahr 2 row is unchanged at $35.99, sounds like a real good price. My closest LHBD is 45 minutes away, sucks. Troegs is closer, maybe I can buy from them!

sivdrinks said:

NB's 50 lb sack of Rahr 2 row is unchanged at $35.99, sounds like a real good price. My closest LHBD is 45 minutes away, sucks. Troegs is closer, maybe I can buy from them!

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I've always been curious how you guys buy these bulk sacks of grain with the shipping being enormous. I just checked that Rahr 2-row sack and the shipping for one 50lb sack is $30.84 for the cheapest method available. If I change the order to 3 sacks of 50lbs the shipping cost triples, so there is no discount. How do you guys warrant that? I know it's still a $0.36 per pound savings which adds up of course, but it's not as whopping as one would hope. Of course, those that can simply drive over and pick it up get the real savings, but I live nowhere near these major retailers.


Rev.

If you can not find a local group that does a bulk order, Austin Home Brew has free shipping on orders of $100 and that includes 50 lb grain sacks, at least they did last time I asked.

Many people buy their grain locally and save on shipping.

Some people group up and buy grain by the pallet load and save that way.

Diesel is up 41 cents/gal over last year at this time or about 11%. That affects everything step of the process as mentioned above, even manufacturing the bag that it comes in and the lettering on the bag!

Also, you can definitely get some nice shipping discounts when buying by the pallet. It's all about consolidation and touches in logistics. 3 bags isn't as efficient to ship as a pallet or a truckload.

Exactly why we ordered from BMW the other day instead of NB. Almost $.50 per pound cheaper and still flat rate shipping. And last NB order they sent what looked like pale malt as roasted barley, lol.

Too bad Rahr doesn't sell directly from their malting plant, since I grew up 5 miles from it and my parents still live there...

Rev2010 said:

I've always been curious how you guys buy these bulk sacks of grain with the shipping being enormous. I just checked that Rahr 2-row sack and the shipping for one 50lb sack is $30.84 for the cheapest method available. If I change the order to 3 sacks of 50lbs the shipping cost triples, so there is no discount. How do you guys warrant that? I know it's still a $0.36 per pound savings which adds up of course, but it's not as whopping as one would hope. Of course, those that can simply drive over and pick it up get the real savings, but I live nowhere near these major retailers.


Rev.

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Hook up with these guys. Sacks of 2-row for $.50-$.60 / lb or so plus $3-$4 bucks shipping as long as you can go pick it up. There's one for the NYC area too that I saw. Don't know if it ever got off the ground or not. Poke around that sub forum for something close by.

If you can't find a group buy close to you on here see if you can find a local homebrew club. I googled my area and found a club with regular meetings that I will join. They are doing a group buy from a local brewer. Grains under 30 bucks a sack.

I too noticed the price jump from NB. I would always go to NB as a default but now I'm comparing with Brwrs Whse and Midwest and others because their grain prices have not moved.....yet.

NB may be trying to offset some of the expense of their newest store?

I went to the LHBS today and prices were up 10-15% on grain and hops. Most of the liquid yeast was around $8.00. I was buying these for $6.00 a couple of months ago.

cyclonetx said:

I went to the LHBS today and prices were up 10-15% on grain and hops. Most of the liquid yeast was around $8.00. I was buying these for $6.00 a couple of months ago.

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Wow... $8?! That's kinda ridiculous. Time to start making starters.

Damn, I just noticed that a 55# sack of 2-row has gone up from $34 to $41 at my supplier.

turkeyjerky214 said:

Damn, I just noticed that a 55# sack of 2-row has gone up from $34 to $41 at my supplier.

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Damn that seems high i picked up a sack for 29.99 at my local hbs

Funny. I can get 5 all grain kits with 7.99 shipping but not a sack of grain, shipping jumps to about $35.

If I can't find a group buy this is where I go...prices include shipping and you get a discount for the more you buy.

http://www.fiftypoundsack.com/

Z

Primevci said:

Damn that seems high i picked up a sack for 29.99 at my local hbs

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What homebrew shop is this? I would like to know who their wholesaler is.

ArcaneXor said:

What homebrew shop is this? I would like to know who their wholesaler is.

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Brewbrothers.biz its great western premium 2 row. I work within two miles of them bu u can see there prices on there site

$29.00 wow!! I was thrilled that the Hbs in Pottstown, pa has 50lb sacks for $39.00. Actually I still am very happy with that price considering everyone else around here wants $60+ for the same bag and $3.50 an ounce for cascade(no thanks).

matt2778 said:

$29.00 wow!! I was thrilled that the Hbs in Pottstown, pa has 50lb sacks for $39.00. Actually I still am very happy with that price considering everyone else around here wants $60+ for the same bag and $3.50 an ounce for cascade(no thanks).

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Where's that? I'm in Lebanon but could find another reason to go to Pottstown.

I brewed up their Deadringer using Rahr 2 row out of a 50lb sack and it came in around $18 or 19 if I remember right. Hops being the biggest expense.

If their 50 lb sacks remain the same, I'll keep buying that. I have made trips to Midwest also during lunch breaks to save on shipping.

Midwest is usually a dollar/bag cheaper on full sacks of Rahr than NB.

I feel blessed to live within 15 miles of both from work. Both very good places to shop.

sivdrinks said:

Where's that? I'm in Lebanon but could find another reason to go to Pottstown.

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Week knee homebrew. Awesome shop with good prices on everything. Very friendly too.