Should I go with online shop? Or local shop?

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Jade_The_Raw

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I'm all about supporting small business, and I would like to start on a relationship with them too.

Or should I buy online? I think I would have a bigger selection of stuff and maybe a better prrice.
 
I buy local. That way they are there when I need something Saturday afternoon.

I also refuse to shop at Walmart and believe in voting with my wallet even when it means I pay more...
 
I have to do both. For pricing on smaller items I can't beat the online prices. There are also a lot of things that I cannot get at my LHBS.

I do get bulk grains from the LHBS because of the shipping charges that would come with online ordering.

I am looking into a group grain buy, if I can figure out how to arrange time off to make the pickup.
 
I would support a local brew supply store if there was good one around here. But the only one available is expensive, the selection mediocre and it's about an hour drive away. 95% of my shopping is online.
 
If you want to support local businesses, they have something that meets your needs and is fairly priced, buy local. You'll satisfy your desire to help a local business, establish a rapport and have the ability to have items in hand and a face to talk to if there are issues. Buy online if you can only get what you need online, or if the local place is grossly overpriced.
 
Buy local for what you can. If I had a "local" homebrew store, I probably wouldn't even look at online stores - an online store isn't going to help you if you realize last minute that you're out of caps, or any other supply. And you'll meet other brewers in your area. If you're like me and the nearest HBS is over two hours away...then, stop in and pay them a visit when you're in town, but online is about going to have to be your choice.
 
Support your LHBS!

There are times when you will have to order online to find certain things but as RC00 said, if you support them now then they will hopefully be there when you need something the day of.
 
For equipment it's nearly impossible for your LHBS to beat or even match the online prices, so I would suggest going that route for the equipment purchases if you don't have everything already. For everything else I use my LHBS. I've found that the price are about the same as you would pay online, and even if it's a little more the price difference makes up for the convenience and the ability to have a place to make emergency trips on brew days. If you have several LHBSs visit them all, and within 5 minutes of talking to the owner (this might be a generalization but I have yet to visit a LHBS that didn't have an owner/operator there) you'll know if it's someplace that you want to give your hard earned money for you. There are 3 in my area, I've gone to one once and will never go back due to the combination of poor customer service and over pricing, another was a run of the mill store that left me feeling like a 40 degree day, and lastly the one that I frequent which has a knowledgable owner that engages pretty much every customer, takes pride in his work and is honest about his prices. The third store I've sent all my fellow home brewers to with rave reviews and will continue to do as such.
 
I'm just not in a $ position to pay 30 dollars more for something I have to go pick up when I can get it dropped at my door for $30 less than at my LHBS. This was a recent purchase of $140. $170 at the LHBS, they wouldn't budge on their price. The owner doesnt work there - his managers do a good job of holding his price...and losing the business. I do want to support them - but I ain't gonna be their cash cow.

Grain only at the LHBS. - And I'm taking it up the arse when I do.
 
LHBS. Mine is great, knowledgeable reasonably priced and did I mention nice. The always have what I need and lots of things I don't. I often get a chuckle when I think oh I am sure they won't have X item, walk in and I don't even have to ask it is sitting out in plain sight. I started out ordering from Northern Brewer, then when I started hanging out at the shop I realized how great they were. It is much nicer to be able to walk in and get what I want( except on Sunday and Mondays since they are closed) instead of ordering and waiting a week.
 
I was thinking once I go and get my brew kit from the local shop maybe I can ask for an extra 5 gal glass or something considering I am
Going to be a future customer. Iv been in there
Before and they seemed chill.
 
Anything in bulk I buy elsewhere because my LHBS doesn't do any bulk discounts, really. I buy 5lbs. of Crystal 40 or a pound of flaked maize or an airlock, yeast, etc. there because it's reasonable and I'm not paying shipping on something that I rarely need.

For ingredients that I use a lot, I'd pay 40% more at the LHBS...more at times.
 
Austin Homebrew is afaik the only LHBS within 2 hours of me. I guess that's good since I get the online store prices but no shipping since it's a 15 min drive for me to go there.
 
Austin Homebrew is afaik the only LHBS within 2 hours of me. I guess that's good since I get the online store prices but no shipping since it's a 15 min drive for me to go there.

You're incredibly lucky in that way. Northern Brewer sells grain as cheap as I can get it in a group-buy...but the closest one is 8 hours from here. There aren't any other HBS remotely near me that sell grain off the shelf in 50# sacks for much under $50. Hence the bulk-buys we have to do.
 
I was thinking once I go and get my brew kit from the local shop maybe I can ask for an extra 5 gal glass or something considering I am
Going to be a future customer. Iv been in there
Before and they seemed chill.
Asking for an extra glass carboy on top of your kit? A ~$30 item thrown on top of a $60-150 (depending on the kit you buy) purchase......

Do you clank when you walk?
 
dkwolf said:
Asking for an extra glass carboy on top of your kit? A ~$30 item thrown on top of a $60-150 (depending on the kit you buy) purchase......

Do you clank when you walk?

Are they really that cheap?
 
Well I live in a big enough city. We have a Brew and Grow. Wich is were we bought our brewing stuff to start off. For the price of online and the home brew store the store is way cheaper than anywere I have looked. Besides paying our high local taxes. Its good to support local but it also depends on your budget. But try not and ever to go to wally world (walmart).
 
Are they really that cheap?
Your basic equipment kit? Yeah, if you get the bottom-of-the-line (which is what I started with). Ale pail, bottling bucket, hydrometer, airlock, racking cane, bottle filler, capper, etc... basically everything you need to start, you can find a kit for about $60-70. Start upgrading the kit, and the price climbs, obviously.

If you save pry-top bottles from commercial beer while you're getting ready to start (you'll need ~50 for a 5 gallon batch), you can be started brewing with the basic equipment kit and an extract ingredient box for right around $100.
 
For equipment it's nearly impossible for your LHBS to beat or even match the online prices, so I would suggest going that route for the equipment purchases if you don't have everything already. For everything else I use my LHBS. I've found that the price are about the same as you would pay online, and even if it's a little more the price difference makes up for the convenience and the ability to have a place to make emergency trips on brew days. If you have several LHBSs visit them all, and within 5 minutes of talking to the owner (this might be a generalization but I have yet to visit a LHBS that didn't have an owner/operator there) you'll know if it's someplace that you want to give your hard earned money for you. There are 3 in my area, I've gone to one once and will never go back due to the combination of poor customer service and over pricing, another was a run of the mill store that left me feeling like a 40 degree day, and lastly the one that I frequent which has a knowledgable owner that engages pretty much every customer, takes pride in his work and is honest about his prices. The third store I've sent all my fellow home brewers to with rave reviews and will continue to do as such.

Around here for starter kits at least that's not what I'm seeing. All the places I've been to have the BB kits, starter is like 70ish and the next one up is around a hundred. Online they're about the same price, throw shipping in on top of that and Im well over what I can get it for locally.

I would have assumed equipment would be one thing you wouldn't be able to save on because of shipping. Maybe single items are different. Ive only been looking at kits.
 
Local brew and grow. Deluxe BB kit $148. 6 gallon Stainless steel kettle $80. BB Robust Porter kit $35. Bought 20" of copper wiring at menards with hose and hose clamps for $40 (for wort chiller) All on a 8.025% sales tax. Thats from the midwest. Still have a few things to get. Bottle cleaner ect. But im sure if you dont have a store neer you most online places may combine shipping. But then you have to wait =(
 
When I want 110 lbs of grain or 7 lbs of hops, I buy online/group buy. When I want 2oz of hops, 8oz of grain or refrigerated yeast, I go to my LHBS. Unlike Twilight, you don't have to choose a team. Shopping at one doesn't bar me from shopping at the other.
 
Local brew and grow. Deluxe BB kit $148. 6 gallon Stainless steel kettle $80. BB Robust Porter kit $35. Bought 20" of copper wiring at menards with hose and hose clamps for $40 (for wort chiller) All on a 8.025% sales tax. Thats from the midwest. Still have a few things to get. Bottle cleaner ect. But im sure if you dont have a store neer you most online places may combine shipping. But then you have to wait =(
Try Brew Camp http://brewcamp.com/ MUCH better than B&G
 
I was buying online exclusively until a HB shop opened in Brooklyn, and now there are 2 of them, both about the same distance from me. I now buy almost exclusively from them. I even dropped a wad on a Blichmann kettle, since the price was the same, except no shipping but I had to pay tax. When I bought kegging equipment I went online for it as neither shop had a selection. Basically though it's the LHBS for me. Both are very friendly, one has on-site brewing for those living in tiny apartments or not wanting to own the equipment. The other has a larger selection, but I can still get what I want at either.
 
So glad that there is not one, but two competing(Yay low prices) brew shops within 10 minutes of my house in different directions. And another 2 about 30 minutes away in downtown.

Definitely another perk of being in Oregon.

I buy everything i can from them, at least brew specific things. Things like propane burners, or boil pots are just much cheaper online, especially with free amazon prime 2 day shipping.
 
So glad that there is not one, but two competing(Yay low prices) brew shops within 10 minutes of my house in different directions. And another 2 about 30 minutes away in downtown.

there is only one here and prices are about 40% higher than online. Its dark, cramped and hard to park.

If there were competition, I'd definitely check into them, but its online at this point. If someone opened one and went big, they might compete with the big online places.
There is an old Albertsons supermarket for lease here.:D
 
FuzzeWuzze said:
So glad that there is not one, but two competing(Yay low prices) brew shops within 10 minutes of my house in different directions. And another 2 about 30 minutes away in downtown.

Definitely another perk of being in Oregon.

I buy everything i can from them, at least brew specific things. Things like propane burners, or boil pots are just much cheaper online, especially with free amazon prime 2 day shipping.

For my Blichmann kettle it was the same price at the shop as online, but they control their prices. My shop had others that were competitively priced also.
 
there is only one here and prices are about 40% higher than online. Its dark, cramped and hard to park.

If there were competition, I'd definitely check into them, but its online at this point. If someone opened one and went big, they might compete with the big online places.
There is an old Albertsons supermarket for lease here.:D

See I'm all about supporting locals as long as the prices are reasonably competitive. I understand they have to keep the lights on and all that, but it has to be within reason.
 
Big fan of my local shop - I usually get yeast there, and their grain prices for bulk are much lower than online after shipping costs. They typically have good prices on larger equipment too (more margin, so they don't gouge). Gotta love South Hills Brewing.

I usually go online for fittings and hard to find items like rare hops.

BTW - made a pilgrimage to MoreBeer when I was in San Jose for work. Was very cool to see the brick and mortar version.
 
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