Doing business at a LHBS

While shopping with my wife on Friday I realized that we were just a few miles away from the closest LHBS so I went over to get some hops to finish up a couple of brews. I walk to the hops frdige and see a sign, "Hops can only be purchased in quantities to complete a recipe". I'm not buying anything else this trip so I'm concerned... but I ask. The owner tells me, "Oh, you support us pretty often...how many do you need?" I thought that was pretty nice... and just gives me one more reason why I like doing business at this LHBS.

My LHBS is the best...

The only thing I buy online is hops and when I tell them that I get a better deal online they totally understand... And they also inform me that if I place an order early they can beat the prices I'm getting online. I just don't think that far in advance...

http://www.larrysbrewsupply.com/

Consider yourselves fortunate that you have a LHBS that is truly local. My closest store is 30 miles away in a town I don't travel to very often. When I know I'm going to be there at a time when he's open, I plan to shop there, it's just not very often that the opportunity is there.

I am thankful that mine is maybe 10 miles away.

My LBHS ROCKS!!!!

i try to give my lhbs as much of my business as possible. but there are things i buy online cause they price cant be beat. also even though some things can be beat online small items ill buy locally just cause its convient. and my LHBS is about 10 miles away and theres another shop that has a small brewing area i will goto for some things.

Hops aren't hard to come by anymore though so I wonder why he's rationing.

Bobby_M said:

Hops aren't hard to come by anymore though so I wonder why he's rationing.

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I have been and am still under the impression there is a Hops shortage?

My LHBS is not so L. It's about 40miles away. I try to buy from him when possible but it's so convenient to buy and shop the wonderful selection on the internet. Besides, he is kind of weird. It's almost like your bugging him or something when you ask for an opinion or guidance. I do know that he has been short certain varities of hops over the summer. Have not been in lately to know if his stocks are back up. Good luck!

He's not the only one I go to and the others ration too. Perhaps when the new stock comes in that wiil change.

from talking with my LHS, the reason many are in short supply is the suppliers required shops to place an order covering their anticipated annual needs. That is really tough for a shop owner. If your shop didn't go out on a limb, chances are they are in short supply. Some types are easy to get in hand and others are not.

My LHBS is owned and operated by what i believe is an old hippie. Cool guy that dont ming shooting the **** with you or helping out with a recipie. Plus his prices are lower than most I have found online. And another plus he is only about 5 miles from my office and 15 from my house!


SD

My LHBS is only 5 miles from his house, and the prices are pretty competitive. Also, I'm the kind of person that likes to hold things in his hands before I buy them, so I can go in there and do that.

As for hops, I did buy a pretty big shipment online last year when the shortage was at its peak, and LHBS didn't have anything. There hops freezer is pretty full right now, but still no Centennial, which I tend to use a lot of. I have 6 oz on hand, but I'll be using all of that in a couple of weeks for one brew, then I'll need another oz for dry hopping it.

The guys at the LHBS are all pretty good, but some are more knowledgable than others. I play cards with the most experienced guy there, so I have his home number if I need anything important. I never realized how lucky I was until I started reading abut people who didn't have LHBS.

I may pay a little more for my stuff, but I know that I am getting quality products and ingredients, and I'm helping to support a local business that keeps people employed.

My LHBS is awesome, and they're having a 10% off sale with a non-perishible food item, and additional 5% if I pay cash- I'm off with canned peas in hand!!

davefleck said:

from talking with my LHS, the reason many are in short supply is the suppliers required shops to place an order covering their anticipated annual needs. That is really tough for a shop owner. If your shop didn't go out on a limb, chances are they are in short supply. Some types are easy to get in hand and others are not.

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They can still buy whole pounds at near retail prices and still make profit by selling at per ounce pricing. Limiting their customers like that will just push people to online ordering.

My LHBS is like that too. Since I am a pretty regular customer and spend a decent amount of my disposable income there, the owner gives me the hook-up whenever he can.

Nothing local around here, so mostly I buy online. I can't justify a 25-40 mile (each way) drive for brewing supplies (25 being the closest and 40 being the closest decent store).

My local shop tends to cater more towards the wine crowd and their prices in addition to the state and local taxes are really high so I only shop online now.

My HBS is about 60 miles away. I'm not complaining, though, because a lot of Canadians don't have a proper HBS at all. Sure, there are lots of stores that sell wine and beer kits, but not grains and hops.

Bobby_M said:

Hops aren't hard to come by anymore though so I wonder why he's rationing.

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There still seems to be an issue up here. It's kind of hit and miss whether or not he'll have what I want. There are several empty bins in his hops cooler.

Alright! Enough! All these "my LHBS rocks" posts are a bummer man! They just remind me of my LHBS that also rocked and that is no longer among the living! Don't get me wrong, I like buying my stuff from Austin Homebrew now, but its just not the same as having the guy there to chat with and get info from... wah!

i noticed the lhbs has lotsa hops on hand now. they are still pushing four bucks an oz for pellets and five for leaf, so they can pound salt on the hops...

fresh hops sells for half with shipping.

At least you guys have a local store, the closest to me is at least 250 miles away.

i can go in the back of my LHBS and roll in hop freezer if i want

j/k, but i'm a regular customer and they give me whatever i want. i generally just buy pounds of stuff now, since my selection is pretty regular and i keep my own stock. i need some more damn EKG.

I order my hops online for 2-2.25 an oz. At the store they are $3 an oz. Also picked up a bunch of my favorite yeasts online. When I get a grain mill and buy my grain in bulk I'll hardly ever have to visit my LHBS which is about 20 miles away.

Glubki, where in Denver do you shop that caters more to the wine making crowd? I live in the Metro area too and have not had any issues with where I go for supplies. In fact both shops that I go to are very helpful

zman said:

Glubki, where in Denver do you shop that caters more to the wine making crowd? I live in the Metro area too and have not had any issues with where I go for supplies. In fact both shops that I go to are very helpful

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+1 zman.

There are 3 really good places in town. I like the folks at the north Beer at Home store. Fair to great prices on ingredients, high on equipment, but always great and help with any question at any time.

Brewing Clamper said:

Alright! Enough! All these "my LHBS rocks" posts are a bummer man! They just remind me of my LHBS that also rocked and that is no longer among the living! Don't get me wrong, I like buying my stuff from Austin Homebrew now, but its just not the same as having the guy there to chat with and get info from... wah!

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You should have spent more of your moeny there. Bet ya didn't think of that when you were wasting it on silly things like food, now did ya? j/k

I'm lucky, i have 2 stores 15 minutes away (they are only a few blocks from each other) and i have another 2 stores that are only 45 minutes away. Utah has stupid alcohol laws which creates allot of homebrewers which creates a nice variety.

zman said:

Glubki, where in Denver do you shop that caters more to the wine making crowd? I live in the Metro area too and have not had any issues with where I go for supplies. In fact both shops that I go to are very helpful

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I live on the western edge of Wheat Ridge and the nearest store is "Stomp them Grapes". The staff is very friendly but their selection is a lot smaller than what I was accustomed to back home and there prices are high in my opinion (although their grain prices aren't too bad). I also don't like how they charge more for walk in prices than what they advertise online but I know this is fairly common. Just a matter of preference I guess.