Good San Francisco area homebrew shop?

My brother lives in Half Moon Bay. His Bday is in July and I'll be going out there... I want to get him brewing. He'll need a good shop.

I am going to get him straight into AG in case it matters.

Any shop recommendations? Something with good grain selection, decent equipment, and knowledgeable staff?

TIA

Your closest option would be Morebeer on San Antonio Rd. in Mountain View. It is the shop I frequent most often. Seven Bridges in Santa Cruz is also great but you have to call ahead if you are buying grain. I'm not sure about the shops in S.F. but I know there are some good ones.

I believe SF Brewcraft is the main one in the city. I've never actually been there and hear "The Grizz" can be difficult to deal with sometimes.

Hold on, hold on... Getting someone into homebrewing is like "getting someone into golf." If he's not passionate about it already then it ain't gonna work.

Buying the equipment and making a batch could very well get someone into home brew - especially once they taste the products :cross: . Especially if you know the person, you could tell if it is something they might enjoy - good beer, fun process. Then again, other people might get the equipment and let it gather dust in the corner. It is really dependent on what your brother is like.

Haven't been to the Morebeer in Mountain View, but I have been to the Morebeer in Concord, and it was pretty nice, well stocked, etc. And it is definitely the closest to Half Moon Bay.

IMO, if you're willing to drive at bit, the best LHBS in the Bay by far is Oak Barrel in Berkeley. It's fantastic. You can drink beer on tap while you shop, they have everything, and the people who work there really know what they're talking about.

SF Brewcraft is the only LHBS in SF proper. I sometimes go there, but just to buy grain, since they're more expensive than everyone else. The guys who work there are really nice, but they've given both me and other people I've witnessed some truly awful advice. Griz is a character, but he's also extremely opinionated, and sometimes difficult to chat with. I'd warn your brother against that place, at least as a source of brewing advice.

Frank99 said:

Hold on, hold on... Getting someone into homebrewing is like "getting someone into golf." If he's not passionate about it already then it ain't gonna work.

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Shhhh, I'm close enough to buy the used equipment if he isn't into it

I'd suggest MoreBeer. I have a buddy that also lives in HMB and uses them. SF BrewCraft, yeah, I've heard not such good things about the owner. He refused to sell my friends hops because he didn't like the sound of the recipe/hop schedule.

MBasile said:

Shhhh, I'm close enough to buy the used equipment if he isn't into it

I'd suggest MoreBeer. I have a buddy that also lives in HMB and uses them. SF BrewCraft, yeah, I've heard not such good things about the owner. He refused to sell my friends hops because he didn't like the sound of the recipe/hop schedule.

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Yep, that sounds like my friend's experience there. He wanted to buy extra yeast because he needed to make a big starter and Griz refused to sell it to him because, in his opinion, you only need one vial or packet, apparently regardless of gravity or batch size!

I like oak barrel, but I've found that their prices are significantly higher than morebeer. I shop at both, depending on whether I have time to drive out to concord or not.

A good buddy shops at sf brewcraft, and seems to like grizz, but I've got no personal experience with him and the shop.

Just 2 more cents...

Frank99 said:

Hold on, hold on... Getting someone into homebrewing is like "getting someone into golf." If he's not passionate about it already then it ain't gonna work.

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Don't worry frank. He's into it.

Used to live in Mountain View, Morebeer is how I got my start in homebrewing. Great staff, great stuff, probably 30 min from HMB.

Thanks guys. That is a lot of help. Now to call and reserve 3 blichmann pots.

passedpawn said:

Now to call and reserve 3 blichmann pots.

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Feel free to come up for my birthday sometime...

I'm sure he will love the pots

If you go to SF Brewcraft, hope that Eric is working (slim, tall with short dark hair) and you will be fine
I just deal with him and haven't had any issues. Super nice guy.

Shooter said:

Yep, that sounds like my friend's experience there. He wanted to buy extra yeast because he needed to make a big starter and Griz refused to sell it to him because, in his opinion, you only need one vial or packet, apparently regardless of gravity or batch size!

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I really don't know how that guy is still in business.

CorneliusAlphonse said:

Feel free to come up for my birthday sometime...

I'm sure he will love the pots

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I was kidding. He is gettng a turkey cooker and converted cooler MT.