Any good locally found brew shops?

Hello,

I live in Beaverton, OR and am looking for a local brew shop to start buying ingredients and other misc brewing items from. I have used Corvallis brewing but am tired of having to pay an arm and a leg for shipping, Corvallis is quite a drive from Beaverton. So does anyone know of a LHBS around the Portland metro area that they could recommend? I found one in Tigard but I heard they were having issues with their hops and I am going to be buying ingredients for my next batch of beer I want the best hops I can get. In a UV protected bag and all that.

So anything helps folks.
Thanks.

Above The Rest in Tigard actually has the best hop prices I've seen and great selection last time I went. But their grain is a bit more expensive.

The homebrew place in Oregon IMO is FH Steinbarts. They have a whole room dedicated to grain and tons of beer and wine making equip. My only complaint is they're often out of the popular hops I want to brew with.

F. H. Steinbart Company - Beer and Wine Making Supplies and Equipment

I also live in Beaverton and have done just about all my shopping at Main Street Homebrew in Hillsboro. It's super close to the MAX which is nice. Their prices seem to be OK. I shopped at FH Steinbart's a few days ago and it was cool, but the employees wern't helpful at all. I'm used to MSH weighing and grinding my grain for me, but at FH Steinbart the guy pointed to the grain and said help yourself. I wasn't sure if I could mix it together, grind before paying, or if they wanted to see each grain measured seperately so they could weigh it and bill accordingly. Kinda confusing, but their grain prices were pretty low. They were out of a few kinds of hops, Main Street always seems to have a great variety in stock.
I haven't checked the one in Tigard, might do that next time just to see a new shop. And there's another homebrew shop off 82nd and Sandy (i think?). Haven't been there either.

I've heard good things about Main Street Homebrew in Hillsboro from 2 other people. Haven't had the chance to stop by their store yet myself.

Main Street is the place to go. Above the rest in Tigard isnt for me. I started in Corvallis too and Main Street reminds me of Corvallis Brewing Supply. The guys there are really helpfull and they carry Blichmann equipment which is a plus.

Beaverton. HAHA. Sorry I could not help myself.

hey MattMann, Beaverton is short for Beaver Town. Our city logo features a beaver gnawing on a log.

BTW, I've heard we have the highest number of strip clubs per capita in the entire US. Perhaps that's how we got our name?

Giggitty, giggitty; giggity-goo. He-he--awwlright!

There's yet another homebrew shop you haven't mentioned yet, Let's Brew. It's near 82nd and Stark. It's probably too far for you guys out in Beavertron but I like it and they have fair prices.

does Above the Rest in Tigard still exist? My wife looked up directions to there (perhaps that was the problem?...), and we drove around the area for a good twenty minutes looking for it. Finally we called 411 and they didn't show a listing for it.
Her directions said they were on Hwy99W not more than half a mile south of the 217. We finally gave up and made the 40 minute rush hour drive to Main Street. At least I got the friendly guy this time.

I was at Above the Rest a little over a month ago. I hope it's still there.

Sorry for bumping an oldish thread, but just wanted to update that yes, Above the Rest is still there. Seemed to be very alive and kicking with a good 4 different customers during the short time I was in there a few days ago.

Really bumping this because of a slight rant to the owner with this place (I think her name is Sharon).
Please, please, PLEASE clean your store! Not only is it cluttered and hard to find stuff, but the layout is so confusing that it doesn't invite one to explore and locate new products. Everytime I go in there I just want to reorganize and update it for the owner. Would be a fun place otherwise.

Also, the owner is VERY friendly.... to a fault. Sometimes a person just needs to run in there for a single, quick item and getting stuck into a long conversation can at times be annoying.

Otherwise, thanks for running a fair shop.

Yet one more bump, and to be fair an update.

Went into this shop the other day and it's MUCH nicer! They have changed the layout of the store and things are quite a bit more organized and easier to find.

Thanks to the owners who are making some good strides; I will gladly visit them again in the future! :rockin:

I've been doing most of my shopping there lately. Haven't seen the new layout, but the owner was telling me about it a couple weeks ago and it sounds like a great idea! Has she started marking prices on grain/hops etc.? Seems there's lots of mystery prices in the store, and I never get an itimized reciept! I always seem to spend more than I think I should, but that's always been the case no matter where I shop

Nope, no prices on anything. And asking you get various replies from her. Seems as much a mystery to her as it is the customer.

MattMann said:

Beaverton. HAHA. Sorry I could not help myself.

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You east coast people have plenty of funny named towns too.

Beaverdale, PA
Blue Ball, PA
Scalp Level, PA
Stalker, PA
Disputanta, VA
Two Egg, FL
Wacahoota, FL
Yeehaw Junction, FL
Boring, MD
Crappo, MD
Busti, NY
Horseheads, NY
Acme, WV

humann_brewing said:

You east coast people have plenty of funny named towns too.

Beaverdale, PA
Blue Ball, PA

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Blue Ball is right next to Intercourse, PA and Paradise, PA. Seriously. The Harrison Ford movie Witness was filmed in Intercourse.

Scalp Level, PA
Stalker, PA

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and
Beaver, PA which is right next to
Moon, PA

Crappo, MD

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It's actually Crapo, unfortunately.

You forgot:
Intercourse, PA
Bird-In-Hand, PA

I may have to check out a few of these shops. I've been to Steinbart's and to Let's Brew. IMHO, both places have okay prices and a good selection. They're just never very friendly. I can never understand why a LHBS wouldn't be friendly. I mean, it's not like they're ringing people up at Wal-Mart. It boggles my mind. If I worked in a LHBS I think I'd love getting to know all the local homebrewers. I dunno. Just my observation. And to be fair, I usually shop at The Brew Shop in Bend, and they're pretty friendly there.