Soooo... I brewed beer on Wednesday, as I posted in another thread about a good experience, this is a thread about a bad experience in the same brew session. I just got a little scale to measure hops in an attempt to be more accurate and more consistent. I had rushed to the LHBS that morning to get the ingredients for this brew because I had people coming over to be introduced to AG brewing techniques, so I was in a hurry.
After mashing, sparging, and starting the boil I went to measure out the first hops addition. Well here's where it gets sad... I had bought 2oz. of Northern Brewer, which at the brew shop the sales guy had told me was actually North Down because "It's practically the same stuff." I was in a hurry so I didn't respond to that bit of subterfuge but when I was weighing out the first addition, 1.5oz. of the above hops, it turned out that neither of the 1oz. bags of pellets actually weighed 1oz. They weighed out at .67oz. and .68oz.
So now not only had they misrepresented the hops but they had sold me 2 x 2/3 of an oz. for full price. I didn't even have enoough hops for the hops addition they had been purchased for! Now I have been going to this LHBS for a while now and 2yrs ago they opened they're own brewery. The service has gone down in quality since then. If they are out of something they don't really care... I mean it's one thing not to have Saaz but not to have Notti or S-04... that's just plain ridiculous!
In a shopping session a few months ago I was getting ready to make pale with Maris Otter. I got half way into weighing out ingredients and the bin of Marris ran out. I asked for more and was told they were out and I would have to use American 2 row. I wanted Marris, I didn't want to substitute.
I guess what I am looking for here is a little guidance. I have helped brew at thier brewery. I consider the owner a friend but I am getting tired of being disappointed when I go to get ingredients. Recently I have been going up to Denver and shopping at one of the brew shops, a shop which has a brewery attached to it (a hint to those that live in the region). They seem able to keep it together.
Any thoughts?
Oh by the way. Happy New Year to all the HBTers' and their family!
Todd
After mashing, sparging, and starting the boil I went to measure out the first hops addition. Well here's where it gets sad... I had bought 2oz. of Northern Brewer, which at the brew shop the sales guy had told me was actually North Down because "It's practically the same stuff." I was in a hurry so I didn't respond to that bit of subterfuge but when I was weighing out the first addition, 1.5oz. of the above hops, it turned out that neither of the 1oz. bags of pellets actually weighed 1oz. They weighed out at .67oz. and .68oz.
So now not only had they misrepresented the hops but they had sold me 2 x 2/3 of an oz. for full price. I didn't even have enoough hops for the hops addition they had been purchased for! Now I have been going to this LHBS for a while now and 2yrs ago they opened they're own brewery. The service has gone down in quality since then. If they are out of something they don't really care... I mean it's one thing not to have Saaz but not to have Notti or S-04... that's just plain ridiculous!
In a shopping session a few months ago I was getting ready to make pale with Maris Otter. I got half way into weighing out ingredients and the bin of Marris ran out. I asked for more and was told they were out and I would have to use American 2 row. I wanted Marris, I didn't want to substitute.
I guess what I am looking for here is a little guidance. I have helped brew at thier brewery. I consider the owner a friend but I am getting tired of being disappointed when I go to get ingredients. Recently I have been going up to Denver and shopping at one of the brew shops, a shop which has a brewery attached to it (a hint to those that live in the region). They seem able to keep it together.
Any thoughts?
Oh by the way. Happy New Year to all the HBTers' and their family!
Todd