i'll support my LHBS but, what is your goto online?

hi guys, i'm a supporter of the mom and pop operation and will give them the majority of my business, but, when poking around or shopping for stuff online, what is the recommended goto source?

there seems to be sooo many....

MODS, if this needs moving to equipment, i'm sorry. seems a noobie kind Q to me. but i'm wrong, often.

All of the sponsors on homebrewtalk.com, of course.

Also:

Northern Brewer
Midwest Supply
Morebeer
Freshops

etc.

I also support my LHBS unless I can't get it locally or the LHBS is gouging on the price.

i usually leave the stuff i have questions for to my LHBS as well as ingredients. i have sourced most of my equipment at various online vendors, most of which are listed in the vendor section here. they all have strengths and weaknesses so it depends what you are buying.

I like Midwest Supplies for most equipment, Brew Masters Warehouse for ingredients, but have bought a lot of equipment and other odds and ends there as well.

I try to always go to my LHBS as well. but in a pinch I use either Midwest Home Brew or Keystone Home Brew.

I swear by austinhomebrew.com. They generally take 2 days on their standard shipping to get to Colorado.

I go to my LHBS when there is something that I forgot and need on the fly, otherwise their prices and lack of in stock items are a major deterrent.

I love brewmasters warehouse. Their brew builder is awesome and they ship quick (well at least for me as I'm just one state away.) Not to mention the HBT discount.

I buy 95% of my stuff from my LHBS but occasionally buy some stuff from the online vendors. Stuff he does not carry or some hops that he is a little high priced on.

My thoughts are that if he stays in business then he will be there when I need him. I recently did a brew that I seemed to forget an ingredient. I already started my mash and was able to run up there and get what I needed to finish. Brew day saved. He moves a lot of product so it is always fresh.

bosdave said:

I swear by austinhomebrew.com. They generally take 2 days on their standard shipping to get to Colorado.

I go to my LHBS when there is something that I forgot and need on the fly, otherwise their prices and lack of in stock items are a major deterrent.

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Austin Hombrew Supply has become my go-to internet store, with Northern Brewer a close second. My "local" (30+ miles away) LHBS stocks a few BrewersBest kits and a few Vinters Reserve kits. BrewersBest are fine kits, but my instinct that brew kits from AHS contain fresher ingredients was confirmed when I stopped by their store a few weeks ago.

For items that would kill me on shipping - carboys, bottles, etc, I use my LHBS.

HBngNOK said:

Austin Hombrew Supply has become my go-to internet store, with Northern Brewer a close second. My "local" (30+ miles away) LHBS stocks a few BrewersBest kits and a few Vinters Reserve kits. BrewersBest are fine kits, but my instinct that brew kits from AHS contain fresher ingredients was confirmed when I stopped by their store a few weeks ago.

For items that would kill me on shipping - carboys, bottles, etc, I use my LHBS.

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Pretty sure that AHB has a $7-8 bulk standard shipping option. I don't know if that applies to carboys, but whenever I order I buy several batches at once so that the shipping cost is minimal (and the weight is therefore higher). Last order was in the vicinity of 50ish lbs in grain alone.

I buy everything at my LHBS. They're cheaper than the online places when you factor shipping into the equation. Plus, I'm impatient. I wants it, and I wants it now!

Austin Homebrew has free shipping on orders over $100...Pretty good deal considering I usually spend more than that anytime I visit the LHBS.

Austin Homebrew has been my location of choice. They have a large list of extract kits and of course the free shipping over $100. I did the math between them and Midwest and Austin Homebrew came out way ahead when ordering equipment. My last shipment was 113 pounds with no shipping. Their prices for the items are a little higher because of the no shipping thing but it still comes out to savings in the end so I don't mind.

I'm local to Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies so often buy ingredients in-store when I can use the grain room and measure out exactly what I want.

But if I'm ordering online I really like www.austinhomebrew.com and www.brewmasterswarehouse.com.

I have a bunch of recipes saved in Brew Masters Warehouse Brew Builder that make it super quick to re-order.

And AHS has great shipping and lets you organize your order by grain bill so you can get all of your grains mixed into one bag for a specific batch.

My LHBS is also online, owner is a great guy and has excellent prices and preferred customer program and a loyalty rewards program. Brew Gadgets https://www.brewgadgets.com/default.aspx
I go there often and buy a lot of stuff in bulk.

Whatever you do, do not attempt to buy anything from keg kits.com.

AgentHubcap said:

I buy everything at my LHBS. They're cheaper than the online places when you factor shipping into the equation. Plus, I'm impatient. I wants it, and I wants it now!

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mine has the same prices as online, but no shipping (although he will ship anything in florida next day for $5)
i actually cancelled my first (and only) online order when it became backordered and i realized i was paying MORE anyway!

My LHBS is 45 min away and expensive so I admit I don't use them much. I really like AHS and Brewmasters Warehouse.

i will never use midwest again. shipping and customer service sucked. at least in my 3 experiences. i just used austin for the first time. it arrives today. shipped within the time frame given and arrived within the average time. we shall see if they screwed up the order or not tonight.

i use my lhbs for most equipment and some kits, but they are a more expensive than online by a bit.

Austin Home Brew. Plus, I can order and have it marked as pickup if I need an excuse to head to Austin. Their store is very well organized and they carry quite a bit more equipment and yeast varieties than my LHBS does.

rebelbrewer.com
northernbrewer.com
morebeer.com
midwestsupplies.com

I usually price compare at these online retailers and have had very good experiences with them. Sometimes one place is cheaper than the other. I'd support my LHBS more if the owner wasnt such a ****** (all hops are about 3.49/oz..ridiculous).

This isn't rocket science. Here's an example....

4 - 6.9 gal buckets and 4 cases of 12oz bottles.

Midwest = $107.92 + shipping $51.11 = $159.03

Austin Home Brew = $127.92 and free shipping

I use Austin Homebrew Supply.

thanks everybody!

Austin Homebrew Supply for the win. Free shipping usually always gets me and they have great recipe kits.

Sticky here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/homebrew-supply-websites-701/