How often do you buy ingredients/equip. online?

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How often do you make purchases online?

  • Always... it's the only way I get ingredients/equip.

  • Sometimes

  • I'll buy online if there's a good deal, otherwise from my LHBS

  • Never, I only buy from my LHBS

Results are only viewable after voting.
I buy my bulk 2-row and liquid yeast from my LHBS. Everything else is on line. Brewmasters Warehouse, Hops Direct, etc..... The shipping on a 50+ pound bag of grain isn't cost effective and I don't want my liquid yeast sitting in the back of a hot Fedex/UPS truck.
 
I have to buy everything online since there isn't a shop here in town. There is one about 40 minutes from where I live in Las Cruces, NM but I don't trust the "freshness" of the grains. Its not even a real homebrew shop; its a place where they sell jacuzzis and have a couple shelves in the corner wall with some homebrewing equipment/ingredients.
 
Hot tubs and homebrew.... that place sounds awesome.

I used to buy everything online till i found out Learn to Brew was right down the street. Now I shop there.
 
I don't have a LHBS, so unless I happen to be in Corvallis or Porkland during the day, I buy online. There's a winery shop closer that has some items, but the grain selection is small.
 
I buy online, I use to buy at my LHBS but they are almost an hour away. If they were closer I'd probably buy there more.
 
You needed one more category to choose from; most of the time I buy online. If I need something right away I'll go to the LHBS, otherwise I buy online. The reason I buy online is mainly selection.
 
I make an attempt to support LHBS, but also think their focus is on extract over all grain brewers. So what happens is this:

I buy my grain from them. I buy 'things I need right now'. I buy magazines from them.
Everything else I buy I on line because it's cheaper.
 
I try to support local business whenever I can, because I think that it is more ethical or whatever. But, if I can find a better deal online I hop (pun intended, I mostly buy hops online) on it because the LHBS guy should be punched in the head. I caught him checking out my fiance and the only reason I didn't say anything is because this "hobby" is an addiction and I need my fix.
 
I want to encourage the LHBS to continue and expand on their support for brewing; to show that there's a market for this stuff and that it's a viable and worthwhile business.
 
My local store is great in every way except price. Maybe it's the high san diego rent or something, but Home Brew Mart is about 50% more than places online in some cases.
 
LHBS isn't exactly local, about 2 hours away.

I prefer walking to the front door to get goodies when the beer fairies come. :rockin:
 
Since I live in the middle of nowhere, I always order online. Occasionally, I'll travel and stop at a homebrew store, but even then it's Northern Brewer or Midwest!
 
luvhopps said:
You needed one more category to choose from; most of the time I buy online. If I need something right away I'll go to the LHBS, otherwise I buy online. The reason I buy online is mainly selection.
Click to expand...

This for me. My LBHS is very small and the freshness and selection of ingredients is suspect and limited. My order from AHS arrived Wed when it was 105*. My yeast was dead so I went to the LBHS. He has a smack pack that was similar so I bought it and brewed today.
 
I have a LHBS only 15 minutes away. I do occasionally buy their crap. Their hops prices are outrageous, $4.99 for 1oz for nugget. Liquid yeast is about $10. I can get my stuff online cheaper and still save money. Only in a pinch and if I feel like being robbed I go to the LHBS. Besides I don't feel they know what the Hell they are talking about.
 
How do you think your LHBS gets the liquid yeast? On the back of a UPS truck has my vote. You can pay for an ice pack for about $1 from most online sites.


Hammy71 said:
I buy my bulk 2-row and liquid yeast from my LHBS. Everything else is on line. Brewmasters Warehouse, Hops Direct, etc..... The shipping on a 50+ pound bag of grain isn't cost effective and I don't want my liquid yeast sitting in the back of a hot Fedex/UPS truck.
Click to expand...
 
All my ingredients are bought online. I build my equipment so most of the is from lowes except for the brewing specific things like hydrometers and wine thiefs and stuff like that.
 
Also I have to say that the closest LHBS that I know of is Nashville which is 75 minutes away at best, its Rebel Brewer which appears to be a great store that is online as well. However I have to say I love coming home from work and decide I want to buy a few batches of ingredients and have it delivered from Brewmaster's Warehouse in two days, the shipping is about the same that the 9.75% sales tax would run in TN. If the online service was piss poor than I may look for local options but every time I've had questions or problems with online things the vendors have been right there to back it up.
 
Never. I am super lucky though:
1) My LHBS is less than 10 minutes away.
2) Their product is always fresh (Except LME, but they don't sell fresh LME)
3) Their prices are good. (Better than online except for yeast and hops)
4) The owner and staff are super friendly and very helpful.
5) They are huge supporters of my homebrew club and give club members 10% off.
6) They never complain about crushing your grains and will even crush the wheat separately so you can get a finer crush (for those like me who have crap efficiency with wheat malt).
7) They have an excellent variety of grain and hops. Only once in a while I can't get something in particular.
8) I'm pretty sure they have all of the Wyeast and White Labs yeast strains.
9) Adjuncts are plentiful.
10) I could go on and on...
 
I have a great LHBS near me - BevArt on 101st and Western for those of you in Chicago. I buy organic hops online at Seven Bridges Coop (www.breworganic.com) And I buy organic grain in bulk from MidCountry Malts, which is local.
 
Instead of "sometimes" there should be a "most of the time" category. I prefer to shop local, but not when they don't carry most of the stuff I need and if I can save money online, I'll do it that way. Plus my LHBS has been slipping recently. Last time I went I waited for 2 hours to buy some stuff, and the time before that I was nearly shorted half my grains... I figure that's two strikes and I'll give them one more chance. I found that they can get hold of legal commercial kegs from a distributor as well...and if I can score one of those I'll give one of their strikes back ;)
 
I try to support the LHBS shop as much as possible. This is a small town in the middle of nowhere, and I feel very lucky to have one. It's just one guy and he tries hard to keep as much in stock as is feasible, and once you add shipping his prices are fair. I just want to make sure he stays open since it's really nice to be able to grab a few supplies on a whim when neccessary. If he doesn't have something in stock, he'll order it and usually has it a few days (depending on the day of the week). Besides, I really like the guy!

That said, I buy all my hops from hopsdirect and any equipment/specialty stuff from NB since the local guy can't compete with bulk hops prices and doesn't have a supplier for much kegging/all grain equipment.
 
I only buy from my LHBS, Homebrew Headquartrs in Richardson, TX. They are some of the nicest, most knowledgeable and helpful people.
 
I order on line from place in NC... they have been good with getting back to me with any questions I have. If I place an order Monday, I usually have it shipped to work by Weds.
 
I would love to support and shop at a LHBS, but my closest is an hour away and their prices are horrible.($90 for a sack of 2-row) Combine that with a rude staff that makes you feel like an inconvenience for walking in the door and No Thank You!
 
I must be really lucky - I've got two good LHBS in the area and a third I haven't been to but hear good things about. The only thing I buy online is hops - and until my local gets under a buck an ounce I will continue to do so. I'm expecting three pounds will be at my door when I get home tonight. :}
 
My LHBS charges double the price I would get online. $32 online, $63 at the LHBS for the same recipe. Needless to say I shop online for most things.
 
Guess I'll finally chime in.... I have about 3 LHBS that I can visit rather easily: two less than 20min away, and one that's about 40min away. When I factor in the cost of shipping their prices come out pretty close to what I would pay online, so I've never had to order anything online at all. They're pretty good with putting in special orders, also, if you need something they don't regularly have in stock. Decent quality, prices, and people. I feel pretty luck to have some nice LHBS in the area.


Also... didn't think about a "mostly" category.. sorry! Just use "sometimes" I suppose.
 
my LHBS is pretty weak but the people who run it are cool and its where i got my starter stuff, so i like to give them some business when I can, and its good for emergency replacements, additions, or substitutions. But for the most part its online.
 
I support my LHBS whenever I can and buy all of my ingredients and basic stuff (tubes, hygrometers, etc) from them. That and it is a decent place to hangout... good people and good beer (Ballast Point/Home Brew Mart). Their prices are terrible for hardware though so the bigger stuff (immersion chiller, keg stuff, conversion stuff for my keezer project, etc) I shop around and get online.
 
I don't have a LBHS that is any good so I always order from brewmasters warehouse. I consistently get 82% Efficiency with their crush and batch sparging :)
 
zanemoseley said:
How do you think your LHBS gets the liquid yeast? On the back of a UPS truck has my vote. You can pay for an ice pack for about $1 from most online sites.
Click to expand...

I see your point but the difference is the package sits on my front porch for six hours. Whereas the shop gets their delivery when they're open.
 
I only shop local. I love being able to walk in and make up a recipe on the spot. Since I have shopped there 150+ times they give me a little discount. That makes them about the same price as online plus shipping.

I have been on HBT long enough to think I almost know lots of the online vendors. If my local place ever went out of business, I know plenty of places to buy from.

Oh yeah... I did just get a bad a*s shirt from Rebel Brewer.
 
zanemoseley said:
How do you think your LHBS gets the liquid yeast? On the back of a UPS truck has my vote. You can pay for an ice pack for about $1 from most online sites.
Click to expand...
Most of my stuff comes from Brewmasters Warehouse. I will make the drive for yeast in the summer, but thought that all vendors (on-line or retail) got their yeast in a cooler.
 
i buy online more than i should, with Northern Brewer Milwaukee being close. However, it's a good 35 minutes away from my house with no traffic. Spending an hour driving for grain (i buy bulk hops) isn't something that gets me excited. Not to mention that's roughly 2 gallons of gas (more if I take the SUV). Stopping after work is an option, as it's fairly close to work, but traffic is a nightmare in that area at that time.

BMW's prices are competitive even with shipping and I get better efficiency with their crush.
 

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