problem with lhbs

[ramjam]

well i have been ordering from the same homebrew store for quite some time now, i recently ordered a few oz of hops and three pounds dme for yeast starters, my wife received the package this afternoon and the box that it was shipped in was pieced together from cardboard and the dme was running out of it, so she calls the store to let them know, when my wife told her what happened she said they don’t like dealing with customers like us that they will not be accepting any more orders from us because we are problem customers, the only other time we have even called them was i was going to brew one weekend and i ordered some yeast on the tuesday and it didn’t show up, so i called to make sure that it had shopped, looks like i am going to have to order from one of the big companies now where do you guys order from?
btw the store was all seasons in nashville tn

 

[GoeHaarden]

Interesting, I live about 30 miles from that store. Only go there if I'm passing by and I need something, but I've never really had a problem with them other than their prices. I've never ordered from them online though. Most other online retailers are still cheaper for me if you factor in tax, gas, time, etc.

I use Ritebrew.com, Brewhardware.com, MoreBeer.com, AustinHomebrew.com to name a few. I'll use NB and Midwest when I have a good coupon, sometimes their 20% off works for grain which is a deal when shipping is free.

 

[ramjam]

Interesting, I live about 30 miles from that store. Only go there if I'm passing by and I need something, but I've never really had a problem with them other than their prices. I've never ordered from them online though. Most other online retailers are still cheaper for me if you factor in tax, gas, time, etc.

I use Ritebrew.com, Brewhardware.com, MoreBeer.com, AustinHomebrew.com to name a few. I'll use NB and Midwest when I have a good coupon, sometimes their 20% off works for grain which is a deal when shipping is free.

yeah i live about two hours away, it’s pretty crazy, they have been great to deal with until now, i was kind of blown away, i haven’t ever even heard of a homebrew store turning away business like that over something so small!

 

[GoeHaarden]

Well, if you've ever been in there and seen what all they sell then you would quickly realize that beer brewing is not their sole (or main) focus. Probably why they've stayed in business for so long honestly, but I refuse to spend the 20% markup + tax just to support them for being local. I've never seen any draw to order from them online as there are so many better options online. Honestly, you're probably better off if they don't want your business...

 

[Jag75]

That's sucks . Theres plenty of online places as was listed above. I love the LHBS I go to . Its 30 min away but the 2 guys are really awesome .

 

[ramjam]

yeah it’s probably best anyway, it has just been convenient i can order on monday and it is here on tuesday or wednesday, and i always liked that they weren’t one of the big stores, but oh well i guess lol

 

[GoeHaarden]

I think you'll be surprised by how fast shipping is with Ritebrew, and Brewhardware is pretty quick too...

 

[AJinJacksonville]

I'm a new fan of Atlantic Brew Supply. I placed an online order through them for an AG recipe I made, and everything was fantastic. I really liked the fact that you can place partial weight (.5, .75 poundages) orders versus rounding up or down. Will definitely use them again soon.

 

[LittleRiver]

Me and a couple of friends have had great luck with Great Fermentations.

I find their website easy to use.

 

[OpenSights]

I'm a new fan of Atlantic Brew Supply. I placed an online order through them for an AG recipe I made, and everything was fantastic. I really liked the fact that you can place partial weight (.5, .75 poundages) orders versus rounding up or down. Will definitely use them again soon.

I’ll have to give them a shot.

 

[AJinJacksonville]

I’ll have to give them a shot.

They have $8 flat rate shipping for orders over $25. I'm not easily impressed, especially with online retail, but it was way less hassle and is not one of the 'big bad' online retailers that shall remain nameless...haha.

 

[Hellbender1]

Adventures in Homebrewing is where I now order almost all of my ingredients and equipment from. They have a really good selection and shipping is fast. I'm close enough that my orders arrive the day after they ship them and they typically have my order out within 12-24 hours of placing it.

 

[AzOr]

I usually go to my lhbs but I have ordered from Austinhomebrew a few times. Once there was an issue with my ship date and their customer service was great. If I do have to shop online, they will get all my business.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

AIH has really good customer service.

 

[MaxStout]

My loyalty to any business is limited. If they make an honest mistake and fix it, I act as if the problem never occurred and still do business with them. No harm, no foul.

But if they give me shiatty product/service, then act indifferent or give me attitude, I will NEVER return and I will tell them why. And I will warn others.

Plenty of fish in the sea. Lots of good online vendors which people above have listed. Vote with your dollars and take them elsewhere.

 

[camonick]

I'm a new fan of Atlantic Brew Supply. I placed an online order through them for an AG recipe I made, and everything was fantastic. I really liked the fact that you can place partial weight (.5, .75 poundages) orders versus rounding up or down. Will definitely use them again soon.

+1^^^
I've been using Atlantic Brew Supply quite a bit recently also. Their customer service is great also when I had to contact them with a few minor problems with an order.
I use MoreBeer too... only complaint is no option to order grain except in even 1lb. increments... I usually order grain for each individual recipe and sometimes quantities are only .25-.5 lbs. I don't like a lot of extra grain around for several reasons.

 

[mashpaddled]

If your wife noticed the poor condition of the order she should have refused to accept and sent it back.

When I order online it is usually from Adventures in Homebrewing/Austin Homebrew but I have also been happy with orders placed with morebeer.

 

[TwistedGray]

If your wife noticed the poor condition of the order she should have refused to accept and sent it back.

When I order online it is usually from Adventures in Homebrewing/Austin Homebrew but I have also been happy with orders placed with morebeer.

That's right, blame it on the wife's inability to think quick and react fast. Women. Am I right?

That's how you sound, whether or not you think so. I am sure that was not your intention.

To the OP - I shop around. I'll look at all the sites, compare that to the local shop and see who wins. If it's close, the local shop always wins for convenience. I will often do one gallon batches, so many time my grain requirement would be significantly less than a pound.

 

[Soulshine2]

well i have been ordering from the same homebrew store for quite some time now, i recently ordered a few oz of hops and three pounds dme for yeast starters, my wife received the package this afternoon and the box that it was shipped in was pieced together from cardboard and the dme was running out of it, so she calls the store to let them know, when my wife told her what happened she said they don’t like dealing with customers like us that they will not be accepting any more orders from us because we are problem customers, the only other time we have even called them was i was going to brew one weekend and i ordered some yeast on the tuesday and it didn’t show up, so i called to make sure that it had shopped, looks like i am going to have to order from one of the big companies now where do you guys order from?
btw the store was all seasons in nashville tn

Morebeer, Northern Brewer are my go to online orders. I have ordered from Amazon. I have someone stop by chicagobrewerks with a shopping list if theyre coming to visit or I go personally if im back up there.

 

[Soulshine2]

+1^^^
I've been using Atlantic Brew Supply quite a bit recently also. Their customer service is great also when I had to contact them with a few minor problems with an order.
I use MoreBeer too... only complaint is no option to order grain except in even 1lb. increments... I usually order grain for each individual recipe and sometimes quantities are only .25-.5 lbs. I don't like a lot of extra grain around for several reasons.

its a shipping dept/inventory thing. If they package in whole bag, 10 and 1 lb packages they just need to grab a few to fill the order. Its actually easier if its an open door LHBS and the customers can hand pick their own order.
Custom weighing grains is a big issue with some companies.
Besides , a small bag of grain <1 lb could be used to tweak a recipe later. I keep a few on hand myself.
Thinking about this. I order extra anyway so I can build a recipe later . Its shipping anyway, might as well make it hit the free shipping rate weight.

 

[Soulshine2]

Adventures in Homebrewing is where I now order almost all of my ingredients and equipment from. They have a really good selection and shipping is fast. I'm close enough that my orders arrive the day after they ship them and they typically have my order out within 12-24 hours of placing it.

I believe thats where I got 3 of my hops rhizomes from. I'll have to check out their other brewing supplies.

 

[cubalz]

LHBS places like that will eventually go out of business. Customer service is the key and they do not sound like they have a clue. Case in point: I live in Delaware and the only LHBS is 45-50 minutes away and if you place your order online, they will meet halfway at a "drop zone" at designated times with everything organized, chilled and ready to go. They do this for EVERYONE. Now that is service.

 

[eric19312]

LHBS places like that will eventually go out of business. Customer service is the key and they do not sound like they have a clue. Case in point: I live in Delaware and the only LHBS is 45-50 minutes away and if you place your order online, they will meet halfway at a "drop zone" at designated times with everything organized, chilled and ready to go. They do this for EVERYONE. Now that is service.

That is interesting service offer. Is he sort of operating a satellite location to take care of brewers in a different part of the state with like a once or twice a week delivery to the zone or is he doing it on every order just one trip?

 

[mongoose33]

LHBS places like that will eventually go out of business. Customer service is the key and they do not sound like they have a clue. Case in point: I live in Delaware and the only LHBS is 45-50 minutes away and if you place your order online, they will meet halfway at a "drop zone" at designated times with everything organized, chilled and ready to go. They do this for EVERYONE. Now that is service.

What's the name of this place? Businesses with service like that need to be recognized.....

I live in Wisconsin; think they'd meet me halfway? I'll be in Pennsylvania toward the end of the month....

 

[cubalz]

mongoose33, the store is called "How do you Brew?" and they are all about service. There is a meet up spot in midway between North and South in Delaware on a couple of pre-determined days. It is a small state.

 

[cubalz]

That is interesting service offer. Is he sort of operating a satellite location to take care of brewers in a different part of the state with like a once or twice a week delivery to the zone or is he doing it on every order just one trip?

As they are the only LHBS in Delaware, they are trying to service the entire state. They do it once or twice a week to a pre-determined location. Not singularly.

 

[deadwolfbones]

Another vote for Atlantic Brew Supply. Great customer service, free double crush (or triple, or quad, if you ask), orders down to tenths of pounds, and excellent prices.

 

[Maverick986]

Another vote for Atlantic Brew Supply. Great customer service, free double crush (or triple, or quad, if you ask), orders down to tenths of pounds, and excellent prices.

+1 Atlantic Brew Supply is my number one go-to, other than my LHBS. When they have been out of stock on an item they get in tou h quick, and help find a substitution, very knowledable too. Hands down best customer service I've had anywhere online, or even when I stopped in when on a road trip.

 

[ChaosB]

Well, if you've ever been in there and seen what all they sell then you would quickly realize that beer brewing is not their sole (or main) focus. Probably why they've stayed in business for so long honestly, but I refuse to spend the 20% markup + tax just to support them for being local. I've never seen any draw to order from them online as there are so many better options online. Honestly, you're probably better off if they don't want your business...

What is the main business? I'll be moving to Clarksville, TN in about a year. Can't wait. Current LHBS is 2.5 hours away in Seoul. I have to stick with places that ship to APO. Austin Homebrew and BrewHardware Have been great. Supplemented by Amazon and Bell's Brewery Shop.

 

[GoeHaarden]

What is the main business? I'll be moving to Clarksville, TN in about a year. Can't wait. Current LHBS is 2.5 hours away in Seoul. I have to stick with places that ship to APO. Austin Homebrew and BrewHardware Have been great. Supplemented by Amazon and Bell's Brewery Shop.

They sell a lot of gardening and hydroponics stuff as well as the wine/beer/etc. I'm sure the hydroponics is where they make their money.

I've never had a bad experience there, and it's a good place to buy liquid yeast. They will mill your grain and do a double crush, and I don't think they charge extra for it. Can't honestly remember though. For me, it's about 2 gallons of gas to get there and so that's roughly $10 for the whole trip for me. So paying the shipping for orders online is a no-brainer when the online retailers are cheaper and I'll usually get my order within the week. Plus, less hassle and no tax online.