Time to rant

[gclay]

Ok so I called my LHBS to see if they had any Simcoe hops, I wanted to buy a pound. The conversation went like this ...

Hello, I'm calling to see if you have any Simcoe hops in stock.

What are Simcoe hops?

Ummm, They're a flavor plant, usually sold as pellets.

Well, we have nothing called Simcoe in the store.

Ok, thanks good bye.

I know this wasn't the owner on the phone, and this is the second time I've had to deal with this guy, first time on the phone though. Last time I was in the shop it took him 30 mins to weigh out 12 pounds of grain and he didn't know how many ounces were in a pound. Now, I'm looking for a new HBS. But I'll have to let the owner know that the guy doesn't know what he's doing because all he's doing is hurting business. I mean you work in a HBS and you don't know what hops are, c'mon.

Anybody know of a good HBS in the Orillia, Barrie area? I hate to have to pay $14 for shipping every time I order from Homebrew-supplies.com

 

[osagedr]

Sounds about like the folks my LHBS used to have working there. New staff is still not perfect, but a big improvement.

 

[Pappers_]

Was he unfamiliar with Simcoe hops specifically, or hops generally?

 

[gclay]

Hops in general. When I dealt with him last time I'm sure he was either drunk or stoned, but didn't know anything about the biz. He's been there for quite a while though.

 

[GloHoppa]

Are you close enough with the owner to ask him about the guy? I mean I know it's a pain, but it sounds like it's more the guy than the shop, you know?

 

[Psych]

Some of the local ubrew shops here (the only thing within 30miles that counts as a LHBS) are like that. All are, actually. We ask for crystal 20 or something and they're like "we have crystal, yeah!" is it 20, 40, 60, or what? "It's crystal, I dunno...". You guys sell ubrew and have no idea what you sell?!

I asked for yeast once and they gave me Lavalin champagne yeast. Seriously, for an ale? It wound up working OK but really...that's all you have? Weak...

Makes me want to open my own shop and have actual grains and proper hops/yeasts.

 

[JonK331]

Sorry I just can't resist:

 

[gclay]

I'm going to talk to him tomorrow, the thing is they are also a BOP. Wine and beer. You figure they'd make sure their staff are trained. I'm actually thinking of opening a storefront, going to have to do lots of research though. And have it ok'd by SWMBO.

 

[chapa]

Haha! That video was great. Is it free to make those?

On topic, that really sucks that the guy working there is so clueless. How can you work at a brew store and not even know what hops are?!? I can understand not knowing every type of hop/grain but they should at least know they exist! Maybe try looking them up on the computer or checking the shelf...?

 

[gclay]

The have nothing on the shelf except like 5 cans of coopers kits, bottle washers and stuff like that. nothing in the open, not even an inventory list.

 

[EdWort]

The have nothing on the shelf except like 5 cans of coopers kits, bottle washers and stuff like that. nothing in the open, not even an inventory list.

Ohh, you mean its a hardware store.

 

[gclay]

ok i just watched that video, you must have been to my LHBS

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Once at a fast-food place there was a girl who hit the wrong button on the register & it didn't tell her the correct amount of change to give back. She tried to just hand me "some" money back without counting it...

I proceeded to teach her (in a nice way) how to count change. She was quite embarassed & uncomfortable, I guess it didn't help matters that her boss was standing a few feet away watching & listening.

I think you should have a little chat with the boss at you LHBS about this guy who doesn't know what hops are. Regards, GF.

 

[DannyD]

Bwhahaha...........Dudes....(hehehe) im concerned!!!!......your supposed to be a first world nation!!!!

(and then the eyebrows rise when people see im from south africa.....and my splling is off? hehe)

 

[birvine]

If I were you, I would do a bit of checking at the BOPs in the Orillia/Barrie area. If they are one of the ones that have the actual brew kettles with steam jackets chances are someone knows what's going on, which is one positive step. Furthermore, it is possible that there is one person who does the actual brewing and somewhere in the place there is a barrel of LME from Canada Malting as well as a fridge with a number of hops and a cold room with bags of grain.

Take a look at the hops - hopefully the bins are labelled. Ask them to let you see the grain sacks - they should be labelled, which will tell you if they are 2-row, 6-row, C20, C40, or whatever.

By the way, I'm not trying to be derogatory to any BOPs. I think some of the BOPs just order what the recipes say and don't get as technical as some on HBT (or maybe all, I'm not sure).

Good luck.

B

 

[gclay]

The problem is when the owner isn't there he's the only one. The do have some stuff in the fridge, but haven't seen it myself, the wife has. he's got 6-7 large copper pots for brewing. I'd say they're around 15g. I never see them used, his wine room is always filled though.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Once at a fast-food place there was a girl who hit the wrong button on the register & it didn't tell her the correct amount of change to give back. She tried to just hand me "some" money back without counting it...

I proceeded to teach her (in a nice way) how to count change. She was quite embarassed & uncomfortable, I guess it didn't help matters that her boss was standing a few feet away watching & listening.

I think you should have a little chat with the boss at you LHBS about this guy who doesn't know what hops are. Regards, GF.

I would think her frakking BOSS would be the embarrassed one. His employee can't count change, he should have taught her.

 

[stubbornman]

"I want to make a Pale Ale that tastes like grapefruit with White labs yeast."

hilarious

 

[fredthecat]

i can relate, i wonder why some of the staff at even the best homebrew place in my hometown work there. they dont seem to brew anything other than pre-made/pre-hopped wort at all

 

[KevinW]

As I have said before, I am in one of the best places for LHBS's. At least 5 within 30 miles of my home and three that are always well stocked and staffed with knowledgeable and friendly people!

I feel for all of you homebrewers out there who have very little or no LHBS availability. My hat goes off to all of you who perservere and make good beer anyway! You folks are truly passionate about homebrewing!:rockin:

Forgive my ignorance of Canadian acronyms but what is a "BOP"?

 

[broadbill]

Forgive my ignorance of Canadian acronyms but what is a "BOP"?

Brew-on-Premise

 

[ChshreCat]

On the video, I'd have to say that the LHBS guy is as annoying as the customer! I've had them try to change my recipe before "Oh... you don't want to use that hop with that style of beer. Here, use this one." It's my frigging recipe, I've made it before and it uses these hops!". That's why I like my current LHBS. It's almost all self serve. I weight out and mill my own grains. You rummage through the fridges yourself to get your hops and yeast. They happy to give advice (and they're all experienced brewers there) but only if you ask for it. They're even polite and don't bother telling me I'm full of crap (though you can tell they think so from the smile and nod) when I try to tell them about long primaries and no secondary brewing.

 

[McBrewskie]

Try my LHBS, http://morebeer.com/. Super helpful and free shipping for orders over $60.00. The guys there are awesome, not sure if the shipping deal includes Canada too though. Still I'd check and see.

 

[KevinW]

Brew-on-Premise

Aha!

Thank you

 

[JonM]

On the video, I'd have to say that the LHBS guy is as annoying as the customer! I've had them try to change my recipe before "Oh... you don't want to use that hop with that style of beer. Here, use this one." It's my frigging recipe, I've made it before and it uses these hops!". That's why I like my current LHBS. It's almost all self serve. I weight out and mill my own grains. You rummage through the fridges yourself to get your hops and yeast. They happy to give advice (and they're all experienced brewers there) but only if you ask for it. They're even polite and don't bother telling me I'm full of crap (though you can tell they think so from the smile and nod) when I try to tell them about long primaries and no secondary brewing.

Sounds like my LHBS. Good advice if you ask for it and they're incredibly patient with new brewers.

 

[luke2080]

I'm lucky with my LHBS - everyone I have met working there is very helfpul and good to bounce ideas off of, and they have a good stock - apologizing when items are temporarily out of stock.

Once at a fast-food place there was a girl who hit the wrong button on the register & it didn't tell her the correct amount of change to give back. She tried to just hand me "some" money back without counting it...

I proceeded to teach her (in a nice way) how to count change. She was quite embarassed & uncomfortable, I guess it didn't help matters that her boss was standing a few feet away watching & listening.

I recently had dinner with the girlfriend, and the place's computer went down. Patiently waited for 20 minutes, and she said "I can just write down your card number and bill the amount later when it comes up" - but that the amount wouldn't be known until then! I, in possibly an angry tone, told her to get a pen and paper and that by using the special skill of basic math I would figure out the amount for her. 10 seconds later the computer was back up, and my girlfriend was mad at me! Not my fault people can't add.

 

[starrfish]

Sorry I just can't resist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNm_KCnEAEs

Love that video! kinda makes me glad I order everything online! been through some of that in the past.