What has happened to Northern Brewer Customer Service?

[beernutz]

Not a fan. They don't ship to APO (don't support the troops) and the prices are not the best. Anything you can get from them you can get better and cheaper from BrewHardware, BrewersHardware, BargainFittings, AustinHomebrew, Yakima Valley, or Amazon.

They offer a 10% discount (as a refund) to veterans and active service members.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I am interested in how your club offers bulk base malts. My only LHBS is closing and this setup could be handled by the local club. Please advise. Thanks.

They worked a deal with a local brewery where we piggy back on their orders. Ther upside is dirt cheap...25 bucks a bag. Downside is it's all briess and it's mostly limited to base malts.

 

[jturman35]

Anyone have any issues with the hops they package in-house? I just ordered some Amarillo and Simcoe and was surprised when it arrived in their packaging.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

Anyone have any issues with the hops they package in-house? I just ordered some Amarillo and Simcoe and was surprised when it arrived in their packaging.

I really hate when online retailers do that so I try to only buy from places that I know nitro flush well and are the original source or close to it. That said I bought 8 oz of falconers flight from them late last year because for some reason that hop is really cheap there and it seemed fine.

 

[kzosche]

We placed an order with NB. It took a little long to get here but okay - it's the Corona virus season. We opened the box and the fizzies had split open during shipment and are stuck all over the bottom of the box. Of course, there's no one I can call to explain this. I have to send an email. This was three days ago. Still no response. My husband would really like to get started on a batch but now cannot. I would not order from NB again. I would never order from a place that doesn't have a live customer service. I wish we'd known this. Never again!

 

[kzosche]

k

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

We placed an order with NB. It took a little long to get here but okay - it's the Corona virus season. We opened the box and the fizzies had split open during shipment and are stuck all over the bottom of the box. Of course, there's no one I can call to explain this. I have to send an email. This was three days ago. Still no response. My husband would really like to get started on a batch but now cannot. I would not order from NB again. I would never order from a place that doesn't have a live customer service. I wish we'd known this. Never again!

NB is often top shelf with customer service I have never been in a situation they didn't make right. They may be slow now responding with limited staff and higher than usual orders at the moment but I would follow up with them if I were you. Anytime I did have an issue with NB I called and they looked the order up while I was on the phone and resolved the issue. I don't often order from them but I don't have any issues placing an order with them either, I just prefer Morebeer. (NB typically is the longest for me to receive my order)

 

[jturman35]

Same here! I can order hops from Yakima Valley hops which is 4 states further away and get them in 2-3 days. Granted its usually a lot smaller package but they pick the pick the order extremely fast. I just received my order yesterday and i hate getting room temperature yeast even when the ice pack as room temp.

I wish Austin Homewbrew would sell Imperial yeast.

 

[kh54s10]

We placed an order with NB. It took a little long to get here but okay - it's the Corona virus season. We opened the box and the fizzies had split open during shipment and are stuck all over the bottom of the box. Of course, there's no one I can call to explain this. I have to send an email. This was three days ago. Still no response. My husband would really like to get started on a batch but now cannot. I would not order from NB again. I would never order from a place that doesn't have a live customer service. I wish we'd known this. Never again!

Assuming "fizzies" are carbonation tabs, there is no reason to put off brewing. You won't need them for 2 weeks anyway and you can just substitute table sugar of Domino Dots.

I don't know about them not having a number to call. But in these times and circumstances I would not EXPECT prompt shipping, quick response to e-mails etc. They are more than likely understaffed, and overwhelmed with online orders.

And mistakes happen. Like a bag of fizzies breaking open. I am sure they will make it right. I only had one issue when I ordered from them and it was resolved very easily. I did stop ordering from them years ago though - long before InBev. I found I could get most everything a little cheaper when shopping around.

I use the cart of a couple of sites. Put everything I want in the carts, go through the process right up until confirming to get the total price. Then I order from the place that has the lower price or has everything that I want to order. In the last few years NB has always been higher priced.

 

[lowtones84]

They will make things right, but they have been -much- slower, even before all of this started happening. In early January it took 5 days before my order was even shipped, and then apparently it was delivered by a dude on roller skates because it took over a week. Not going to complain too much because the shipping was free, but if you have anywhere closer to you I might look to other options.

 

[kh54s10]

They will make things right, but they have been -much- slower, even before all of this started happening. In early January it took 5 days before my order was even shipped, and then apparently it was delivered by a dude on roller skates because it took over a week. Not going to complain too much because the shipping was free, but if you have anywhere closer to you I might look to other options.

And in early January the online businesses are recovering from Christmas. And probably filling a lot of orders from gift cards and Christmas money etc.

 

[lowtones84]

Eh, I don't really buy that. Maybe it's true, but my brewing partner ordered late Jan and experienced the same thing. If we start making excuses for any time in the past 4 months then I think there might be a pattern...

Once again, not a bad company. If you want to order from them, I wouldn't say not to, just expect a significant delay.