Anyone Direct Ordering Yeast Through their LHBS?

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

I am about to bring this up to my LHBS and wanted to ask if anybody is doing this at their LHBS.

Why aren't the LHB'S taking direct orders from homebrewer's for their yeast orders?

I would assume they are ordering from the makers every week or two. The long time approach has been to buy or guess what people might want to brew with and hope it sells. Wouldn't it be better if you could pre-pay, order and get whatever yeast you needed for upcoming brews in their weekly order. I know you can do this but it would seem to me that it should be the standard operating procedure.

Then we would get fresh yeast and they would not have to forecast what people want to brew with and avoid having packs of old yeast sitting around.

Just seems like it would be very easy to implement through web ordering and everybody would benefit.

Thoughts?

 

[brewbama]

The owner of our store has often told me she will order for me. I figure I can order myself and have it delivered just as easy. Plus, the way the yeast is handled in delivery is anybody’s guess, but when it gets here I know how it is cared for. It might sit around in a big order at her place. They don’t refrigerate hops or dry yeast so I would be concerned.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Mine will order requests, I think most ordering is done by what will sell, of course. When it comes to liquid yeast, there are the seasonal varieties to keep it stock.

 

[Bryggeri]

My lhbs takes special orders for yeast and grain regularly. In fact heading there in a few minutes to pick up WL815, as many do not do lagers much less Belgium lagers.

 

[Bassman2003]

Thanks for your replies. I think this is the point I am getting at - I do not think this should be a special order, but just the way it should be done. When I go through the yeast at my LHBS I see a lot of packs at 3-4 months old as of course, people pick the newer ones and what remains is the older packs. Placing an order through the LHBS directly to the maker should result in yeast 1-4 weeks old. Seems much better imho. What difference would it be to the LHBS? If you pre-pay it would be no different than placing an order after they put it on the shelf.

 

[Robert65]

My LHBS will order anything carried by a distributor they regularly order from anyway. Sack of a different malt, it's on the next pallet from BSG. Odd yeast, it's on the next order from Wyeast or White Labs. Weird specialty ball lock fittings from Foxx, same deal. Etc. Should be no problem for any shop.

 

[govner1]

Hello,

I am about to bring this up to my LHBS and wanted to ask if anybody is doing this at their LHBS.

Why aren't the LHB'S taking direct orders from homebrewer's for their yeast orders?

I would assume they are ordering from the makers every week or two. The long time approach has been to buy or guess what people might want to brew with and hope it sells. Wouldn't it be better if you could pre-pay, order and get whatever yeast you needed for upcoming brews in their weekly order. I know you can do this but it would seem to me that it should be the standard operating procedure.

Then we would get fresh yeast and they would not have to forecast what people want to brew with and avoid having packs of old yeast sitting around.

Just seems like it would be very easy to implement through web ordering and everybody would benefit.

Thoughts?

One of my local LHBS allows you to order yeast online and even discounts the yeast by $1.00 per pack versus cost of in store pick up. Much more convenient and reliable than mail order, especially in the hotter seasons.

 

[hottpeper13]

I've ordered from The Yeast Bay and gotten 3-4 month old yeast. How are you getting 3 week old from a LHBS even when special order?

 

[Bassman2003]

I am assuming that for White Labs and Wyeast things would improve. But I think a distributor might be involved. Not sure though. I was told Omega grows the order upon placement then ships it right out. So the system is a mish-mash imho. I will talk to my LHBS and let you know what they say. There is a lot of room for improvement.

If I ordered directly from a yeast company and they sent me 3-4 month old yeast that would be my last order from them... That is sad.

 

[Soulshine2]

The owner of our store has often told me she will order for me. I figure I can order myself and have it delivered just as easy. Plus, the way the yeast is handled in delivery is anybody’s guess, but when it gets here I know how it is cared for. It might sit around in a big order at her place. They don’t refrigerate hops or dry yeast so I would be concerned.

they do refrigerate hops...some of it. i was concerned the yeast isnt .

 

[govner1]

I am assuming that for White Labs and Wyeast things would improve. But I think a distributor might be involved. Not sure though. I was told Omega grows the order upon placement then ships it right out. So the system is a mish-mash imho. I will talk to my LHBS and let you know what they say. There is a lot of room for improvement.

If I ordered directly from a yeast company and they sent me 3-4 month old yeast that would be my last order from them... That is sad.

As far as I know both Wyeast and White Labs sell directly to the LHBS and the orders come in packed in insulated packing with lots of cooler packs. In fact, the LHBS I deal with keeps the packs frozen to give to customers with yeast purchases as needed.
Since both make the yeast based on orders the packs are sometimes only days old.

 

[Bassman2003]

Thanks. That is what i would expect. Fresh=value here.