Bad & Condescending LHBS advice

[bob1852]

Me: Where's your Fermcap-S.
LHBS employee: What's that?
Me: Uh, I think I said the right word; you use it to prevent boil-over.
LHBS employee: Why don't you just turn your burner down?
Me: [annoyed look] Okay, where's your calcium chloride?
LHBS employee: [hands me a liquid version]
Me: You don't have it in solid form?
LHBS employee: Never heard of it that way, but you're the second person to ask that today!

 

[tre9er]

Yeah, like others here I am glad to have such a great store here. Our only LHBS is owned and solely operated by one guy. He's been in business something like 18 years, and been brewing much longer. He is the only worker there, he works 47 hours every week just by the hours on the door. (monday through saturday) Not too mention other duties. He often talks me out of dumb decisions and purchases. He rarely closes the store. When he is going to close, he has a sign up for weeks ahead of time and sometimes puts a flyer in the bag about it as well. It sounds like the sales staff at other stores are disrespectful and out to make money only. What a bummer.

Kirk is a great guy. You may find a few things that he's got an "old school" philosophy on...but he does have experience going for him. Plus he's told me I could buy something cheaper before as well.

I wish he had bulk discounts. That's literally the only thing I'd change about his shop.

 

[agentEhrman]

Kirk is a great guy. You may find a few things that he's got an "old school" philosophy on...but he does have experience going for him. Plus he's told me I could buy something cheaper before as well.

I wish he had bulk discounts. That's literally the only thing I'd change about his shop.

No doubt, I brew too much to not buy in bulk.

 

[Hernando]

It's got electrolytes!

classic! Love this. I tried growing my own hops and instead of hydrating them with water, I used brawndo. They never did grow though???

I would defintely give the owner a call and "vent" to him. That is all you can do and hope for changes. If not, then I would go to a different LHBS or shop online.

 

[emjay]

I don't see a huge problem with the mill thing. Some LHBSes don't want their mill constantly adjusted, and it's not always about selling more grain by lowering efficiency. I can respect that. Telling you to buy a mill if you want to adjust the gap MAY have been a bit much, depending on his tone, but it's nevertheless true.

The second exchange regarding the yeast would have me pretty ticked off though, and I'm someone who almost always uses liquid yeast. A "guaranteed cell count" doesn't even have anything to do with appropriate pitching rates.

 

[kinison_fan]

I love my LHBS at Homebrew Headquarters in Richardson, TX!!
http://www.homebrewhq.com/Default.aspx

That was my first HBS, way back in '91. They were helpful when I was a noob.

 

[newtstampede]

Kirk is a great guy. You may find a few things that he's got an "old school" philosophy on...but he does have experience going for him. Plus he's told me I could buy something cheaper before as well.

I wish he had bulk discounts. That's literally the only thing I'd change about his shop.

Where is it at? I normally drive from Manhattan, KS to Omaha and pass right through there. We dont have one in KS nearby and the one in Omaha is a joke. When asking for montrachet yeast for EdWorts apfelwein i got a lecture on how that is not the right yeast and got a tour of all of his awards from making wine. I also bought a batch of grains, hops, and yeast but forgot to pick up the hops for dry hopping. When i went back the next day to pick them up he said that he does not sell hops without buying the whole grain bill and yeast at the same time. I refuse to go back there now. Northern it is from now on. It might take a day or 2 for shipping but thats not too bad.

I got my start in Tampa, FL with the Brew Shack. Awesome people! Unfortunately it had to close. I would go up there to hang out when i had time off from class. They were always helpful and we used to brew just out the back door and they let us use the GIANT walk in cooler for lagering.

 

[Homercidal]

I like my store. They let you walk around shopping. When I was much less experienced I went there on whim and basically said I wanted a recipe for a brown ale. They pulled up a recipe on their laptop, had me look at it and then helped me pick out all of the ingredients.

They got tons of stuff and some stuff for cheese and bread and they sell a BUNCH of beer and wine and even cigars (not that I smoke).

 

[tre9er]

Where is it at? I normally drive from Manhattan, KS to Omaha and pass right through there. We dont have one in KS nearby and the one in Omaha is a joke. When asking for montrachet yeast for EdWorts apfelwein i got a lecture on how that is not the right yeast and got a tour of all of his awards from making wine. I also bought a batch of grains, hops, and yeast but forgot to pick up the hops for dry hopping. When i went back the next day to pick them up he said that he does not sell hops without buying the whole grain bill and yeast at the same time. I refuse to go back there now. Northern it is from now on. It might take a day or 2 for shipping but thats not too bad.

I got my start in Tampa, FL with the Brew Shack. Awesome people! Unfortunately it had to close. I would go up there to hang out when i had time off from class. They were always helpful and we used to brew just out the back door and they let us use the GIANT walk in cooler for lagering.

http://kirksbrew.com/

1150 Cornhusker Highway Lincoln, NE 68521

Right off I-180, which isn't much of a detour for you from I-80...if you're coming that way.

 

[osagedr]

Yep, I'm an equal opportunity people hater as well.

Glad to learn I am not the only one.

I actually enjoy it when an LHBS employee tries to give me advice. Takes about ten seconds to ask them a few questions they can't possibly answer. Then they go away.

 

[dkwolf]

Where is it at? I normally drive from Manhattan, KS to Omaha and pass right through there. We dont have one in KS nearby and the one in Omaha is a joke. When asking for montrachet yeast for EdWorts apfelwein i got a lecture on how that is not the right yeast and got a tour of all of his awards from making wine. I also bought a batch of grains, hops, and yeast but forgot to pick up the hops for dry hopping. When i went back the next day to pick them up he said that he does not sell hops without buying the whole grain bill and yeast at the same time. I refuse to go back there now. Northern it is from now on. It might take a day or 2 for shipping but thats not too bad.

I got my start in Tampa, FL with the Brew Shack. Awesome people! Unfortunately it had to close. I would go up there to hang out when i had time off from class. They were always helpful and we used to brew just out the back door and they let us use the GIANT walk in cooler for lagering.

From what I know of the Omaha homebrew stores, I'm guessing you went to the "other" one. (There's two, within walking distance of each other. I've only been to one of them). The owner of one, from what I understand, can be a little gruff, especially to new customers - which is why I haven't been there. I hate shopping places where you have to know the guy to get service. The other (Cornhusker Beverage) might not have as much selection, but the staff is super-friendly and helpful.

 

[newtstampede]

Yup it was the "other" one. I saw that there was 2 listed on google maps and thought that the cornhusker bev would be a wrong listing since it is listed as a beverage supplier as well. I will try cornhusker and kirks when i get back. Thanks