Do you support your LHBS?

[weirdboy]

I buy my grain and some equipment/supplies at the LHBS. I get my hops online, and either culture my own yeast or use dried yeast that I bought a bunch of online when I found a deal.

 

[PseudoChef]

The closest shop? Not anymore, I used to support them, but they broke rule #1 of the Brewer's Code recently, and I will never again set foot inside their shop.

Luckily, Rebel Brewer is a mere 15 minute drive from me, and their pricing beats anything I have ever priced online for beer ingredients.

 

[vtchuck]

What does everyone consider "local"? For me that would be 45 minutes driving each way to a sub-par shop that mainly deals with wine making. No bulk grains, only 2 kinds of yeast, hops not even refrigerated. On the positive side, she always has the "hardware" that I need like buckets, spigots, BetterBottles and the like.

My other option is to drive 45 minutes, take a $20 ferry ride across Lake Champlain, and drive for another 30 minutes into Burlington.

I'll keep patronizing Brewmaster's Warehouse!

KB: Are you familiar with North Country Malt? Their bulk prices are great if you pick up there... $27 for a 55 lb. bag of PA Malt and they also have hops & chemicals at great prices. Last time I was there (June), they said they were expanding the online store. Caveat... only open on weekdays and call ahead.

 

[Talloak]

I don't like planning so far in advance, but I have to since my LHBS is 1 1/4 hours away from home. I usually send my girlfriend, since she works 15 minutes away, but then I don't always get the correct ingredients.

I think starting a homebrew supply shop would be easier than starting a brewpub, which a lot of people seem to have an interest in as well. I am surprised there isn't one in a city of one million, though I don't know what the culture is like there. I mean, you do still have dry counties and that BS don't you?

 

[david_42]

I don't have a LHBS, but I'm in Corvallis I'll shop at Joel's. His prices are okay. But it costs me about $12 in fuel to drive there, so I don't make the trip just for supplies.

 

[jds]

I'm lucky in that Denver has a great selection of homebrew stores. I buy some items from them, mostly specialty grain and the occasional yeast that I don't have yet. I'm finding better sources for bulk base malt (thanks to Wayne1), but I do go back for the specialty grains.

The closest shop to my office is only OK at best, and I got some specialty grains there a while back that sprouted bugs after being stored for a week, so I'm taking my local business to The Brew Hut now. Doesn't hurt that the brewery associated with TBH (Dry Dock Brewing) just won the 2009 Small Brewery of the Year award at the GABF.

I don't buy equipment from the brew stores, because I like to make it myself, so I only look to them for ingredients, and I usually buy base malt and hops in bulk for the price advantages.

 

[rico567]

The poll choices don't quite fit my situation, so I just voted "no." We have a large "beverage mart" type store that carries homebrew supplies in a corner. It is NOT an acceptable substitute for an LHBS, as the employees on duty neither know nor care about any of the beer / winemaking supplies. You want to ask them what their turnover in stock is? Be prepared for the equivalent of "whatever." So- I order online, mostly from Midwest Supplies. Would I patronize an LHBS if we had one? Don't know. First, we'd have to have one, second, I'd have to check it out.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

2/3 of total money spend on homebrewing goes to my LHBS. Its a small shop with mostly what I need and sometimes its more expensive but its got a good owner and there's a good group of guys who frequent it often and can be a fun place to hang out and kill an hour sometimes. Especially if PTN is there telling stories. Hey have you heard the one with the willows and the panda walking?

The other 1/3 of the money I spend on brewing goes to online stores. Mostly to buy things I can find at my LHBS like Star San and certain grains. Usually I make the most of those purchases and buy a few other things that are cheaper than my LHBS.

 

[BigEd]

I absolutely support my LHBS. I'm lucky because it's a good store and it's also close by. I've heard too many stories about crappy HBS with owners who don't know much about beer and charge way over the going rate on product. My LHBS has a great selection, a very friendly & knowledgable owner, and it's also a good place to meet other local brewers. About the only thing I don't get there are some hop varieities that his wholesalers don't supply. Here's the website for anybody in the Southern New England area: http://blackstonevalleybrewing.com/

 

[BioBeing]

I like the idea of supporting my LHBS, but...

One, about 5 mins from my house, is so bad I totally refuse to go there. The owner is just plain weird.

The second I have been driving 20-30 mins to get to. I have tried to buy grain and yeast there, as well as most things like ale pails. He does a 50 lb pre-pay plan on the grain which works out pretty comparable to on-line costs. However, last time I was there he: sold me a recalled pack of notty, which did not take off (and it seems got infected with lacto before the re-pitched S05 took off); overcharged me for the grain; and, worst of all, did not respond to my email asking about the yeast and the overcharge. So, I am going to find out what he says next time I go, and take it from there.

 

[Beerrific]

No. There are essentially 2 homebrew shops that I could shop at. One is run by a very nice older couple. They do mostly wine and are horribly overpriced on almost everything.

The other, well, I do not like the owner. I would rather order all my stuff online than give him any business.

(Oh, there is new beer/wine store that sells the basics. I might give them a shot next time I need some equipment or quick yeast.)

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

WTF is rule #1 of the Brewer's Code?

At any rate, I'm an hour from Tulsa and that makes High Gravity my lhbs. I get to Tulsa enough that I can easily get what I need and I'm a good enough planner that running out for yeast, hops caps or whatnot has never been a problem. Also I like brick and mortar stores over mail order.

 

[OMJ]

I buy most of my grains at the LHBS and every now and then I get some hops if I dont have them in bulk. If I could get involved in some bulk grain purchases I probably wouldnt buy much there other than a few specialty grains and yeast.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

If I really have to. There was no option for that.

 

[KayaBrew]

KB: Are you familiar with North Country Malt? Their bulk prices are great if you pick up there... $27 for a 55 lb. bag of PA Malt and they also have hops & chemicals at great prices. Last time I was there (June), they said they were expanding the online store. Caveat... only open on weekdays and call ahead.

Yeah, I was just turned on to them recently. I'd like to drive up there soon. I'm probably an hour away.

 

[Whut]

Absolutely, I do. Chuck and Norm at What Ale's Ya are the best. That and I don't have a grain crusher (read yet). Like alot of you, though, I've discovered Hops Direct so that's where I get my hops from.

 

[TheCapn22]

I buy from my LHBS whenever it's cheaper (because of shipping, usually). But when it's cheaper to order online, I'll go online. And of course it's usually cheaper to buy equipment online. I'm not up to the point of bulk buying ingredients yet, so I usually buy from the LHBS.

 

[Mellman]

my lhb shops are a good distance away from me (30-45 minutes); the owner can be a bit of an ******/acts like he could care less if you bought from him, always seems to be in a rush when you're there even if you're the only one there...and generally just is very stand-off-ish...prices are also higher...due to the location (northern VA) if it was just higher prices i'd probably go even though its out of my way...love to support small businesses when i can, and good face to face interaction is nice...but the fact i've never had a positive face to face (or phone) convo with the guy makes me shop online first...only go to him for emergencies now.

 

[Darwin18]

I tried going to my LHBS over the internet HBS but the internet stores actually have BETTER customer service. I like the idea of going local and keeping my money in the local economy but when the owner of the LHBS acts like I'm just there as an inconvience then I'll take my hard earned money elsewhere.

Seriously think of Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons.

 

[Mellman]

I tried going to my LHBS over the internet HBS but the internet stores actually have BETTER customer service. I like the idea of going local and keeping my money in the local economy but when the owner of the LHBS acts like I'm just there as an inconvience then I'll take my hard earned money elsewhere.

Seriously think of Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons.

yours too? i had to look at your location to make sure we weren't talking about the same one!!! Cary is a great place though!

 

[michael.berta]

About the only thing I don't buy at my LHBS is hops. I can't justify paying 7$ for 2 ounces of Willamette hops that I could order off of hops direct for 7$ per POUND.

 

[niquejim]

My nearest store is 100+ miles one way, so if it wasn't for the web I wouldn't be brewing

 

[SkiSoloII]

I buy from 2 different LHBS in town. I'm on the SW side, so I hit Hopman's http://www.hopmanssupply.com/ and Adventures in Hombrewing http://www.homebrewing.org/. The only thing I don't buy from them (and I just started this) is bulk grain and bulk hops. I just got in on a HBT/MM bulk grain buy from North Country Malt at half the price I bought 55lbs for locally, and I bought 10lbs. of hops for $72 ($72!!!!!) from Hops Direct.

How the heck can you beat that? I'll still buy racking canes, specialty grains, yeasts (those I don't re-use), etc. locally. HBT is great, but beer dicscussions face-to-face are a lot better.

I may have to join a club....

Dave

 

[Zacharomyces]

I have 3 LHBS', one of which is is ruled out because its TOO local (read Brewmasters Wharehouse) Of the other two, one is pretty big with most everything a homebrewer needs, but the guy that runs the place is cranky and doesnt seem to appreciate my business. Also their prices arent that great. The other store is more of a wine store and the selection is a bit limited (I've heard the other guy bought out the distributors ) but the couple thats owns it are really nice, always remember me and engage in conversation.

 

[MultumInParvo]

WTF is rule #1 of the Brewer's Code?

I was wondering about that to...

 

[Mountainbeers]

The only thing I have around is more of a gourmet general store with limited homebrew supplies.

Prices on the limited supplies also tend to be about what I would pay online including shipping so I generally don't go to my lhbs unless I haven't planned well and need something at the last minute.

 

[PseudoChef]

WTF is rule #1 of the Brewer's Code?

Don't be a dick.

Basically, homebrew store #1 made efforts to screw over store #2. That's all I can really go into.

 

[Skins_Brew]

I got tired of supporting the Internet companies. I got a few orders from AHS where they forget to ship one tiny thing and got tired of waiting another week just for a stopper or some keg disconnect. I exclusively go to my LHBS now. Prices are about the same and it's only 20 min away. One of the big things too was I wanted to support my local economy.

 

[yellowcolumbia]

I avoid my lhbs as much as I can because he is an ass. Others have expressed an interest opening a store in my area, but the major suppliers won't support them while he is still in business. Too bad, I'd gladly pay more to a decent shop locally.

 

[JuanKenobi]

Mail order is a way of life where I live, since most specialty type needs require taking a ferry to the mainland which takes an hour and costs $12 round trip. Another hour from there to the closest LHBS. $6.99 shipping from BMW and it gets to me in 4 days sounds great.

I would support an LHBS if I had one though. I'd be willing to pay a little more if there was a good experience that came along with it. What I don't understand is why anyone would own an LHBS and be miserable about it as so many have posted. I have had a similar experience visiting a store that's a couple hours away when I was in the area for other reasons. The store was a total mess, they didn't store anything properly and the guy working there had no clue about anything in the store. I posted a thread a while back about opening an LHBS and my main reason for considering it (besides to provide an otherwise unavailable service) was to be able to meet other home brewers and to help grow a local homebrewing community. That's the allure!