Feeling bad about not using my LHBS

[Pilgarlic]

I wish my LHBS all the success in the world but brewmasterswarehouse.com fits my needs like a glove. Although I'd regret it if the LHBS were to fail and they weren't there for my occasional immediate needs, it's not worth it to me to subsidize them against that possibility. What would change my mind? Truly knowledgeable, engaging staffers, mostly, and reasonably competitive pricing.

 

[tallybrewer]

Never bought any of my brewing equipment, supplies, or ingredients from anywhere but my LHBS. However, the owners of the LHBS do happen to be my next door neighbors...

 

[david_42]

I don't have a LHBS (nearest one is ~45 minutes), so it's not a problem. If I'm in the area when I need something, I'll buy.

Contrast this to the local hardware store. I always stop there first and will pay a bit more for items. Why? That 45 minute drive to the next store. If I have to order something, I'll order it through the local. They have a good selection and when it comes to stainless steel items, much better than Lowe's.

 

[RIBeer]

LHBS for me is about 1.5 miles from work - great folks, really helpful, and reasonable prices. They also do consignment stuff for brewing gear. Only problem for me is that they don't open until 5pm, and I'm done at work by 3. Waiting the extra two hours just to be able to go is a killer, and also means that I'm fighting rush hour traffic. which bumps my commute time from 40 min to nearly an hour and a half. I usually will bite the bullet when I have a planned brew day coming up and need something, or when I'm experimenting with a new recipe and need some small amounts of grain. For bulk grains for my house recipes, I'm gonna go with AHS - I can get sacks shipped for almost $20 less than I can from the LHBS.

 

[floyd242]

Brewmasters Warehouse is my LHBS

 

[brettwasbtd]

I only go the the homebrew store for yeast. They only sell grains in 1lb increments so I'm always having to buy more then I need and have all these random amounts left over. Buying extract there at $4 a lb would just be insane, the same with hops. An increase of $10 a batch (which I'm guessing is on the low side) is an increase of nearly 33%. I don't have the cash leftover to do that.

I've bought a full recipe there once or twice and it was $45 and it was a basic pale ale (only 2 oz of hops). My recipes now average around $20-$25 a batch (even IPAs and stouts), so for me its nearly a 50% increase. Add to that there is a toll road and both a brewpub and dogfish on the way to the homebrew store, I usually spend another $20-$30 on the way there or back.

Actually the more I dwell on it the more reasons I come up with. Traffic being another. Its at least an hour round trip although I used to work nearby and could swing on my lunchbreak. Another, once they mill my grain they don't vacuum seal. They simply just throw it in a plastic shopping bag. So I have to brew within a week to feel comfortable. I don't have that much forethought to have everything planned on such short notice.

Don't get me wrong, the guy who runs it is great and helpful but thats not enough for me to support it for all its inconveniences. I'd rather have everything show up at my doorstep.

I assume you are talking about MyLHBS in 7 corners? I also have my reservations about going there. My main problem is the store hours (tuesday-friday 11-6 and saturday 10-5). I switch weekends between McLean and Dover, DE where my fiance is currently living. So half of the weekends I am not available, to make it to the shop. When she is visiting me, we generally have stuff planned, but if we don't, I hate having her sit in the car while i grab supplies (shop is too small for extra people and she says she "feels in the way"). I generally don't plan my brew days more than a week or two in advance, but I like to start them early on a saturday morning. This leaves me with one option, order ingredients online for a cheaper price on a monday and have them all by thursday/friday. I dont see any negatives in that last sentence

Maybe its just me, but i think those hours are not very accommodating to the community. Commutes/traffic make getting to the store on a weekday before 6 nearly impossible. My circumstances make Saturdays difficult.... that leaves me with no other options. So when it boils down to it, I pretty much only go to this store for the occassional dried yeast (which I can pick up after brewing on a saturday morning) or bulk 2-row as it is $45 for a 50lb sack.

 

[duffmann808]

Not at all. I go to whoever gives me the cheapest price in the quickest amount of time. If I save ten dollars a batch, thats ten dollars I can spend making another batch, and hence ten dollars more I can spend improving my skills and making more to drink. I reward the people who are the most efficient with the scarce resources they have so that I can be the most efficient with my limited funds.

Just so happens that I live ten minutes from Austin Homebrew, whose prices are very attractive to me....

 

[vandeg]

My LHBS is ok, I usually go there, they have fair prices. Went there the other day to get a case of bottles and they sell them for about a $1 more then online prices and thats without shipping. Though I still do kits, their prices are about the same as most online kits that are either same brand or similar recipe wise.

 

[wonderbread23]

I buy online because I prefer to not make changes on the fly. It seems everytime I head to the local store I have to make at least 1-2 hop/malt substitutions due to lack of product. I do buy my yeast locally to ensure the best viability.

 

[KevinW]

I have the option of 4 1/2 LHBS's (1 is only open on the weekends) around Portland that are no more than 35 miles away. Of course the one I prefer is 35 miles away. I make the drive because they have excellent service and prices. If they don't have what I need then I'll look elsewhere otherwise I'd rather support local business(sorry Internet guys).

Sometimes it is nice to have a human answer your questions instead of online instructions or a voice over the phone too!

 

[finley]

I buy everything at the LHBS with the exception of hardware and Hops. They really have a limited selection on anything to do with kegging, and I don't want to modify my plans to fit what they carry, so I order it all online. They also always charge $2.50 an oz. for hops. Not too bad, but when I order them in bulk at $1 an oz, it's hard to miss that. They are right in line with the best online prices for grain and yeast, maybe a touch more, but when you factor in shipping, they come out cheaper.

 

[munche]

I do a pretty healthy mix of both. If I'm ordering a bunch of stuff, I'll probably go online or to AHS, especially if I'm looking for their clone kits and stuff. I also have bought hops from HopsDirect or from the sellers on here, because they're really pricey at the LHBS.

I am fortunate for a couple of reasons when it comes to my LHBS:
- It's Beer, Beer and More Beer....so the selection is pretty awesome and the markup isn't huge
- They always have "samples" when I'm there and knowledgeable folks
- It's walking distance from a local craft brewer that I also like, so I make the trip and go do both in the same day.

The big thing is, if I decide today that I want to brew on Sunday, AHS isn't going to help me. It means it's time to take a saturday afternoon to spend at the homebrew store/brewery.

 

[petep1980]

I bet I have spent over $1000 there the last 2 years.

I try to use them only for yeast, they have tons of wyeast.

They are killer for people who are just starting, they know their stuff, but I get hammered on grain and hop costs. Their hardware is reasonably priced.

 

[swankyswede]

I'm fortunate that I live a 10-minute walk from my LHBS, so I usually buy all my ingredients there. Prices are slightly higher, but the service is great. I was in there trying to build a 2-keg manifold for my CO2 tank from a wye and some shutoff valves, and the guy saved me 30 bucks in parts by showing me a better way. You can't get that online! That said, I do buy some of the more expensive items (temp controllers, grain mill, brewpots etc.) online because I can save up to 30% over the LHBS. I like to support the local business though, because they're homebrewers who wanted to make a living from their hobby.

 

[danorocks17]

The last 4 batches I have ordered from Midwest instead of going to my LHBS. It's cheaper even with the shipping, and it's delivered to my door. Working and going to school full time make it difficult to squeeze in the time to go to my LHBS.

 

[shroomzofdoom]

Then again, last time I was in there he expanded and doubled the store in size, so he can't be doing that bad.

My LHBS is expanding too, but it doesn't seem to be driving down the prices any. The owner of my LHBS is a very nice person; but the service in my LHBS can be bad at times. Their prices for grain are 40% higher than my preferred HBT vendor, and their prices for hardware are at least double. Plus, the drive to my LHBS takes about 90 minutes round trip--on a good day.

Higher prices, long wait times, long drive time--to me, avoiding the LHBS is a no brainer. I order from HBT vendors and it arrives at my house days later, without the hassle and with significant savings.

I'm sorry, but there is no reason that my LHBS has to price things the way they do. If they want my business they will have to price commodity items accoringly.

PS-If Bremaster's warehouse can succeed selling stuff on the net AND having a store; why can't my LHBS?

 

[Indyking]

I do not mind paying extra, say up to $10 per batch, to support my LHBS; however, I almost always end up buying online, and for what is worth, I almost always feel bad too

The reasons I prefer online are:

1-I often find what I really need online and don't need to look for substitutes from my LHBS.
2- The big online megastores out there pack and ship hundreds of pounds of ingredients every day, so a fresh product is guaranteed since things move in and out fast.

So, because of 1 and 2, the quality of the beer is often better from online ingredients, without mentioning the cheaper price tag for most batches... so I find it hard to resist. I know... it’s evil but it is the reality.

 

[jackers252]

I don't have a local shop near me but I'd probably go online anyway.

I just think the megastores seems to be up to speed with the most current processes and techniques and their equipement is better/cheaper.

I am not opposed to local stores at all (especially for something like yeast) but it comes down to price and selection.

 

[hal2814]

I think it depends on the LHBS and your needs. I have two "local" shops. Both are about 30 minutes from me but in opposite directions. One of them can suck a big fat donkey **** for all I care. They're horribly overpriced ($4/oz hops, $12 Wyeast packs, $4/lb grain). They have no sort of grain selection. The guy running it is nice enough but unless there's some sort of emergency and I happen to be in the area, I'm not going there. If they go out of business, that's fine by me. If there's a cataclysm and that's the only brew shop left on earth, then I guess I stop brewing. It's that bad.

The other one is great. He has reasonable prices (most hops $1.50/oz, $7 Wyeast, $1.50/lb base grain, $2/lb specialty grain). He's a great guy to talk to. He gives our local club members a 10% discount. He's actually stayed open for me a few extra minutes one time when I was running late and called ahead. He swapped a hydrometer for me no-questions-asked when one I bought was cracked right out of the box. Sometimes he's out of stuff and sometimes he doesn't carry stuff I think he should (like some types and sizes of tubing), but overall if I can make the 30 minute trip and he has what I need, I go there.

But I also don't hesitate to buy online. Sometimes I just can't make the trip to the LHBS to fit in with my brewing schedule or sometimes I need something he doesn't carry and I buy some other stuff online too to offset the shipping cost.

I think I give my favorite LHBS and my favorite online store plenty of business. It just comes down to my needs at the time, but if my favored LHBS meets those needs, that's my first choice. I will say that when I first started brewing, the brewshop that got me going and sold me my beginner kit was also a fantastic shop, but they went out of business and for about 2 years I had to always order online before my current LHBS opened near the old one. I really missed that shop during those wilderness years. Don't take your local shop for granted if it's worth a squat. If you'd miss your LHBS if it left, then try to patronize it as much as is reasonable for you.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

When I lived in Syracuse, I always went to my LHBS for ingredients and bottles. For equipment, I would either make my own, buy online or, occasionally go to my LHBS. Now that I live in Atlanta, I have a few more choices.

My closest LHBS is sketchy at best and I won't be going back there. it is about 20 minutes away from my house. The next closest is about 40 minutes away and is probably the nicest LHBS I have ever been to physically. My other LHBS is BMW but it is about an hour away. I haven't had the chance to get there in person, but I have ordered supplies from them and will continue to do so.

My plan is to basically split my business between the two. I love BMW's Brew Builder because it makes it ultra easy to order recipes (especially ones that I want to repeat) The other shop has won my business because of his selection, prices, service and knowledge. When we were there a few weeks ago, there was another couple there trying to clone Terrapin's RyePA and I listened in on him helping them assemble the ingredients... I was quite impressed. When it came time for me to check out, we chatted for quite some time and he even gave my daughter a lollipop, making sure to use her name (SWMBO had been talking to her on the other side of the counter.)

My daughter has half of her soccer games not far from that shop, so it is a bit easier to pop over after her game. And now that Ed has his new store up and running, we are going to plan a Saturday to head over there and make a few stops on that side of town that we have been putting off.

I definitely have no reservations about not patronizing an LHBS that does to meet my needs though.

 

[Fletch78]

When I lived in Syracuse, I always went to my LHBS for ingredients and bottles. For equipment, I would either make my own, buy online or, occasionally go to my LHBS. Now that I live in Atlanta, I have a few more choices.

My closest LHBS is sketchy at best and I won't be going back there. it is about 20 minutes away from my house. The next closest is about 40 minutes away and is probably the nicest LHBS I have ever been to physically. My other LHBS is BMW but it is about an hour away. I haven't had the chance to get there in person, but I have ordered supplies from them and will continue to do so.

My plan is to basically split my business between the two. I love BMW's Brew Builder because it makes it ultra easy to order recipes (especially ones that I want to repeat) The other shop has won my business because of his selection, prices, service and knowledge. When we were there a few weeks ago, there was another couple there trying to clone Terrapin's RyePA and I listened in on him helping them assemble the ingredients... I was quite impressed. When it came time for me to check out, we chatted for quite some time and he even gave my daughter a lollipop, making sure to use her name (SWMBO had been talking to her on the other side of the counter.)

My daughter has half of her soccer games not far from that shop, so it is a bit easier to pop over after her game. And now that Ed has his new store up and running, we are going to plan a Saturday to head over there and make a few stops on that side of town that we have been putting off.

I definitely have no reservations about not patronizing an LHBS that does to meet my needs though.

Which one is sketchy? I've never been in a LHBS that wasn't sketchy.

 

[XtremeBrew]

My LHBS isn't $10 higher on stuff, their kits range from $38 to $75 bucks and most of their equipment is way higher than what I can find online. Why pay $48 dollars for a Cream Ale kit at my LHBS when I can get the same kit for $20 at Northern Brewer? NB has pretty much become my LHBS. I'm all for supporting my LHBS, and I do buy mu yeast, sanitizer, and misc. odds and ends there, and stop in snd talk with people, but I also have to pay bills, feed my family, AND feed my brewing addiction on a limited income. So, yeah, I do feel bad sometimes,but not for too long.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

Which one is sketchy? I've never been in a LHBS that wasn't sketchy.

I'm talking about the one over on Indian Trail in Lilburn. The guy seemed nice enough, but for me the selection was not there, the emphasis seemed to be more to the wine side (fair enough, but not for me) and the cleanliness wasn't where I would have liked it.

Contrast that with Brew Depot in Alpharetta, well stocked, good balance between beer & wine (in my view) updated and spotless. Definitely not sketchy. Now, the clientele may be a different story...

 

[Fletch78]

I'm talking about the one over on Indian Trail in Lilburn. The guy seemed nice enough, but for me the selection was not there, the emphasis seemed to be more to the wine side (fair enough, but not for me) and the cleanliness wasn't where I would have liked it.

Contrast that with Brew Depot in Alpharetta, well stocked, good balance between beer & wine (in my view) updated and spotless. Definitely not sketchy. Now, the clientele may be a different story...

20 minutes from Lilburn, 40 minutes from Alpharetta, and an hour from ATL.

That triangulates your position somewhere around Braselton.

There is a LHBS in Athens. It makes the Lilburn store look like the Taj Mahal.

You should know the Lilburn store has been there since 1978 when it was legalized, owned by the same family. The man is somewhat curt and not much of a talker, but his wife and their daughter are very friendly and helpful. The best beer I've brewed to date (which isn't saying much) was an oatmeal stout recipe the older lady put together for me on the spot and wrote the directions down on a scrap of paper.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

Wow, spot on there... I'm not sure if I should be impressed or a bit creeped out!

Like I said, the guy seemed nice enough and curt is the word I would use. That is interesting that they have been around for that long. I don't want to seem like I am bad-mouthing them cause I certainly respect that they have been there since the beginning and I don't doubt that some great brews come out of there. For me, the extra drive to Alpharetta is worth it for all the reasons I stated before.

 

[hal2814]

Wow, spot on there... I'm not sure if I should be impressed or a bit creeped out!

Like I said, the guy seemed nice enough and curt is the word I would use. That is interesting that they have been around for that long. I don't want to seem like I am bad-mouthing them cause I certainly respect that they have been there since the beginning and I don't doubt that some great brews come out of there. For me, the extra drive to Alpharetta is worth it for all the reasons I stated before.

Brasleton is not "the ATL." Heck, you're not even ITP

 

[Fletch78]

Brasleton is not "the ATL." Heck, you're not even ITP

Kinda like how people from Commerce claim "Athens" all the time

 

[mr_goodwrench]

Brasleton is not "the ATL." Heck, you're not even ITP

It's about a thousand miles closer to "the ATL" than I was 6 months ago...

 

[Pilgarlic]

Many of us have thought about opening a LHBS. When I think about it (with nothing at stake, obviously), I think about the value that I would need to add to the products offered in order to succeed. Patient counsel to beginners. Depth of knowledge, advice and support to intermediate and advanced homebrewers. Genuine friendliness and respect. Classes. A really good grist to the oz, well-crushed. Networking opportunities (i.e. a sponsored club with monthly meetings). Running through all of these, a passion to share my passion for homebrewing with others of all skill and experience levels. For all of that, I'd feel okay about charging a bit more to pay my rent. Without it, I'd expect (and deserve) to fail.

 

[Tinga]

i dont have any good lhbs that have an actual selection or are devoted to beer brewing. i do feel that midwest is my closet tanigle store option. so i dont feel bad buying from them online. they do actually have super helpful staff when i do go there. its nice.