Going to my LBS for the first time Friday, need tips

[newbrewer2017]

Its about a 4 hour trip as I live in the middle of no where.

If you could do over your first trip what would you get? budget is like 200$

thinking of going to biab instead of mail order extract kits. I have all the basics. Well enough to make 5 gallon batches and test everything.

Thinking yeast, hops and grains that might be cheaper than shipping

 

[Sailingeric]

Make it worth your time. Get as much base grain as you can afford, get several different yeast and hops to try. Plus ask as many questions as you can think of.

 

[hottpeper13]

With a 4 hr trip to the LHBS I would think a grain mill would be your best friend. With that said I would buy as much grain as you can store well sealed up. 50 lb sacs cost almost as much to ship as the grain cost,hops and yeast, not so much.

 

[PADave]

Wow 4 hours is a long drive for some ingredients. My LHBS is 45min-1 hr away and it's all mail order for me. Morebeer has my order on the porch in 2 days, free shipping.

 

[brewbama]

Tip: if you buy liquid yeast take a cooler and some of those ice packs to transport it home in.

I hope it's a well stocked store. Otherwise four hours is a long trip. Even though it's on the drive home from work, my local is not well stocked and won't sell portions of a lb of grain even though they measure out of bulk bins. Therefore they lose my business to Great Fermentations.

 

[Lefou]

Buy in bulk.
Try to find out how fresh your grain or extract is because I've had issues with old malt product my LBHS has onhand due to storage and age. Old grain with low turnover rates can have issues like weevils and mold.
Yeast health is another big issue. I really like White Labs packets. Dry yeast is less problematic and refrigeration during transport will be a concern, so I second the idea of a small cooler stocked with chill packs.

I'm in NJ and usually go local but there's a good mail order shop north of me in Brunswick. Orders and items over a certain dollar amount qualify for free shipping so check out that option, too.

 

[mongoose33]

Assuming you can get other things via online sources for which shipping costs are less, buy the largest amount of the heaviest items you can.

That's what people are suggesting above in terms of buying in bulk. You can get reasonable prices on small stuff from MoreBeer, for example, with their $59 free shipping policy--except it doesn't apply to sacks of grain. So you can get hops, dry yeast, maybe liquid yeast, equipment, etc.

***************

I get my bulk grain from Ritebrew. It's 3 hours away. I rarely go in person as it's not on the way to anywhere I tend to go--but I have a buddy who DOES go past them on a regular trip. So I place an order for the heavy stuff and he picks it up for me. Typically about two 50- or 55-pound sacks of grain, whatever else I need.

*******************

MoreBeer has a funny thing w/ their shipping. Sacks cost extra to ship, but up to 10# of grain in such increments does not. Some people order grain in units of 10# from them, no extra shipping.

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Good luck--fun problem to have, isn't it?

 

[PADave]

Assuming you can get other things via online sources for which shipping costs are less, buy the largest amount of the heaviest items you can.

That's what people are suggesting above in terms of buying in bulk. You can get reasonable prices on small stuff from MoreBeer, for example, with their $59 free shipping policy--except it doesn't apply to sacks of grain. So you can get hops, dry yeast, maybe liquid yeast, equipment, etc.

***************

I get my bulk grain from Ritebrew. It's 3 hours away. I rarely go in person as it's not on the way to anywhere I tend to go--but I have a buddy who DOES go past them on a regular trip. So I place an order for the heavy stuff and he picks it up for me. Typically about two 50- or 55-pound sacks of grain, whatever else I need.

*******************

MoreBeer has a funny thing w/ their shipping. Sacks cost extra to ship, but up to 10# of grain in such increments does not. Some people order grain in units of 10# from them, no extra shipping.

****************

Good luck--fun problem to have, isn't it?

This is what I do. Five 10lb sacks ship for free, but a 50lb sack does not, go figure. I'm on the other side of the fence on buying bulk. Plan out your next 2-4 brews, order the ingredients. Once you're down to your ingredients for your last brew, place another order. Let them do the storage.

 

[jalc6927]

My nearest store is 1.5 hours away, I go by there when I'm that way

I do 90% online and don't buy in bulk except muslin bags, yeast fuel, because I like to brew different beers each week and buying bulk would be crazy for me

So I may pay a bit more by buying kits, but if works for me

As I evolve and have my own recipes created bulk buying will make more sense

 

[newbrewer2017]

With a 4 hr trip to the LHBS I would think a grain mill would be your best friend. With that said I would buy as much grain as you can store well sealed up. 50 lb sacs cost almost as much to ship as the grain cost,hops and yeast, not so much.

I made a grain mill, The trip is not just for the LHBS, but it is also the closes store to me so a two for one trip.

Gonna take a cooler thanks @brewbama. I didn't think of that. I have ice packs for days as the wife's monthly shot always has 4 of them in it.

my plan i guess after reading all the comments and researching is to get enough stuff to make my favorite beer in bulk, so maybe I can make it cheaper. The hops I can order (i have price lists written down now so i can check vs cost there) and the yeast I plan on washing from here on out to cut the cost down.

No sure I am doing this right but we will see

 

[madscientist451]

A 4 hr trip is just too long for beer ingredients. Order what you need on line.
Does the shop your going to have a website? You could check what they have in inventory and be ready when you get there. I'd get enough grain for two or three brews. Its usually cheaper to buy hops on line and keep them in your freezer. Invest in a scale (mine is an Anvil brand scale I think cost $20, works great) Get some dry yeast to keep on hand in case you have fermentation problems.

 

[newbrewer2017]

A 4 hr trip is just too long for beer ingredients. Order what you need on line.
Does the shop your going to have a website? You could check what they have in inventory and be ready when you get there. I'd get enough grain for two or three brews. Its usually cheaper to buy hops on line and keep them in your freezer. Invest in a scale (mine is an Anvil brand scale I think cost $20, works great) Get some dry yeast to keep on hand in case you have fermentation problems.

If i was not all ready going for another reason I would not make the trip. I wish they had a website, I am planning on calling tomorrow to make sure they have what I want and the price. If it beats shipping and I am in the area why not get it? Thanks for the tip on the dry yeast, I did not think of that

 

[newbrewer2017]

So yea all my meetings all ran over. Never made it to LHBS before it closed. But did pick up a new 8 gallon pot today. Guess next time maybe

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Base Malt:
First and foremost I would get at least 2 bags of base malt (40-50lb each) and get them to mill the grain. At my LHBS they are $42/ea. That is what you will need the most of and Online stores will charge much more plus shipping.

Other Malts:
Get a few lbs of C60, C120, Chocolate malt, and a couple others. You'll only need a little of each of these in you brews. And they'll only be between ¢.80 and $2.00 / lb. depending on type.

Hops:
Honestly if you live that far from a Homebrew store I would go to a website that sells Hops in bulk and order a few lbs at a time. Here are two such websites.

Www.freshops.com (1lb cascades = $21.60)
hopsdirect.com (1lb cascades = $9.60)

Yeast:
Bring a cooler with ice. Get a few different varieties.
But I normally stock up on Wyeast 1056.

Good luck.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1504464140.716643.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1504464153.562066.jpg

 

[newbrewer2017]

Base Malt:
First and foremost I would get at least 2 bags of base malt (40-50lb each) and get them to mill the grain. At my LHBS they are $42/ea. That is what you will need the most of and Online stores will charge much more plus shipping.

Other Malts:
Get a few lbs of C60, C120, Chocolate malt, and a couple others. You'll only need a little of each of these in you brews. And they'll only be between ¢.80 and $2.00 / lb. depending on type.

Hops:
Honestly if you live that far from a Homebrew store I would go to a website that sells Hops in bulk and order a few lbs at a time. Here are two such websites.

Www.freshops.com (1lb cascades = $21.60)
hopsdirect.com (1lb cascades = $9.60)

Yeast:
Bring a cooler with ice. Get a few different varieties.
But I normally stock up on Wyeast 1056.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice and websites. Next time I get out that way, I plan on buying a few bags. Might not be till next year.

 

[mongoose33]

I don't think I'd have the LHBS mill 100 pounds of malt ahead of time. Malt will stay fresh for a long time if unmilled, but as soon as you mill it, it starts losing something. You may find yourself with milled grain for months, and that's not a recipe for fresh-tasting beer, IMO.

Ordering hops in bulk is a good thing if you can seal it up against oxidation. If you have a vacuum sealer that would work, but just opening the hops introduces oxygen to them, and you need a way to eliminate or at least forestall the degradation.

One way is to store the hops in the freezer. As long as they have an inert atmosphere surrounding them, they'll last a good long time.

**************

Reminder: can you find someone who could pick up an order for you to save on shipping?

 

[h22lude]

MoreBeer has a funny thing w/ their shipping. Sacks cost extra to ship, but up to 10# of grain in such increments does not. Some people order grain in units of 10# from them, no extra shipping.

This is what I do. Five 10lb sacks ship for free, but a 50lb sack does not, go figure. I'm on the other side of the fence on buying bulk. Plan out your next 2-4 brews, order the ingredients. Once you're down to your ingredients for your last brew, place another order. Let them do the storage.

I believe you have to actually get 6 10# sacks. 5 doesn't bring the total up to $59 for free shipping. It is odd that they would do that though.

But either way, it is still cheaper to buy a 50# sack and pay for shipping.

Five 10# sacks costs $71.58 with shipping for $1.43 a pound
Six 10# sacks costs $67.74 with free shipping for $1.13 a pound
One 50# sack costs $55.18 with shipping for $1.10 a pound

 

[ProblemChild]

it is a small thing - but very important - get two or three packs of US-05.

Keeps a long time in the fridge, kickstarts stalled fermentations, saves your backside if you drop your starter, allows you to decide to brew on a moments notice. Lots of reasons to have this on standby.

 

[DU99]

Don't get grain premilled unless you going use it straight away..https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=212816..
work out what type of beers you are going to make first..no use buying a heap of one product you might never use again

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

I don't think I'd have the LHBS mill 100 pounds of malt ahead of time. Malt will stay fresh for a long time if unmilled, but as soon as you mill it, it starts losing something. You may find yourself with milled grain for months, and that's not a recipe for fresh-tasting beer, IMO.

True.

Ordering hops in bulk is a good thing if you can seal it up against oxidation. If you have a vacuum sealer that would work.

I always get mine and once opened vacuum seal them in 2oz bags. Then put them in the freezer.

 

[mongoose33]

I always get mine and once opened vacuum seal them in 2oz bags. Then put them in the freezer.

My biggest irritation in brewing is when a recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of some hop. I open the packet--it's some hop that I use rarely, so buying in bulk doesn't make sense--then add the half ounce. I look at the other half ounce wondering what to do with it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me to burn up a vacuum seal bag just to seal 1/2 ounce.

I hate that.

I just brewed an Amber from a recipe we're using for a LHBC throwdown in October. The hop schedule:

.50 oz Horizon 60 min
.25 oz Cascade 10 min
.25 oz Centennial 10 min
.25 oz Cascade 0 min
.25 oz Centennial 0 min.

So I had three opened packets of hops, each of which had 1/2 oz. left.

 

[Kharnynb]

malts, even milled stay fine for 3-4 months before you have to worry about any loss of taste/efficiency, if stored cool.

 

[PADave]

My biggest irritation in brewing is when a recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of some hop. I open the packet--it's some hop that I use rarely, so buying in bulk doesn't make sense--then add the half ounce. I look at the other half ounce wondering what to do with it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me to burn up a vacuum seal bag just to seal 1/2 ounce.

I hate that.

I just brewed an Amber from a recipe we're using for a LHBC throwdown in October. The hop schedule:

.50 oz Horizon 60 min
.25 oz Cascade 10 min
.25 oz Centennial 10 min
.25 oz Cascade 0 min
.25 oz Centennial 0 min.

So I had three opened packets of hops, each of which had 1/2 oz. left.

If it's good, make it again!

 

[PADave]

malts, even milled stay fine for 3-4 months before you have to worry about any loss of taste/efficiency, if stored cool.

But if you are going to be buying bulk, you'd be best off to get yourself some kind of grain mill. A decent one can be had for less than $100.

 

[newbrewer2017]

it is a small thing - but very important - get two or three packs of US-05.

Keeps a long time in the fridge, kickstarts stalled fermentations, saves your backside if you drop your starter, allows you to decide to brew on a moments notice. Lots of reasons to have this on standby.

fan of US-05, have 3 packs in the fridge. Planning on washing yeast from now on and making a mini yeast bank, only need a few more vials to make this happen.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

But if you are going to be buying bulk, you'd be best off to get yourself some kind of grain mill. A decent one can be had for less than $100.

Where in the world can you find one for under $100???

 

[Kharnynb]

those corona mills seem to be cheap and readily modifiable, but a good mill is at least 150 or so.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I find morebeer's grain prices to be very acceptable for my brewing frequency. I haven't started milling my own grain yet, and I'm not sure I ever will because it's so easy to throw one or two 10lb bags of grain into an order to meet the $59 free shipping cutoff that I seem to never run out. I just always try to be sure to use my oldest grain first and none of it ever seems to sit around for longer than a month.

 

[eric19312]

#newbrewer where in the world do you live that it is 4 hour drive to a home brew supply store? I'm thinking there must be something closer...

Anyway if this is going to be your LHBS I suggest you bring one or two bottles of homebrew to share. Introduce yourself and enjoy the visit.

 

[PADave]

Where in the world can you find one for under $100???

http://www.homebrewing.org/Cereal-Killer-Grain-Mill_p_2310.html

I've used mine to crush hundreds of pounds of grain. No, it's not the best, but it gets the job done.

 

[zippyclown]

The cost of gas exceeds shipping costs by maybe 2x doesn't it?

 

[newbrewer2017]

The cost of gas exceeds shipping costs by maybe 2x doesn't it?

it was less than 20 for gas there and back, wife has a little car I look absurd in but it beats the truck for long trips. Figured the hamster engine could handle me and a couple bags of grain, I will find out next time