jpalarchio
Well-Known Member
Check out the google link that popped up on this page:
He's (maybe) baaaack...Brewster Brown may have resurfaced with a new name
- Thread starter TheMan
- Start date
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justflow1983
Well-Known Member
I would contact Google about that, they're very quick to pull ads when they know they're scams. A friend of mine used to approve online ads for them, they essentially approve everything until they hear otherwise from users that its a dud.
remilard
Well-Known Member
Brewing and building brewing equipment are two different hobbies.
So in other words, the same reason you don't butcher your own meat.
justflow1983
Well-Known Member
Also, it depends on if we have the tools. I love to DIY, but I know that I'll be leaving this country in about a year, so I'd rather not invest in tools. Therefore, I just buy the gear and I'll get rid of it when I leave.
brouehaha
Member
Maybe I got lucky 'cause I ordered a couple of boiling pots plus a wort chiller from him and was delivered 5 days later.
Maybe my luck is changin' and it's time to do my first brew!!
Maybe my luck is changin' and it's time to do my first brew!!
shortyjacobs
Well-Known Member
Was this recently? Like I said, I'm just posting a warning, I have no personal experience with him, I just saw what others went through.
I know he was very responsive like 6 months ago, then suddenly around September a bunch of people got screwed....maybe he's changed his game now?
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
Like my post up top, this guy is not worth it. I ordered the worlds largest chiller (lol) from him and never got a conformation e-mail or anything. Although I did get the product I ordered months later, does anyone want to even ahave to deal with the stress of wondering if they may or may not get the products they paid for?
I know I sure don't.
J
Grimtas
Well-Known Member
His super chiller XL is made with 1/4"ID refrigerant tubeing. Don't ask me how I know this 
shortyjacobs
Well-Known Member
It's super Xtra Little
Like I've said, I received mine months after I ordered and a few brews after I made my own.
I now use his as a pre-chiller. Even though it is "Xtra Little," it works great for a pre-chiller. I'm almost glad this happened to me b/c since I live in Tx I would've had to make my own pre-chiller any ways.
brouehaha
Member
Yeah, I guess my purchase was 6-9 months ago....maybe he is now squirelly...
LarryC
Well-Known Member
Just to answer a couple of folks posts about "why would you buy something you can build cheaper". I'm a big DIYr (many times to my wife's dismay) but when I saw that chiller for less than I can by 25' of 3/8" tubing for it was mighty tempting. I'm glad I did a search and found the threads on this guy or I might have went for the "too good to be true deal!
rico567
Well-Known Member
.....and my answer to that question is that although I CAN DIY, I don't always WANT to DIY. There are different people in this world, and I was different enough that I bought my IC. Nice 25' copper chiller from Midwest, I couldn't be happier if I'd made it myself. Amazing, aint it?
Tankedlush
New Member
Brewster Brown and associated csinsul8 Ebay account are both out of business. You can still place orders, but will only pay to have your money disappear and get no product in return. DO NOT ORDER FROM BREWSTERBROWN.com or csinsul8 of Ebay. You will get your money taken and not get anything except a lighter wallet.
somozslainte
New Member
I was unfortunate enough to order a chiller before I found this thread. A week later I received claims that the chillers were on back order but had just arrived and I would be receiving mine right away. Oh, and he'll throw in some sanitizer for my trouble. Sent me a UPS tracking number but never delivered the chiller to UPS for shipping. The next week I asked for an update. No reply. The next week I asked for a refund as the chiller was obviously not coming. No reply. One more effort to make contact for refund the following week. No reply. Fortunately, my credit card company has refunded me. What a *******. Thanks to everyone for the posts here!
Just to weigh in (wish I'd found this forum prior to ordering). My brother tried to order a chiller for me for xmas. Never came, he did the CC dispute, and it was fine. Well, I didn't know he'd tried to order, so after Xmas, I ordered one. No communication, and then I found some threads about him. Started the dispute on Paypal, contacted the MN attorney general, and just today contacted the Cold Spring Police. Quick response from the Chief, of all people, who said I was the first complaint ever about this guy. He may not actually be in Cold Spring, since the (now defunct) website is registered in California.
Anyway, nice first post, I know. But I'll post an update if I get anywhere with this, beyond $31.99 lighter in the wallet
Anyway, nice first post, I know. But I'll post an update if I get anywhere with this, beyond $31.99 lighter in the wallet
http://www.startribune.com/local/83307797.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr
Whistleblower: Beer-making supplier gets F
The online retailer didn't deliver on several orders, the Minnesota Better Business Bureau says.
By JESSICA VAN BERKEL, Star Tribune
Last update: February 1, 2010 - 9:58 PM
Home brewers, beware -- customers paid money to a local online retailer but never received the hops, malts, chillers and brew pots.
The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota issued an F grade to Brewster Brown last month and sent out a warning after six customers complained to the bureau and the company did not respond to any of them. Although 1,800 businesses and nonprofits in Minnesota and North Dakota currently have a failing grade, the bureau publicly singles out only about two every month as having "unethical practices," said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO.
Eric Brown, proprietor of the now defunct Brewster Brown, admitted that customers never got what they paid for. But he said he is a victim, too, after someone hacked into his PayPal account and took the money.
Brown said he has not made any money with his two home brew companies. "The idea wasn't to screw anybody over," he said. "I'm just an unemployed executive that just can't catch a break."
Brown said he started the business in Rice, Minn., in May 2008 as a "part-time gig," after being laid off from his job at a building supply company. He was shipping brewing supplies to customers across the country until September 2009, when he said the money was stolen from his PayPal account.
Joe Hufford, of Lino Lakes, who ordered an all-grain brewing kit for $63.82 in August, wrote to the bureau about not receiving his order or a refund.
"It's one thing for a guy to have hard times, and maybe get messed up. It's another thing if it looks like he's doing this to generate revenue without filling orders. ... That's when I got more serious about chasing the guy down," he said.
In October 2009, Brown created another company, Sauk River Brewing.
This time, instead of putting his name on the website, Brown created a fictitious general manager named "Calvin Schlegal" because he wanted to "start over." He said he intended to refund the customers of Brewster Brown with the profits from his new company, but he couldn't afford to keep the website up.
Brown said that of 150 orders received, "only a handful" weren't shipped. He said he is responding to customers on a case-by-case basis. The bureau's calls to Brown have not been answered, spokesman Dan Hendrickson said.
"Though the amount of money lost on these orders is not large, it's very unfortunate because home brewing is a growing hobby and for people who are just starting out, this leaves a bad taste in their mouths," Badgerow said.
Jessica Van Berkel is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for Star Tribune.
Whistleblower: Beer-making supplier gets F
The online retailer didn't deliver on several orders, the Minnesota Better Business Bureau says.
By JESSICA VAN BERKEL, Star Tribune
Last update: February 1, 2010 - 9:58 PM
Home brewers, beware -- customers paid money to a local online retailer but never received the hops, malts, chillers and brew pots.
The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota issued an F grade to Brewster Brown last month and sent out a warning after six customers complained to the bureau and the company did not respond to any of them. Although 1,800 businesses and nonprofits in Minnesota and North Dakota currently have a failing grade, the bureau publicly singles out only about two every month as having "unethical practices," said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO.
Eric Brown, proprietor of the now defunct Brewster Brown, admitted that customers never got what they paid for. But he said he is a victim, too, after someone hacked into his PayPal account and took the money.
Brown said he has not made any money with his two home brew companies. "The idea wasn't to screw anybody over," he said. "I'm just an unemployed executive that just can't catch a break."
Brown said he started the business in Rice, Minn., in May 2008 as a "part-time gig," after being laid off from his job at a building supply company. He was shipping brewing supplies to customers across the country until September 2009, when he said the money was stolen from his PayPal account.
Joe Hufford, of Lino Lakes, who ordered an all-grain brewing kit for $63.82 in August, wrote to the bureau about not receiving his order or a refund.
"It's one thing for a guy to have hard times, and maybe get messed up. It's another thing if it looks like he's doing this to generate revenue without filling orders. ... That's when I got more serious about chasing the guy down," he said.
In October 2009, Brown created another company, Sauk River Brewing.
This time, instead of putting his name on the website, Brown created a fictitious general manager named "Calvin Schlegal" because he wanted to "start over." He said he intended to refund the customers of Brewster Brown with the profits from his new company, but he couldn't afford to keep the website up.
Brown said that of 150 orders received, "only a handful" weren't shipped. He said he is responding to customers on a case-by-case basis. The bureau's calls to Brown have not been answered, spokesman Dan Hendrickson said.
"Though the amount of money lost on these orders is not large, it's very unfortunate because home brewing is a growing hobby and for people who are just starting out, this leaves a bad taste in their mouths," Badgerow said.
Jessica Van Berkel is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for Star Tribune.
Multiple threads merged. new2brew, one post is sufficient.
mordantly
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there should be if there isn't a sticky where these criminals can be listed.
OP
OP
TheMan
Well-Known Member
So, I'm the original poster...The guy was great (obviously not anymore)...I ordered just before he turned bad. I don't get it. Why wouldn't he just respond to people and tell them his paypal was hacked, he lost all the money, but was trying to resolve it. It's as simple as that. His excuse doesn't sound innocent. Sucks that people got ripped off by this guy.
I would understand if his PayPal was hacked, and he wasn't able to fill the open orders at the time it was hacked, in which case, contacting the customers is the only appropriate course of action. But willP said that him and his brother got screwed over the holidays, even though this guy got hacked over 3 months before? If he can't afford to fill orders, he shouldn't be taking any.
Plz tell me how I can order from brewsterbrown.com. when I enter the web address I get any empty site except for the name address. thank you
Plz tell me how I can order from brewsterbrown.com. when I enter the web address I get any empty site except for the name address. thank you
I'd probably spend time reading the handful of posts that came before your post. Not being able to find the web address is probably a blessing.
TheZymurgist
Well-Known Member
Seeing as how this thread is from 2009, this guy's probably long gone...
Lol
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