home brew shops with attitude

[Ryanh1801]

Because one person's opinion shouldn't sway you to make your own decision. It helps sometimes, but don't be a sheeple.

I'm not defending the HBS that has bad attitude help, but we don't know what was going on. Dude could have been having a bad day.

It could be about the same store.

Im just sayin

 

[Philip1993]

Don't seem to have any arse-holes in my LHBS, but they are definately amateurs. Inconvenient hours, website that sucks, and overpriced stock. I know this is a drinking/partying related hobby, but is it too much to ask for a little professionalism?

My LHBS has one employee. He's the owner, and a brewer!

Lately, they don't even carry grain except for the odd 5 lb bag of Crystal.

That sucks. Doug carries about 20 varieties of everything. My only complaint is ZERO online presence. But, if you're near Fayetteville, Ga drop by Just Brew It and say HI! to Doug.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i'm lucky. oak barrel and morebeer rock! morebeer is having a party this saturday...i think i'm gonna go (i'll bring my bike so i can drink)

 

[ScubaSteve]

Yeah, MoreBeer is cool....I go to the one in Riverside....everyone is real helpful; all good guys, except they got a back room where all the cool guys hang out. Pretty much everyone is all glassy-eyed, throwing a few back in the afternoon...wish I could be part of the club...

 

[talleymonster]

Yeah, our pathetic little LHBS in Las Vegas is run by a bunch of "grow-your pot-under-fluorescent-light-bulb hippies". It's an "Indoor Gardening Store" with a shelf with a few random bags of stoppers, DME, wine corks, etc. They have some grain in bulk, but who knows how fresh it is. They didn't even know up until recently if they were even going to keep the beer part of the store open because they weren't getting any business.

It's not so much that they are rude - I actually found them to be quite friendly. They just aren't very knowledgeable.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Yeah, MoreBeer is cool....I go to the one in Riverside....everyone is real helpful; all good guys, except they got a back room where all the cool guys hang out. Pretty much everyone is all glassy-eyed, throwing a few back in the afternoon...wish I could be part of the club...

yeah, i've had them mess up orders at these "parties" when they are drunk and i've heard people on HBT have had messed-up mail orders. I always double-check my purchase. but they ARE very helpful and knowledgeable and have an excellent supply of homebrewing equipment

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

My LHBS has one employee. He's the owner, and a brewer!

Same here, our LHBS guy is nothing but nice and friendly and always gives good advice and insight... he's also the treasurer of the local brew club...

 

[ScubaSteve]

yeah, i've had them mess up orders at these "parties" when they are drunk and i've heard people on HBT have had messed-up mail orders. I always double-check my purchase. but they ARE very helpful and knowledgeable and have an excellent supply of homebrewing equipment

Yeah, I can't get too mad at that....I put myself in their shoes and I'd probably mess something up too. But I gotta admit when I'm crimped for time, run by the store with the intention of brewing the same day, and something critical like hops are missing, it pisses me off. Double-checking is my solution to the problem, though I shouldn't have to do that.

 

[Jester369]

I have only had one issue with my LHBS being snooty - I was in getting the last of my ingredients for my first AG (still haven't brewed the bugger though!) and I wanted to get some Buffer 5.2 so I wouldn't have to sweat the mash pH. So I when I couldn't find it on the shelves, I asked the guy about it. He had never heard of it, and said, "This is your first all grain? You are going to have more important things to be thinking about than pH. You see all those awards on the wall? Those were all brewed without that stuff." He wasn't nasty, but pretty condescending in his tone.

Oh well, I ordered it online after that.

 

[Uncle Argyle]

I used to go to one shop that had pretty convenient hours, location and decent stock. But the owner never seemed interested in helping me out. I would be the only one in the store and his answers (when he answered) were always one or two word grunts.

I found another shop close by with extremely limited hours (second floor of his home), but he is genuinely interested in helping me. I will sacrifice the convenience to give this guy my business. This is a fun hobby for me, I don't want to feel like I'm pestering someone every time I want to give them some of my hard earned cash!

 

[Brewer3401]

I used to go to one shop that had pretty convenient hours, location and decent stock. But the owner never seemed interested in helping me out. I would be the only one in the store and his answers (when he answered) were always one or two word grunts.

I found another shop close by with extremely limited hours (second floor of his home), but he is genuinely interested in helping me. I will sacrifice the convenience to give this guy my business. This is a fun hobby for me, I don't want to feel like I'm pestering someone every time I want to give them some of my hard earned cash!

I had the same thing happen to me. When I was just starting out, my shop would give me answers, only to find out later, that some were true, some weren't. I think the crappy wrong answers started coming out after I had some wins in competition.

Wouldn't you want to tell your customers EVERYTHING you knew so they'd come back to you ?

Human ego - male is worse than female..........unless it's two chicks, which is hot.........oops, need to change forums.

 

[Orfy]

It shows you the quality of the shops around here when most of the owners have never done AG brewing and they are asking customers fro feedback and advice.

My 4 nearest shops only sell grains in 6lb bags. I don't use them.

 

[Mike B]

I'm a lucky one, I suppose. The owner of my LHBS is a really cool guy who's chatted extensively with me about just about every batch that I've ever made. He'll even shoot the $#!t with you when you see him around town (usually at the pub :cross: )

 

[evanmars]

I like my "local" HBS. It is an hour away in another state, but it is pretty good. The owner (I think) is very friendly and is always willing to chat. They have a pretty decent stock (as far as I can tell).

the_bird, do you agree? Any more to add, correct?

 

[the_bird]

When Roger's there, he's cool (his son's cool, too). There's another middle-aged guy who's nice enough, but not as helpful or as willing to chat. Overall, though, I consider myself lucky to have them around, even with the drive involved.

 

[fezzman]

The only LHBS in orlando, Hearts is a total crock. The guys there seem like they cant wait for you to get out. The owner once told me, seriously, that they didnt care about local business....go figure

I was less than impressed with the attitude of Hearts as well. I've only been there once and will not be returning. It also seemed rather dirty in there. They did have a rather nice beer selection though.

It is the same distance for me to drive to Homebrew Emporium in Daytona. Those guys are great and have my loyalty. I've heard that a shop opened up in Cape Canaveral but have not made it there yet. I was also told that Downtown Produce in Melbourne has started selling supplies. I love the beer selection in that store...the angels sing as soon as you walk through the doors.

 

[david_42]

I started with the Oak Barrel in California and that set a standard that no one else remotely approaches. Most of the shops around here are so far away and unhelpful there just isn't any point in going to them except in an emergency. One place, the only person in the shop most of the time is the accountant and all she knows about homebrewing is where the crusher is located. If I was trying to get started here today, I wouldn't get very far.

 

[Klainmeister]

Well david_42, Doug at homebrew heaven in Salem is incredibly helpful to me. I went in there at age 16 with my father and he helped me get setup and to this day still gives me advice and will critique my brews if i bring them by. The other HBS i go to farther south i get treated like i'm nothing. I try asking advice and once even was asked "How old are you?" i responded, and then he continued to say "So i take it you just want beers to get you drunk, try making a strong amber or something easy". STFU, i wanted to tell this guy about my fantastic porters and alt ales (all below 4%) that i drink for satisfaction not drunkenness. That's what BMC is for right?

Just like wine snobbery, there is some beer snobbery. I guess i just try not to get to rattled over it.

 

[Hopleaf]

Was there again at unamed HBS recently, very friendly and helpful.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Was it the same guy? Maybe he was just having a rough day last time.