How Far Would You Drive To A LHBS?

[stylus1274]

Now I know a lot of brewers use online shops for their supplies and ect.

But outside of those I'm wondering how far you would drive to a really good LHBS? By 'good' I mean good pricing, well stocked and knowledgable/friendly staff.

30 minutes? 45 minutes? 60 minutes?

 

[mongoose33]

It takes me just about 30 minutes to get to my LHBS. I don't think I'd drive much further.

 

[redarmy990]

It can take any thing from 20 minutes to 1 hour to get to my LHBS, so its easier for me to order online. Unfortunatley.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

20 minutes max.

Otherwise I'll just use an online supply and have it come to me.

 

[ajr628]

If I ever live in a city where there isn't a LHBS I'm ordering. My time is more valuable than paying shipping.

 

[bruteforce]

Currently, about 20 minutes. I used to drive an hour for one, but it was close to the gym I trained strongman and powerlifting at, so I just combined the trip and it wasn't too bad. Sucked ass if I forgot something though.

 

[Derp]

I'm about 25 minutes from my local store. It doesn't bother me much, but I try to plan my trips to avoid morning/evening traffic.

 

[Maylar]

Mine is about 30 minutes, but their hours prevent me from going there except on Saturdays.

 

[Sillybilly]

The one I go to is about 35 minutes from my house but only 10 minutes away from where I work, so I normally just go on my lunch or way home. I guess it really would depend on the quality of the LHBS to determine how far is too far, for me 35 minutes is worth a well stocked, knowledge-able shop.

 

[Aristotelian]

Mine is 30 minutes. I usually order online. I only go there if I am already in the neighborhood.

 

[wyowolf]

I drive about 40 now, and its not the great, used to be better...but the rest are even further away...

 

[Murphys_Law]

I have one that is about 10 mins and another that is about 20 mins down the road. I tend to favor the 20 mins shop since it's a little bigger and carries a broader selections of both grains and hardware. Not sure if I would drive much outside 30 mins for a good shop unless there was something compelling like being next to a really good micro I wanted to visit.

 

[jbunton]

One is about 30mins away. The other is almost an hour. Both are solid stores but for different reasons. I frequent both I'm not much of an online shopper

 

[rhys333]

Probably 25 minutes max. Mine is a 5 minute drive away, but I usually cycle there in 10-15. My folks also brew and they live about 1.25 hours out of town. They drive that distance to buy from the same LHBS as me, but I'm sure they wouldn't do it if there wasn't another reason to be in town.

 

[secondbase]

It takes me 15-20 minutes to get to either of them. I'd probably go up to 30 minutes but definitely not any longer

 

[Xernex]

Mine is about 40 minutes away, but directly on the way to-from work (which is an hour drive) so I'm more than happy to make the drive, it's awful convenient to drop in on the way home from work and grab what I need.

 

[Zekk]

30 minutes for me as well. If it was any further I'd probably just order online. I tend to go when I'm already in the area, sometimes they host my hb club and offer 20% off for members.

 

[z-bob]

100 miles, maybe once a year, if there was other stuff to do while I was in Minneapolis that day. (can you guess which one I'm talking about?)

Luckily, I have a pretty good LHBS just a couple of miles away, and a liquor store that stocks a few brewing supplies that the LHBS doesn't have -- liquid yeast, 10 lb bags of different malts, etc.

I also order online, mostly from Farmhouse

 

[Kharnynb]

my nearest "homebrew" store is about 4 hours drive away.....so I order online.

I live in Savonlinna, Finland, meaning that there is no big cities within 1 hours drive, so unless it would be in town, it wouldn't be possible to shop at a real store.

 

[DoctorMemory]

Mine is a little over a half hour, I'd probably drive an hour or so to get what I need (my LHBS is pretty awesome). I do tend to make infrequent trips, though, and buy enough for 2-3 batches when I go.

 

[pshankstar]

My LHBS is about a 10-15 drive away depending on the time of day and traffic. I have no problem driving there, but I think about a 30 drive (one way) would be my max. They do have another location about 30 mins away that seems to be slightly larger. My problem is, the LHBS shop is a Hydroponics and Home Brewing shop. Whenever I ask any questions the person working there pulls up a spreadsheet or Googles it (at least at the closer location). So I've learned not to bother asking questions and take the extra time looking up things while I'm there myself if needed (i.e. substitutions for ingredients they are out of).

Usually I only buy my grains there, bulk since they are typically slightly cheaper then shipping. Or the occasional hop variety that I need or want to try before I buy it in bulk or a small part I need ASAP. Bulk hops I'll usually buy online.

Anyhow, this makes me wonder if there is any way I could open a HBS myself closer to me and offer local beers on draft as a bonus. I wish I could take the plunge if it made sense, but having two little kids I don't want to lose the time I have with them now. Maybe when they are teenagers and want their space...

Don't with the lengthy response and rambling...

 

[filthyastronaut]

Mine has two locations in town, but they are consolidating into one as soon as a new business takes over their lease. The one that's closing is a 5-10 minute bike ride, and the other one is a 15-20 min. ride. Both are perfectly doable but I'd probably just order everything online if they were much further.

 

[jrcrilly]

I drive 1/2 hour to my LHBS. The local club meets there and I want to support both the club and the store so I make the drive. I plan things so I rarely need an extra trip.

 

[PADave]

Mine are both about 45 min to an hour, in opposite directions. And quite frankly, not worth the drive. So much easier to order online. Ordered from morebeer last night, will be here tomorrow.

 

[brewskiez]

45 minutes one way is the closest for me. So I order most of my stuff from the guys with the cheapest flat rate shipping.

 

[stylus1274]

Currently, about 20 minutes. I used to drive an hour for one, but it was close to the gym I trained strongman and powerlifting at, so I just combined the trip and it wasn't too bad. Sucked ass if I forgot something though.

Lol that would totally blow forgetting something for sure.

 

[stylus1274]

Mine is about 30 minutes, but their hours prevent me from going there except on Saturdays.

Because they close to early?

 

[stylus1274]

My LHBS is about a 10-15 drive away depending on the time of day and traffic. I have no problem driving there, but I think about a 30 drive (one way) would be my max. They do have another location about 30 mins away that seems to be slightly larger. My problem is, the LHBS shop is a Hydroponics and Home Brewing shop. Whenever I ask any questions the person working there pulls up a spreadsheet or Googles it (at least at the closer location). So I've learned not to bother asking questions and take the extra time looking up things while I'm there myself if needed (i.e. substitutions for ingredients they are out of).

Usually I only buy my grains there, bulk since they are typically slightly cheaper then shipping. Or the occasional hop variety that I need or want to try before I buy it in bulk or a small part I need ASAP. Bulk hops I'll usually buy online.

Anyhow, this makes me wonder if there is any way I could open a HBS myself closer to me and offer local beers on draft as a bonus. I wish I could take the plunge if it made sense, but having two little kids I don't want to lose the time I have with them now. Maybe when they are teenagers and want their space...

Don't with the lengthy response and rambling...

Not rambling. Good response pshank. Actually helpful. I'm currently in the process of opening a LHBS and why I made this post.

 

[Maylar]

Because they close to early?

Yeah. 4:30 weekdays and I work until 5. 3 o'clock on Saturdays but weekends are precious so I get most stuff online.

 

[bruteforce]

Yeah. 4:30 weekdays and I work until 5. 3 o'clock on Saturdays but weekends are precious so I get most stuff online.

Brutal. Yeah, the one's I've always gone to are open at least til 7 PM during the week. I'm not nearly as interested in something that opens at 9 am on a weekday as something I can swing by after work.