I LOVE my LHBS

[Germelli1]

I don't understand how my local homebrew store can have prices that are almost always better than online vendors. I'm not complaining it is just hard for me to fathom. I assume it is because the homebrew section is part of a Natural Foods grocery store so they don't need to make all of their revenue solely off of home brew supplies.

I really wanted to take advantage of online suppliers and their offers, but supporting my local store is more important. Especially since I can get base grains, yeast, hops and most of the equipment locally for cheaper, no shipping and no wait.

I have felt the frustration of crappy home brew stores (mine back home charges $4/oz for hops) but my shop at school is great. They just lack selection on specialty grains and some equipment so the online guys will still get my business in that regard!

 

[hoaxci5]

It's over an hour drive to my "local" homebrew store.. so in other words, I hate you

 

[robtotten]

I buy all my ingredients except bulk hops at the LHBS.

 

[Germelli1]

It's over an hour drive to my "local" homebrew store.. so in other words, I hate you

haha well if you look at it that way, i drove 8 hours round trip to get here

I am taking a semester off school but I came down to get clothes, golf clubs and stuff out of my apartment

 

[oldmate]

Both of my local brew stores are close-by, but the don't offer much in the way of different yeast strains. They have about 5 different types between the two of them

 

[avidhomebrewer]

My LHBS store is pretty good. He gets a lot of what I request (except brown malt - anyone know a good source online?). A lot of what he stocks now was stuff I ordered in the past that he didn't know how well it would go. He's 10 minutes from me and I drop him a line with what I want and he orders it, packages it all up, I come get it, shoot the shi# for a while, drink some beer, and I'm on my way. Can't get much better than that.

Sorry Germelli1, didn't mean to steal your thunder!

 

[l1ranger]

germelli, whats your LHBS?

i got two brothers at VT and probably need to stop there when im in town

 

[northernlad]

I buy all my ingredients except bulk hops at the LHBS.

+1
Northwest Brewers Supply is my go-to for everything but hops. Nice guys, very helpful and the same or less than online.

 

[fretsforlife]

Germelli, I just moved to the area and checked out Eats but it seemed to cater to extract only. Did i miss something? they don't mill grain for you do they?

 

[Germelli1]

germelli, whats your LHBS?

i got two brothers at VT and probably need to stop there when im in town

Eat's Natural Foods on North main street. about a block from the corner of campus.

Germelli, I just moved to the area and checked out Eats but it seemed to cater to extract only. Did i miss something? they don't mill grain for you do they?

No, I asked and they don't mill the grain. You are perfectly correct that they seem to cater to extract brewers and lack grain selection. Their yeast selection is usually stellar but yesterday they were a little thin.

The reason I am so happy to have them around it the little things...I was going to place a big order with AHS to get all the basics, but Eats was cheaper for: Whirlflock, camden tablets, carboy carriers, funnels with screens, yeasts, malt extracts, dextrose and actually some grains (but I want to keep them all together). Its the little things I value because it is usually those that delay a brew day.

However he was looking through his catalog with me and picking out what to order for next week. He told me Marris otter (50 #'s) would be about $58, and he had a sack of 6-row in there for $30.

Basically if you need grains, tell him friday and they will be in the following thursday. He keeps a sack of 6-row on hand because that takes him 2-3 weeks to find and order.

 

[ptakers]

I used to shop at Eats when I was at Tech, they always seemed to be so happy when someone came in looking to buy homebrew sullpies. I believe I bought my first carboy from them way back in 1995. Good times.

Now I have 2 LBHs, one is about 5 minutes away but they're rarely helpful and sometimes open the store hours late. The other, called MyLHBS oddly ebnough, is more of a hike but worth the trip - very helpful, willing to answer even the dumbest questions, and often cheaper than the online even w/o shipping.

 

[jkreuze]

I live a mile or two from Midwest

My LHBS is pretty bad-ass.

 

[Germelli1]

I live a mile or two from Midwest

My LHBS is pretty bad-ass.

Ah, Im jealous...thier prices are soooo good but their shipping is sooooo bad

 

[jkreuze]

We have Northern Brewer over in St Paul, too, I think, and some other brew store over by campus.

Not a lot to do here around Jan-Mar except brew lagers and condition them in the garage, I guess.

 

[OakTr33]

The more of your post I read the more I thought "This is sounding an awful lot like Eats..."

Then looking over at your name/location gave that away When I get back to Blacksburg in 2 weeks I'm heading straight to Eats. Too long without homebrew

In response to one comment, OP is right and they won't mill for you, but I picked up a cheap mill from them for ~60 bucks.