I wish my LHBS sold...

[DurtyChemist]

Oh yeah, if you have a grain bill in the pounds, my shop charges 25¢ for what is essentially a plastic trash bag.

Again, no big deal... I was just curious as to if any other shops did this. Interesting results so far.

They have what looks like huge clear plastic bags and a sealing device that kind of reminds me of those giant paper cutters 2nd grade teachers have that always made me think I'll cut my finger off without feeling it. They don't charge for it and they only other shop in town just puts them in a bag with a twist tie the last time I was there...over two years ago.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

$31 for 25 lbs or $61 for 50 lbs. You get any grain in the store up to your monthly limit then you pay the regular price. Originally they were only going to do 50lbs but before they even opened officially I asked via face page if they'd do a 25.

I'm on the 25 lbs. If I used 15 lbs of grains in September the leftover 10 rolls over to October. They've chosen to be super cool and my grains in October START with what rolled over and THEN go to my 25 lbs I paid for for the month of October. If I don't use 35 lbs of grain it rolls to the next month. It's setup on an auto payment at the first of the month and I don't recall if there is a minimum. It may be 2 months just because they roll grains over.

They're still getting paid $1.24/lb grain and I've made SMaSHs using 2 row or Belgian Strong Ales using grain that costs $2.20/lb. I've also had about 15 lbs of grain roll over month to month and had to go in there for fear of losing 15 lbs of grain. It keeps me brewing a bunch of different styles. It also keeps me brewing and buying hops, bags, beers, yeast, misc brewing supplies.



They've also done brewing classes at local breweries beyond just "all grain/extract" and had one making sour beers at a local brewery that was cool enough to let people sample stuff from their cellar.

Is it for a specific grain each month or is it a total of all the grains you buy within a single month? Either way I think it's a cool idea.

 

[A2HB]

Thomas Fawcette Amber Malt

I wanna make the 90 min clone

 

[Grannyknot]

more variety of yeast
bulk hops
porn

 

[DromJohn]

Ignoring that I don't have a LHBS, the RegionalHBS that's on the way to Yankee Town doesn't carry organic malts, particularly organic LME.

 

[frozennorth]

Fresh grain

 

[Newsman]

I'd like to see a LHBS in my town. As with Billy-Klubb, my closest one is about 35-45 minutes away. OTOH, they have pretty good selection of stuff, including craft beer.

Edit: I'm about 45 minutes from Chattanooga, TN. My nearest HBS is just outside Chattanooga in one of the suburbs

 

[Newsman]

OP: Even if you can't do CO2 refills perhaps you could offer CO2 swaps? That doesn't take a lot of equipment and would likely be beneficial to your clientel

 

[hanuswalrus]

Milk Steak

 

[bbohanon]

The winning lottery ticket.

 

[1977Brewer]

My LHBS is tiny, but has had every grain, hop, yeast, and bottle cap I've needed, minus a specialty grain with easy sub. He's a great guy and I'd shop there even if his inventory was lacking, over the other not as local or friendly alternative. Bonus, he likes my beer, or is a great liar. He's working on getting kegging supplies in, but that will likely never be on my radar anyway.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I wish my LHBS sold everything that a grocery store sells. A one stop shop.

 

[coolharry]

Milk Steak

Don't forget the jelly beans, raw of course.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

My LHBS is tiny, but has had every grain, hop, yeast, and bottle cap I've needed, minus a specialty grain with easy sub. He's a great guy and I'd shop there even if his inventory was lacking, over the other not as local or friendly alternative. Bonus, he likes my beer, or is a great liar. He's working on getting kegging supplies in, but that will likely never be on my radar anyway.

hopefully I will be that guy here in a few years.

 

[1977Brewer]

hopefully I will be that guy here in a few years.

I have a location picked out for you. (Hint: it's my garage)

 

[drainbamage]

I'm lucky to have a really good LBHS nearby, and they have their own nano/taproom on the premises so I can grab a pint while I'm there or a bomber to go. It's like that saying about not going to grocery store while hungry...enablers.

Occasionally I'll run into specialty grains (Midnight Wheat, Blackprinz) or extracts (Maris Otter, Munich) that they don't have, but I can find most of what I need.

hopefully I will be that guy here in a few years.

A great liar?

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I have a location picked out for you. (Hint: it's my garage)

Weatherford, Texas would be in danger of an awesome overload.:rockin:

 

[Brewernaut51]

Haven't really run across anything important yet. So far they've had just about any beer related thing I've asked for including a nice selection of smoked grains and even some of the newer hop varieties. Maybe the MO LME but I haven't checked yet. I haven't needed much equipment but from looking around they seem pretty well stocked, a lot of different types of fermenters, pots, keg gear, beakers stir plates, etc.

They've only been open a couple years but from what I understand business is pretty good. The staff's great. So awesome having a good LHBS 15 min away. If you're in the mid Michigan area its Hop Head Brew Supply on Bay Rd n Saginaw.

I think we're a tad spoiled here in Michigan. Craft beer is booming and so is home brewing.

I did see something advertised in BYO the other day that would be awesome for an LHBS to carry. The canned wort for starters. People hate doing starters and the cans don't seem like they'd take up a ton of fridge space, if they even need refrigeration that is. Save AG brewers from buying DME for starters and extract brewers from one more extra headache. Just pick up a can with your yeast vial.

 

[beernutz]

My local shop is pretty great but the one improvement I'd like to see is for him to carry both Wyeast and White Lab's liquid yeast varieties. The Wyeast smack packs he carries are pricey at $9 but he's the only game in town and I don't like to have yeast shipped if I can help it so I pony up and then save/reuse.

 

[jrowland74]

Haven't really run across anything important yet. So far they've had just about any beer related thing I've asked for including a nice selection of smoked grains and even some of the newer hop varieties. Maybe the MO LME but I haven't checked yet. I haven't needed much equipment but from looking around they seem pretty well stocked, a lot of different types of fermenters, pots, keg gear, beakers stir plates, etc.

They've only been open a couple years but from what I understand business is pretty good. The staff's great. So awesome having a good LHBS 15 min away. If you're in the mid Michigan area its Hop Head Brew Supply on Bay Rd n Saginaw.

I think we're a tad spoiled here in Michigan. Craft beer is booming and so is home brewing.

I did see something advertised in BYO the other day that would be awesome for an LHBS to carry. The canned wort for starters. People hate doing starters and the cans don't seem like they'd take up a ton of fridge space, if they even need refrigeration that is. Save AG brewers from buying DME for starters and extract brewers from one more extra headache. Just pick up a can with your yeast vial.

That's a great idea! We sell stir plates (the Brewers Best versions and the ones I make) so having canned starter wort would be perfect! I'll have to bring this up. Thanks!

 

[DurtyChemist]

Is it for a specific grain each month or is it a total of all the grains you buy within a single month? Either way I think it's a cool idea.

It is any grain in the store. Sign up and you pay for 25 lbs of grain. You want 35 lbs of C60? Golden promise? Acid malt? It's a guaranteed sale for them. It's about 2 batches a month for me. They just ask not to come in asking for 25lbs on the 30th then another 25 of the same grain on the 1st. I could see a few state people doing that.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Is it for a specific grain each month or is it a total of all the grains you buy within a single month? Either way I think it's a cool idea.

It is any grain in the store. Sign up and you pay for 25 lbs of grain. You want 35 lbs of C60? Golden promise? Acid malt? It's a guaranteed sale for them. It's about 2 batches a month for me. They just ask not to come in asking for 25lbs on the 30th then another 25 of the same grain on the 1st. I could see a few state people doing that.

 

[mooski95]

The only nice thing about living in Minnesota is that i am less than 15 minutes from Midwest Supplies and Northern Brewer so I am pretty much covered.

 

[EtchyLives]

Wyeast (lots of WLP and lots of varieties of dry yeast). The CO2 exchange is a good idea. I think I'll bring it up with them.

Other than that my LHBS rocks my socks. I didn't realize how spoiled I was until I started reading all the sob stories on here about lack of availability of stuff in other places.

 

[SirSpectre]

Reading this makes me really happy to have 2 fully stocked HBS around. There is nothing that they haven't had yet.