Internet Vs LHBS

[Daver77]

I used to buy my stuff from a LHBS but since going all grain it's been difficult. We try to save money but I think in the end I just might pay for the convenience.

Corrado's by where I live have a decent selection of grains however if you don't have anything to crush them with your kinda screwed.

Maltose Express is an hour and something away and has everything but charges more for 2 row. Like 2 dollars a lb.

I have been ordering from Brewmasters warehouse which is great because I love the website. he first order went smooth and the second order is hung up for whatever reason. I ordered it on the 15th. I'm not mad that the order is taking a while but since I have to make a starter (I have yeast at home did not buy it from them) I'm a little annoyed. I do like their website and recommend it.

If I had the money I would open up a brewshop somewhere in North Jersey easy to get to from NY. There is a desperate need for one around here.

I think I'm going to invest in a barley crusher and start buying 50lb bads going forward. I think I'll save time and money.

 

[Vance71975]

I used to buy my stuff from a LHBS but since going all grain it's been difficult. We try to save money but I think in the end I just might pay for the convenience.

Corrado's by where I live have a decent selection of grains however if you don't have anything to crush them with your kinda screwed.

Maltose Express is an hour and something away and has everything but charges more for 2 row. Like 2 dollars a lb.

I have been ordering from Brewmasters warehouse which is great because I love the website. he first order went smooth and the second order is hung up for whatever reason. I ordered it on the 15th. I'm not mad that the order is taking a while but since I have to make a starter (I have yeast at home did not buy it from them) I'm a little annoyed. I do like their website and recommend it.

If I had the money I would open up a brewshop somewhere in North Jersey easy to get to from NY. There is a desperate need for one around here.

I think I'm going to invest in a barley crusher and start buying 50lb bads going forward. I think I'll save time and money.

If i had a LHBS i would shop there, but all i have is a convenience store with a few items. So i order from Midwest.

 

[Zamial]

if you don't have anything to crush them with your kinda screwed.

I think I'm going to invest in a barley crusher and start buying 50lb bads going forward. I think I'll save time and money.

Not to stop you from investing but this seems to do a great job on barley and is what I use. I do not know how well wheat would do in it as it is much harder.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/using-pasta-maker-mill-grain-75784/

 

[Ace_Club]

Even if I had a LHBS, I'd still utilize internet stores and group grain buys for the majority of my purchases. It is rare that a LHBS can beat the prices of online vendors. Unless you need something fast, of course.

 

[geneb]

I wish I had a LHBS if only for last minute "Crap, I forgot to get X" on brew day.

I love Brewmaster's Warehouse, though. Only place I buy anything anymore. Occasionally some orders take an extra day or two because they were out of stock of something I ordered, but they promptly let you know and ask if you want everything else now or to ship everything together. Shipping is also fast. Midwest took about 2 weeks to get my shipment to my door (not really their fault as they are across the country from me). It takes Brewmaster's Warehouse about 3 - 4 days.

 

[nos33]

I usually try to support my LHBS but they are a 45 minute drive. And with gas prices, i might as well just wait for UPS to deliver. it costs 10-15 to ship or 20 to drive.

 

[Irishpenguin13]

Thats my issue. I drive 2 1/2 hours round trip for my goods. Getting yeast in the mail always shows up hot and dead, even with 3 or 4 ice packs. One trip was just for an airlock! Gawd!

 

[Whippy]

My LHBS is 2 miles from my house and very convenient to get to...but their prices are stupid so I do my business with Brewmaster's Warehouse...and am EXTREMELY happy with them too.

...I mean $2.50lb for two-row?? $8.95 for a White Labs vial?? COME ON!!

 

[samc]

If you are going to do an LHBS, you need to offer service, instructional classes, wine making, cheese, etc. Anything to bring in new business and keep people coming back for advice and service. If you just offer on price alone, you can't compete with group buys and internet power businesses.

Some of our LHBS do a group buy on Grapes for wine makers, it is very popular and they sell out everything as I recall.

People who just sell on low price will eventually fade away unless they can do massive volume. I used to compete against businesses who would sell at a loss and think they'd make more money if they sold bigger volumes, in the short term they were actually correct- but in the end it killed them.

If you enjoy all the DIY type of hobbies it would be a fun business as long as you can make enough $$ to make it work.

 

[brewmadness]

I see it all the time, people commenting that the LHBS are more expensive than buying online. I just don't see it. I checked prices from several different online shops, and they were all higher than what I got my last batch of ingrediants from the local shop....and that was even before shipping charges. I will just stick with the LHBS.

 

[a_potter]

I have a kick ass LHBS in town right by work and try to get as much stuff as possible there. They have almost everything. When I do buy online I stick to companies that I like to deal with. To me there is nothing worse than having to battle for a good deal. If my LHBS is in the ballpark for prices (lucky they are very competitive on most this) I do my business with them just because I like them and want them to stay in business. Two of my favorite fly fishing shops went out of business in the past couple years and I felt guilty as hell for not supporting them more when I had the chance.

 

[scottland]

I have two LHBS that are very different.

LHBS #1: Pretentious, they think they know best for the customer. They won't let you get your own hops, or yeast out of the fridge, let alone your own grains. I tend to go there only when it's absolutely inconvenient to go to the other LHBS.

LHBS #2: Friendly, laid back. You can weigh and grind your own grains if you like. They offer advice if you ask, but if you know what you're doing, they let you go about your business. I go here for 95% of what I buy. They only carry White Labs, so I sometimes have to go LHBS #1 to buy a Wyeast exclusive strain.

Internet: Selection. Since I have a good LHBS that I like, so the only thing the internet can offer me is selection of items that my LHBS might not have. I also don't buy equipment from the LHBS, those are high mark-up items, and I can find a better selection of equipment for cheaper on-line.

If you have a good LHBS i would support it. If not, i can understand buying online. If I only had my LHBS #1, i would buy online.

 

[redcoat_or_rebel]

Not to stop you from investing but this seems to do a great job on barley and is what I use. I do not know how well wheat would do in it as it is much harder.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/using-pasta-maker-mill-grain-75784/

did you modify it or doesn it crush well as is?

as far LHBS, Austin Home Brew is pretty great. as long as people aren't jerks and stay somewhat attentive to the customers in the store, i prefer to shop local if ican

 

[JohnTheBrewist]

I guess I'm lucky. MoreBeer is my local lhbs, same prices in the store as online and good selection in the store. I have yet to find where I can get my 50# sacks of grain cheaper, when I include the cost of shipping.

 

[chezhed]

My LBHS is a bit over an hour away. What he offers is super advice (advanced judge), a free great homebrew or two or one of his multiple club selections, some super conversation and a great way to kill hours. I almost always get sold something I didn't have on my list His prices range from very reasonable to ridiculous but I understand that as he has a lot of inventory and being where he is, has got to cover costs. It's literally in the middle of nowhere, out in the country.
I probably split my business half and half between him and Brewmasters whom I have chosen over others based on service, response and selection.

 

[VegasBrew]

As a note, my brewmasters warehouse order was late also. I called them and their shipment for the week was late. Mine was shipped Monday.

I spend alot at my lhbs, the guys there are awesome but some times you have to look at the $$. Don't get me wrong, I know my guy does the best he can on prices, there are just times when the online stores just beat him hands down. I will never stop going to my lhbs because he was a huge help when I started out, the guy is very honest, goes out of his way to help everyone, supports the local club through gifts to raffle and club discounts and the list goes on......

 

[Southernmost11]

If you want the shop to be open when you need just one little thing, you should probably shop there enough to make sure they stay open. There's more to the local shop than just price. There's advice, gossip, new ideas, recipes, etc. The nearest home brew shop to me (Key West) was nearly 225 miles away on the mainland. We have always ordered over the internet, but man when you run out of yeast, forget about it, the brew day is done. We just opened a little shop here in Key West. Interestingly, the supplies don't make money, but the t-shirts and bumber stickers do.

 

[Zamial]

did you modify it or doesn it crush well as is?

as far LHBS, Austin Home Brew is pretty great. as long as people aren't jerks and stay somewhat attentive to the customers in the store, i prefer to shop local if ican

The pasta maker is about $25. In the DIY there are a few folks that took some great pics and there is some modifications to be made. The rollers need to be scored and have grooves put in them to pull the grain through and I mounted mine onto a board with a hole in it and build a hopper off of said board. I used some more expensive pieces of oak because I wanted it to be strong. Chews up barley like a champ. I would be hesitant to run wheat through it, like I said before. Read through that tread or paroose through it.

Is is a Monster mill? No but it is a10th the cost...I have run 50lbs through mine and now need to re-score the rollers. It is a little rickety but I do not have to hand crank it and I suspect it will last for a good while...

There are also posts about using a corona mill and those can be had pretty cheap as well.

GL.

 

[MaltnHops]

My LHBS is MoreBeer in Riverside, CA. It's about thirty minutes each way. Great prices, selection, beer on tap to sample, and the staff KNOW their stuff.

I did just recently order a Barley Crusher from homebrewing.org though as MoreBeer's crushers are inferior (so I hear) and are more expensive. $130.00 with free shipping was the best deal out there for this, so I couldn't pass it up.

 

[BryceL]

My LHBS is MoreBeer in Riverside, CA. It's about thirty minutes each way. Great prices, selection, beer on tap to sample, and the staff KNOW their stuff.

I did just recently order a Barley Crusher from homebrewing.org though as MoreBeer's crushers are inferior (so I hear) and are more expensive. $130.00 with free shipping was the best deal out there for this, so I couldn't pass it up.

I've been out to their shop in Riverside and was really impressed. They have a TON of supplies and were really friendly. It's a solid hour dive with good traffic so I recently found a shop in Fullerton which is much closer. They are smaller but have a decent selection and good prices. If I can't find grains that I need there, I usually order from Morebeer. Both good places and I like supporting the local shops whenever I can.

 

[theonetrueruss]

Brewmaster's Warehouse is my LHBS and I love the tools on the website. I waste more time playing with recipes there that I should.

I'll shop elsewhere occasionally but the majority of my business goes that way. Of course being able to pick up my stuff saves me on shipping so unless I have some reason to get something elsewhere that's what I do.

 

[Bobby_M]

Just a quick note. The owner of BMW was out at the NHC the latter part of last week. You know what they say about the mice playing when the cat is away?

 

[TheMan]

I always laugh when some guy is pissed cause he planned to brew on the weekend and expected to have the order received before then. If you're ordering to brew on X date...then you have to know that Murphy's Law always triumphs.

When I order online, it's things I don't need for a few weeks. Should I decide on an impromptu brew, then I hit up the LHBS for the specialty grains if needed. Buying bulk grains and hops is the best decision I ever made.

 

[xsists]

I purchase all my ingredients from my LHBS. One of the local, closer, LHBS' isn't really that great. I only go there if I'm in a pinch or if the other one is out of something. The LHBS that I frequent most often (about 20-30 min away) is actually Northern Brewer. I was just there last night and decided to compare their prices vs online prices. If you add in shipping, they are about the same. Sure the grain is a couple more cents a pound and I pay tax on it, but I get it when I want it. I can crush it there (I don't have a mill, yet) and get everything I need. If I forget something, I can just turn around and grab it. The ingredients are always fresh and they are pretty helpful.

 

[rico567]

I have to use the Internet. What passes for a LHBS around here is a giant beverage mart called Friar Tuck's that has beer and wine supplies in a corner. No one there seems to know what's in stock, and there's no way to tell how long anything's been sitting on the shelves. Went in there two weeks ago and.....no caps. Whatinell kind of LHBS runs out of CAPS?!?
I actually bought the caps while we were on vacation last week in Colorado. Went into an LHBS in Boulder, small place in a strip mall but......wow. Wish we had that place locally.
Now it's back to Central IL, where it's Midwest Supplies and Northern Brewer all the way.....

 

[beergolf]

I have a good LHBS about a mile and a hlf from my house. He almost always has everything in stock. Store is nice, prices decent. Hops are a little picey but everything else is good. Good selection of fresh yeast. I buy most of my stuff there because I want him to stay in business.

Having a good LHBS nearby can be a great savior on brew day. I was in the middle of a brew and realized I forgot something. Had my wife watch the pot while I ran up ther to get what I needed. Brew day saved.

Support you LHBS as much as you can.

 

[Daver77]

I ordered on the 15th BMW ships it today

I'll get it on Thursday which is good because now I know I can start my starter tomorrow to brew Sunday.

I'll order from BMW again I just hope they ship it a little faster next time.

I almost always try to use dry yeast I love S-04 and 05 but this is an imperial IPA so I thought I would used liquid yeast and 2 vials at that because I don't feel like stepping up a starter.

If Corrados would crush the barley for you they would be in business but they seem to focus more on wine.

BTW I'm going to order my next batch right now!

 

[EricScott]

My lhbs destroys the online guys for price of bulk grains once you take shipping cost into account

 

[perky182]

I ordered on the 15th BMW ships it today

Nooooooo! I've been spoiled by BMW! Living in North Florida I'm used to a three day turn around from ordering to delivery! I ordered Monday morning so that I could brew this Friday. Sounds like this may not happen now.

 

[redcoat_or_rebel]

The pasta maker is about $25. In the DIY there are a few folks that took some great pics and there is some modifications to be made. The rollers need to be scored and have grooves put in them to pull the grain through and I mounted mine onto a board with a hole in it and build a hopper off of said board. I used some more expensive pieces of oak because I wanted it to be strong. Chews up barley like a champ. I would be hesitant to run wheat through it, like I said before. Read through that tread or paroose through it.

Is is a Monster mill? No but it is a10th the cost...I have run 50lbs through mine and now need to re-score the rollers. It is a little rickety but I do not have to hand crank it and I suspect it will last for a good while...

There are also posts about using a corona mill and those can be had pretty cheap as well.

GL.

cool thanks. i had glanced at it before but wasn't sure if it was necessary to score the rollers but it seems like it. I have a pasta mill already but i don't think my wife will like me taking tools to it :cross: