May move to Detroit

[FoundlingOfDollar]

My wife's family lives in a very bad section of Detroit. It is in the city limits, but a long way out from the city center or any of the more developed nice areas. It is somewhat stereotypical Detroit. The thickest bulletproof glass I have ever seen in my life is at the liquor store two blocks down, and there had been a methadone clinic on the corner. My wife is the only one of her 5 member family that hasn't been mugged, carjacked, or robbed. Her mom's van has been stolen so many times that they stopped repairing the ignition and now start it with a piece of pipe.

ALL that said, they live on a sweet little street with a lot of old time detroit folks, they have a great little house and yard (like many that you could buy for a song), and the people are REALLY friendly. Families and friends get together several nights a week, people stop and help you if you break down or if they see you loading or unloading something heavy, and many of my wife's live in nice little affordable and friendly suburbs with great houses. The city is very spread out and often you will have a drive to get anywhere, but the roads are absolutely expansive. There are lots of little great gems of places and events that you can find with a bit of work. We are thinking of moving back near our families again, and Michigan is high on the list for us, possibly even Detroit.

 

[noiz2]

Looking at Cap 'N Corks web site... That is probably why they fell off my radar. It's really hard to tell IF they have anything and there is no indication of price at all. So a trip to find out if they even cary much probably just aced them out. A recommendation make it worth the trip but they could help them selves out a lot with a better website, on line store or at least price list and what is in stock.

Maybe it's a Bay Area thing but places that have wanky sites usually are not worth visiting.

 

[Homercidal]

Plus, we got the Lions!

 

[Revvy]

Looking at Cap 'N Corks web site... That is probably why they fell off my radar. It's really hard to tell IF they have anything and there is no indication of price at all. So a trip to find out if they even cary much probably just aced them out. A recommendation make it worth the trip but they could help them selves out a lot with a better website, on line store or at least price list and what is in stock.

Maybe it's a Bay Area thing but places that have wanky sites usually are not worth visiting.

They really don't even need a website....They don't do mail order.

They were the first and only homebrewshop in the Metro Detroit for years. They're an institution. They carry pretty much everything...I mean it, in terms of bulk grain, hops, yeast- I've never had to do a substitution with them.

Just PART of their grain and extract area. The bins keep going to the right, then the fridges for hops and yeast. What you can't see is opposite this part is a wall of nothing by canned extracts of all brands and boxed kits....

Homebrew Day in the back

Our HBT tent

 

[noiz2]

Now I feel silly. There is another Can N Cork in WI and that is the site I was looking at! Senility comes early in my family I guess.

The site does give inventory on hops, nothing on grain or equipment or prices but it isn't as wanky as the one I was looking at.
I have to be up that way for a meeting tomorrow so I've stuck it on my itinerary.

 

[_JP_]

I was born and raised in Ypsilanti (West, outside city limits) until I was 12. Been in Georgia ever since.

Schools were rough (Willow Run school district), but I'm proud of what it made me into. Watching the movie "Four Brothers" really took me back - everyone drives an American car, slush and sleet all over, MoTown music playing the background, etc.

Had some fond memories of down town Ann Arbor and a few Michigan football games. That stadium is huge, especially when you're 10 years old. I remember when the Pistons were NBA champs (3 years in a row?). OK, enough reminiscing.....

 

[Homercidal]

I remember my first time in The Big House (cause it was last year). The outside cannot prepare you for the awesomeness. Stepping through the tunnel and seeing the vast expanse was an unforgettable experience.

Oh, and Vernors.

 

[Revvy]

Two blogs you might be interested in are.
Sweet Juniper
and
Bug'n out of Babylon

Both are on Detroit and moving there from the Bay Area.

Are you sweet Juniper???? I've read that blog before. Small world.

 

[noiz2]

Are you sweet Juniper???? I've read that blog before. Small world.

No I'm bug 'n out

I found Sweet Juniper just before I headed out.

Cheers
SK

 

[Revvy]

Now I feel silly. There is another Can N Cork in WI and that is the site I was looking at! Senility comes early in my family I guess.

The site does give inventory on hops, nothing on grain or equipment or prices but it isn't as wanky as the one I was looking at.
I have to be up that way for a meeting tomorrow so I've stuck it on my itinerary.

DId you ever make it up there? I heading up today. Thinking about brewing tomorrow.

 

[noiz2]

Yep. Made it up Tue. Had a great talk with the guy working there, bought some grain for a Belgian I'm planning, talked about my apple jack project. He sent me to Sherwood for lunch with a free pint card. I actually ordered off the lunch menu which is great, very affordable and only available if you order a pint (twist my arm harder...) and the pints are $2 off. I had a nice triple in honor of my next brew. So I ended up not using the card and gave it to a friend who was heading in that direction.

Anyway, both shops have a ton of grain and a lot of hops and yeast. Cap N Cork I think has an edge on yeast and maybe hops and AiHB may have a bit more grain??? it's very close. From what I know it looked like CnC was a hair cheaper on grain. And I like that they keep even their dry yeast refrigerated.

CnC seems more beer oriented, 1/3 or so of AiHB is for wine. Cool things to toss in the pot CnC wins by a good bit. I think they win on gadgets also. But it's hard to tell on some things because CnC is better laid out. AiHB has a lot of stuff you don't see, or in odd places. CnC is laid out to make it easy to browse for goodies.

I also had more conversation at CnC than i have had total at AiHB. That might just be chemistry but I felt more like I was talking to a home brewer than a knowledgable clerk. I'm sure the AiHB folks are brewers, why else would you run a home-brew store, but I haven't managed to get into a conversation with any that made me feel like I was talking to a fellow brewer.

So good times. Thanks.
Cheers
SK

 

[noiz2]

Got all carried away in the last 24 hrs and joined here and CRAFT. Ironically I'm on the west coast for work and will mis the next meeting!

Since the last post the house is pretty much done (major repair wise) and I have a nice big hunk of the basement set out for the brewery. Just need to get someone to buy our old boiler...

Bar tended at the Tashmoo Biergarten for five Sun. in a row. They should be doing this next fall also, lots of craft beer out side under trees and some local food. Sausages and perogies last year.

 

[Revvy]

Got all carried away in the last 24 hrs and joined here and CRAFT. Ironically I'm on the west coast for work and will mis the next meeting!

Since the last post the house is pretty much done (major repair wise) and I have a nice big hunk of the basement set out for the brewery. Just need to get someone to buy our old boiler...

Bar tended at the Tashmoo Biergarten for five Sun. in a row. They should be doing this next fall also, lots of craft beer out side under trees and some local food. Sausages and perogies last year.

I wish Tashmoo wouldn't have to correspond to the same Sundays the Lion's play though. That's why I didn't come out.....

 

[noiz2]

I'll pass that on. I don't think it was planned that way;~)
They did have a really good turn out 1,200 - 1,500 each day.

 

[Revvy]

They should get some big screens or daylight rated LCD projectors and just broadcast the game. I know a lot of my brew buddies who didn't come out for that because of the game.

 

[noiz2]

Don't think that's going to happen. For one thing there isn't any AC at the location and it's also not the vibe they were going for. But I could see them changing the days so there wasn't a conflict. Actually there isn't a huge conflict anyway since they were open noon till 9pm.