moving, chicago to san diego

[kev211]

Try Hydrobrew in, I wanna say Oceanside.

Correct. Cool store. Good dudes, but its always kinda messy IMO

 

[agrazela]

I do like supporting local businessesbut you are correct. The homebrewer is a little pricey, but they have hard to find ingredients (needed strisselspalt hops last month and they were the only store in sd with them). My favorite store in SD has to be Bear Roots in Vista. The owner is a great dude and they have competitive pricing. But then again I live in north county so I rarely schlep down to Homebrew mart or the Homebrewer

The moment SD Homebrewer opened a tasting room a few months ago, they raised prices on everything in the store some 20-25%. I don't go there anymore.

 

[user 198378]

I have a California Homebrewer's card and usually get discounts but Homebrewer doesn't take it...except in their tasting room. Wtf is up with that??? Ok so to make my own brew you wont accept, but to buy your brew you will? Rant done, over and out

I always find what I need at Homebrewer and end up making substitutions at home brew mart. Don't know about extract, but the homebrewer grains are reasonable. I bought 50lb of 2-row at 0.85/lb where they give me a card to track what I used (no need to bring a whole sack home)

Ordering online seems like no fun.

 

[kev211]

I have a California Homebrewer's card and usually get discounts but Homebrewer doesn't take it...except in their tasting room. Wtf is up with that??? Ok so to make my own brew you wont accept, but to buy your brew you will? Rant done, over and out

This. What kind of HB store doesnt accept/give AHA discounts? Oh I can use it to buy your beer? Nah, Im good, Ill go somewhere else

 

[sd_brewbie]

Hmm I didn't notice the price increase, will have to pay more attention. Not doubting you guys and I never tried an AHA discount.

Anyone know a good shop near poway? Tried American homebrew, but didn't have a common yeast (wlp565) and guy working seemed he was upset I even asked for it and offered no other help.

Smokin beaver in Escondido was alright, but small. Also they never seem to be open when I am in the area.

 

[kev211]

Hmm I didn't notice the price increase, will have to pay more attention. Not doubting you guys and I never tried an AHA discount.

Anyone know a good shop near poway? Tried American homebrew, but didn't have a common yeast (wlp565) and guy working seemed he was upset I even asked for it and offered no other help.

Smokin beaver in Escondido was alright, but small. Also they never seem to be open when I am in the area.

Beverage Factory just opened a HB store. Dont know the extent of it, but they are in Miramar. And if you're in poway and looking for White Labs yeast, why not just go straight to white labs?

 

[sd_brewbie]

Beverage Factory just opened a HB store. Dont know the extent of it, but they are in Miramar. And if you're in poway and looking for White Labs yeast, why not just go straight to white labs?

I had my CO2 tank filled at beverage factory. They were not very well stocked for homebrew ingredients. Some dry yeast, pre packaged and milled grains and maybe some extract. They have some equipment and the guy working there said they are planning to expand the homebrew stuff more.

Does white labs sell directly? I have had beer there, but never saw yeast for sale. Ask the bartender?

 

[kev211]

I had my CO2 tank filled at beverage factory. They were not very well stocked for homebrew ingredients. Some dry yeast, pre packaged and milled grains and maybe some extract. They have some equipment and the guy working there said they are planning to expand the homebrew stuff more.

Does white labs sell directly? I have had beer there, but never saw yeast for sale. Ask the bartender?

Yup! I've bought a lot of yeast directly from them at the labs

 

[user 198378]

I bought 4 perlicks from Beverage Factory and was impressed. Ordered online and picked up in the store. If they are expanding to Homebrew shop I might stop by again, aaaand roll by Alesmith on my way home

Beverage Factory just opened a HB store. Dont know the extent of it, but they are in Miramar. And if you're in poway and looking for White Labs yeast, why not just go straight to white labs?

 

[55x11]

any one growing hops out here...i have a huge yard just begging for a garden and a lot of hops...just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or tips for this area.

I grow hops (or trying to). Just started this April. There are some hop farms out in Ramona.
I think certain varieties - I have zeroed in on Chinook, Cascade and CTZ - do better in San Diego climate.

In my case, Cascade definitely took off the fastest and is most healthy. It's first year for my hops so it's difficult to tell, but they produced a bunch of cones over the summer, which exceeded my expectations. (definitely not enough for any reasonable amount of beer, but still nice to know).

The problem you have to watch for is the general draught conditions in SoCal (water the plants often and have good drainage, especially early), but also the fact that unlike Pacific Northwest, we don't get super-long sunlight days in the summer, and then colder, rainy, less sunlight in the winter - which apparently hops love. We get somewhat closer sunlight coverage around the year, without as much changes or much precipitation.

Below are the photos of my "hop garden" in various stages. (I started growing from rhizomes in pots so I could move them around a bit and find some good spots, then transferred them to a raised bed that I made - same process as making a keezer collar - ha!).

 

[55x11]

so im heading out on the first to san diego.

any tips for LHBS in the area? ill be living in Logan hights...or something that sounds just like the way i spelt it.

any tips or info on water profiles would be cool.

if not, ill figure it out as i go.


thanks in advance!

Also - Homebrew Mart by Ballast Point is the closest to me so I go there. You can get 50lb bag of US 2-row for $40, but normally $1 per pound, and I use their mill for all my grain purchases. Staff is knowledgeable. Their grain prices are hard to beat, but extract, kegs and other stuff is more expensive than average. Hop prices are reasonable but I order some common varieties in bulk lately, which saves some $.

And I make a habit of taking advantage of "3 tasters for $5" at the bar while I am there as well - try their R&D small-batch beers, always fun.

For CO2/Nitro tank refills, I think airgas has the best deal - $25-29 for 20lb of CO2, and about $40 for 60L of Nitro tank refill.

Also, while you are in Homebrewmart vicinity, Karl Strauss on Santa Fe street has $8 growler (64oz) on Fridays, which is a very good deal, and they have better selection than most Karl Strauss locations. And Coronado tasting room is just down the street (parking is a pain though most days).

 

[ExperimentalMental]

American home brew, I started my brew hobby there. Back in the 90's. Good dude that ran the place, but after I really got going I found his place limited. I always really liked Homebrew Mart, balast point brewery. Great beer, great selection.