What are some good online vendors?

[steddyj]

Hey all,

I have my first batch just about ready to bottle using what I think is a pretty good starter kit from my first blush and recommendations. I've already been setting my sights on progressing to more advanced techniques, though, since homebrewing is something I've wanted to get into for years but didn't have the space to do so until recently.

I've been doing my own research and talking with some friends who have been brewing for a bit, and I've been down to my LHBS. They're a somewhat small shop and they seem good to go to for ingredients and odds and ends, but I wanted to compare some prices of some good online retailers. A lot of places that I've found via google seem to have terrible websites that are hard to navigate, and I try to avoid online vendors like that - generally if they put little care into their website they have little care for the customer experience.

I see the vendor list on here, and I'm going to check them out. Anyone have any other good places or favorite vendors?

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

What I would call the big 3 are:

Northern Brewer
Brewmasters Warehouse
Austin Home Brew Supply

All of the above are pretty much one-stop shops and you can get everything you need and only pay the flat rate shipping once. You can get yeast, hops, grain, extract, caps, misc equipment odds and ends, chillers, you name it. Shipping times and quality of product from all three is excellent. Prices are comparable with Brewmasters Warehouse being the cheapest on most items and overall by a little bit. It's personal preference really. I have ordered from all 3 and have nothing but good things to say about all of them.

Hopsdirect has the cheapest per pound hops prices around and the quality is excellent. Not to mention you usually get 18-19 ounces in your "pound" of hops which is awesome.
The three vendors above have reasonable hops prices by the ounce if you only need an ounce or two.

 

[TheWeeb]

I have only been doing this for a couple of months, but logged five orders with Midwest http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ and have been completely happy.

 

[SumnerH]

+1 for Northern Brewer, Hopsdirect, Austin Home Brew, and brewmasterswarehouse.

 

[nealf]

I use Brewmaster's Warehouse exclusively

 

[steddyj]

Guys, thank you so much for the recommendations. I checked out a couple of those sites and they have a lot better pricing on hardware than my local shop. Thanks again!

 

[ryan0914]

I order from both Austin home brew and brewmasters warehouse I've had really good experience with both but laity it seems brewmasters warehouse has the better prices. but im a fan of both

 

[Brutus Brewer]

This guy does a really good job:

http://www.hopsshack.com/

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

www.bargainfittings.com for any stainless steel fittings/ valves etc.
www.brewersequipment.com for stands.
http://conical-fermenter.com/products/conical-fermenters/ for stainless conicals

 

[ChshreCat]

My LHBS is great and they're also an online vender. http://store.homebrewheaven.com/storefront.aspx

 

[lumpher]

http://www.homebrewing.org/

 

[nanofreak]

I buy almost everything at Brewmasters Warehouse, some other great ones have been mentioned, but I am surprised morebeer.com has not been.

 

[SankePankey]

McMaster.com

Sorry, they have undoubtedly the very best service and (I guess) a warehouse in every state since products arrive next day without extra $ S/H. But they ain't cheap. And they're not really a homebrew shop.

When I started assembling my brewery, I really aimed to just go thru one or two vendors and be good. Not so. I think I have done business with just about everyone in the industry and know their strengths and weaknesses.

They include, with grades:
Brewmaster Warehouse-B (Assembling of kits could be faster at the flat rate S/H, I'm seeing 48 hrs to ship, everything else good especially brewbuilder)
KegConnection- B+
McMaster- A+ (and I don't need to have a business EIN to speak to someone like Grainger)
Grainger- C (product specs on site were wrong even though verified by engineer, after sending product back I spoke to a supervisor so they could correct it, specs still advertised wrong. YMMV)
Chicompany- C- (Good products and prices, not so on service and followthru..That little vein is just now starting to go away in my forehead. YMMV)
Morebeer- B (Good products, good prices, but JP is a wanker. Automatic deduction)
KegCowboy- B (just cause he ditched my order to open his new shop, should be A, nice people)
NYBrewsupply- A (great stainless chiller source, good communication)
StPats- B (products from here are really awesome, tude and service leaves me wanting)
Bargain Fittings- B- (didn't like the service so much or the fittings as they aren't meant for good flow)
KeggleBrewing- A (Good communication. Thanks Terry)
MonsterBrewing- A (Good communication. Thanks Fred)
and finally
Brewershardware- A (Thanks for a great job, honest turnaround quotes. Will definitely use more. Nice to have someone that can do custom welding from afar. Tried to get several of the ones above to do some custom welds for me and it was like asking for first borns)

Now I am just a penny pinching as the next guy, but I hope that it seems evident that if you are doing something that is a little out of the ordinary requiring actual customer service rather than just plugging in an order online, then it REALLY pays for you to use the ones that communicate the best even if they are not the cheapest ones around.