What do you love/hate about your LHBS??

[Chefencore]

I am in the (long) process of opening a home brew store. I am looking for some things you like about your LHBS, and especially things you don’t like.

I want to have the basics - a lot of grains; variety of extracts; large assortment of equipment; parts; maybe service (convert a keg, add a valve to BK...); online ordering.
For instance - in one lhbs I can help myself to the grains- taste them, smell them, and grind them (assistance is always available). In the other- it’s 100% hands off.
I am also considering having a propane exchange system.
SWMBO suggested brewing classes, tastings, pairings(which may require additional permits/licenses).

Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated, and hopefully you’ll see me in the Vendor section within the next year!!

 

[TacoBrew]

My LHBS, All Seasons, has a great selection of grains and they're always willing to double crush for my BIAB setup. They have a wide variety of whole and pellet hops, too. Only downer is that all their brewing gear is WAY cheaper online. But, that's to be expected.

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

I think a class where you walk people through the process or a setup so people could come and brew their own batch would be nice.

 

[Homebrewtastic]

My lhbs has a great selection and is really well priced. However... The employees there know very very little about what they carry. I told one person there the other day that I was looking for some lactobacillus. And where did they start looking? With the grain.

So make sure you have good knowledgable employees. I hear so much bad advice in there it's not even funny.

 

[Ravenshead]

Two mills set at different roller gaps. One for extract and one for all-grain. I love my LHBS keeps his single mills set too coarse for AG. I can't really blame him since only 20% tops of his customers are AG but still...

On-site keg drilling/cutting would be awesome for those less handy than me. Also, keep HW that is not available at HW stores on hand (hi temp O-rings and plastic tubes come to mind).

What I love the most about my LHBS is the laid back atmosphere. I can pull my own recipe if the employees are busy with more needy customers. Or they'll do it for me when it's slow. It doesn't matter which since everyone is so friendly.

Also, make sure you have a decent amount of open space. If your shop is too crammed, your customers can't find what they need without help. Not only does that irritate your DIY crowd (most of us I think) but it requires you to keep more employees. That will lead to a lack of the laid back atmosphere mentioned above.

Sorry for the rant but you did ask for it.

Edit: On site, basic classes every weekend are your best friend. That how you develop new customers. No other business has that part so easy.

 

[TravisT]

Both of the LHBS that I go to are self serve with the grains and milling and it seems like the easiest way to do it. One of the LHBS offers a brewing class for about $85 (not counting bottles). a pretty fair price and a good way to create customers

 

[mountainbrewdude]

I have 2,30 minutes west of me, my go to shop is awesome, they carry everything, wine also. The owner is extremely knowledgable, wins every contest around here, and so is his staff. They will crush the grain for you, but everything else is self serve, even the awesome selection of craft beer, and his brews on tap! Yes, as you shop. Also does free craft beer tastings on fridays.The shop is clean and in a good location. The other one is well, small, dirty, cluttered, but has most of everything, all is self serve, staff, well...........not been there enough to tell. I also have one 30 minutes east, mostly a wine shop. Has everything you need for beer, but, mostly a wine shop, and very pricey.

 

[RMitch]

I go to two different LHBS...

First Place:

-Love: Decent selection of ingredients and significant selection of hardware

-Hate: Unfriendliness to anyone who is not middle aged, nor a wine maker. They tend to carry a, "Well where's your yeast starter?! (laughs at you)" attitude, rather than the, "Ahh...sounds like you may need a yeast starter. You know what that is?" approach. Also, lack of grain/hop/yeast types.

Second Place:

-Love: Pretty much every type of grain/yeast/hop available. Younger clientele and attitude, due to location and employees working there. Subsequently, more friendly.

-Hate: Little too laid back...seems like there's a lack of knowledge held by the employees. As if they just work there for the pay check rather than out of an interest in brewing.

 

[phenry]

My LHBS is about 20 minutes away from my parent's house (where I do most of my brewing anyways), and I'm very impressed with their service and selection. While they aren't an online supplier by any means, they still have just about everything I need, when I need it. I haven't really dealt there much other than picking up supplies, but their prices are pretty competitive with online prices + shipping. And even if it means I spend $10 more when I'm picking up a bunch of supplies and ingredients compared to ordering online, I'd rather support the local guy when I can, especially since their service is always polite and helpful.

So what I like? Knowledgeable staff, wide selection of ingredients (since that's what you're going to be forgetting about last minute on brew day) and decent selection of equipment.

What would I like to see? Try to tailor your prices to be competitive with online vendors after shipping has been considered. While not possible with everything, try to do it with things like base malt and basic equipment.

 

[Golddiggie]

The LHBS I visit has brew days where you get a $40 credit for ingredients and you brew out in their lot in open view of the public. It's made known when the brew day will happen, and people are encouraged to come by and watch people brewing all grain. They have slots for all grain brewers, where you just need to let them know if you need anything to be on hand (a special yeast, or one they might not normally stock, or ensure they have enough for you to use). Then you just show up that morning with your gear and brew water (they provide the rinse/chilling water). I've brewed at the past two of these events and they've been lots of fun for both the brewers, and public. I think they have four a year, with one not really brewing since it's a mead day (not making mead, just talking about it and drinking it :rockin...

Things I do like about the LHBS (besides the above):
Fairly knowledgeable and willing to answer questions, no matter how odd.
Good selection of ingredients. I have found that if you don't see something on display, you need to ask. There could be some downstairs.
Solid yeast selection.
Has brewing, wine and mead making supplies and ingredients.
They stock Blichmann items, from kettles to stands, and everything between.
You can bounce a recipe off them and get instant feedback. Pulling from their experience (great for fairly new brewers) to avoid pitfalls.

Things I don't really like:
Used keg prices. I can get 3 gallon new kegs for less than they sell used ones.
They often advise new brewers to use the primary/secondary model. Wish they would change that.
Grain prices. 1# is $2.50 for specialty grains. A 10# bag of UK 2 row is $20. Sacks of grain are about $80 for UK 2 row.
Their grain mill crush is just horrible. Even running through twice for AG batches gives you poor efficiency. Easily 10-15% under what you would normally get. At least that's the case with me and at least one other couple I communicated with from the last brew-day.

IF you're going to offer classes/demonstrations, make sure you have enough people sign up for them. You might be better off just posting that you'll be brewing on a specific day, starting at a said time, and that people are welcome to observe and ask questions. Once there's enough interest, then you could offer classes, if it becomes a hot item.

I do think that with all the online HBS' out there, you'll be pressed to offer prices that can seriously compete. Unless you can offer items that others might not be stocking anymore (like the nicer shaped swing top bottles, that come in strong boxes). Or offer a better buyer experience than others. You'll need something tangible that you can offer customers to get them in, and keep them coming back... I don't think it will be easy, but if you do it right, you could get very loyal customers.

 

[Wakadaka]

You should try to set up a few computers in store with brewing software, so people can dabble with recipes while they are in there. If they want to change something they can see how it will affect everything. Basically the same as Brewmasterswarehouse.com's brew builder idea, but in store would be very nice.

Weekly discount recipes would be nice. I feel like most stores would only be successful having beer and wine stuff.

 

[Chefencore]

Great stuff guys and girls!!! I am a fan of Brewmaster’s recipe builder. Having computers can also give people a shot at using different programs before they buy.

My fav lhbs has 2 mills - and the sign says if you don’t know how to adjust it, don’t. But otherwise, feel free!

Also, most of the equipment is comparably priced. I got a 2L flask for $3 less than Northern Brewer. A 6 gal Better Bottle is maybe $2 more, but if you add shipping..

Keep it coming!

 

[rexbanner]

Pros: Glass carboys are cheaper than buying online w/shipping

Cons: Lack of knowledge, unfriendly, lack of inventory, high prices

I feel no compulsion to support my LHBS. It's so far away it's barely local anyways.

 

[heferly]

Ours has workers with too much going on...not sure what they're doing, but they have 5 people scurrying about doing who knows what during peak hrs...have them stockung/whatever during the day!

We don't have bulk grains, which would be awesome for stouts where i don't need a full lb of roast barley...they do have a sabco they brew with in the store, which is good for classes, demonstrations, and beer samples.

If you go propane, see what more it takes for co2...wish we had that at my lhbs...or make a deal with local filling shops to offer discounts in exchange for promoting them.

Good luck!

 

[MoPhunk]

An updated website with online order ahead. I wish my lhbs would keep their website updated. Nothing like calling ahead and ordering based on what the website says they have then getting there and finding what you really wanted on the shelf.

 

[MrAverage]

I also have two LHBS's within 30 minutes of me - one I like and the other I don't.

Why I like one:

- Well organized so I can find what I'm looking for
- Friendly & knowledgable staff that are there to help but also will leave me alone and let me just wander and poke around if I want to.
- Prices are good and they are well-stocked with just about everything.
- Their grain mill is not self-service but they're happy to mill whatever I want and I get good efficiency from their grind.
- I can call them, give them a list of the malts and quantities I want and they'll mill it and have it waiting for me to pick up when I get there.

What I don't like about this place:

- They don't stock a wide variety of base malts. They have Briess 2-row, Maris Otter (Munton's I think), Wyermann Pilsner and some 6-row. I miss having a better variety -especially the English malts like Golden Promise, Halcyon, etc.
- They stock Briess crystal malts but no English or Belgian crystal.
They stock White Labs but not Wyeast liquid yeast - although they will get Wyeast in a day or two if I request it

Why I don't like the other place:

- It's a complete and utter mess. I have a hard time finding anything. The hops and yeasts are in refrigerators but not well-organized (I don't think they understand the concept of alphabetical order or grouping by type/brand). There are sacks of grain laying around and packing materials everywhere, and the place looks like it hasn't been cleaned since they opened.
- Staff is friendly and they know their stuff but there's just too much of a laid back, anything goes, devil-may-care attitude . It's hard to explain exactly but it's kinda like walking into someone's college dorm room and everyone's "cool" and laid back but no one really seems to be all that concerned with running a business or making sure that I'm finding what I need.
- Their prices are considerably higher than the other place

On the other hand, they do stock a wider variety of malts and yeasts so if I need something that my preferred store doesn't have, I can often get it there.

Having been a customer of six different home brewing stores over the years, I can say that the number one thing that bothers me the most is when the staff tells me what yeast, grain or other product to use or how to do something when I haven't asked for their advice (like when I mentioned to a guy that I was brewing a pale ale from an authentic 1923 Barclay Perkins recipe and he kept on telling me that I needed to use more crystal malt than the recipe called for to make it a "real" British pale ale and that the invert sugar I was going to use would make the beer taste crap and that no "real" brewers use sugar. He also disagreed with my choice of yeast.) There's a fine line between being helpful and being obnoxious.

 

[trigger]

I like that my LHBS has the same or better prices than online retailers on grains. I also like that myself and many other customers are encouraged to just hang out and and that they ask our opinions on things. They have us test new grains and hop varieties. Also, they make a point of stocking a huge amount of grain (I would guess they have at least 100 grains on hand) and when someone asks for something they don't have they order it and put it out. Same with hops, enormous selection. I understand that this probably cuts profits a bit, but it keeps customers. Also, they stock a variety of equipment, from blickman to inexpensive options from restaurant supply stores.

What I don't like is that they won't let me put a cot in the back. It's basically my second home.

Also, they do brew demos every weekend. They are extremely helpful to new brewers. They don't push yeast starters and plate chillers, and are realistic about the way most people brew.

 

[moinkyschmoink]

I have to say, my LHBS for the most part is great. My biggest problem is when they sub things in recipe without telling you or trying to pull the "oh this yeast is just the same", or "these hops are the same" thing. When I first started brewing they were pretty helpful. I guess they are a business and want to move to product, but when all things are not equal or the same, I wish they would not claim for it to be so.

 

[BelgianKing]

My LHBS has a ton of hops, grains, extracts, equipment and yeast (healthy yeast). They are friendly and always willing to give some advice. They even let me walk in the back with them and look at the beers they make. Check out there own brewing systems and get to understand how the process goes. The equipment is great too, they carry a top of the line model, middle of the road and a cheaper one. They also carry Rhizomes in early spring and you can pre-order them. I think this is a awesome idea.

One observation I have read on this thread is everyone has stated how far they have to go to the store. So to me location, location, location is priority. Make sure your in a area that is easily accessed. It takes me 15mins to get to mine.

Also store hours are something to consider. My store is open tues-fri 11am-6pm sat 10-5pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. I wish they were open on one of the days since im off those days and if I needed something in a pinch well im screwed.

I would also offer brew kits for the beginner with a store credit for there first batch. My store does that and all said and done it costed me $125 for everything including my bottles.

Good luck!

 

[bluemoose]

I agree with a lot of the things being said here. I recently started brewing and there are 3 HBS in the area, I've been to all 3.

One has good prices and decent stock. The problem is you need to know the schedule of the brewing guy. It is a health food store with brewing supplies and the other employees are clueless about brewing. It's funny that they don't even care to learn. That frustrates me more than anything. I would also like to see what they stock on the website. I don't need to see prices or anything, I would prefer to support the local guy, but if I am putting together a recipe, I don't want to drive down to find out they don't have 2 out of 3 of the hops I need. It's not a clone if you have to substitute all the ingredients.

Two has a knowledgable guy that runs the shop, but he is a bit aloof. I need someone that can help me through a recipe at this point, not someone who can point to the corner of the shop I might find the product. Prices are close to double the first store.

Three has the brewing nazi. She of the "I have done it all and you can't do it that way." "You're not experienced enough to go to all grain." "What do you mean color isn't really important the first time you have brewed this recipe?"
I go to the store to get help, not to be ridiculed. I think it's great that you win brewing awards, but this is my hobby, I'd like to learn something by trial.

Wow, that was cathartic!

 

[MrAverage]

One thing I forgot to add to my previous post is that I really liked the store that had their grains in open "help yourself" bins. My current store doesn't have room for them so you have to ask for what you need and they go to the back room and get it for you - which is fine except when the store is busy or the guy is helping out a newbie and you have to wait a while for him to get to you. A minor inconvenience....

The store with the bins also had a self-serve grain mill and that was fine with me. Newbies would get the tour of the grains, the scale, where the bags were and how to run the mill and then you were able to just do what you needed to do without having to bother the sales guy (who was always around willing to assist if needed).

 

[bonzombiekitty]

I mostly use Barry's Homebrew Outlet

Love:

- I can buy exactly the amount of grain I want
- Prices are similar to what you find online.
- Plenty of different types of grain so i usually can find what I want.
- Parking is easy, which is nice in the city
- Barry has let me volunteer for events he's organized

Hate:
- It's a bit disorganized and dusty. I gotta dig through rubbermaid containers to find the grain I want.
- Barry can some times be a little off-putting, depending on his mood. He usually looks at me like I'm crazy when I tell him what I am making. However, I don't feel as criticized as when I go to Home Sweet Home Brew.
- Not open on Sundays.

Which brings me to the alternate store, Home Sweet Homebrew:

Love:
- The selection it's very, very good.
- There's a lot of stuff beyond just beer ingredients, like different types of bottles.
- They're open on Sundays.

Hate:
- More expensive than Barry's
- Can't buy the weight I need for grain, which means have to buy in full pound increments, which means I end up with extras that sit around.
- Parking is a pain
- I feel like I'm getting heavily criticized/patronized every time I go in there. It seems I'm not the only one who feels this way - room mates have gone there and said basically the same thing.

 

[o4_srt]

Love: convenience. It's within walking distance of my job.

Hate: prices

 

[tim404]

Another one here for Barry's in Philadelphia.

He's always happy to help with recipe suggestions. He can be a little grumpy, but he's an ex Marine, what do you expect?

Plus they're moving the store closer to me in the near future, so that's cool. The two guys taking over the business are really cool guys and know their stuff.

I've started buying my base grains in bulk, but I still get specialties from him since it's not worth it to have 50 pounds of Crystal X. Plus, I can buy a vial of yeast from him that I know has been taken care of for $6, or I can order it online for $6, plus $1 for an ice pack, plus shipping...

Also, I'm happy to buy some stuff from him since he helps me out so much. He lent me a wine corker to do my batch of porto, since I'm not going to need it that often.

 

[RickWG]

one is down at about the I8 I5 intersection.
Like
It has great selection of yeast, grains, hops, gear. Knowledgeable staff, Fresh ingredients...great place.

Hate
It's a, or was, a brewery and the guys there can be a little too stuck up about brewing even though they support the local brewers.
Prices are a bit steep but I want fresh yeast so I go there.


Second is in the Clairmont area.
Like
It's closer to me.

Hate
The owner never seems to be at the register and is always back in the back doing something else.
Yeast is often, eh, questionable, real close to expiration, disorganized, looks like it got hot and re cooled. Had bad yeast from this guy before. Won't buy there again.
Not a lot of fresh grains, hops...etc. Hops look like they got hot too.
Dirty, dirty dirty! Did I mention dirty?
Won't take Credit Card or has to use the old school paper CC charge.

 

[bonzombiekitty]

He's always happy to help with recipe suggestions. He can be a little grumpy, but he's an ex Marine, what do you expect?

He's an interesting guy, that's for sure. My favorite thing from him:

*phone rings*
Barry: Barry's. How can I help you? What are you trying to do? No, sorry I can't help you there. No, distilling is illegal. No. You can't do it. It will get you in a lot of trouble. No. Listen, it's illegal. Just don't do it man. *hangs up*

*I notice an odd set up behind him*
Me: What are you making back there?
Barry: oh, white lightning. Yeah, I'm a hypocrite.

Plus they're moving the store closer to me in the near future, so that's cool. The two guys taking over the business are really cool guys and know their stuff.

Yes, I'm excited for the move. If he moves to Girard Ave, he'll be within walking distance. Last I heard, it won't be until next year though.

 

[jsweet]

Love: This store is primarily a retail beer store which stocks all sorts of craft brews and imports from around the world. It's a destination in and of itself. This unfortunately detracts from the LHBS aspect, I think -- more on that in a second -- but it's pretty awesome to pop in for a few homebrew supplies, and also pick up a few brews I've wanted to try (e.g. I finally tried Stone SSR last night, wow!)

Hates: The knowledgability of the staff is very uneven. Most of them know their beer (a couple of exceptions, but you can usually tell right away the people who were just hired to stand behind the register and nothing else) but only a couple of them homebrew, and I have not been impressed with either the breadth or depth of their knowledge. This is usually not a big deal, as I get all my info off the internet anyway... but it's frustrating when I am asking for something simple and they have no idea what I'm talking about.

Far more problematic is that they NEVER seem to be able to keep anything in stock! Yesterday I went there to get 20L Crystal Malt. Yes, that's right, just a bag of 20L Crystal Malt. And they were totally out of stock of the regular, uncrushed stuff. Can you believe it! They had pre-crushed in a 1lb bag, but who freakin' knows how long ago it was crushed? I bought it anyway, as I might do the recipe as early as today, but I was nonplussed. That is my biggest "hate": Them being frequently out of stock on basics.

A more subtle point is how they sell the grains. They are all sold in pre-measured bags, i.e. no bulk grain (you can buy gigantic 50-lb bags they keep in the back, so in that sense they have "bulk", but I mean "bulk" as in bins where you measure how much you need). The other LHBS in town, which is a bit out of my way, has all the grains in bulk, you weigh out exactly how you need, and then they have a mill right there if you want to use it, all self-serve. If given a choice between the two, I would definitely prefer that.

Okay, that said, in my dream LHBS, they'd have both options. Bulk grain is definitely preferable most of the time, but the convenience of just being able to toss a 1-lb. bag of specialty malt in your basket is also valuable. e.g. a few weeks ago, I had planned to make a pale ale using some various leftovers, and coincidentally I wound up at the LHBS, not for homebrew stuff, but with the family since my wife wanted to pick out some fancy beers to taste with some friends that night. I wasn't there for homebrew stuff, and there's no way I could have measured out any grains since I was holding my 4-month-old. But, I said, "Hey, I bet that leftovers recipe I'm doing would be even better with a little Cara-Pils malt", so I grabbed a 1-lb bag, tossed it in with the beers, and there ya go.

Anyway, food for thought.

 

[jsweet]

You should try to set up a few computers in store with brewing software, so people can dabble with recipes while they are in there.

This is an AWESOME idea.

 

[Ichthy]

Cheap bulk grain prices for AG brewers. I drive two hours to buy bulk grain b/c the local place is so expensive.

 

[Homercidal]

Siciliano's Market, Grand Rapids area, Michigan.

Love that they have soo much stuff! (beer, wine, cigars, bread, cheese).

Hate that they are over an hour each way away!

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I have two stores I frequent of the five I'm aware of in the DFW area.

One is Foreman's which really isn't much of a homebrew shop. It's a general store with a homebrew area. Very cheap base grains and proximity are the reason I keep going back. It's a 10-15 minute drive and the base grains are pretty much cheaper than anywhere else, even ordering online (except if I bought bulk). The downside is that EVERYTHING else is way overpriced and their selection is fairly limited. Everything but the grains is prepackaged (e.g. LME is only available in the can).

The other one I visit is Fort Worth Winemaker's. It has a great grain (and honey) selection, the owners are nice and everything is reasonably priced. Depending on the time of day it's a 20 minute or 2 hour drive, so I usually go there during the middle of the day when I'm already halfway there in downtown FTW. It's slightly more pricey than ordering online at several places but it works out to be cheaper than shipping costs when I need a handful of items. The downside is that their website is often messed up and they run out of items incredibly fast. I know they do some training classes for new brewers and brewers new to AG.

For me proximity, cost and selection are most important. If a store doesn't carry a lot of stuff I think it would at least be nice to have access to a larger database of items the store could order and the retail cost to have it special ordered. So say the store doesn't carry three gallon kegs because they take up room and they are expensive merchandise that may not move quickly. Ok, well let me know what it would cost to order one and have it shipped to the store. If I don't know you could sell them then I'm unlikely to ask or assume that you have a supplier. I'm also likely to shop around so having to call/go in and get a priced that somebody guessed off the top of their head is most likely going to be more expensive than a store that has already calculated all the costs and profits into the price.

 

[Zamial]

I love:
- the competitive prices on grains.
- huge selection of grains
- fantastic knowledge of said grains.
- that they have a nice selection of equipment
- they love to talk about home brewing
- the location

I dislike:
- bad/dated brewing techniques that get told to people
- over priced on everything but grain and yeast
- the never updated web site

 

[Acoma]

Like: Knowledge of brewing, quality of goods, good variety of everything from yeast and hops to supplies and kits. Friendly and helpful.

Dislike: A bit over priced even for a retail store. Their website sucks. It would be nice to see what they have on hand and how much it costs without having to drive across town. They can come across as intimidating to the new brewer because they have so much experience they can't seem to help but really push their ways of doing things. I.E. Very anti carboys, starters, and liquid yeast in general. (I personally like making starters, like using liquid yeast vs dry yeast, and have two glass carboys in addition to my plastic fermenting bucket. To each their own.)

 

[King of Cascade]

My area desperately needs a good homebrew shop. Out of the two places one has been in business since the 70’s and the husband thinks he is the godfather of brewing in this town. They all have bad attitudes and are not current with techniques or ingredients (they still have dusty soda extract from the 70’s on the shelf) other than the stale grains and cheesy hops they have very high prices and very bad attitudes. LHBS 2 is better with some good people working. The problem is they carry briess grains and all the supplies are prepackaged LD Carlson crap. We had a place about a half hour away that was awesome, he had beers on tap and all the gadgets and stainless steel parts but he was a dirt bag. He once asked to see my then girlfriends boobs and he would give me my ingredients for free…she wouldn’t do it so I paid the $40.
I think a homebrew shop done right would kill the competition here but the shop has got to get in bed with the local homebrew club as the past president has made the club a huge presence in the areas beer scene. Second the shop would have to understand that people would circumvent the homebrew shop for bulk grain if the shop owner marks it up too much. Bulk buys happen all the time so unless the shop owner gets involved and/or even organizes the bulk buy people will do something else. LHBS make their money on extract, specialty grain, hops, yeast and equipment in that order and would sell more if they help homebrewers buy base grain bulk. All the ideas listed in this thread so far are good ideas and should be considered especially the brewing. When selecting a location make sure there is a place to host big brews and such and even a meeting room or area for local homebrew club events.

 

[Chefencore]

All I heard was boobs.

 

[bonzombiekitty]

He once asked to see my then girlfriends boobs and he would give me my ingredients for free…she wouldn’t do it so I paid the $40.

*tsk* She really should learn to take one for the team.

 

[davefleck]

My LHBS Stomp them Grapes in Denver... great service, huge grain selection and reasonable prices. After Boulder lost its LHBS they opened Hop to It. Haven't been to that location

 

[samc]

Offering free classes/demo's is invaluable. Having wine, cheese and any other food related hobby is a great plus as you begin to cross sell customers. If I was doing an LHBS I'd also teach pizza making and wood burning oven building and use. All the somewhat lost arts of making stuff for yourself are a great fit. It would be a great way to spend your day - not a job but an adventure!

 

[Hovercar]

Like:

-Great selection of ingredients and materials.
-Willing to order in stuff they don't have in stock.
-Helpful, friendly and patient owner who will take the time to answer any and all of your questions with zero attitude. Guy is genuinely nice.

Dislike:

-Generally pricey, but it's Canada, and everything is more expensive north of the border.
-Website is definitely sub par, and needs to be updated much more frequently. A couple of times the website said they had certain hops in stock, but were sold out when I got there. A well-maintained and constantly updated website is essential to people travelling from out of town.

 

[BrewWhat]

2 "local" stores. Both 80+ miles away

1. Modest inventory, but easily accessible.
Staff is moderately knowledgeable But you have to pry the info out of em.
Prices are high to very high.
Being a hydroponic garden store, I'm sure the staff can tell you more about growing "Colombian tomatoes" than they can about home brewing.

2. Very large inventory, great prices
Knowledgeable staff
the down side is that it set up more for online orders rather that window shopping, so you need to know what you want before you get there.