What would you do if your LHBS was shorting you?

[badun]

Two brewing friends use the same LHBS and coincidentally (they thought) had recent batches come in well below the ABV amount they expected. Both used repackaged DME they had bought from the store and that made them suspicious that they had been shorted. One of them went to the LHBS last week and secretly weighed several bags of DME on the grain scale and found them all to be a quarter pound short. Could be that the grain scale is out of balance, but the fact that their recent batches were light in alcohol strongly implies that the DME bags are light as well.

So far they haven't said anything to the owner. My questions to you are 1) Would you say anything? and 2) What would you say? I've been to the shop before and the staff are helpful and friendly. Prices are full retail, but not any higher than that. It's no skin off my back either way, but I hate to see people ripped off or a small business get a bad rap if there's no reason to.

 

[bigjohnmilford]

If they feel like they've been cheated use another store or purchase online. There's no shortage of good vendors out there.

 

[will_cbe]

Is the problem they're selling 4.75 as 5 lbs, or 1.75 as 2lbs? Maybe it's a mistake, maybe it isn't.

If you talk to the owner, they'll probably tell you they'll look into it.

If this is a chronic problem, you could contact the better business bureau.

 

[bradsul]

I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. It could be the scale they use to package is a little off. If no one tells them they won't know to fix it. Let them know what happened and ask them to check it and give them a chance to make things right. It sounds like a good shop overall.

 

[onejdn]

I agree, I would confront them about it, maybe it's an honest mistake on their part. You will be able to tell a lot by their initial reaction though.

 

[Revvy]

If the scales off, and they don't realize it, and they're using it to split their dme, their hops and their grain, the might appreciate knowing it...The homebrewing community, and that includes 99% of the lhb's out there, are laid back, and pretty honest...It's not like the international honey laundering industry...it could very well be an honest mistake...

Scales like any precision instrument need to be calibrated regularly...

 

[Mutilated1]

I'd burn the place down.

 

[Donner]

I had my bag of crushed choc. malt come in light, as well as my bag of flaked barley, on my last order. I emailed the LHBS and the owners said they had a new guy weighing things out and he probably forgot to Tare the scale. If they were packaging all the bags of DME at the same time, one mistake like that and the whole batch would be off. I'd say email them and ask.

 

[springer]

if the scale is off by reading 1/4 pound less everyone who buy's say 5 pounds of grain would get a little extra. So I don't think they would intentionally do that.


I would weigh it on another scale to confirm its off.

 

[EdWort]

If they are shorting you, just bring it to their attention. I doubt any decent HBS would do such a thing intentionally, but they need to know what is happening though.

 

[eriktlupus]

if after informing them they are arrogant about it you can always get your states dept. of agriculture involved, here they are the ones responsible for wight and measures in retail shops. they'll get a fine most likely if it's found they were doing it knowingly so give em the chance to correct first.

 

[badun]

Thanks, these are good responses. Specifically, my friends bought 3 lb. bags of Briess DME that had been repacked by the store. When the one friend weighed different bags at the store he saw that they consistently weighed 2.75 pounds. I will encourage them to contact the store by e-mail. I don't think either one was comfortable doing it face to face, but if the reaction is negative by e-mail then it's not like they ever have to set foot in the store again.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

I weigh the stuff I get from my LHBS. I have been shorted before. However I do not believe it is at all intentional. I tell them about it and they always make good or better with no questions asked.

Tell them and see what happens before you make any further decisions.

Oh and dealing face to face is much better. Do not be confrontational just explain that you think there is a discrepancy. Then it is up to them.

 

[Decojuicer]

I agree with everybody else. Go in and talk to them. Most likely, something is wrong with the equipment. If they are shorting intentionally, the best thing that you can do(even better than getting the G involved) is to tell every homebrewer in the area about what they are doing. Their business will drop off, and they will have to start being honest, or sell the shop to somebody who is.

 

[Bill1968]

quote Mutilated1 I'd burn the place down

I like the way mutilated1 thinks

 

[MaynardX]

I find it smart to weight all of your stuff anyway. Once, I bought a brew kit and, at first, thought they shorted me a pound of malt. I caused a ruckus at my LHBS and they gave me a free pound of malt extract. Later, i weighed the malt and noticed that I miss-read the packaging. It was 2 bags of 3.5 pound DME labeled as 3pounds................................................ 0.8 ounces. I felt like such an ass when I took the extra pound back to the store.

 

[JoeMama]

I find it smart to weight all of your stuff anyway. Once, I bought a brew kit and, at first, thought they shorted me a pound of malt. I caused a ruckus at my LHBS and they gave me a free pound of malt extract. Later, i weighed the malt and noticed that I miss-read the packaging. It was 2 bags of 3.5 pound DME labeled as 3pounds................................................ 0.8 ounces. I felt like such an ass when I took the extra pound back to the store.

Was this after you burned it to the ground?
Oh.. Wait, wrong poster...
LOL
-Me

 

[Grinder12000]

Austin Home Brew shorted me in a recipe, they miscalculated the conversion of an AG recipe. I could not figure out why my OG was so low until I entered the recipe into Beersmith.

I complained a little but got no response. what are they going to do - send me 2 lbs of grain? I knew it was a mistake. Still one brew is pretty light!

as xxMaynardxx says - measure everything.

 

[Stile]

I'd burn the place down.

Burn??? To good for them. Here's what i did to my LHBS when they shorted me an airlock :rockin:

Note the owner in the first few seconds... he was quite suprised

 

[Shonuff]

I'd burn the place down.

+2

Bastards!

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Austin Home Brew shorted me in a recipe, they miscalculated the conversion of an AG recipe. I could not figure out why my OG was so low until I entered the recipe into Beersmith.

I complained a little but got no response. what are they going to do - send me 2 lbs of grain? I knew it was a mistake. Still one brew is pretty light!

as xxMaynardxx says - measure everything.

The message never got to me. Sorry about the mistake. PM me your Name and address so I can take care of you.

Forrest

 

[carnevoodoo]

I ummm, ordered a bag of Maris Otter from Austin Homebrew and they sent me some Munton's yeast instead. Yeah, that happened... Forrest, take care of me too.

 

[alex_wilkosz]

I ummm, ordered a bag of Maris Otter from Austin Homebrew and they sent me some Munton's yeast instead. Yeah, that happened... Forrest, take care of me too.

what about that 14 gallon conical u ordered but never received?

 

[dibby33]

The message never got to me. Sorry about the mistake. PM me your Name and address so I can take care of you.

Forrest

keeping em sweet. Good way to work!

Oh, and just go back to the store and tell them to their face. The only wasy to deal with people is face to face. Too much sms / text / e-mail / www these days. Just TALK to people!!!

 

[brown_dog_us]

I'm in the weigh everything crowd. I used to have problems dividing up hops, until I realized that 1 ounce really meant .9 ounces. I had been buying from this place for awhile and had been having the problem the whole time. It could have been a busted scale or forgetting to reset the the tare, but I think it was more likely a profit center. I've had other things come up a little short, but nothing else has come up consistently short.

btw, I have received more than I payed for once. 5 lbs of grain was 5.12 pounds. It's amazing how the error always goes the way of the retailer.

 

[TroubleBrewing]

Wouldn't they have noticed they're getting more individual packages then they should from splitting up a big bag? I don't know what a pound is in a sensible measurement (like kilograms!), but that discrepancy is 10% out, so if they're using 50bags (for sake of argument) worth of ingredients, wouldn't they notice getting 55bags once it's divided? Suspicious...

I wouldn't go in making a big fuss, and I'd see what their reaction is. If they're dishonest they'll probably give you free stuff to shut you up.

 

[TampaTim]

I'd be willing to bet it's a relatively new employee and they're not properly zeroing the scale to the vessel they are using to weigh the packages.

 

[dontman]

Call Jesse! Organize a march.

 

[conpewter]

I'm in the weigh everything crowd. I used to have problems dividing up hops, until I realized that 1 ounce really meant .9 ounces. I had been buying from this place for awhile and had been having the problem the whole time. It could have been a busted scale or forgetting to reset the the tare, but I think it was more likely a profit center. I've had other things come up a little short, but nothing else has come up consistently short.

btw, I have received more than I payed for once. 5 lbs of grain was 5.12 pounds. It's amazing how the error always goes the way of the retailer.

Except in the case of Hops Direct (at least in the past) You order 1 lb and get 1.5 or more, I'm not sure if that still happens since the hops shortage.

 

[badun]

Happy ending, fortunately. I used e-mail to contact the proprietors and they were very apologetic, offering store credit to my friends and assurances that the scale would be fixed asap.

I told my friends they owe me several home brews since they were too wussy to say anything.

 

[jesse]

I'd burn the place down.

Steal something first..Then burn it down

 

[Yunus]

Glad to hear it worked out. As others have said the Home brew crowd is usually a very laid back group. Probably because your not going to get rich selling Home brew supplies, that kinda weeds out the "anything for a buck" crowd of business people.