Where to Buy Ingredients/Equipment

[good_brews]

Hello! I am new to homebrewing but there aren't any homebrew stores near me. Can someone please show me where to buy the best hops and equipment online? How do I verify the quality of the things I'm buying (like hops, barley, etc.) when it's purchased online? I'm concerned hops will go bad if shipped to me.

Thanks! any other tips appreciated

 

[Yooper]

Where are you located? Hops don't "go bad" unless something extreme happens, like they are being shipped overseas to the desert and left to sit in a hot truck for 6 months.

Hops are harvested only in the fall, so they are only harvested once a year. Some do come from the southern hemisphere, but not many, so any hops you may buy from anywhere are either from this past fall, or earlier.

 

[Kharnynb]

hops should always arrive vacuum packed in a sort of "coffeepackage" style packaging, they last better frozen, but shipping shouldn't hurt them when unopened.

Checking the sponsor page can give you some good ideas, homebrewsupply.com seems to be very active at least with give-aways and other special offers.

 

[C-Rider]

Get on a few mailing lists such as some of the following. Sometimes they offer free shipping to the lower 48 as well as other deals.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Midwest_Brewing

http://www.americanbrewmaster.com/

http://www.northernbrewer.com/?gclid=COrilNnO98UCFU6UfgodX7sAhg

Yea, you'lll get a lot of "junk" mail every few days, but when that sale you need comes along you'll be happy

 

[CJ-3]

Check online for a homebrewing club in your area.

See about going to a meeting and ask the folks there where they get their stuff from. Also ask some of the members if you can join in on a brew day, it would give you an idea of what type of gear you would like to use.