Who is your LHBS here in CT?

[Poobah58]

Thanks for the report!

 

[nukebrewer]

A new homebrew shop has opened in downtown New Haven.

Finally.

Luck & Levity Brewshop had its grand opening this past weekend. I met the owner on Sunday. He's very interested in helping to develop more of a brewing culture in the area. They have a great space on Court Street. They have a lounge area with couches and access to wifi.

I believe they will cater to the metro area and have a lot of small scale kits. They had the 1 gallon Brooklyn Brew Shop kits available. They also have a good assortment of grains. They had a cooler in the back for hops and yeast. They have the Wyeast line of yeast. They also had some equipment in stock. Prices seemed comparable with other LHBS in the area.

I spoke to Scott, the owner about starting up a local homebrew club. He was excited and supportive of the idea. In addition, they are going to have a Thursday tasting event. Every Thursday, people are welcome to bring in beer to share.

I'll be talking to him more about developing a brewclub, so keep an ear/eye/nose out for the New Haven Brew Club.

Sounds like a good place. If they have a decent price on a 50# sack of two row it might be worth the drive from Groton. Cheapest I've found so far is $58 for Rhar 2-row. Might even come down one Thursday for the tasting event to see how it is.

 

[ArcticBear]

the owner is a nice guy, he's got a ton of ideas and the space to grow.

Stopped by the tasting event thursday night, not a huge turnout but he's still new and hopefully it grows some

 

[philber]

I'll be swinging in there this afternoon to pickup a few bags of grain.

 

[philber]

Well I picked up a bag of grain (3pm on a Sunday!), I got the last one price was great for LHBS, lowest I have seen. Worth the trip from Stamford. Scott has quite a good selection, just not huge volume yet. i will call before coming next time and plan ahead. If you live nearby then you don't need to buy in bulk like we do here.

So happy to have my fermenters bubbling away

 

[Evan_L]

Haven't seen anyone mention Zok's in Willimantic yet. Lucky enough to live a few blocks away. Great guy, very helpful so far for this new brewer.

 

[nukebrewer]

Haven't seen anyone mention Zok's in Willimantic yet. Lucky enough to live a few blocks away. Great guy, very helpful so far for this new brewer.

I went once to drop off beer for a comp and bought a couple cases of bottles while I was there, but Rob's is closer to me. It looks like he has a good selection, though, so you're lucky to live so close.

 

[JohnnyO]

Zok is an awesome homebrewing resource for CT. The guy knows a lot about it. Super friendly too. I believe he specializes in ciders, meads and lagers as he consistently wins in the Southern New England Regional Homebrew comp in these categories.

He also writes a column for the regional Ale Street News. His name is Paul Zocco.

 

[nukebrewer]

Zok is an awesome homebrewing resource for CT. The guy knows a lot about it. Super friendly too. I believe he specializes in ciders, meads and lagers as he consistently wins in the Southern New England Regional Homebrew comp in these categories.

He also writes a column for the regional Ale Street News. His name is Paul Zocco.

Yeah, I was there judging this year and I left after the winners for the categories I entered were announced, but I heard his name called at least three times. I don't remember what categories he won, though.

 

[NuclearRich]

I just went to Luck&Levity in New Haven last night for the tasting social. I am pumped. It is a big store, with lounge space and bigger plans for even more cool add-ons. The owner was very friendly and told me he could source me anything I needed, and his prices seemed really comparable to online stores. Frankly, I am happy to spend $2 more on an order and not have to wait for shipping and hope that the ice pack for the yeast lasted long enough and the UPS guy didnt dropkick my carboy. Not to mention if I need something last minute, I dont have to dread a long drive anymore. Location is great, there are LHBS in CT but strangly enough, not so much in the greater New Haven area. Until now!

I recommend the thursday gathering. I had a blast. Met a few guys that were really cool and hope to be trading and tasting more there.

 

[JohnK93]

I just started brewing 3 batches ago and have been going to Maltose Express. Others have said they are pricey, but I think it's a great shop, has a good selection and supply of kits, ingredients, and equipment. They'll also put together a kit for you if they don't already have it, and on their new website you can order ahead so your kit is waiting for you when you get there. I have never shopped around (except online and after shipping it's a draw), but the prices seem reasonable to me. They're friendly and knowledgable and have been very helpful to a new brewer and I will definitely continue to give them my business.

Maltose is also planning to open a taproom in the next year or so where they will sell (I think) kegs and growlers.

 

[Jeepinctbrewer]

Ive been to cork and brew, zoks and brew and wine hobby in east hartford. i prefer brew and wine hobby, their prices are very fair and the owner knows a lot about everything homebrew.

they are moving into a new larger shop in the next month or two http://www.brew-wine.com/

X2 new shop is really nice, good prices, great people

 

[Biere_Titan]

I'll offer a hat tip to the folks at Maltose. They've got a wide range of fairly priced kits and have always offered good advice on brewing and designing recipes. They are a bit pricey when it comes to equipment, though.

 

[Atio]

I've gone to Brew and Wine and Maltose. The people I dealt with at both stores were very good. I went to Maltose with a specific item in mind so I was in and out a bit quicker. The gentleman I talked with at Beer and Wine talked with me for almost an hour and answered all my noob questions.

I'm going to have to check out Cork and Brew. I thought from their website they were only a assisted brewing facility, so I'll have to take a run out there and see what they have for supplies.

 

[stratslinger]

Go into Cork and Brew with a little caution. Their supplies are a bit on the expensive side, but probably comparable with maltose. On the ingredients side of the house - they hang onto yeast longer than they probably should, don't tend to stock a lot of the better dry yeast varieties (if you're looking for US-05, S04, Notty, or the like, look elsewhere - if you're looking for Cooper's or any other cheapo yeast that most knowlegeable folks will tend to tell you to avoid, they're pretty well stocked in that). Looking for hops? They apparently have some varieties of hops in bulk in the back and measure them out in small baggies for you when you purchase - so you're not getting sealed, purged or vacuum sealed packages of hops, and you don't really know how they've been stored or for how long. DME is similarly repackaged, and I've found loose grains floating around in mine, so you definitely want to make sure to give it a good boil to kill off any lacto that could be hanging out in there.

And forget about asking for advice or substitutions about anything. They will literally walk to their desk and pull up google. The last time I had any interactions with them, I was calling around looking specifically for Golden Oats, trying to avoid ordering them online and paying stupid shipping charges. They didn't have them, and I heard her clicking away at her keyboard Googling for a substitution, and the next thing I know she's trying to tell me that "2-row is very similar to Golden Oats." I didn't even bother carrying on the conversation, just moved on...

Long story short, they seem to be good for an emergency "Oh crap, just broke another hydrometer and I need another one for this weekend," but, other than that, Brew and Wine and Maltose are much better alternatives.

 

[JohnK93]

I keep having very good experiences at Maltose. I would shop around before buying any equipment there, but their ingredients are pretty reasonable. I only ordered from another place on the internet once because Maltose didn't have it listed on their site (Pilsen DME), but for all I know I just had to go there and ask...they might have it in the back.

On my last visit, I was grabbing some of their pre-meausred, 1lb bags of grains for my recipe, even though I only needed .5 or .25 lbs. One of the guys there said they'll fill the grain bill in the back and mill it so I didn't have to buy anything more than what I needed...saved a bunch of money. We also had a great discussion about the hops I was considering and they gave me some good advice. The last pack of yeast I bought there was about 4 months old, but it was a kolsch, which might not move as quickly as a 1056, for example. I always find them to be very helpful and highly recommend them, at least for grains, extract, hops, and yeast.

 

[mpc88]

FYI - If you join the CTBeertrail Trail Blazers club, you can get 10% off at a few of the CT homebrew stores as well as a some bars and restaurants! It definitely helps to make the CT LHBS' more competitive.

will do that, we need more comp in CT. it looks like we're lost sometimes in any burgeoning industry,

 

[Poobah58]

Rumor has it that we have a new brew supply opening in Brookfield shortly!

 

[mpc88]

FYI - If you join the CTBeertrail Trail Blazers club, you can get 10% off at a few of the CT homebrew stores as well as a some bars and restaurants! It definitely helps to make the CT LHBS' more competitive.

will do that, we need more comp in CT. it looks like we're lost sometimes in any burgeoning industry,

 

[tomCT]

Rumor has it that we have a new brew supply opening in Brookfield shortly!

Not a rumor - it is true! On Federal Road in 6 - 8 weeks.

On another note, on a recent visit to Maltose, found that they have reduced their grain prices. Most 50 lb bags are now $55. Smaller multiple lb. quantity prices are also lower, typically $1.60.

 

[huhwha]

Not a rumor - it is true! On Federal Road in 6 - 8 weeks.

On another note, on a recent visit to Maltose, found that they have reduced their grain prices. Most 50 lb bags are now $55. Smaller multiple lb. quantity prices are also lower, typically $1.60.

My old stomping grounds, although I've been gone for over 19 years. When you're on Federal Road, stop in Widow Browns for a pint and a sandwich. I miss it terribly!

 

[linerndunch110]

Another vote for maltose here. I've been a customer over there now for about 2 years I think. I'm in there twice a week Haha. They opened at some point when I was living in Boston and I always made an effort to stop in.

Mark and Tess are great, and they have lots of new plans in the works as far as I know.

 

[JohnK93]

Yeah, last I heard their plans ran up against some town law that prohibits the sale of beer where it is brewed. Hoping that this won't be a major obstacle because I'm really looking forward to being able to stop in for a pint (or a growler!).

 

[linerndunch110]

Yeah, last I heard their plans ran up against some town law that prohibits the sale of beer where it is brewed. Hoping that this won't be a major obstacle because I'm really looking forward to being able to stop in for a pint (or a growler!).

Yea Cts a 3 tier system. I think they had that under control though. Ill be In tomorrow and find out

 

[linerndunch110]

Yeah, last I heard their plans ran up against some town law that prohibits the sale of beer where it is brewed. Hoping that this won't be a major obstacle because I'm really looking forward to being able to stop in for a pint (or a growler!).

Yea Cts a 3 tier system. I think they had that under control though. Ill be In tomorrow and find out

 

[ArcticBear]

Yeah, last I heard their plans ran up against some town law that prohibits the sale of beer where it is brewed. Hoping that this won't be a major obstacle because I'm really looking forward to being able to stop in for a pint (or a growler!).

Yea Cts a 3 tier system. I think they had that under control though. Ill be In tomorrow and find out

apparently except for BAR in new haven, and any SBC in ct? it may be a 3 tier sale for distribution purposes (as are most places in the US) but anywhere that brews is likely to be able to sell growlers (Nebco/Willybrew/Thimble Island etc) it's just a matter of selling finished canned/bottled product where it changes hands and needs to be overtaxed...

just because it may be a 3 tier system doesn't mean all that much

 

[JohnK93]

I don't know how the 3 tier system factors in, but in my brief research it seems like one can get permits in CT to sell their own beer. Places like BAR or SBC are two examples. The problem that Maltose has, as far as I understand it, is that there is a town law in Monroe that prohibits it.

But don't quote me...I may not know what I'm talking about.

 

[Genuine]

Mine would be Zoks, but due to my work schedule, I haven't been able to make it down there while he's open.

 

[linerndunch110]

Afaik, and have researched, it all depend on on premises vs off premis consumption. Brewpubs specifically brew their beer for on premise consumption or for sale for off premise ie growlers. And food is a requirement.

So as far as brewpups go , they are the exception that bends the rule of a 3 tier system of manufacturing-> distributing-> retail. The catch is its mostly on premise, afaik again

 

[stratslinger]

But see, that would fail to account for breweries with tasting rooms (think Thomas Hooker, Back East, Two Roads, etc), or those with flat out taprooms (and no food, so they're not brewpubs) like Firefly Hollow that should be coming on line later this summer.

I'm thinking, as JohnK93 stated, that Maltose's problem is a local one and not a state one.