WORST Home Brew Store experience ever!

[Starderup]

Wow, some of these stories would drive me to buy everything online, even bulk grain with the high shipping costs!

My LHBS has been great. While a little pricey here and there they are always willing to talk through a recipe or technique. Even told me after going all grain that if I buy my grain online they would be happy to crush them for free.

Now, there is a shop owner that understands that even if you just came in to get some grain crushed, you'd probably pick up some hops, yeast or something else.
It's not like the mills are going to ever wear out - at least not if you crush a few pounds for free here and there.

 

[Cheaton]

Incidentally, one of the owners (not the clerk in question here, I don't believe) did respond over on the greenboard. Basically acknowledged/took responsibility for the problem and pledged to try and correct it.

Ya I saw this too, then noticed that the post was from 2007.

 

[chefchris]

haha. I work at the LHBS in Gainesville and I've heard nothing but bad things about this store. It's amazing they're still in business.

 

[madbaldman]

To be fair, he does have his good days. I once talked to him for a good half hour talking about the upcoming competition and how to enter and the best ways to get a beer noticed. Unfortunately, this isn't the norm. I often see him frustrated and snippy with people who don't have his level of experience and who ask simple questions.

Pretty much my experience as well. I was there today in fact and it was business as usual (kinda like dealing with a Russian ambassador - semi-cordial and cool at best). They've been anywhere from decent to just OK, but never outright rude. I order bulk items from AHB, get small things from HHB, and get advice here.

Best thing they could do for their business is to get a brew savvy Hooters girl to run the counter (but that's my solution to just about everything).

 

[BigJerk]

We've got several LHBS here in the seattle area, and I've shopped most of them and found that Larry's is not only the cheapest, but the friendliest as well. I've got to give them a big shout-out since I'm willing to battle 25 miles of Seattle traffic to go there instead of the LHBS thats less than a mile away!

 

[sundaybrewingco]

haha. I work at the LHBS in Gainesville and I've heard nothing but bad things about this store. It's amazing they're still in business.

Everytime I see Arch Hall Jr's dreamy face in your posts I can't help but laugh..

 

[Nova5]

From your first line. I read that you came in with an *******'s attitude. Hard to tell through text only for sure thou. Likely got what you deserved.

 

[SwampassJ]

From your first line. I read that you came in with an *******'s attitude. Hard to tell through text only for sure thou. Likely got what you deserved.

Search around, there are multiple posts about the same store in Orlando and their "service". PS 4 year old thread so read better next time.

 

[munklunk]

Hey hey hey now. Everyone play nicely or I'll turn this internet right around!

 

[Nova5]

Search around, there are multiple posts about the same store in Orlando and their "service". PS 4 year old thread so read better next time.

I generally don't expect 4 year old threads to exist. other forums tend to kill them off after a year or two to save dataspace.

 

[AnonyBrew]

Thankfully every time I have went to my LHBS (Brew Your Own Brew in Gilbert, AZ) everyone has been extremely helpful. I'm still a noob who has only done 4 batches, but both of the guys in the shop I go to have been extremely helpful. They may have more employees, but I've only seen the two guys. They offer sound advice when I have questions and never try to upsell me unless it's an answer to a question I have.

As a matter of fact, when I went in the first time to buy my kit one of the guys took me to the back (no homo) and showed me the trick with fermenting in a bucket of water with a shirt draped over top of it.

Nothing but praise for the shop.

Are these the same guys that don't stock PBW and when asked what they use for cleaning they reply "I just use dish soap"?

On another topic: dfc, I just moved to the area in June, currently live in an Apt. and have brewed once at my friend's house in Gilbert. We should hook up for a beer or brewday sometime. PM me if your interested.

 

[madbaldman]

From your first line. I read that you came in with an *******'s attitude. Hard to tell through text only for sure thou. Likely got what you deserved.

You should apply for a job there, you'd fit right in.

 

[the_bird]

From your first line. I read that you came in with an *******'s attitude. Hard to tell through text only for sure thou. Likely got what you deserved.

Seriously, dude?

Let's review the original post, shall we?

I've just returned home from the worst LHBS experience of my life. I am so upset I had to calm myself down for 10 minutes before writing this. NEVER in my life have I been treated so callously by any store owner. I will give a brief description now of what happened.

I live in Orlando and Heartshomebrew.com (my LHBS) is the only LHBS one I know of around here. I've been in there about 10 times and the man knows my face I'm sure of it. Today I walked into the store and here went my conversation with the owner.

Me: "Hey buddy I'd like to talk to you about your Brown Ale recipe"

Owner: "OK"

Me: "I wanted to kick it up a notch and add a pound of honey. What do you
think?"

Owner: "I think it will be too sweet"

Me: "Yea I thought I would add some more hops to balance this out. Do you think that would work?"

Owner: "You have to look that kind of stuff up on your own. We dont give recipe advice here."

Me: "Isn't that what these stores are supposed to be all about, helping your customers brew beer?"

Owner: "We are mostly mail order so we don't care about local business."

Me: "Are you saying you dont care about making your customers happy and helping them out"

Owner: "Our local ones, nope. Thats not the kind of business we're in."

Me: "Well buddy you just lost a local one."

Owner: "Ok see ya"

I will stop here because anyone reading this should at this point be as flabbergasted as I am. I've never once in my LIFE heard a store owner say he didnt care about his local customers. This place is set up for retail for sure. Its not like I was walking into a garage were he just ships his supplies out from.
...

Not sure what you're pretending to see in there that would indicate he's walking in there with an attitude. Leads me to conclude you're either a troll or an *******, which I guess is pretty much one and the same.

 

[Teromous]

Haha actually if you read it with "Me" having an angry voice tone, and "Owner" with a defensive tone of voice it can come across that way

( Modified Version with some characterizations for fun )

Me: Hey buddy I'd like to talk to you about your "Brown Ale recipe"

Owner: ...ok.

Me: I wanted to kick it up a notch and add a pound of honey. What do you
think? (say it like a ****** would)

Owner: I don't know...I think it will be too sweet.

Me: Yea? I thought I would add some more hops to balance this out. (meaning screw your recipe it needs a fix) Do you think that would work? (leans into the guy)

Owner: (Guy looks nervously) ...uh...You have to look that kind of stuff up on your own. We...we dont give recipe advice here.

Me: "Isn't that what these stores are supposed to be all about, helping your customers brew beer?"

Owner: (Guy looks even more nervous and defensive) We are mostly mail order so we don't care about local business. (takes a defensive stab at the guy with "local business")

Me: Are you saying you don't care about making your customers happy and helping them out?

Owner: Our local ones, nope. Thats not the kind of business we're in. (could be defensive here, but really anyone who says this is a jerk)

Me: Well buddy you just lost a local one. (puts hands on hips and shakes head side to side)

Owner: ...Ok see ya... (nervous, and shocked at the assailant)

 

[Schlenkerla]

Word said, the bird! Some people in LHBS get into this business for a coolness factor.

Some owners don't have much experience, whereas as you may have more or just like to obsess over the details. They care not to do so. I am an engineer and a details kind of guy. I can see how people could go into overload quickly with anything that challenges them. I see it all the time, some people are lazy when it comes to thinking out of their element.

People react differently to mental challenges. Forgo the aggravation, post questions on recipe advice to your friends on HBT.

I look forward to the day Walmart is selling homebrew equipment. Even if they don't know squat about HB, they will help you find ingredients. I'd like to go to a counter like the deli and ask for a pound of crystal 40L.

 

[phishfood]

Heart's has never been outright rude and dismissive with me, but never have they been what I would call friendly, either.

If I really needed something, I might stop by there on my way home from work. But if I can, I will drive the 45 minutes to New Smyrna to buy from Southern Homebrew. Their prices seem to be a little higher, they don't seem as knowledgeable, but they are very friendly and glad to see you in the store.

 

[WrathsU]

Bump. Went in there (first ever experience buying brewing equipment) about two weeks ago with my swmbo and her parents. They were buying me stuff for Christmas. I had a kit ordered already but wanted a recipe so I could start brewing asap. I had no idea what I was doing and asked the guy "What recipe is the best?", with a nice smile on my face.

"They are all good.", came his reply. Okay..."Which one do you recommend?", "Whichever one you want to buy." . LOL really guy? I randomly selected three recipes and will never be buying from there again regardless of prices. I will also be creating a wiki page in the near future that I will try to bump to top of google searches when searching for "Hearts homebrew". People like this do not deserve to own a business imo.

 

[rustym]

This is definetly an interesting thread!

I just recently bought my first kit. I looked on the internet for 6 months at the different sites and found good deals. I accidently found our LHBS here in Charlotte, Alternative Brewing, and looked at their stuff. They had kits like everyone else has at about the same prices. I actually found a kit I really liked at morebeer.com but I kept going back and forth with the fact that I should buy locally if I can.

I'm so glad I did! When I went to the store, the guys there were awesome! They helped me put together the kit that I wanted. By going to them directly, I was able to get a few things that weren't part of a kit and get a better setup that I wouldn't have got if I would have ordered online. Plus they were able to give me some discounts that I would not have got online. I finally got a better kit here locally than I would have got had I went with the online site. Plus, now when I need some advice or help, they seem to be very responsive and willing to help.

With all that being said, if I would have been treated like the OP was, I would have gone somewhere else. People like that don't need my business and won't get it. I don't care how good their prices are. There are too many options for us today with the internet, that we can buy where we want to buy.

 

[tjp68]

I've never had an experience like that at a LHBS. I have two within reasonable distance. At one, the owners are incredibly friendly, helpful and encouraging. I don't get there often because they have very limited inventory, and because the are 75 miles away.

The other is a larger store with more inventory, is much closer to my home and on the way home from work. The people who work there aren't necessarily rude, but definitely detached. I would say they have been distracted when I've visited there, money in hand, ready to buy. I get the feeling that they really exist to serve a brewing club and aren't really interested if you aren't part of the group.

For a long time, I felt guilty about buying on the interwebs, but no more. It's a competitive world.

 

[RobWalker]

If your LHBS appreciate your custom, you should support them...dunno what america's like (well, i sorta do, i'm reading America Unchained by Dave Gorman) but our chain stores are getting worse and the small places are suffering, and what's home brewing about except to make beer, drink beer and have a good time with friends?

 

[petey_c]

I have three LHBSs within about 30 minutes of my house. Three different experiences; Karp's Hardware and Homebrew (I kid you not). Great place with the old time hardware store atmosphere that I miss in the big blue or orange stores. Creaky wooden floors and a good supply of materials. An even mix of homebrew and winemaking. A knowledgeable and friendly staff. KEDCO, mostly (90%) wine storage (racks, fridges, etc)/wine paraphernalia (glasses, decanters, door mats, etc) run by the brews brothers, one friendly, the other knowledgeable, but kinda stand off-ish. Arbor wine and beer, a good supply of wine and beer making (60/40) with a guy who seems like the model for Jeff Dunham's grumpy old man. When I looked at the kits in KEDCO, the boxes seemed yellow-ish. My second brew, I was sold a can of John Bull Dark Ale. Later (after brewing) I found out that John Bull's been out of business for a couple of years. Since I'm still in the kit stage, I buy on line now. I hope to make it to the next B.E.E.R. meeting and see what other local brewers are doing. Sometimes I see my first meeting at the local club, like showing up at a job site with a Fischer-Price tool set. Okay maybe I should switch to decaf…

 

[Sherpa FE]

Good ol hearts Homebrew. Good to know some things never change. If you are near new symurna. There is a good shop there. Good selection, clean and friendly.

 

[PanzerBanana]

Wow.

That's when you write the local paper and spread the word amongst local brewing clubs and organizations.

We have a local store that does a lot mail order and every time I go in, the owner is always talking beer or wine with someone.

Also if he were any sort of real brewer, he'd know honey wouldn't make the beer sweet.

That being said, I wouldn't put a full pound in a 5 gallon batch unless you've got enough malt to balance it out. The sugar completely ferments but the character of the honey still comes through. I just did that with my latest beer, and it's the only ingredient I need less of. lol It'll be drinkable but it is now beer with an strange hint of mead.

 

[CharlesB]

I just wish I had a local HBS. The nearest would probably be Austin Homebrew Supply or one of the stores in the DFW area, but both of them are just a little over 200 miles away.

 

[Flomaster]

I can tell a story about my local Pizza Hut....

they were offering those $5 Pizzamia Pizza's the photos on the internet and commercials would lead you to believe you get a good pizza for $5.00. well I ordered up 3 pizzas because it was like 3 for $15 or some deal: cheese, Pepperoni, and Sausage.

my wifes goes to pick them up and brings them home. The cheese pizza had spots where there was no cheese just sauce. the pepperoni and sausage had hardly any toppings.

I called and here is my conversation:

Me: Hello I'd like to speak to the manager.

Pizza hut: I am the manager

me: we just picked up 3 pizza's and the cheese pizza was lacking cheese and I could see the sauce in several places and the pepperoni and sausage pizzas were skimpy on toppings.

Pizzahut:what's your name let me look up your order

me:Jason

Pizzahut: oh ok you got the PizzaMia's what do you expect from a $5.00 pizza

me:well I expect a cheese pizza to at least have enough cheese to cover the entire thing. I will be contacting your corporate office about this. YOU HAVE LOST MY BUSINESS.

click....I hang up.

I then sent off an email to corporate explaining what had happened. I didn't even get a response from them. I have not gone to Pizza Hut since I have given my business to Domino's.

-=Jason=-

 

[dvdanny]

That is a sucky experience, and would have been unforgivable if it had (and probably has in the past) happened to a new brewer.

One of the LBHS I go to regularly makes majority of their sales from online sales breworganic.com. They are some of the most helpful and nicest people I have ever dealt with as far as any business is concerned in person, not just homebrew shops. Since they only carry organic supplies they would sometimes not carry something I needed for a brew, lactose or some specialty grains for example. They would glady tell me another homebrew store that would carry it or give me good tips on what to expect if I used an organic substitute that they did carry.

There was no excuse for that type of of treatment you got, if they hate dealing with people so much they should just go all virtual and ditch the store front all together. Either that or limit their operating hours like crazy, it'd increase their profits and prevent potential customers from ever having to deal with them.

 

[SwampassJ]

I can tell a story about my local Pizza Hut....

they were offering those $5 Pizzamia Pizza's the photos on the internet and commercials would lead you to believe you get a good pizza for $5.00. well I ordered up 3 pizzas because it was like 3 for $15 or some deal: cheese, Pepperoni, and Sausage.

my wifes goes to pick them up and brings them home. The cheese pizza had spots where there was no cheese just sauce. the pepperoni and sausage had hardly any toppings.

I called and here is my conversation:

Me: Hello I'd like to speak to the manager.

Pizza hut: I am the manager

me: we just picked up 3 pizza's and the cheese pizza was lacking cheese and I could see the sauce in several places and the pepperoni and sausage pizzas were skimpy on toppings.

Pizzahut:what's your name let me look up your order

me:Jason

Pizzahut: oh ok you got the PizzaMia's what do you expect from a $5.00 pizza

me:well I expect a cheese pizza to at least have enough cheese to cover the entire thing. I will be contacting your corporate office about this. YOU HAVE LOST MY BUSINESS.

click....I hang up.

I then sent off an email to corporate explaining what had happened. I didn't even get a response from them. I have not gone to Pizza Hut since I have given my business to Domino's.

-=Jason=-

You need to find a family of Italian descent. We all know where to find good pizza and run from the chains.

 

[MeatyPortion]

I can tell a story about my local Pizza Hut....

they were offering those $5 Pizzamia Pizza's the photos on the internet and commercials would lead you to believe you get a good pizza for $5.00. well I ordered up 3 pizzas because it was like 3 for $15 or some deal: cheese, Pepperoni, and Sausage.

my wifes goes to pick them up and brings them home. The cheese pizza had spots where there was no cheese just sauce. the pepperoni and sausage had hardly any toppings.

I called and here is my conversation:

Me: Hello I'd like to speak to the manager.

Pizza hut: I am the manager

me: we just picked up 3 pizza's and the cheese pizza was lacking cheese and I could see the sauce in several places and the pepperoni and sausage pizzas were skimpy on toppings.

Pizzahut:what's your name let me look up your order

me:Jason

Pizzahut: oh ok you got the PizzaMia's what do you expect from a $5.00 pizza

me:well I expect a cheese pizza to at least have enough cheese to cover the entire thing. I will be contacting your corporate office about this. YOU HAVE LOST MY BUSINESS.

click....I hang up.

I then sent off an email to corporate explaining what had happened. I didn't even get a response from them. I have not gone to Pizza Hut since I have given my business to Domino's.

-=Jason=-

Screw national pizza chains. Try this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/mash-tun-spent-grain-pizza-181644/

 

[Christafer11]

I know the problem your a bucs fan...hahah lol jk.....I am a raider fan so first off I would prob do something like that to you but in a fu*^ing with you type of way. But back to the subject 2 options find another lhbs or use the net. I moved from sacramento this past summer I didn't know it but I was spoiled had two shops there and both were great in their own ways but one was extreamly helpfull so I kept going back now I live in northern nevada and there is one here too and very helpful but very little selection so I have been shopping the net and it has helped me expand my knowledge and inspired new recipes and different ingreadents so it might be good to try the net.

 

[sudsmcgee]

Well, since this zombie is still daywalking, I'll also state that brew and grow in ROSELLE, IL has been great to me. Apparently the brew and grow stores really get it.