49 replies to this topic

[Bklmt2000]

That is sort of the issue at one of my places.  You walk in and there are people standing around everywhere.  There might be a person helping someone with a question about wine while another person is at the register and another person is in the back weighing out hops or grain and packaging.  But there is no system.  You don't know that you need to go into [what is essentially] the backroom and tell the guy back there that you need 20 pounds of this, 15 pounds of that, etc.  So you walk in and get your head straight and maybe walk to the cashier to ask how things work and meanwhile 5 or 6 people walk in behind you and get waited on first which might actually happen even if you DID know what was up because the guy in the back doesn't know who came in first.  They need a numbering system or something.  

 

Forgot to add before: all of the grain-weighing at my former LHBS is 100% self-serve. 

 

Whatever grain you want, you weigh it out yourself and bag it yourself, as several other people are doing the same thing, at the same time you are, with one, and only one, scale for everyone to use.  A major PITA for all-grain brewers, IMO.

 

Not a great system.

[Big Nake]

Forgot to add before: all of the grain-weighing at my former LHBS is 100% self-serve. 

 

Whatever grain you want, you weigh it out yourself and bag it yourself, as several other people are doing the same thing, at the same time you are, with one, and only one, scale for everyone to use.  A major PITA for all-grain brewers, IMO.

 

Not a great system.

No, that's not great.  My example is like going to the grocery store deli counter but there's no "take a number" so no one knows whose turn it is.  That's one reason the one place with prepackaged grain is pretty nice... just grab, pay and go.  Also, that's the only place that will sell you a full sack.  Here's the thing about it:  Do it well or suffer the consequences.  If people walk in and see that the place is in disarray and that they'll be there for 90 minutes and they walk out... that's how it goes.  I do buy locally and I enjoy the back-and-forth with the employees and other customers but I also buy online.

[gnef]

I only shop at the LHBS when I absolutely have to. The one I frequent the most is really just for liquid yeast and specialty grains to restock when I get low - I store my specialty grain in the usplastics 1 gallon screw top containers that hold about 4 pounds of grain, and I keep around 20 or so different kinds on hand.

 

There is one LHBS that is further out that is the official sponser of the club. The owners came to every meeting at the beginning to get our support, but now hasn't been around in years, and the prices are getting higher, and the customer service isn't great. We are now forced to go through him for our bulk grain buy, and he isn't that accommodating - he doesn't want to let any of the grain from the pallet in the store, so we have to pick it up the day it is delivered to him, and one time he didn't tell us when to expect the grain to arrive until it was already delivered to him, and some of us couldn't go by the close of business for him. Overall, I'm not that happy that we have to deal with him for our bulk grain buy, I wish North Country malt was still on its own to purchase directly through them, but those days seem to be long gone.

 

like others have mentioned, I'm also getting more small equipment through amazon now too, which has been awesome. When I was building my electric system, I bought a good amount through Amazon, and now when there is a random gadget that I want, Amazon tends to be one of the first places I look.

[Big Nake]

Another thought (if it wasn't mentioned) is that a local supplier used to have some amount of importance when it came to liquid yeast. That could still be true but with dry yeast getting better and with there being more choices, it's easier than ever to quit your local supplier especially if you don't care for them.  The web has truly made it survival of the fittest and with 2-day shipping on Amazon Prime items, even liquid yeast could easily be ordered online although I seem to notice that some Amazon homebrewing items have their prices jacked a little bit.  I'm at the point of: Label peelers for large grain buys, an online hop sale for pellets (the famous 5 pounds of fresh Hallertau for $5 will go down in history) and one of my local suppliers (about 15 minutes away) for smaller grain purchases, yeast and things like whirfloc, lactic acid, calcium chloride and sulfate, BTB, etc.  With so many options, be good or be gone. 

[jayb151]

 (the famous 5 pounds of fresh Hallertau for $5 will go down in history)

 

Geez that's crazy pricing!

 

I'm with you though. My LHBS is kind of crappy, so I only go there when I "have" to. Once I get a mill, I'll use LP for bulk grain. I bought one sack from the local guys and I never realized how freaking convenient it is to have grain laying around!

 

LP seems to have pretty much everything I could want and the guys are super nice!

 

It's crazy to me that 5-6 years ago I was adamant LHBS-only kind of guy. I wonder if that attitude is what lead a bunch of sub par stores to open and survive long enough to lose customers?

[Bklmt2000]

Geez that's crazy pricing!

 

I'm with you though. My LHBS is kind of crappy, so I only go there when I "have" to. Once I get a mill, I'll use LP for bulk grain. I bought one sack from the local guys and I never realized how freaking convenient it is to have grain laying around!

 

LP seems to have pretty much everything I could want and the guys are super nice!

 

It's crazy to me that 5-6 years ago I was adamant LHBS-only kind of guy. I wonder if that attitude is what lead a bunch of sub par stores to open and survive long enough to lose customers?

 

Having your own mill is one of the most useful upgrades a brewer can make; kinda spendy, but if you get a good mill, you only cry once.

 

And for grain storage, I'd suggest looking into Vittles Vaults on Amazon.  I have 6, and the ones I bought each hold a 55lb bag of grain with a little room to spare.

[HVB]

(the famous 5 pounds of fresh Hallertau for $5 will go down in history)

I still laugh that I tipped that deal and only received 1# till I contacted them.

[Big Nake]

I still laugh that I tipped that deal and only received 1# till I contacted them.

I still say that was an 'internet pricing' goof. 
 

Geez that's crazy pricing!

JB, long story short... someone was having a "$5 per pound" hop sale (HopUnion? I forget) and Drez checked it out and when he chose 5 lbs the price stayed at $5... it didn't go to $25. IIRC, he contacted them to tell them that the pricing looked like it was not working and they got back to him saying, "No, it's working just fine!".  So we were all kind of hee hee and ordered up a bunch of hops.  I ordered a pound of Magnum, Styrian Goldings, Crystal and FIVE pounds of Hallertau for an unbelievable $20 total.  The Hallertau was like 6¢ an ounce!   I can't remember what everyone else ordered but Hallertau is a hop I'm going to use a lot so it was a beautiful thing.  It also prompted me to pick up a vacuum sealer so I could make sure they stayed fresh.    

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

Having your own mill is one of the most useful upgrades a brewer can make; kinda spendy, but if you get a good mill, you only cry once.

And for grain storage, I'd suggest looking into Vittles Vaults on Amazon. I have 6, and the ones I bought each hold a 55lb bag of grain with a little room to spare.

I use 5 gallon buckets from your favorite big box hardware store with gama seal lids (2 piece screw top lids). Also took one from doomsday preppers; while using buckets, store the grain inside with 10 mil mylar bags with 2000cc silica pack (think of that little white pack in your beef jerky) that eliminates oxygen. Ive stored grain up to two years without becoming glassy.

[neddles]

I still say that was an 'internet pricing' goof.

JB, long story short... someone was having a "$5 per pound" hop sale (HopUnion? I forget) and Drez checked it out and when he chose 5 lbs the price stayed at $5... it didn't go to $25. IIRC, he contacted them to tell them that the pricing looked like it was not working and they got back to him saying, "No, it's working just fine!". So we were all kind of hee hee and ordered up a bunch of hops. I ordered a pound of Magnum, Styrian Goldings, Crystal and FIVE pounds of Hallertau for an unbelievable $20 total. The Hallertau was like 6¢ an ounce! I can't remember what everyone else ordered but Hallertau is a hop I'm going to use a lot so it was a beautiful thing. It also prompted me to pick up a vacuum sealer so I could make sure they stayed fresh.

Hops Direct