Good Homebrew shop in Maryland?

Headed that way in a little while. Figured I ask around to see if the group had a reccomendation!

I frequently go to Maryland homebrew in columbua MD. I thinks they're great. I gave visited Annapolis homebrew, it was lovely but I don't have enough experience with them to tell you if they're great or suck. There is also one in Frederick Md. The flying barrel I think. Never been. Those are thd only three I know of in Msryland

What part of MD are you looking?

I primarily use Maryland Home Brew in Columbia. Love that place. They always have what I need. Always busy in there, so I'm confident they're turning over inventory/ have fresh ingredients for me. any staff I've ever interacted with have been professional and seemed knowledgeable. Sometimes they seem a bit pricey but its worth it to me.

Flying Barrel in Frederick is a little smaller, but really nice guys there. They're right on my daily commute, so great for replacing the occasional broken hydrometer, etc.

I'm going to be somewhere in Anne Arundel county. Working on finding a place to rent. I hear its a good school district for the kids. Which one of those shops would work best for me? (Only have a vague notion that I'm going to be south of Baltimore... right?)

Annapolis Homebrew will be your closest. I've never been there, but know a few guys who have been and said good things.

Thks coldcrash, I appreciate the heads up. Now to bottle everything I've got going for the move...

Thanks captwalt for the insider scoop on Annapolis homebrew. I'll be checking them out when I arrive.

Haven't been to Annapolis home brew yet, it is new. I go to MD HB in Columbia quite a bit (too much). They have been around a long while and expanded. Both have internet presences that might give you a better idea of what both have to offer:

Columbia (MD)HB
Annapolis HB

The cool thing about the FLying Barrel is that they are a brew on premise shop, they are the closest to us and know what they are doing. WVMJ

Ok! Now that I'll be working just one job, I can take time and check them out. How about brewclubs? My sister sent me link for CSI in Baltimore, but do any of the clubs meet @ the shops? That's how my club here in CT does it.

I've been to both Maryland homebrew and Annapolis homebrew, they are both friendly, but the prices and selection seem to be better in annapolis. They have a wider variety of sizes there. A 6.9 bucket in annapolis is about 11.99 and a 7.9 bucket in Columbia is like 17.85. Lids sold separately.

Price does come into play! I love to make German whites, so a place that can offer a big selection interests me.

I go to the Flying Barrel in Frederick ('cuz I live there, Frederick, not the LHBS ) https://www.flyingbarrel.com/
They have a great assortment of grains, all $2/lb (milled for free, even when you purchase in bulk and come back only for specialty grains), plenty of equipment, and good advice. Prices are decent but I have no brick-and-mortar comparison.

Don't forget the new/recently opened Nepenthe Homebrew in Hampden. I've only been in there once, but they are starting a nice operation.

http://www.nepenthehomebrew.com/

Personally I'm always in Columbia, so Maryland Homebrew is the most convenient. They were the first homebrew store I went to, and they've always been really nice and helpful, so I'll be sticking with them for quite some time.

I also want to pull for Maryland Homebrew, as I used to live walking-distance from there and have never had a bad experience. However, Annapolis is also very good, nothing bad to say about them either! Whichever is closest to where you'll be is a good bet (both are fairly described as "South of Baltimore.")

Seems like lots of folks have good things to say about EVERY shop in MD! That's great, cause its not like that here in Connecticut. The guys @ Brew and Wine Hobby are awesome, but some other shops are not customer friendly.

Are any of the shops in MD hard to get to? The interstate highways seem really easy to use to get around.

I have only been to MD Homebrew in Columbia and Annapolis Home Brew in Severna Park. Personally, I prefer MD Homebrew. The staff seems a bit more knowledgeable and willing to help you out. Their prices on grain definitely beat annapolis home brew and they do more for the beer brewing community (offer 10% discount on everything if you are in a local homebrew club).

For purchasing bulk grain MDHB blows AHB out of the water. $10-$20 cheaper per sack depending on the grain.

MDHB stocks primarily White Labs yeast; while AHB stocks Wyeast. The one area give AHB a gold star is variety of grain. I often go down there when I want to buy a particular grain I know MDHB doesn't have, or if I want to use a specialty yeast that only Wyeast supplies.

I'm equidistant from MD Homebrew and Nepenthe Homebrew. I have only been to Nepenthe once, but go to MD Homebrew frequently, since I often have other errands nearby. I don't think you can go wrong with either store. Good selection, helpful staff who know how to be available when you need them without hovering over you when you don't need help.

... I have to go to a business meeting in Columbia tonight. It's about three miles away from the LHBS there so I thought I would stop by. Well, nice thought but of course they're closed on Tuesdays. Not that I needed anything pressingly anyway but I would have loved to visit another LHBS.

...and MyLHBS in Virgini; 6201 Leesburg Pike | Falls Church, VA 22044

It is right across the street from the Dogfish Head resturant.

http://www.dogfishalehouse.com/locations/dfha-fairfax

EDIT:

I dthink this is the right one 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA

DPBISME said:

...and MyLHBS in Virgini; 6201 Leesburg Pike | Falls Church, VA 22044

It is right across the street from the Dogfish Head resturant.

http://www.dogfishalehouse.com/locations/dfha-fairfax

EDIT:

I dthink this is the right one 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA

Click to expand...

I've got a brother in law in Richmond. Id love to get him brewing. Someday!