Greetings from San Diego, CA

[Commander_Nate]

Checking in from San Diego by way of Lake Elsinore. I've lived in SD for about 4 years now and just got into homebrewing a few months ago with a friend of mine. What can I say, college and the abundance of microbreweries down here inspired us!

So far, we've been going to Home Brew Mart (run by the folks of Ballast Point) for all of our needs and they've been a real help. We've made a Heff and an Imperial Stout in our first two tries. I've been considering making the trip up to Stone as well for their meetings after talking to one of their waiters during my last visit there.

Looking forward to branching off into my own recipies and whatnot once I'm out of the newbie stage. I also look forward to soaking up all of the wisdom you more experienced folk have.

Prost!

 

[arturo7]

What's up Nate? Welcome to HBT!

 

[shanecb]

Welcome to the board!!

 

[Whut]

Greetings and welcome to the obsession. Now then, turn over all your finances to your significant other before you spend every spare dime on this passion.

 

[Chap]

Welcome Nate. I'm in SD as well and frequent Ballast Point waaaay too often. Welcome to the addiction.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Welcome to the boards. Lots of great experience here. Just about anything you can think of has been bantied around here at one time or another.

I've been down to San Diego and to Brew Mart and Stone Brewery. We have lots of good breweries and HB shops up in Seattle, still, consider yourself lucky to have such a fine HB shop and world class brewery in your back yeard.

Cheers

 

[Commander_Nate]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Question to you fellow San Diego/So-Cal natives - What are some other supply shops you guys visit? I'm just curious in case I run into a situation where I can't find an ingredient or the place by me doesn't carry it.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Question to you fellow San Diego/So-Cal natives - What are some other supply shops you guys visit? I'm just curious in case I run into a situation where I can't find an ingredient or the place by me doesn't carry it.

Home Brew Mart is my go to supplier. If they don't have it, there's not much chance another store will have it. I don't buy equipment there and I don't buy hops there because they're way too expensive, so I order them online. I've been frequenting Home Brews and Gardens in North Park because it is close to where I live and when I need something small (think hydrometer, not ingredients), they typically have it. I still get all my grain at HBM because I like it there.

For anything that HBM doesn't have, I typically buy it online.

There's American Home Brew Supply in Kearney Mesa, but if you ever go there, when you come back to this thread you can tell me I was right when I said to avoid it. The guy who runs it is WEIRD, and I don't think he stocks the freshest products.

Hydrobrew in Oceanside exists, too, but if you're going to HBM, you're probably more centrally located.

Anyhow, welcome to San Diego. If you need anything, feel free to message me. I know the lay of the land pretty well and I've been brewing long enough to pretend I know what I'm talking about. You can click that link in my signature, too. That's our little homebrew club. We don't meet THAT often because there's like 12 of us, but we do share a lot of ideas, and everyone is pretty nice, albeit sarcastic as hell.

 

[Commander_Nate]

Home Brew Mart is my go to supplier. If they don't have it, there's not much chance another store will have it. I don't buy equipment there and I don't buy hops there because they're way too expensive, so I order them online. I've been frequenting Home Brews and Gardens in North Park because it is close to where I live and when I need something small (think hydrometer, not ingredients), they typically have it. I still get all my grain at HBM because I like it there.

For anything that HBM doesn't have, I typically buy it online.

There's American Home Brew Supply in Kearney Mesa, but if you ever go there, when you come back to this thread you can tell me I was right when I said to avoid it. The guy who runs it is WEIRD, and I don't think he stocks the freshest products.

Hydrobrew in Oceanside exists, too, but if you're going to HBM, you're probably more centrally located.

Anyhow, welcome to San Diego. If you need anything, feel free to message me. I know the lay of the land pretty well and I've been brewing long enough to pretend I know what I'm talking about. You can click that link in my signature, too. That's our little homebrew club. We don't meet THAT often because there's like 12 of us, but we do share a lot of ideas, and everyone is pretty nice, albeit sarcastic as hell.

Cool, thanks!

I live in PB so HBM is pretty much the closest to me. For some reason your sig didn't post or I can't see it. Mind posting the link to your club? I may be interested in popping by or sending you guys a question or something at some point.

 

[swinginchandra]

Hey,
I'm a newbie rom San Diego aswell.

I will say that I think home brew and gardens in north park has cheaper hops than home brew mart - like a third the price.

 

[prey]

welcome! homebrewmart is really an awesome place. has all the things you need not to mention those tasty $1 beer samplers you can have at their bar!
I'm in the La Jolla/PB area btw

 

[Gremlyn]

Hey,
I'm a newbie rom San Diego aswell.

I will say that I think home brew and gardens in north park has cheaper hops than home brew mart - like a third the price.

They also don't keep them vacuum sealed and protected from light (at least not last I was there). If they aren't vacuum sealed and in a freezer, I wouldn't buy them.

Welcome Nate!

 

[carnevoodoo]

They also don't keep them vacuum sealed and protected from light (at least not last I was there). If they aren't vacuum sealed and in a freezer, I wouldn't buy them.

Welcome Nate!

I agree with that. Until they decide to start packaging their hops properly, I won't touch them. But I buy enough that I get 3-5 pounds every time I buy, so in bulk is best for me. Maybe I'll go talk to the Home Brews and Gardens guys again about hops storage.

And Nate... http://chugsd.com is our site. Look around and see what you think!

 

[Commander_Nate]

Sweet, thanks for the info guys!

 

[swinginchandra]

**standard n00b disclaimer applies*

I was there pretty recently, and they had some of them vacuum sealed (and refrigerated), and some of them just in ziplock bags. I bought the ones that were vacuum sealed - 1 ounce package of cascade for about $1.50. - That's 3 dollars for 2 ounces.
I think Home Brew Mart is about $6 ~ $7 for 2 ounces?

I know we should start ordering online in more bulk at some point, but for now that's much more reasonable a cost, specially if a recipe has a lot of different varieties of hops! (We still get everything else at HBM)

Although it's probably pretty hit or miss whether they have the variety you want vacuum sealed... we've been calling ahead to make sure before we drive down there!

edit: sorry, I forgot your comment regarding protected from light - they were vacuum sealed in a dark greenish plastic, I think. If I'm remembering correctly offhand, HBM's pellets are in clear plastic - but their plugs are in more light impervious material?

 

[carnevoodoo]

**standard n00b disclaimer applies*

I was there pretty recently, and they had some of them vacuum sealed (and refrigerated), and some of them just in ziplock bags. I bought the ones that were vacuum sealed - 1 ounce package of cascade for about $1.50. - That's 3 dollars for 2 ounces.
I think Home Brew Mart is about $6 ~ $7 for 2 ounces?

I know we should start ordering online in more bulk at some point, but for now that's much more reasonable a cost, specially if a recipe has a lot of different varieties of hops! (We still get everything else at HBM)

Although it's probably pretty hit or miss whether they have the variety you want vacuum sealed... we've been calling ahead to make sure before we drive down there!

edit: sorry, I forgot your comment regarding protected from light - they were vacuum sealed in a dark greenish plastic, I think. If I'm remembering correctly offhand, HBM's pellets are in clear plastic - but their plugs are in more light impervious material?

I don't worry about light so much. Indirect light won't **** up hops that quick and if the store is moving through them, it'll never matter. But oxygen is a definite issue, and something to look out for. If they have hops in airtight bags, that's a big step up.

I like those guys, so I hope they do well and I'd like to buy local and cheap. Otherwise, cheap hops guy and nikobrew and a couple other vendors get my business.