How many other Mass brewers are on here ?
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zachattack
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Strange Brew in Marlboro can have some good deals. I got 2 cut handle ball locks for $100, and they always run $15 off groupons so that brings it to $43/keg which isn't a bad deal at all. After an oxiclean soak and new o-rings they'll do the job. You'll want to order a bunch of o-rings from McMaster if you go this route, but you'll want to do that regardless.
Strange Brew is an interesting place. They have a huge variety of stock, but it's incredibly unorganized and they're often out of basic things like airlocks, popular hops or yeast strains, etc. The employees are always cheerful and helpful but that place could really benefit from a serious organizational overhaul (at least the grain section) and a computerized inventory system.
I have had great experiences with Strange Brew. They even had some obscure hops that I was looking for!
zachattack
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I agree on the helpfulness of the employees. They are very nice. Also, the prices are great for a local shop, especially with the perpetual Groupon deals. I definitely haven't had a "problem" there either, but compared to other homebrew shops I've shopped at their grain section is complete chaos. Half-empty 1 lb bags of grain everywhere, a mill that's constantly out of whack because the gap adjustment is on the front and people accidentally tweak it all the time, things like that. I've bought grain there many times, and every single time I need an employee to help me find certain grains because they're never where they were the last time. Maybe it's just me!
I will continue to shop there because I like the prices and employees, they have a good selection, and to be honest it's the only shop near me. But I really miss Modern Homebrew in Cambridge, with neat rows of clean tupperware containers, clear labels for all the grain, and a mill that always gave me a repeatable crush.
Maybe I just need to get some more experience in that grain area! It's clear that I'm the only one that dislikes the chaos
Ultimately, I'm happy to support a local shop. And regardless, they do have a huge stock of kegs and supplies. I think the even do CO2 fills on the spot.
zachattack
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To be fair it's my only homebrew shop so I know not of your magical Cambridge shoppe, does sound awesome. But this is why I joined the grain buy organized by crazyirishman and bought a mill.
I need a mill
I see all these other people posting about inconsistent LHBS mills, and I had such good consistent results at Modern Homebrew and thought they were all crazy. Then I moved out of the city and now I see what they mean!This is a picture from Yelp showing what the grain area at Modern Homebrew looked like. I just wish all stores could be this organized! It definitely was pricier than Strange Brew though. So I should stop my whining
Cambridge here.
Do yourself a favor and check out Boston Homebrew Supply in Coolidge Corner:
http://www.bostonhomebrewsupply.com/
Do yourself a favor and check out Boston Homebrew Supply in Coolidge Corner:
http://www.bostonhomebrewsupply.com/
zachattack
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Cambridge here.
If you've been going to Modern, do yourself a favor and check out Boston Homebrew Supply in Coolidge Corner:
http://www.bostonhomebrewsupply.com/
For comparison, the grain rack at BHS:
Boston Homebrew Supply has:
A better grain selection (good luck getting melanoidin, acidulated, caramunich, etc. at Modern), a MUCH better mill, way more in the way of hops (Hop Union at that, compared to the no-name bulk stuff in the plastic bags at Modern that they don't even bother to vacuum pack), good yeast selection (slightly less yeast variety than Modern but it tends to be fresher), MUCH cleaner (you need a respirator going into Modern), and to top it off the owner Josh is just an incredibly nice, humble, and knowledgeable guy (he used to brew professionally for Boston Beer Works). I tend to get an Android's Dungeon vibe from Modern.
Holy crap that's organized. I live out in the 'burbs now so there's no way I'd made it to Brookline. But to be fair I saw all those grains every time I was at Modern, and I see them every time at Strange Brew. I buy caramunich and melanoidin all the time, haven't needed acidulated yet but it's right there at both shops. I don't think of any of them as being rare or hard to find. I think the only grain I couldn't find locally once was golden naked oats.
But I've never seen a grain section that clean looking, that's awesome. I guess you never know how unorganized your shop's grain section is until someone posts a cleaner one
Holy crap that's organized. I live out in the 'burbs now so there's no way I'd made it to Brookline. But to be fair I saw all those grains every time I was at Modern, and I see them every time at Strange Brew. I buy caramunich and melanoidin all the time, haven't needed acidulated yet but it's right there at both shops. I don't think of any of them as being rare or hard to find. I think the only grain I couldn't find locally once was golden naked oats.
But I've never seen a grain section that clean looking, that's awesome. I guess you never know how unorganized your shop's grain section is until someone posts a cleaner one
You could very well be right, I haven't bought grain there in a long time. But yes, BHS is easily the cleanest and most well-organized brew shop I've ever seen.
OP
OP
It's been some time since i was on HBT...now I'm back ! I had to change all of my brewing equipment, to include a new stand. This was built by a guy name Andy Liberty....he added everything I wanted and the price was amazing!
smurfjuice
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Isn't that pronounced " Mefah' " ?? Norton here ...
Hey Blue Guy... Where've you been?
Seriously? Me too! I'm always up for a brewing buddy.
sensortech
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Another from Wilbraham.
smurfjuice
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Hiding out in the hollow tree ... how ya be ??
Not bad. Miss seeing you around.
Sweetwort-Hopkins
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New Bedford here.. Cheers all!!
OP
OP
So, my new stand is being shipped as I type....if anyone is around when it gets inand wants to brew, lets do it! it's being shipped to rapscallion Brewery in Sturbridge (30 min west of worcester). All are welcome. I'm sure the guys from the brewery will be on board.
cheer,
kris
cheer,
kris
