Midwest Supply

[MX1]

Never liked using them, but they had a deal on the 1 gallon glass Big Mouth Bubbler, placed order on the 26th
As of this morning still says unfulfilled....anyone have an idea on a timeline before they usually send out orders that are paid for?

 

[lumpher]

When people contact them, they respond that they are very shorthanded, and orders usually take 7-10 days to go out now.

 

[aceluby]

My last order took 3 weeks

 

[easttex]

My last order took 3 weeks

So don't order liquid yeast from them, got it!

 

[lumpher]

My last order took 3 weeks

Ouch... Seems they've slowed down even more. Looks like if you want to brew on New Years Day, better get your order in soon if you're ordering from them.

 

[MX1]

yeah, I will just pay more elsewhere, I have never liked them or NB for that matter

 

[Teufelhunde]

Never liked using them, but they had a deal on the 1 gallon glass Big Mouth Bubbler, placed order on the 26th
As of this morning still says unfulfilled....anyone have an idea on a timeline before they usually send out orders that are paid for?

Their orders are fulfilled, if I am not mistaken, by Norther Brewer. NB (or their parent company) if I am not mistaken, has recently acquired two other smaller mail order brewstores, Adventures in Homebrewing, and the other one slips my feeble mind at the moment. Rumor has it that they closed the operations they purchased, fired all of the employees, and moved their operations to the Norther Brewer facility. As you can imagine, that place a HUGE load on that facility, and with the current labor market, and employers not willing to pay enough to make it worth folks time to work for them, they are WAAAAAAAYYYY behind(and even if they do now have the employees for the extra load, training and integrating them into the workflow takes times, and has growing pains).

I did recently complete an order with NB, and it took like 10 days for it to ship. I would have gone elsewhere, but the items I was ordering were exclusive to NB and Midwest Supply. The order prior to that with them I cancelled due to the shipping delay. I ordered it from Morebeer.com and had it on my porch in 3 working days (cheaper too).

Needless to say that, except in the case of something not available elsewhere, NB will see no more of my hard earned money.

YMMV

Lon

 

[MX1]

I wanted the glass one gallon fermentor....I guess it will get here when it gets here,but I will move on to something else...mylocal does not carry them or I wold have bought from there

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I placed a NB order on the 20th, it finally shipped yesterday. 11 days.

 

[Neldog0]

I have bought from Northern Brewer & Midwest Supplies for years. I think if you source their holding company, you would find a major Brewery. I have also found shipping issues with AIH, Northern Brewer, & Midwest. All three have been sending me a boat load of deals & coupons lately. That seems to be their method of building their backlog. Not good those of us with tight brewing schedules.
I have spent some time reviewing More Beer & I see great promise in making a move to this source.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I wanted the glass one gallon fermentor....I guess it will get here when it gets here,but I will move on to something else...mylocal does not carry them or I wold have bought from there

Starting in about 2019 ...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/1-gallon-brewers-unite.311884/
... has a number of discussions on small batch fermenter alternatives.

At the time, there apparently were alternative sources for the 1.4-ish gal glass container.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

FWIW:

• I don't work in the home brewing industry;
• I buy from multiple sources;
• I maintain a mini-LHBS in my basement sufficiently stocked with a variety ingredients for the next three or four batches.

 

[Dancy]

NB and MS are local to me and they’re only game in town so selfishly speaking, I want them to succeed. I wish for everyone’s sake they’d figure out their shipping problems. When I stop by MS, I find them well stocked with a variety of merchandise and generally helpful, though not exceedingly so. Yes, the prices can be high but I don’t pay shipping and I don’t have to wait. However, I do give some business to Atlantic Brew Supply and More Beer. Home brewing appears to me to have rather limited popularity relative to some hobbies so it seems there is a weeding out of retailers. I wish that wasn’t the case but if I want to do the hobby, I’ll take whatever supplier I can. It has to be tough when you aren’t near a more populated area.

 

[mbauer013]

I live within a mile of MWS, so I go there a lot, none of this has bugged me personally because of that fact until recently. Even the retail store is now getting some supply delays, like an 8 oz bag of EKG was not available so I had to get 2 1 oz bags for just a buck less thant the 8 oz would have cost. But they always have a sign up for help, so I know they are hurting on the employee side.

 

[kartracer2]

I think if you source their holding company, you would find a major Brewery

That hasn't been the case for several years. AB Inbev (actually one of it's tentacles) sold it's stake to another holding co. called "Black Street" or something like that. One of the original owners of NB is on it's board if I understand it right.
As far as ordering time sensitive supply's, (ie, liquid yeast) i don't think your box is sitting on the dock waiting for a truck. The last order I made, once "fulfilled", shipping was the same, next day for me.
I hope they get the situ figured out soon, ol'e mother hubbard's cupboard's are getting low and need resupplying soon. I have been wanting to try a couple of the AIH recipe kits.
Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[aceluby]

NB and MS are local to me and they’re only game in town so selfishly speaking, I want them to succeed. I wish for everyone’s sake they’d figure out their shipping problems. When I stop by MS, I find them well stocked with a variety of merchandise and generally helpful, though not exceedingly so. Yes, the prices can be high but I don’t pay shipping and I don’t have to wait. However, I do give some business to Atlantic Brew Supply and More Beer. Home brewing appears to me to have rather limited popularity relative to some hobbies so it seems there is a weeding out of retailers. I wish that wasn’t the case but if I want to do the hobby, I’ll take whatever supplier I can. It has to be tough when you aren’t near a more populated area.

If you have a chance, you should stop by Beer Meister in Plymouth. Tiny, tiny little store that I think is run by one guy - at least the same guy is always there when I stop in. The only thing I don't shop there for is bulk grain, but other than that he's had ~95% of what I'm looking for at similar or cheaper prices than NB and MW. It's worth at least checking out.

 

[Dancy]

If you have a chance, you should stop by Beer Meister in Plymouth. Tiny, tiny little store that I think is run by one guy -

Hey, thanks for that! I’ll definitely check him out

 

[BrewZer]

HBYOB near Dayton, OH, will ship. Prices are pretty reasonable.

Not a paid endorsement, but I shop there and I've been satisfied with the stuff I get.

 

[aceluby]

Hey, thanks for that! I’ll definitely check him out

He also does 5 pound CO2 swaps if you keg for $20

 

[beren]

Damn thats a good price.

 

[Draft Master Flash]

I no longer do business with any company affiliated with Northern Brewer. For everyone who is I have found a replacement online store for. I got tired of Northern Brewer's poor excuses and it's no longer worth the hassle regardless of what kind of bargain emails they may send me. You shouldn't have to beg for them to ship your order.


DMF

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I no longer do business with any company affiliated with ...

You do you.

For me, the Midwest Supplies and Northern Brewer in-person stores are a viable option when my travels take me to that portion of those cities.

---

eta: There are a number of us here who are maintaining a "in house mini-LHBS" where we stock enough ingredients to brew what we like when we want - without worrying about businesses being short staffed or delays in shipping.

Curious? Ask the question on how to do it as a new topic.

 

[Dancy]

You do you.

For me, the Midwest Supplies and Northern Brewer in-person stores are a viable option when my travels take me to that portion of this cities.

Exactly. I live in the Twin Cities and both stores are terrific options for me. Pretty much all I need is there with an occasional exception. I’m sorry they aren’t perfect for everyone but I’m glad they’re here.

Curious? Ask the question on how to do it as a new topic.

 

[aceluby]

Yes, they both have got a great grain room with average to good in-store customer service.

They also run a pretty bad online business, routinely mislead about shipping times while ordering, have no phone number to call an actual person, can have pretty bad replies to emails, and don’t seem to do any thing about any of it besides a $10 off your next order coupon.

It sucks knowing how good their stores are when their online portion is run so poorly. I hope they can survive in this day and age just on in-person sales, because as others here have stated, the store is pretty great

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

They also run a pretty bad online business, routinely mislead about shipping times while ordering, have no phone number to call an actual person, can have pretty bad replies to emails, and don’t seem to do any thing about any of it besides a $10 off your next order coupon.

Based on the anecdotal stories told here [various current topics at HomeBrewTalk], which are pretty much all negative, that is an obvious assessment.

Whether or not it is the whole story may be a little harder to discover.

It doesn't take much effort to stock an mini-in-home-LHBS to account for the current economic environment.

 

[Beermeister32]

Supply chains have affected all items everywhere in 2021/22, not only beer supplies. I can’t imagine trying to keep all the items listed in stock the past few years. Covid, people shortages, nobody coming back to work, fuel and materials shortages. It goes on and on. Different industry, even steel drums and buckets in short supply this past year. Affects every item, up and down the supply chain. Months and months wait on chemicals. Everything is a mess.

 

[Saunassa]

Exactly. I live in the Twin Cities and both stores are terrific options for me. Pretty much all I need is there with an occasional exception. I’m sorry they aren’t perfect for everyone but I’m glad they’re here.

There used to be a good lhbs on the north side of the twin cities but the owners wanted to retire and got a very good offer for the building.

That left mws and nb as the main ones for me anytime I am in the Twin Cities. For me shipping has been fairly quick but then again I am 'local' at 130 miles.
If I need supplies quickly then I can drive 50 miles north to a lhbs on the Iron Range. I just tell the wife I am going grocery shopping which I do as a cover

 

[kartracer2]

I have bought a lot of stuff from NB/MWS in the past. No problems with any order until they took over AIH/AHS. Now that's not to say it's the reason but it fits the time line in my case. I still have a feeling that AIH might not have been the in the best shape when they bought it and it's taking more time/effort to right the ship and still keep the brand afloat.
I'm pretty sure they don't want unhappy customers so I'm guessing they are doing the best they can. NB/MWS didn't get to be such a big player by making ppl mad with bad service.
I guess I'm lucky as I have stock laid up of several boxed kits, bags of DME, some hops and way more dry yeast than I should have in the fridge. If I absolutely needed something right now, I would shop someplace else for the time being I guess, plenty of options out there. YMMV.

Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[MX1]

woke up this morning and my order was still unfulfilled and unshipped, and I had an email from google to provide a review, so I did.
1 star with my honest feelings and truth of the situation.

Then, after work, I got a notification that my order has shipped.....how funny

T

 

[tracer bullet]

I ordered some extra fermenter bits from them a week or so ago, stuff I didn't really even need just wanted backups. They just sent me a $10 off my next order coupon without me prompting them. So - it's not all bad.

 

[MX1]

Shipment arrived yesterday, 2 1 gallon fermenters...stoppers just thrown into the box among the bubble packing...
Never again

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

On Tuesday ...

after work, I got a notification that my order has shipped

On Friday ...

Shipment arrived yesterday [Thursday]

Two day shipping from MN to CO.

 

[tracer bullet]

stoppers just thrown into the box among the bubble packing...

I actually don't see an issue with that... Any additional packaging for them seems like a waste of packaging.

 

[MX1]

On Tuesday ...


On Friday ...


Two day shipping from MN to CO.

yeah, it got here fast

 

[MX1]

I actually don't see an issue with that... Any additional packaging for them seems like a waste of packaging.

guess it was a good thing I looked through all the packing in the box, I guess it was much better than putting them in the fermenter box so they didnt get lost

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Shipment arrived yesterday, 2 1 gallon fermenters...stoppers just thrown into the box among the bubble packing...
Never again

Have you ever ordered anything shipped by Amazon?

Also, stoppers are not breakable.

 

[aceluby]

guess it was a good thing I looked through all the packing in the box, I guess it was much better than putting them in the fermenter box so they didnt get lost

It's a separate item. I'm not a fan of their shipping, but this feels like an unrealistic complaint. I've never ordered a few things and had the shipper open the box to one of the items and throw other items into that box.

 

[MX1]

It's a separate item. I'm not a fan of their shipping, but this feels like an unrealistic complaint. I've never ordered a few things and had the shipper open the box to one of the items and throw other items into that box.

Unrealistic? Expecting my items to be separated from the general packing materials, by something as simple as a small bag or envelope so they do not get tossed...you and I may have different definitions of the word.
But in the end, all is well that ends well, and I have new information to make informed choices with.

 

[MX1]

Have you ever ordered anything shipped by Amazon?

Also, stoppers are not breakable.

This a pure troll question and you know it....
but no.....Amazon will not deliver to the rock I live under

 

[Dancy]

Unrealistic? Expecting my items to be separated from the general packing materials, by something as simple as a small bag or envelope so they do not get tossed...

I do think that’s fair, and had the same sort of experience with a different supplier. I’ve learned to wade through all the packing material of any package I receive. I have to say though that with the dwindling supply of home brew shops, I’m not gonna cross one off my list for that.