Homergah
Only I didn't say fudge
If the vendor is not stating crop year, be suspicious, and ask. Morebeer will NOT tell you the crop year. I have asked them repeatedly, the answer is always "we are unable to supply crop year". No thanks.
Online homebrew shop?
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Soulshine2
Well-Known Member
Ok, tried Morebeer. Got some crushed grains from them and I have to say absolutly terrible!! Crush was so coarse I was at about 40% efficiency. I sent them a photo and they told me that is how it was supposed to be and the grains are pre-crushed.
When I get a mill I may try them again
On the other hand I LOVE my fermonster.
When I get a mill I may try them again
On the other hand I LOVE my fermonster.
Homergah
Only I didn't say fudge
Yep. Not a big fan. Those guys have screwed me too many times.
Dgallo
Instagram: bantam_brews
Farmhouse brewing supply. They are getting pretty busy now so sometimes it takes them 2 days to fill the order but they crush grain at time they fill the order and they even double mill for like $0.10 more a lb. so far they have the most consistent crush and efficiency that I’ve gotten from online
I've always had good experiences buying uncrushed grain from Morebeer. I don't brew often enough to buy malt by the sack, so it's nice to get 1lb and 10lb bags of grains for much less than my LHBS charges. I plan ahead for the next couple brews and order just what I need. And free shipping for >$59.
Get a mill and give them another chance.
Good info re ingredient quality above.
Very surprised by prices tho. I'm in Canada and order online from a bricks and mortar shop. I pay less in Canadian $$ for top quality fresh ingredients than the prices at those big US online shops. Given the exchange rate and that most ingredients are from US (ex. Briess, Yakima Chief), I gotta conclude you guys are getting gouged.
Very surprised by prices tho. I'm in Canada and order online from a bricks and mortar shop. I pay less in Canadian $$ for top quality fresh ingredients than the prices at those big US online shops. Given the exchange rate and that most ingredients are from US (ex. Briess, Yakima Chief), I gotta conclude you guys are getting gouged.
You're probably closer to the source (just guessing).
WaltG, I buy malt from MoreBeer, and I have never had a problem. But I nearly always buy uncrushed, in 50-55 lb. bags, or smaller quantities of character malts. It could just be the particular MoreBeer location you bought from that isn't keeping tabs on their crush/mill gap setting. In any case, they should make it right! If they don't, tell them thay are going to lose a customer. I buy or order from the closest one to me here in Nor Cal. Since I bought my own grain mill, I could never imagine going back to buying pre-crushed grains. I have infinite control of the crush, and can add fresh crushed grains to my mash. Anyway, I hope you get it worked out.
I'm up im Redding. This is the response.
That is a very poor response. From the picture, if that is what they look for you are not the only one who will have problems. I would write again including the picture and ask that it is looked at by the manager of the store. It may have been a response by the manager, who knows. He is right that there are many factors that will cause problems. But, crush is the #1 problem in most cases.
If they hold to that story without acknowledging that the problem could be from their end, let them know that you will no longer be a customer, and that it is true that a satisfied customer will tell a couple, a dissatisfied customer will tell many.
This is, IMO, very surprising from MoreBeer. Simply tell them you are not happy. When these types of things happened to me in the past MoreBeer quickly and conveniently rectified.
MoreBeer corporate would probably be a good source to contact. I'm sure that they don't want to be represented poorly.
Those are good guys and have quite a selection.
That is incorrect, sorry.
And distance to source wouldn't explain why I pay approx 65% of big online supply prices. Trust me, things in Canada are almost always more expensive than US.
Dgallo
Instagram: bantam_brews
Distance to source would certainly have a good part in the cost. Shipping is always an added cost in distribution of any good especially of agriculture due to avoiding spoilage; ask anyone of those who farm on here or in my case come from a nursery background. At final retail cost, shipping has increased the cost by 15-25%. Then after that is taxes on the good, especially if it crosses state lines and more so if it is imported from their countries. Those would be the added cost. 65% less is a huge number. Mind sharing the name of the local HB shop in Canada you get your ingredients from?
davidabcd
Detroit, Mi.
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plus one for adventures in homebrewing. If the shipping costs are still decent, depending on you locale, they are quite good to deal with.
Good luck.
I didn't state 65% less, I said 65% of big US online shop prices (factoring in the 75% CDN $). Also, the 65% is the shop's posted prices vs big online posted prices, shipping and taxes not included. As exchange rates, cross border shipping and taxes are difficult to compare for countless scenarios I was only comparing posted ingredient prices.
As for name of shop, I have no connection to them or know if they want more business/their business model/etc so I won't name shop - don't feel it's my place to do so. I will state that the brick and mortar location is in western Canada, if you want to do a search.
Also, I'm guessing that even if the shop does ship to US that by the time the ingredients are shipped to and fro across border the combination of exchange rates, shipping and current US anti-trade tariffs that the cost savings discussed above would disappear.
Anyhow, back to my original point which was it seems something is amiss if I, living in Canada, can buy US ingredients from a western Canadian shop for substantially less than Americans can from large US online retailers. That's what people should ponder, as I have no reason to have made this fact up. Just trying to help.
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Dgallo
Instagram: bantam_brews
I’m sure any business would like good publicity... that’s kind of the point of being in business, doing business lol I was just going to check their $CAD/lb on grain. Because for most of us, our brick and mortar shop, aka our Lhbs are more expensive in that category than the likes of morebeer and northern brewer. Some of us just choose to support our local businesses.
Grain prices not quite as good as hops and extract prices, but:
Premium 2-row, Pilsen, Wheat are $49 CDN/55lb
Maris Otter $67 CDN/55 lb
So, still about 75% of morebeer prices when you factor in exchange rate. This is on US produced product.
FYI - more and more small businesses employ a maximum profit model instead of maximum revenue, for many reasons including capacities, true expansion costs, and lifestyle choices. Busier does not always mean better.
Premium 2-row, Pilsen, Wheat are $49 CDN/55lb
Maris Otter $67 CDN/55 lb
So, still about 75% of morebeer prices when you factor in exchange rate. This is on US produced product.
FYI - more and more small businesses employ a maximum profit model instead of maximum revenue, for many reasons including capacities, true expansion costs, and lifestyle choices. Busier does not always mean better.
I like Stevesbrewshop.com from the basic brewing podcast good prices on grains and I enjoy the show so I dont mind supporting, plus they offer military and first responder discount they may have AHA as well.
Okay. What are favorite Canadian sources for grain? I apologize in advance if you already posted that.
I know that I can beat some of MoreBeer's prices on grain, but higher shipping costs from other sources usually negate any savings.
ProblemChild
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That looks like a boiler plate response to putting ownership of the fault back on the customer and in light of the picture you showed, I would be inclined that response was sent by a non-brewing person or one happy to take the easy way out. Saying that crush is acceptable is simply a joke.
Sorry if I'm missing something, but I just don't see the price differences you are talking about. Here are the prices I'm seeing at MoreBeer: Bairds Maris Otter $58.99, Fawcett Maris Otter $62.99; 2-Row ranging from $37.99 - $47.99; Pilsen/Pilsner malt $37.99 - $63.99 (Weyermann); Red wheat malt $38.99, White wheat malt $43.99 - $57.99.
If you have a source for better pricing, I'd love to hear who it is.
Ok (Big sigh).
Take your first examples, Maris Otter. Morebeer avg of the two prices you provided is US$60.99. I'd pay CDN$67.99, or US$50.99, 83% of Morebeer price. And I've already stated that bulk grain savings are less than on hops and extracts.
Look at it another way, assume my supplier pays same wholesale price in US dollars as Morebeer does (in reality my supplier may pay more per pound of grain due to lower order volumes). Assume my supplier incurs no additional transportation or import costs (they likely pay some additional costs). Assume my supplier and Morebeer both pay US$0.50/lb for a type of grain. So my supplier pays CDN$0.63/lb and sells at CDN$1.24/lb (CDN$67.99/55 lb). Following our example Morebeer pays CDN$0.63/lb and sells at CDN$1.39/lb (CDN$76.24/55 lb), which is more per lb.
In Canada we frequently see Canadian products selling for less in the US even considering exchange rates, perhaps that is why I thought some Americans would find it interesting/alarming/etc. when the opposite occurs, in this case indicating you are paying higher markups.
Do what you will with this info, I'm done.
Take your first examples, Maris Otter. Morebeer avg of the two prices you provided is US$60.99. I'd pay CDN$67.99, or US$50.99, 83% of Morebeer price. And I've already stated that bulk grain savings are less than on hops and extracts.
Look at it another way, assume my supplier pays same wholesale price in US dollars as Morebeer does (in reality my supplier may pay more per pound of grain due to lower order volumes). Assume my supplier incurs no additional transportation or import costs (they likely pay some additional costs). Assume my supplier and Morebeer both pay US$0.50/lb for a type of grain. So my supplier pays CDN$0.63/lb and sells at CDN$1.24/lb (CDN$67.99/55 lb). Following our example Morebeer pays CDN$0.63/lb and sells at CDN$1.39/lb (CDN$76.24/55 lb), which is more per lb.
In Canada we frequently see Canadian products selling for less in the US even considering exchange rates, perhaps that is why I thought some Americans would find it interesting/alarming/etc. when the opposite occurs, in this case indicating you are paying higher markups.
Do what you will with this info, I'm done.
+1 for morebeer. Awesome customer service, and free 2 day shipping on orders over $60. Obviously some exclusions, but almost everything is 2 day. I also use Northern Brewer if I can't find something at morebeer, but I don't like to put money in Anheuser Busch's pockets if I can help it.
Yeah, midwest is part of them but they do free shipping on bulk grain.
Morebeer will also ship as many 10b bags of grain you order for free vs buying a 50lb bag. So it all evens out.
Edit - Just saw Midwest's grain prices. I like!
Actually doing 10lb bags 50# of briess comes to $53.45
Yeah, I meant ordering 50# bags vs 10# bags through morebeer. I like Midwest's prices. Thanks!
Say what you will about Northern Brewer and Midwest, I tried to stay away from them, but they’re the big boys in my hometown.
Indeed, they are owned by AB InBev and often I see employees working in both locations wearing Northern Brewer shirts, they seem to be owned and managed interchangeably.
Yet, for all of that, they give a 10% veteran discount on most everything. So...
Indeed, they are owned by AB InBev and often I see employees working in both locations wearing Northern Brewer shirts, they seem to be owned and managed interchangeably.
Yet, for all of that, they give a 10% veteran discount on most everything. So...
smata67
Well-Known Member
You can be pretty sure that NB (and others not posting year) is selling 2017 hops right now, they would brag about having 2018 hops otherwise. What you need to do is order your hops exclusively from Yakima Valley Hops if you want 2018.
You don't. It would be great if they would tell you when they were harvested. Some do, most don't.
If you are saving money on the products you want, more power to you. I sometimes pay more for a specific malt to get the flavor or character that I want. That is not to say that I pay more for the exact same item than I would have to pay elsewhere. Also, malts from different maltsters can very considerably. Comparing the average price of Baird's and Fawcett Maris Otter to Maris Otter from an unnamed source, is an incomplete comparison. But what do I care? I'm just trying to help. If you like what you buy, and the price you pay, that's great! I still would like to hear your source(s) for grain purchases in Canada.
Blazinlow86
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I use barley's homebrew in new Westminster as my lhbs and there grain prices are the sameish as the other Canadian mentioned. it's a great shop. However I purchase my hops from Yakima and pick them up at point Roberts Washington for a decent savings and much better selection. Cheers
marchuk96
If you brew it...they will come!!
I used to be die hard morebeer customer...but like others have stated...my efficiency suddenly started tanking...I decided to try northern brewer and instantly noticed a difference in grain...it not only looked fresher and better...but my efficiency immediately went back to and exceeded my previous results from more beer grain...what I also like is that they also date there bags from when they were crushed...for hops I basically stick with farmhouse...I don't think any one beats there prices and there hops are always fresh and vacuum sealed...I have ordered grain from them as well with no issues
smata67
Well-Known Member
My bags from NothernBrewer don't have the crush date, they have the "packed on" date.
