What would be your ideal LHBS?

[m_c_zero]

Strip club/LHBS combo?

 

[The10mmKid]

My LHBS is not meeting these needs of mine.

Not willing to barter on prices I can find cheaper elsewhere. (with proof)

Silly open hours like 9-5
Really . . . .

Otherwise, I'm very pleased with my LHBS.

'da Kid

 

[GrainToGlass]

Does it help you if you can email in your order ahead of time? A lot of my customers have been finding that useful while we get our webstore up and running

Absolutely. My LHBS offers that option too while they fix their online store. The only problem I have with that is their inventory catalog is never up to date. I usually contact them about hops and yeast availability, but I would hate to ask them for an entire manifest each week. They do carry lots of great craft beer, so it's not too bad of a trip.

 

[1977Brewer]

Bulk discounts. Period. As close to margin as you can handle. I'll drive 30 miles to save 10 bucks. Further if I can swing it on company time and gas.

 

[sudbuddy]

Bulk discounts. Period. As close to margin as you can handle. I'll drive 30 miles to save 10 bucks. Further if I can swing it on company time and gas.

I think you mean as close to cost, not margin, and that just isn't realistic. After paying rent, employees, utilities, taxes, and the bill to get said items, even at the best price I can give I'm still breaking even. Online emporiums work their magic and offer **** below my cost, and I'm not sure how they do it, but I think part of it is because they don't actually employ human beings who need to eat, sleep under a roof, and wear clothes. Would you drive the same distance to help your fellow homebrewer and spend 10 bucks? Unfortunately in many cases the answer is no, and that is why so many awesome homebrew shops go out of business. Keep supporting Northern Brewer, Hops Direct, Morebeer, etc. but then don't ***** when you have a brewday emergency and your LHBS is gone

 

[Maltsterbrad]

Friendly and accommodating will cover up almost anything.

Try to be as price competitive as possible - a lot of people want to shop local. You don't need to be cheapest, but nobody likes to feel like they got clowned.

There's a shop in Omaha that has a knowledgeable owner, is super fun and inquisitive. There is a culture among customers and him like we're trying to do something really cool and have fun and improve.

 

[sudbuddy]

Friendly and accommodating will cover up almost anything.

Try to be as price competitive as possible - a lot of people want to shop local. You don't need to be cheapest, but nobody likes to feel like they got clowned.

There's a shop in Omaha that has a knowledgeable owner, is super fun and inquisitive. There is a culture among customers and him like we're trying to do something really cool and have fun and improve.

That's awesome. That is also what we are trying to do here, and we have a great community of brewers working together to make the best beer they can. Homebrew customers are some of the coolest people around, and I love working with them to make great beer.

 

[pretzelb]

For the things I like about my LHBS:

• Ingredients are fresh
• Ingredients are cheap
• Most basic equipment needs are covered
• Some fancy items in store from time to time
• Everyone recognizes me and knows I don't need help getting my grains
• Everyone asks me every 5 minutes if I'm still "doing ok" (sometimes I do have a question)
• Everyone knows a lot about brewing
• Staff never seems too arrogant

Things I don't like:

• Even though they know me they still don't know my name
• Small store with very little room
• Not sure their mill is set optimally for good crush

I bet my LHBS is unique just from how small it is. Being crowded like it is leads to a pretty odd-ball environment. But since they almost always have what I need and because they have good prices and because they have tons of staff helping if I need it, I find it worth the 30-45 minute trip.

 

[Maltsterbrad]

Sorry if this is off topic, but pretzelb raised the issue about optimal grind?
As I understand it, unless you are using a bunch of adjunct, your grind is less critical on mostly malted recipes. Anyone have any thoughts?

Sudbuddy, your shop sounds great. I imagine a 19th century feed store environment-but that may not conform to reality. Pretzub mentions remembering names - that would be a nice touch if you have that talent. Ultimately, some may be too price driven, but you can't serve everyone.

 

[pretzelb]

Do a search on "grain crush and efficiency" for more details. I think you are confusing the need for step mashing with grain crush.

 

[sudbuddy]

Sudbuddy, your shop sounds great. I imagine a 19th century feed store environment-but that may not conform to reality. Pretzub mentions remembering names - that would be a nice touch if you have that talent. Ultimately, some may be too price driven, but you can't serve everyone.

Thanks!!! I've never been to a feed store, but that sounds like a compliment so I'll take it. Actually, I know a good 3/4 of my customers by name. That's especially weird for me because normally I'm terrible with names, but these guys come in so often that it's pretty easy to remember their names after a couple visits.

The LHBS grain crush is a matter of much debate. I don't know what other shops do, but I set my mill pretty tight and am happy to double crush for people on request. I really think that a grain mill should be a priority purchase for all-grain brewers. It makes base malt super cheap, frees you up to keep fresh ingredients on hand for a spur of the moment brew day, and then you can personalize your crush however you want it. Plus, let's face it, it means less grain dust for me to breathe because I'm not milling your grains.

 

[Maltsterbrad]

There was a real fraternity in those old feed stores - a strong fragrance of molasses and alfalfa. A busy place

About how long do you think you can store whole grain (assume good storage practices) ?

I understand about the dust from your grain mill. I'm sure it's crossed your mind that mill promotes traffic.

Btw, I read in a previous post of yours where you handle the grain to maintain integrity. I'd not even thought of that, but that's a big deal. ( I dislike it when the bolt bin at the hardware store gets mixed up)

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Thanks!!! I've never been to a feed store, but that sounds like a compliment so I'll take it. Actually, I know a good 3/4 of my customers by name. That's especially weird for me because normally I'm terrible with names, but these guys come in so often that it's pretty easy to remember their names after a couple visits.

The LHBS grain crush is a matter of much debate. I don't know what other shops do, but I set my mill pretty tight and am happy to double crush for people on request. I really think that a grain mill should be a priority purchase for all-grain brewers. It makes base malt super cheap, frees you up to keep fresh ingredients on hand for a spur of the moment brew day, and then you can personalize your crush however you want it. Plus, let's face it, it means less grain dust for me to breathe because I'm not milling your grains.

Three things:

Since you likely handle unmalted wheat, please have yourself tested for silo fillers disease. The "treatment" is totally benign and normally only required seasonally. My father, a research Ag professor suffered for almost 20 years each harvest season before diagnosed.

I agree that any moderately prolific all grain brewer should have their own mill. In my case I am still using a hand crank Phil Mill II. I have made many hundreds of gallons with it and wish there was a modern equivalent.

Even if you do not know a person's name, if you have had past conversations that reveal their level of experience and competence, please remember that for future conversations. If "Bob" is confident in his grain bill but weak on yeast (I fit said category mostly from laziness)...don't suggest a less than common yeast unless you are completely ready to go through the whole step-up starter process. Similar, guy buys only Ale yeasts and suddenly buys a lager...PLEASE have the conversation about the lager process, massive start requirements, etc with him.

You are not out of range for me but my combo pot growing/homebrew store is actually very competent and willing to work with me on bulk purchases. the rest I cover with online purchases. In their case, I won't ask quesion of two of the clerks (normally have none) but happily have lengthy conversations with proprietor when the store is empty. He still wants to come by to see my all manual eBiaB set-up because "No one that comes here has gone backward from a three tier to BiaB.".

 

[sudbuddy]

What is silo fillers disease? Sounds scary

 

[Onkel_Udo]

What is silo fillers disease? Sounds scary

Flue-like symptoms that hit you for 2-4 weeks after harvest (or when yo get your first deliveries after harvest) and make you and everyone around you miserable (basically because you are a miserable lump of snot and low grad fever). By no means dangerous but a serious quality of life issue solved by a cheap prescription (like $15 for a month).

 

[bschot]

Silo-filler's lung comes from nitrogen dioxide from fresh cut silage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo-filler's_disease He was probably referring to Farmer's Lung and it is "a hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by the inhalation of biologic dusts coming from hay dust or mold spores or other agricultural products." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer's_lung

Anyway, I'd like to have a LHBS that is closer than an hour's drive. I live in south central Illinois and the ones within an hour's drive are not well stocked and the good ones are in St. Louis; which is about 2 hours away.

Other than that I would like the standard run of the mill things:

-Knowledgeable, friendly staff
-Fresh, quality ingredients
-Good prices on said quality ingredients. I hate paying $2-3 an ounce for hops when I can have a whole pound for $15-25 depending on what it is.
-I keep 2-row, pale ale, wheat, munich and pilsner in bulk but I don't want to buy a whole sack of Crystal 40 but I will buy 5-10 lbs if I get a little discount on the price.
-Inventory of random things: stainless fittings, Carbonator caps, ThermaPens (highly, highly recommend), STC-1000s and temp probes, maybe STC-1000 kits, parts for projects one normally has to shop website x,y and z to put together, etc.

I've been known to buy something in front of me for a project that I haven't started yet just because it's in front of me and I don't have to pay for shipping. If you had stainless garden hose fittings that didn't cost an arm and a leg I'd snatch those up in a hurry.



-Brian

 

[Rcbandl]

In the Tampa/St. Pete FL area we are spoiled. We have about 6 homebrew shops within 30 minutes of each other. Some are much better than others but 3 of them are pretty top notch. The first one I ever went to is Southern Brewing. They have a tasting room in the same space as the store, so you just walk in, order a pint at the bar then walk over and start weighing out your grains. The staff is great and somehow remember everyone by name.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Silo-filler's lung comes from nitrogen dioxide from fresh cut silage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo-filler's_disease He was probably referring to Farmer's Lung and it is "a hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by the inhalation of biologic dusts coming from hay dust or mold spores or other agricultural products." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer's_lung

You got it right...dad just called it silo disease. Man, what a change in him three months per year once diagnosed. Farmer as a boy and teen. Suffered all his life until a VERY young GP said "hey, you deal with wheat by chance".

 

[DrunkleJon]

sudbuddy, how is the shop going anyway? How have our wishlists influenced your day to day business?

 

[sudbuddy]

sudbuddy, how is the shop going anyway? How have our wishlists influenced your day to day business?

This thread has been really, really helpful to me. The shop is going great, we are super busy and our customers are awesome. Hopefully we are going to open up a webstore soon, but that is kind of up in the air. I really appreciate all of the great feedback that everyone has given too, so please keep it coming!