Where have all the UK homebrew shops gone?

[elminster]

Hi, new to brewing, wine making etc, although my Dad used to do make wine when I was a wee child.

So far I have:
- Done 1st racking of 1st wine
- Waiting for 1st batch of base spirits to finish
- Waiting for postman to deliver Beer kit

Thought I would try all of them.

Most of the Home brew shops seem to have closed down or gone mail order only. That fine unless you need something in a hurry. The nearest one is a good 30 mins drive from my house.

Regards

 

[david_42]

It takes about 125,000 people to support a homebrew shop. Of the six shops within an hour's drive of my house none of them are homebrew only. In fact, homebrewing is a minor sideline in four of the six. Brick & mortar stores have a really tough time competing with web stores when the customer base is mainly concerned with price.

 

[dibby33]

Hi, new to brewing, wine making etc, although my Dad used to do make wine when I was a wee child.

So far I have:
- Done 1st racking of 1st wine
- Waiting for 1st batch of base spirits to finish
- Waiting for postman to deliver Beer kit

Thought I would try all of them.

Most of the Home brew shops seem to have closed down or gone mail order only. That fine unless you need something in a hurry. The nearest one is a good 30 mins drive from my house.

Regards

How is Boots these days? They were good for really basic gear (very basic!)
My Dad used to use them a lot for equipment for winemaking

 

[mysterio]

The nearest one to me is a good 45 minutes drive from mine and they don't even sell grain.

I use hop and grape, a mail order site in the UK. They're usually pretty fast and will have the order out in a day or two. It just means you need to plan in advance and buy enough for two or three batches at a time.

Boots don't sell HB stuff anymore.

 

[dibby33]

Boots don't sell HB stuff anymore.

I cannot even think of one in Edinburgh at all where I lived for 9 years. Did not homebrew there, but I would have walked pasted one I would have thought!

 

[elminster]

As mentioned above Boots don't stock any more. Although I have heard that Wilkinson's do some home brew/ wine making stuff.

Internet sites are very good, its just the lead time that can be a problem.

I get restly and start trying to use baker's yeast.

 

[mysterio]

I cannot even think of one in Edinburgh at all where I lived for 9 years. Did not homebrew there, but I would have walked pasted one I would have thought!

I've never noticed any in Edinburgh either, but according to google there are a couple.

 

[Orfy]

www.thebrewshop.com

They'll deliver 25kg of grain free. (Well they charge a fiver less in the shop)

If you are looking for anything in particular let me know.
Where are you?

 

[homebrewer_99]

I just keep a lot of extra stuff on hand...

 

[elminster]

So far I have just bought 1 of everything from one of the online shops. My base spirit should be ready in a week or 2, one of those 23% turbo alcohol packs.

Wine, a Kenridge Pinot Grigio kit, just after Christmas.

Not started Beer yet. Plumped for a John Bull IPA Kit for my first batch.

 

[Orfy]

Base spirit.

I'll pm you.