47 Hops Spring Sale $4.47/#

How are hops typically shipped from one side of the country to the other?

 

I do not have a definitive answer as regards hops but I know that when my LHBS receives liquid yeast they come in a Styrofoam box that is filled with many ice packs.

I never thought to ask how hops were shipped to them.

Cheers!

 

Good question. I just know that when I order from yakimavalleyhops.com, for instance, my hops aren't in transit for nearly two weeks. More like two days.

 

Good point. I noticed my 5/11 order was marked "shipment information sent to FedEx" on 5/25. I'm not sure this actually means it was in transit from that point. On 5/30 it finally said "Picked Up" in Union Gap, WA (near Yakima and Hops47). I figured this to mean that FedEx picked it up from the seller and it was finally in transit. Today it just left Troutdale, OR, which I can only assume is some main FedEx hub outside of Portalnd.

Since it started moving yesterday the ETA shifted from 6/1 to 6/6. A week in tranist, I suppose. But nearly a month from the order date... makes me think we should all get a refund on shipping, but I guess I settle for some stickers, a magnet, or a bottle opener, lol.

 

Will you be ordering from 47Hops again?

Cheers!

 

Not unless they have another firesale. I'm a LHBS guy myself and mine has been always fairly well stocked. I haven't really ordered anything online in quite some time.

 

If you ever do decide to order online perhaps yakimavalleyhops.com might be a good alternative based upon what @Soneast posted above.

Cheers!

 

Speaking of Yakima Valley, seems they are also having a bit of a sale on 2016 varieties - http://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Blow_Out_Sale_s/1947.htm

 

Amanda gave me my tracking info in a reply to an email request for same.
FedEx indicates it was picked up around 2PM (PDT) on May 29 and is scheduled to be dropped by end of day June 2; about 4 days from pickup in Union Gap, WA to delivery in Atl, GA.
Once a package is in the FedEx system and on the move, I've found their tracking data to be pretty much spot on.

If it arrives this Saturday and the hops are no worse for the wear, I'll be happy to have snagged the deal.
If things go sideways, I'll file this experience for future reference.

 

That's my thought as well. It was a bit of a gamble. And if they suck, well I can probably sell them on craigslist for more than what I paid.


Just kiddin'.

 

Nice find. Not bad prices at all. And worth the peace of mind!

 

Just ordered a pound each of the experimental grapefruit hops and Pekko.

 

Yakima always has good prices and excellent customer service. First Friday of each month they have a flash sale on a select current year hop. I routinely add small 2 oz packages of prior year hops for $1 for a 2oz package. Works great for trying varieties on the cheap. Shipping up to 4 pounds is also $7

 

And that does indeed have value.

I can't help but wonder if this whole situation of this 47Hops 'fire sale' is a fiasco for this business. They are having issues right now (filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August of 2017) and the manner in which this sale was managed (or mis-managed if preferred) has lots of folks questioning things.

It would be surprising to me if there is any repeat business for 47Hops from this and for a company that is presently struggling that is not a good thing.

Cheers!

 

Anyone in this thread know how Yakima ships their hops, and what the shipping cost is? I added a pound of Amarillo only to check the shipping cost and went to the checkout page to see if there was a cost calculator....didn't see one. There's a field for Shipping & Handling (which shows $0.00), but it's not really clear if the charges are actually zero, or added when genuinely checking out.

 

Possibly. Based on my experience, and the comments from everyone here, they weren't likely to gain a bunch of new customers anyway. We homebrewers can be pretty loyal. I only purchased from them because of the rock bottom prices. I never had any intention of changing my tradition of ordering several pounds of freshly harvested leaf from HopsDirect each fall and brewing with them throughout the following year. It seems like others here are happy with YVH or their LHBS and weren't considering "switching" either. This may well have been a one time thing for all of us, ruling out another fire sale, as stated.

Hopefully for 47Hops, most of their business is commercial, not homebrew sales.

 

But this would be a perfect opportunity for 47Hops to get them to at least think about "switching", don't you think? Give 'new' customers an opportunity to deal with them via the incentive of a 'fire sale' and then wow them with great service and product. If this had occurred then they would have new customers (for life)!

47Hops has hops in packages of 1/2 lb, 1 lb, ... Do commercial breweries commonly purchase product in those quantities?

Cheers!

 

Yeah, I LHBS tends to only carry YCH in the 1 oz. or a full pound of some. I like that Yakima has 2 oz. and a fairly competitive price (though you have to factor for shipping).

I have not used them, but once I put in my billing address the page updated to include a drop down under billing information and allowed for three options (for New Jersey):

USPS Priorty Mail Flat Rate Envelope: $7
USPS Priorty Mail: $9
FedEx Home Delivery: $12.92

Basically a pound of Citra would cost me the same I just paid at my LHBS (from YCH) after factoring in shipping (if not a $1 or so cheaper at the local, me thinks).

 

Whether or not it's a bona fide 'fiasco' for this business is something only @47Hops could answer....or should we file that under "perceived bitterness"?

I agree it could have been managed it more efficiently, but we don't know if the 'fire sale' was part of an effort to get as liquid as possible as prep for the restructuring. They claim they didn't expect the voluminous response to the sale, and I believe it....20/20 hindsight and all that.

They will fail....or not. This singular incident won't dissuade me from ordering from them again, but it won't necessarily ensure that I will. Until I have hops in hand and see reviews for orders post-restructuring, I'll remain lukewarm about them.

Agree with both points. My guess is the loyalty concept factored in to 47Hops brief appearance here. Maybe they didn't blow it with the shipping debacle.

As a business owner I've never declared bankruptcy, but there have been numerous sleepless nights wondering, "what the heck am I gonna do now?"
I'm no special pleader for 47hops, but I am a pleader for the benefit of the doubt when a business is struggling....been there, done that.
It ain't all peaches and cream, and I'll not dump on them based on my experience thus far.

IIRC they were offering quantities of 11# & 44# as well during the sale, in addition to 1/2 and full #'s.

 

Yup, but the fact they had product of 1/2 lb. & 1 lb. sure is indicative (IMO) that homebrewers are part of their business. How much of their business is homebrewers I could only guess.

Cheers!