WARNING: If You Do Not Support Your LHBS It Will Close.

AB has brewed small-batch beers on and off for a long time. Back mid 2005- 2006 or so they had an IPA they called Hop Demon, 3 - 4 years ago they did a mix pack from each of their brewerys released regionally. I met a couple of their brewers at a beer fest a few yeasr ago, and they said that most of the brewers (at least in Merrimack) are really craft guys, they just work there for the paycheck and get experience in the field. Said most of them homebrew.

 

Mitch Steele worked at the Merrimack brewery before Stone.

ABI brews top fermented beers at a couple of their breweries, Fort Collins comes to mind.

 

I owe my hobby to my LHBS. It started with a gifted Groupon for a beginner's kit and intro class there. I really lucked out too, they have a great selection, decent prices, and it's only 5-10 mins away. I get all my grain and yeast there, plus some odds and ends. Frequently used hops I buy in bulk online, and I shop around for more expensive equipment.

I am a bit concerned about the store's sustainability. It seems like there's been a downtick in customers lately, and given the size and selection, I'm not sure how profitable it is.

 

This x1000. It is the state of retail globally. It's natural selection. The internet ain't going away and it has raised the level of competition. The retailers that sit on their a** and do the same sh** they've always done will go away, plain and simple. It would be the same if an awesome brick and mortar store moved in across the street and offered a different more improved experience. The crappy Brick and Mortar stores always complain that it's about price and they're the ones that will be extinct. The ones that get it and offer top notch service and an educated staff will thrive and will be even more successful when their local competition disappears. People will gladly pay more for superior service, it's proven.

I buy all my yeast, 95% of my grain, and more and more of my hops from my LHBS. I do purchase some things online but they're things my LHBS store would have a hard time getting and probably wouldn't be worth it for them to order it for me. They're 30 minutes away but I often make trips down there and back just to buy small items. They started a rewards program as well and I got a ton of free hops the other day with it. There are three shops roughly the same distance from my house. I've started only going to one cause everyone is super helpful and just fun to interact with. The other store I used to frequent has employees that are jaded and if I had a dollar for every time I'd heard them start a sentence with "well I'm lazy so this is how I do it...."

Suppport your LHBS if they offer what you need and want not just because they're simply there.

 

Each of the three LHBS that I have used also have another product line that provides most of the profit -- two are breweries (Bell's, which is 30 minutes away and Dark Horse, a 15 minute drive), and one is also a bottle shop (Siciliano's), so that is probably the only way the local shops can survive. I have not used an online store because who doesn't want to go to Bell's or Dark Horse and have a beer while making the trip.

 

ME: What is acid malt exactly?
HIM: It's acid malt.
[Silence]
ME: Oh I see.

Also, after under pitching yeast, I literally had a guy yell at me, "Why don't you read a fucking book!" I don't want to paint them all as pricks or under-educated, I do want to echo that the onus is on them to keep their shop alive. I do one-gallon batches exclusively and when I brew on a whim, they're great for that. It's fun to drop off a sample and get suggestions for the next iteration. I like getting a smell of the hops before I commit to them. But online I can find a wider selection and up to date info from, often times, more affable people.

 

I'm wondering how many LHBSs have an internet presence now...just cause you're local doesn't mean you can't sell regionally.

 

There are three semi local stores to me all approximately 45 minutes away so I rarely use them but one already has online ordering where they'll pull it and youxjist have to come in and pick it up and are working on adding delivery.

They seem semi knowledgeable but I've also heard things from them that have made me go question there actual knowledge

 

My LHBS does this. Depending on what you are trying to do and your timing, they can place special orders this way to get just what you want. I have not done it though sometimes I feel I should when I show up and the guy in front of me but the last package of yeast I want. With this they also have the order online but pick up in store option which over all I am sure helps drive some sales.

 

Sometimes the local business feels they are entitled to your money for the simple reason they are local. The LHBS is guilty.

Mediocre selection.
Clueless employees.
Out of Stock is the most common supply.

I'm local too, and they don't give me any discounts. Sorry.

 

I love supporting my LHBS. I did not love getting home and seeing $35 for a pound of Mosaic on my receipt.

 

One option is to buy most of your homebrewing supplies from your LHBS but buy hops from an online vendor – Hops Direct will sell you a pound of Mosaic for $16.15.

https://hopsdirect.com/products/mosaic-hbc-369-pellet-hops

Cheers!

 

I wish I had a local homebrew store to support. I do not currently know of any brick and mortar HBS stores in the entire state of WV. At one time there was a store in the panhandle, but that is about a 4 hour drive for me, and that store is now a brewery that no longer sells homebrew supplies (Its owned by the same guy, he just converted it to a brewery). So I have no choice but to buy my supplies online. I have stopped buying from Midwest and Northern brewer though, since they sold out to AB Inbev. If ever a local HBS does pop up, I will be waiting outside for the doors to open. I would love to have the option of buying my supplies locally.

 

A great deal of people who brew beer aren't that terribly interested in advanced techniques or in the science of it. They just want to make beer. That's it.

I'm not that kind of person, as I want to know as much as I can about my hobby, but I understand it.

As far the downfall of brick and mortar LHBS goes, I just don't think that most of them are doing anything to keep up with trends, not only in the industry, but with people in general. How many have YouTube videos or Podcasts? How many have in-house lectures? Not many, from where I'm standing. Now couple that with the fact that most people can not only get better prices on ingredients and equipment but a better variety of ingredients and equipment and the reasons for the decrease in popularity becomes pretty obvious.

 

I give most of my business to my LHBS - it's 2 minutes from my house and owned by my neighbors. I don't mind paying a little bit more there than I would online, and they always have great advice, a friendly conversation, or both.

The only price differential that drives me online are bulk hops (1lb) - those I generally source from hopsdirect.

 

I buy all my grains & most yeast from LHBS. Hard to compete on price with online, but even my brewing has slowed down immensely lately with young kids and the wealth of fresh and affordable brews in the area.

 

what are some online shops that are owned by AB that I can now avoid?

 

The Places features of the BA site can be your friend when looking for various kinds of beer-related places. You have 9 homebrew stores in WV, so maybe one of these is within reach of where you live. https://www.beeradvocate.com/place/...&city=&s_id=WV&c_id=&submit=Search&homebrew=Y

 

With my local store, Keystone, you can order through their website and either have shipped or pick up. I've never used it but it's an option. They also host classes, homebrew clubs, special events, etc.

I buy all of my supplies there.

 

My local is a good 20miles away (beer-wine hobby). Its my typical go to for specialty grains, adjuncts, yeast, small pieces of equipment, and CO2 exchanges. Their prices are steep but the staff is fairly knowledgeable, they have a vast selection of grain, and their yeast is usually fresh. I typically buy bulk hops online and try to participate in bulk grain buys with local homebrew clubs. If I had to pay lhbs prices for hops and grain, I would quit the hobby.