And then there was one...

[swenocha]

Homebrew stores are falling left and right around here. Rebel Brewer closed a while back (yes, they've reopened in name, but it's simply some other company who purchased naming rights), which led to the Craft Brewed homebrewing shop closing as well (since they were a satellite store of sorts). Worm's Way garden shop also phased their homebrew section out some time ago. Whole Foods phased out their small homebrewing section, as did Wild Hare Beer Co. Today I got word that the oldest homebrew shop in town, Lil' Ole Winemaker Shoppe, is shutting down this week. His shop was always focused more on winemaking, but he kept a supply of beermaking supplies as well. They are currently doing the liquidation, so I may run over tomorrow (the last day) and see if there is anything worth pilfering.

So now... All Seasons homebrew shop is all that remains locally. Homebrewing for me will get a lot more complicated if they ever decide to phase out their homebrew goods. Guess I'll have to start testing the online marketplace if that happens...

[Beer-lord]

This is pretty much the same as many brick and mortar stores......mine included. I talk to salespeople every day and they say that online is the only way most companies can make money. Younger folks don't seem to care about building relationships (I'm not putting them all in the same barrel, but a large amount) and we're watching a major change in America with mom and pop and small businesses suffering. It is thought that the internet tax may save some but I've got my doubts.
We only have 1 true shop and I wonder how long it will last as well. My concern is that I buy my 2 row in bulk and shipping 55 lbs of grain is not cheap. So I'd end of getting a few 10lb bags and get MoreBeer's free freight (Northern and Midwest and many others offer the same thing) so that I could come close to the savings but not close enough.

[BlackDuck]

We have three stores in the Columbus area, one I don't visit because I had a rather non pleasant experience with the owner, so I don't go back. The other two are very good, but I've noticed that at one store their stock levels of items are becoming much tighter. On a number of occasions, they did not have one or more of the ingredients I was shopping for. This tells me that they are keeping a closer eye on their inventory and trying to only stock what and how much they think they will sell in a weeks time. I now know they get their deliveries on Wednesday, so I make sure not to shop on a Monday or Tuesday.

[John Sand]

The one I started with closed, another opened and closed, a long running one closed suddenly. The closest to me now is a thirty minute drive each way, not really worth the trip for a pound of grain or pack of yeast. I like to shop local, and try to make meetings at the shop, which also gives me an excuse to purchase. A sack of grain is worth the drive.

[bpgreen]

Seems like the opposite is happening here. A number of brew stores have opened in the past few years.

One went to online only sales almost 10 years ago. Their website still exists, but the link to the online store doesn't work. There was another small one that was only open for a couple of years.

I'm kind of a creature of habit, so I haven't checked out any of the new places.

[mashani]

The one closest to me is a beverage store with a little homebrew hobby operation on the side.

This means they aren't going out of business anytime soon, but they have jack when it comes to bulk grains. Just little packs of specialty grains. Mostly good for that, or some liquid yeast or hops in a pinch.

I won't buy liquid extract from them, it's always old and nasty which is why I got through MoreBeer normally.

Closest places with bulk grains are all 45 minutes away by the time I get through traffic. Factor in 45 minutes back home, and shopping, and that's 2+ hours out of my day. If I'm spending 2 hours out on the road then preferably it's gonna be on my bike, where I like to be. So I only go to those places if I have other reasons to go to those parts of town.

So mostly I've been buying my bulk grains from MoreBeer too, I don't buy 50# bags as my "mill" is my mixer and only good for small amounts. But if your buying ~30# of grain pre-crushed like I am right now, they seem to have the best prices out there by the time you factor in shipping costs (none for them), and I get stuff in 2 days.

[Dawg LB Steve]

There are 2 full blown HBS's in Mashani and my area, both are probably 20 minutes from me but the Brew Mentor is more in my neighborhood as it is on the east side of Cleveland, and can be hit up on the way home from work if need be, the other is run by the owner of Platform and is right across the street from Platform's Brewpub. The one I frequent also brews and serves, he usually has 6 different beers on tap, along with different wines that he produces too, he is also active in the brewing community organizing a local brewfest and in touch with a lot of the local brewmasters in the Greater Cleveland area, this I think helps keep people in touch with buying local.

[FedoraDave]

Since I found my go-to LHBS a few years ago I've rarely shopped online or anywhere else. It's a good 40-minute drive one way (and that's all highway driving, too, so I'm zipping along at 65 mph). But I can't see this operation closing any time soon. They're very active in their community; they host a local home-brew club; they're one of the drop-off locations for a couple of local competitions; they offer brewing on premises, and their customer service is outstanding.

I don't buy bulk grains, though. I go there every couple of weeks and buy the exact amounts of whatever I need for the next two (sometimes three) batches.

I don't care that it's a bit of a drive. When I was working, I'd go on my Saturday off. Nowadays, I either go on my day off, or after work, since my shift typically ends at 1:00, and I'm close to the Thruway anyway.

[mashani]

There are 2 full blown HBS's in Mashani and my area, both are probably 20 minutes from me but the Brew Mentor is more in my neighborhood as it is on the east side of Cleveland, and can be hit up on the way home from work if need be, the other is run by the owner of Platform and is right across the street from Platform's Brewpub. The one I frequent also brews and serves, he usually has 6 different beers on tap, along with different wines that he produces too, he is also active in the brewing community organizing a local brewfest and in touch with a lot of the local brewmasters in the Greater Cleveland area, this I think helps keep people in touch with buying local.

Depending on what we call local, we also have the Grape and Grainery (Akron), and Labelpeelers (Kent). Labelpeelers is basically a homebrew shop connected at the hip to LD Carleson, IE if you can haul it, you can get 640# barrel of extract that comes right off of LD Carlson's dock from them if you want and you've got a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket. IE if LD Carlson carries it, they can get it.

Platform is actually closer to me then Brew Mentor, but by the time you factor in traffic, it's all the same, 45 minutes typically either way unless I'm going at some off hour. I can actually get to Labelpeelers just about as quickly. The joys of living near some of the most traffic congested intersections/roads/freeway ramps in NE OH, and the best way to Platform for me being going through University Circle, not a freeway.

The little but limited place near me (the beverage store with misc. homebrew stuff) is a 15 minute bike ride, or a 10 minute drive.

[Crazy Climber]

Similar to mashani's story, the two LHBS's closest to me are actually other businesses that provide homebrew supplies as a side-business.

The most-local LHBS has morphed into a bar/restaurant that sells brewing supplies in the corner of their space.

And a nearby bottle shop (which has a great selection of singles) added homebrew supplies about a year ago.

Neither are incredibly well-stocked, but both are good enough to get by. I tend to stay away from liquid yeast at such places, and LME, due to the age factor. If I'm looking for liquid yeast, I will usually go with an online shop that does a lot of business. But, I use dry yeast most of the time, and prefer DME when I use extract, so much of the time, these local "hybrid" shops are fine by me.

[MrBandGuy]

We've got a mighty fine shop in Louisville, who actually just expanded their hours. But Lexington lost their store about a year ago.

In Indy, there is the major shop, Great Fermentations (who I recommend for online shopping too), and the smaller Final Gravity, who also does a great job and is much more personal.

They all seem to be doing fine.


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[D_Rabbit]

If they shut down check with the local breweries for supplies. I know the ones around me have no issue buying an extra sack of 2-row for me when I need some. Then it’s just the specialty stuff you need to order.

[Dawg LB Steve]

There are 2 full blown HBS's in Mashani and my area, both are probably 20 minutes from me but the Brew Mentor is more in my neighborhood as it is on the east side of Cleveland, and can be hit up on the way home from work if need be, the other is run by the owner of Platform and is right across the street from Platform's Brewpub. The one I frequent also brews and serves, he usually has 6 different beers on tap, along with different wines that he produces too, he is also active in the brewing community organizing a local brewfest and in touch with a lot of the local brewmasters in the Greater Cleveland area, this I think helps keep people in touch with buying local.

Depending on what we call local, we also have the Grape and Grainery (Akron), and Labelpeelers (Kent). Labelpeelers is basically a homebrew shop connected at the hip to LD Carleson, IE if you can haul it, you can get 640# barrel of extract that comes right off of LD Carlson's dock from them if you want and you've got a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket. IE if LD Carlson carries it, they can get it.

Platform is actually closer to me then Brew Mentor, but by the time you factor in traffic, it's all the same, 45 minutes typically either way unless I'm going at some off hour. I can actually get to Labelpeelers just about as quickly. The joys of living near some of the most traffic congested intersections/roads/freeway ramps in NE OH, and the best way to Platform for me being going through University Circle, not a freeway.

The little but limited place near me (the beverage store with misc. homebrew stuff) is a 15 minute bike ride, or a 10 minute drive.

Where you are, you are in the middle of no mans land as far as freeways, near an interstate yet have to go round about way to get to a connecting freeway. Was pretty much going for the local mom and pop LHBS that are near, Akron and Kent even from work in Solon is a half hour there, then another hour home.

[Crazy Climber]

In Indy, there is the major shop, Great Fermentations (who I recommend for online shopping too), and the smaller Final Gravity, who also does a great job and is much more personal.

They all seem to be doing fine.

I placed an online order with Great Fermentations two weeks ago.

I've been to both of their locations in person, as well -- well-organized, professional-looking, and staffed with friendly, helpful people. (Which is why I chose to order through them over AB InBev.)

[mashani]

Where you are, you are in the middle of no mans land as far as freeways, near an interstate yet have to go round about way to get to a connecting freeway.

The good news is that instead of a more convenient freeway, I've still got places like this to cycle around, which would have been trashed by the freeway that was proposed back in the day.

P1060123.JPG (85.85 KiB) Viewed 919 times

I figure it's a fair trade.