HB shop owners attitudes

[chris.]

For Sydney suppliers I recommend

www.esbeer.com.au
www.ndbrewing.com.au

I too have tried The Countrybrewer. Service was great but I found their advice to be a little hit & miss (depending on how I spoke to). I also didn't like the fact that they stored hops & cracked grain out on the shelves in the heat & sunlight

[blandy]

I've been to Grain and Grape three times now, despite it being on the other side of Melbourne.

I can get to the Oakleigh brewcraft and back again in about 50mins (including 30mins in the shop). G&G is a 2.5-3hour round trip on the train. really worth it though. Even when you're lugging 6+kg of malt extract in the backpack on the way home

On saturday one of the guys helped me out with my first liquid yeast starter. He printed out some instructions, and answered all my paranoid questions. Well done! I'll be back again!

I just think I've outgrown Brewcraft. I mean they were good at getting me started with k&k's, but they don't seem to be very helpful (or price-competitive) in the full mashing department.

[scblack]

Country Brewer at Thornleigh I have found to be great. The Girraween one I have only been to once seemed OK.

Daves Home Brew in North Sydney is good, though I have had a couple of small issues with advice (as has another brewing mate), but which he happily made up for.

[CB]

As I started the thread, I won't name the store in question but he has been mentioned in previous replies.

I will give a bit of a boost to the country brewer in kingswood. Only a new store and the guy has a bit to learn but could turn out okay. Could use a greater variety of stock though.

And one other thing. HB shop owners should stop trying to upsell to kegs. I like bottling and having a variety, but often the anser to all problems seems to be "start kegging".

[lethaldog]

I just think I've outgrown Brewcraft

I agree, it deffinately doesnt take to long to outgrow these guys!

[Anzac Cookies]

I too have had a chat with the Guy at Greensborough in Melbourne, and have found the reliever and the regular Guy at Brewcraft in Heidelberg to be good value - handy hints.... i.e. squirt bottle full of steriliser and squirt the bottle tree before washing and loading same..
cheers
dasher

I got my 1st home brew kit from brewcraft in heidelberg. (and i'm making my 1st brew now). the guy was rude. when i entered the shop he was on the phone. i wandered around the store, looking completely lost, and waited for him to get off the phone. it took nearly 10 minutes. he finaly gets off the phone. i go over to him and ask where i should start. he points to the basic brew starter kit and says with one of them. i'm like, 'ok, is there anything else i should consider?', he pointed to the bench capper. couldn't afford it there, so i just said the basic kit will be fine.
then he tells me to pick a can. 'any suggestions?'
'what kind of beer do you like?'
'I dont mind most pilseners i try'
so he hands me morgan's pilsener. 'anything i should know? any tips?'
'nah, just follow the instructions and read the book'.

the arogence and the dissmissing attitude he held doesn't come across so well in text.. but it was mighty powerful in person. ah well, next time i'll be going to greensborough. i hope i have a better experience there.

I know EXACTLY what you are saying.

TRUST me go to greensborough HB the address is Louis St, Greensborough its only an extra 5 mins down the road, you wont regret it.

Dave (Greensborough HBS) truely is a legend, definately worth the travel, very cruisy, go in there of an afternoon and he sometimes offers you a glass of his own brew

[Dasher]

Hi all,
I am sorry I don't want to appear as a stooge for 'brewcraft' all I can add is that I have found in many situations a simple 'howryagoin' and a pause can open many a great discussion.
People like to be heard and once heard can often consider other things....
cheers,

[lethaldog]

So you work for brewcraft i take it?

[Anzac Cookies]

Hi all,
I am sorry I don't want to appear as a stooge for 'brewcraft' all I can add is that I have found in many situations a simple 'howryagoin' and a pause can open many a great discussion.
People like to be heard and once heard can often consider other things....
cheers,

I have learnt alot speaking to other brewers in the actual HBS, most, like yourselves are willing to help and offer opinions or suggestions

[BenH]

I found the Richmond (Melbourne) Brewcraft on church street to be alright. Bloke there was quite willing to give advice when asked.

Often its the other brewers in the shop who will give the best advice, they will overhear you asking something or other and chime in with good advice. I was in the shop the other day and overheard bloke querying whether PET bottles were alright or not, as it was his first brewing experience, and I told him "mate I use PET bottles, have no fear" and he was sold....

....not that I am a brewing genius, but....yeah, you get me drift!

[MagooMan]

For anyone looking for a good store or chain in Brisbane, Brewer's Choice is the duck's nuts. The chap at the Wacol store , David ( are all HBS owners called Dave ?) was a dead set gun and gave me a sample of his stout . Prices were good too. Fresh hops from the fridge are available as well.

[muddy]

Went to one shop (probably the one Morgs had a negative experience at) and the owner asked me what I do with the grain. Do you just chuck that in the fermenter?

When that guy is not there his wife is and she knows even less.

She told me of her killer recipe and it was Calrton Cold. She then asked how you get and keep a head in the beer.

Another shop has my business and cant do enough for you.

cheers

Muddy

[DJ]

I was in my local and a guy walks in and say..

I want to do "All Grain" and the owner says.
"Why do a stupid thing like that, waste of time"


I thought to myself, that's only your opinion..
If the guy wants to do it, who the F%$# are you to say it's a waste of time?

[lethaldog]

I was in my local and a guy walks in and say..

I want to do "All Grain" and the owner says.
"Why do a stupid thing like that, waste of time"


I thought to myself, that's only your opinion..
If the guy wants to do it, who the F%$# are you to say it's a waste of time?

Hes proberly saying its a waist of time because he doesnt have what the guy needs to do it, i went to a local brewshop where i live ( not my usual) looking for some carrapils grain and a wyeast American ale yeast 1056 i think it is, he tried to palm off munich malt and kolche wyeast telling me that they exactly the same, Well my question to him was #1 have you any F$#%ing idea what your talking about #2 If they are the same then why bother giving them 2 seperate names and producing 2 seperate products? He couldnt answer either one but hummed and harred and told me " well munich malt may be different to carrapils but you can use them in the same way" response "WRONG munich malt needs to be mashed it has it on the pack you moron and carrapils does not need to be" he also said " if you use the kolche at a lower temp then it would be the same as the 1056" at this point i shook my head and turned and walked out

[OldBugman]

As a new brewer I'd like to give a big thumbs up to Bruce at The Country Brewer - Drumyone. He's always entertained my stupid newbie questions and theories and given quite sound practical advice, that has been then confirmed as the right advice by any research I have done.

[pixelboy]

Drop in on the guys in Asquith Home Brew (Sydney) in the late afternoon and you might just get a schooner of the house brew.

Very helpfull shop.

[damonpeyo]

Limited Shops in Tasmania, The one in Hobart city been there for over 20 or so years and always been great and helpful, always happy to answer questions and stuff, even informative email replies.

There's one shop in Launceston as its the closet to where I live, like a hour drive away, I had a unpleasant expereince there, I think the lady there is a real bitch and rude, I just walked in, she looked annoyed like I bothered her quiet book reading session, gave me the "just grab what you need, so I can get back reading my novel" look.

Don't think I will return there again unless its a urgent matter to get some last minute supplies.

There's a other shop in the northern suburbs of hobart, Gelnorchy, its also a mirco bewery, with 5 or so stainless steel barrels, got some nice supplies and stock, they seem to be always busy looking after their brewery first before serving the customers.

For f**k's sake, we are PAYING CUSTOMERS you shop owners need us more than we need you there's always the internet where we can get our supplies elsewhere.

Good thing I regularly visit Hobart once a month to see my old man and stockpile my supplies.

[Adzmax]

I hear exactly what you’re saying! My girlfriend bought a kit for me and I’m only on my 3rd batch at the moment. I like to learn as much as possible about things that interest me because hey, it’s the only way to master something right. I went down to a HB shop in the Boronia\Bayswater area in Vic (I wont name the shop) and found the guy there was just plain arrogant. Left me standing around while he was doing something then when I did actually talk to me he may as well of said “I don’t really have time for you, you’re stupid”. And I hadn’t even asked many questions or been annoying. Really put a downer on the whole thing. Needless to say I haven’t been back to that shop.

[Chris]

Your girlfriend bought you a kit! She may live to regret that.

I've already lost one girlfriend to HB.

[Timmsy]

I go to a few HBS shops here in Adelaide. Depends if im going after work then ill go to brewcraft on henly beach road and if on the weekend i go to one on North east road. Im think i might go visit Grumpys saturday after work and have a couple pints and get a brew. A mate use to run the home brew part and every time i would walk out with more then i wanted for half what i wanted to pay... Plus the free beers but thay got rid of him.

Anyone else recomend any one in Adelaide?