homebrewandbeer.com

Quick question for the forum,

Do you find HB shop owners a bit on the forthright/arrogant side?

I like to experiment, do things the for the hell of it just to see they turn out. I cook almost the same way, and 90% of the time the results are great.

I find that some store owners have only one way which is their way. Any suggestion made on forums such as this is wrong or stupid.

Good example, I started a thread yesterday about priming and things other to use than sugar. Malt seemed like a good idea .... "just plain dumb" was the response when I went to buy it.

Suggestion to the HB retail world. You know your subject because you do it all day every day. To me it's a hobby, and if I f**k up one brew trying to create something different, it's because I live in the free world and have the democratic right to do so.

That's my say!

I'd suggest that it's your democratic right to choose a different home brew shop. That guy's attitude is offensive to his customers, and as such his business deserves to fail.

All the people who work in homebrew shops I've been to (apart from one woman who was just boring) have been great. They make me feel good about paying $15 for a kit instead of $11 or whatever at a supermarket, because they provide me with a valuable service, and a good chat to boot!

My local (Greensborough) is great. Dave's been really helpfull from day one. From my first kit, to my first partial mash recipe...always helpfull.

That said theres another store near me as well and the guy is not so helpfull. Hes stuck in his ways and wont enter into any convo's about trying other ways or stuff.

I mostly go to Australian Winemakers on Peel St just by the Vic Market. Sara there is really helpful. She clearly makes beer (and wine) herself, and has plenty of good suggestions. The only downside is their limited range of yeasts, but I understand they're addressing that soon.

cheers,
dT.

Theres a homebrew store here in SA that insists on nothing but malt for priming once you've got some experience under your belt. I don't go to it, but thats only because its an inconvenient distance away.

drtom wrote:I mostly go to Australian Winemakers on Peel St just by the Vic Market. Sara there is really helpful. She clearly makes beer (and wine) herself, and has plenty of good suggestions.

Yeah, she is great isn't she? The older lady (don't know her name) is the one who can sometimes start waffling excessively. She also tries to sell you the most expensive gear in the shop. I think she's the owner which might be why. Sarah on the other hand is fantastic! Pity she's going to Italy tomorrow to do their importing stuff.

What wanker would say to not use malt?
I have also had odd experiences with HB shop owners. They must make so much money that they can afford to be weird to the customers.

Anyone familiar with the comic book guy on the simpsons will get my drift!

I've only been to two shops, One is extremely helpful and will listen as well as giving good advice. The other scoffed at me wanting to try using a lager yeast to make a lager. I guess its good to have a choice, for this very reason. Makes me wonder how some people stay in business as my choice was to look elsewhere.

I have been brewing since the end of July and am enjoying it and the beer immensly (spelling?).
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

ACTbrewer wrote:What wanker would say to not use malt?

Someone who hasn't heard of the German Purity Law, obviously. Ludicrous that they should be running a HB shop really.

My HBS guy is a great bloke, he used to run a pub and went into the HB business because to many of his customers were the arrogant wankers, now hes dealing with us home brewers hes wrapped and the only trouble i have going there is trying to get out of the place as he likes a bit of a chin wag, The only response i get from him when i tell him about something out of the ordinary is "wow sounds great ill have to give that a go myself"

What a fool to suggest that we do not try Malt.

HB is all about trying a different mix of everything even if it against the trend.

My local HB at Charlestown knows that I do not go the usual additions to my brews and when he gets something new in, he always lets me know...even if it's cheap.

Fents wrote:My local (Greensborough) is great. Dave's been really helpfull from day one. From my first kit, to my first partial mash recipe...always helpfull.

That said theres another store near me as well and the guy is not so helpfull. Hes stuck in his ways and wont enter into any convo's about trying other ways or stuff.

Dave was my local for 5 years before moving. I found him very helpful and enjoyed spending an hour or two in there with him on a Friday discussing beer and brewing.

The other I agree with you, I would have to be desperate to even set foot in the door. But I have found it is not just that store but that Franchises. I have been in 5 or 6 stores of that franchise and have found them all the same arrogant and uniformed about home brewing.

I have also had the Country Brewer as a local in the past and found them very helpful as well.

My current local is not very helpful and over priced and I have ended up giving advice while there and informing them about their own products. Unfortunately I do not have an alternative besides Ross at Craft Brewer who with deliver is still cheaper if only he had a range of kits as well as the rest of his stock.

There are some poor HB shops, as well as some good ones. The trick is to work out which is which, and then go to the good one.

Northern Half of the Sydney Metro area; I recomend Asquith Hombrewing and Daves Homebrewing at North Sydney. Both happy to give suggestions, but also willing to discuss your thoughts and ideas as well.

Cheers,
Greg

Dasher wrote: 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.

Hatchet Juggla wrote:

Dasher wrote: 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.

I find the Country Brewer at Thornleigh is good. I personally don't like the Asquith HB store. 3 out of 5 times I've been ignored.

bloody oath chris.

At Asquith, i ask them to get me a Smoky Yukon kit, and the old fart said "no way. They're discusting. I'll never buy them again"

To which i said that i want to try one, but he didnt care.
what a dickhead.

Then he scoffed at me bacause i wanted to make an 8% beer!!!!!

just because his heart cant handle anything over 3.5%, dosent mean he can scoff at customers for trying to experiment.

I'll never go there again.

I found the bloke at Blue Mountain Brewing Supplies in St Marys to be arrogant also - not willing to even consider any methods that differed from his own.

Graham at the Country Brewer in Girraween is an absolute champion.
So is the Bloke at the Richmond Country Brewer.
Not to mention that the Country Brewer has the best kits too....