Home Brew Shops

[Beer Krout]

Which are the best homebrew shops in each state/city and why?
Which ones do you go to?

[Oliver]

The best in Melbourne is, I believe, Grain and Grape (http://www.grainandgrape.com.au). They have a great range and knowledgable staff. They have stuff that you can't get anywhere else that I know of, such as Belgian candi sugar (sounds like a porn star, I know ). They also do demos of mash brewing once a month. I'm yet to attend, but the idea is magnificent.

The one that I frequent, however, as it's about 30 to 45 minutes closer to where I live, is Liquorcraft/Australian Home Brewing (http://www.liquorcraft.com.au) in Oakleigh (formerly in Hughesdale).

While I don't think their range is as good, and their staff leave a lot to be desired as far as knowledge goes (I find myself in there as a customer and giving advice to other customers! You can also see a previous post about me asking about a particular line, to be informed that the guy behing the counter had tried it but stuffed it up because he hadn't followed the directions), they tend to have everything I need as a kit brewer.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Shaun]

I agree with Oliver, Grain and Grape appears to be the best in Melbourne. I like Oliver frequent a different shop though due to distance. I use Greensborough Home brewing good range and helpful.

Oliver is Liquorcraft associated with Brewcraft in anyway?

[Oliver]

Shaun,

I'm not sure what the connection is. I think that Brewcraft is some sort of buyer's group, of which Liquorcraft/AHB is a member.

It seems that Brewcraft is a New Zealand outfit. See http://www.brewcraft.co.nz

Can anyone shed any light on it?

Oliver

[Shaun]

Who ever they are I will travel as far as it takes to find a HBS not connected with brewcraft. I have been in several different brewcraft stores and have always found the staff to be lacking in brewing knowledge and unhelpful.

[Terry]

The only brew shop I have bought gear from in SA is a Brewcraft.

Interesting to hear your comments about them. Because I am a relatively new brewer I was taken in by this shop, as my experience with the purchase of homebrew products was from Big W and Kmart so I am still in the impressionable phase at the moment. They did have a large range of kits, sugars etc and the fellow in there did seem to know what he was talking about, but then again, at the moment I don't.

Having said that, I found Brewcraft to be on the pricey side but given the previous comments I think it would be best to try other hbs. There are others such as The Jovial Monk and Grumpys.

Grumpys (near Hahndorf) is a brewhaus cafe and the beer they sell on tap is what they brew themselves. Quite tasty. The products they sell seems to be mainly aimed at brewing all-grain brews. The brews they have on tap are tasty and the food there is great.

Will add more after I shop around.

[flosso1]

I've found Australian Winemakers on Peel St in North Melbourne (just opposite the Queen Vic Markets) to be pretty good. Only a fairly modest selection as far as the beer side of things goes, but the prices are pretty good.

For example, I picked up a bottle washer there for $20 when I had seen it for $40 at my local HBS. Also picked up all the ingredients for a James Boags Premium clone there for $23 when then local HBS wanted $35. (This may be saying more about my local than the place in Nth Melbourne).

Plus being relatively close to the city means I can stop by during my lunch hour every now and again.

There is also a place on the Nepean Highway in Edithvale called Brew n' Grow (I think) that I haven't been able to check out yet because I only ever go past on a Sunday when it is closed - (What is it with HBS always being closed on Sundays?????)

[db]

I like ESB here in NSW.. service is excellent. prices are good. & they have a great range of stock.
& they pack their mail orders really well.

[Dogger Dan]

flosso

Surely they can be entitled to quaffing an ale or two on a Sunday

Dogger

[Beer Krout]

I've now tried four places in Melbourne.

* Grape & Grain, Maidstone - excellent, good range, great advise, demo mashes. Wish it was closer. Sells Wyeast

* Liquorcraft (Australian Home Brewing) (Brewcraft), Oakleigh - not bad range. Advice is not the best. Brewcraft sheet notes suspect (note: I have ruined one brew by boiling crystal malt with husks for 20 mins as per recipe). Sells Wyeast.

* Brew & Grow, Oakleigh - Not much range. Probably cheap though. Looks like it's main business is hydroponics.

* Brewers Den, Boronia - Only been here once. First impressions were good. A good range. Friendly owner who looks like he would give good advice if I'd had to the time to chat. Sells White Labs (note: out of date)

[Oliver]

* Liquorcraft (Australian Home Brewing) (Brewcraft), Oakleigh - not bad range. Advice is not the best. Brewcraft sheet notes suspect (note: I have ruined one brew by boiling crystal malt with husks for 20 mins as per recipe). Sells Wyeast.

I agree about the advice at this joint. This is the place where I asked a guy whether he'd brewed a particular beer and the answer came back: "No. Well, yes. But I stuffed it up because I didn't read the instructions." I was so shocked that you could have knocked me over with a 20g packet of hops.

They also don't sell Cooper's products. None. Nil. Nothing.

I wish that Grain and Grape was closer to me.

Oliver

[flosso1]

flosso

Surely they can be entitled to quaffing an ale or two on a Sunday

Dogger

Good point Dogger,

Although the fact they are into hydroponics as well makes me think they might be into something else on their day off.

[Lebowski]

I go to westbrew in osborne park (WA) mainly because its close but the old guy there is helpfull. Lately I've just been getting coopers stuff from the supermarket so I only really need to go there for hops.

[Dory]

I go to a place in the Canberra suburb of Kambah called 'Brew your own at home'. It has a great range of kits, grains, and accesories. Also has tastings on a Saturday afternoons which coincidently is the same time I like to visit said HBS!

[Longbeach Brewer]

I avoid any home brew store with a "grow" section. Me thinks they are into something else not just on their days off, but for breakfast before work... (Stores are grotty, staff have few teeth, strange smell in the air etc...)
I will call in if I need to pick up supplies mid-brew, but otherwise I make the extra treck to Australian Home Brewing in Oakleigh, or just pick up an excellent range of fermenting sugars and kits from Big W.
Chris

[Guest]

At a risk of letting the cat out of the bag, Dane will be launching the new section of AHB shortly. He has contacted us here at the supplier ( insert name here if you know who we are) and we have accepted his credit aplication.

AHB will make the change from a forum to a Home Brewing retailig site in the coming weeks.

Steve S.

[db]

Dane will be launching the new section of AHB shortly.

will it have the same attitude as the forum? will they sell extracts to us lower level brewers?

[Dogger Dan]

Flosso,

Say it isn't tomatoes. My God we may have competition at the shop.

Pot is almost legal here in Canada, it is like getting a speeding ticket, no record, just a fine if it is a minimum amount for personel consumption. (at least that is the way it is going).

Don't use it myself. Have way more fun with beer, and no fine.

Dogger

[GTI86]

have been to a few good some bad
greensbourgh homebrewing -good advice helped out with my chimayclone

Wineequip -on sydney rd coburg good range not much advice have bottle
cappers for $25

brewcraft shop in heidelburg- guy in there pretty much ignored me when I
was trying to ask about kits nearly put me off brewing

Grain @ GRAPE top shop best prices apart from bi-lo didnt realy get the chance to have a chat to the guys here was in a rush

[tyrone]

one stop brew in gladstone; Good range good prices good advice.Dont need any more.(except spelling and typing lessons)