What would you like to see in a brew shop

[HBHB]

To go with the goodies Stu suggested, a set of 1g incremental trade scales (certified)

Health Dep't Food License for packaging blends, malts, hops, etc. (plus sub sectioned for Grain storage)

Freezers for the hops.

Fridge for the Yeasts etc.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Unfortunately everyone in the chain wants to make 15% profit...the more in the chain the more it costs

 

[HBHB]

You could easily sink 15% of the finished malt price in transport alone.

It's actually more like 38%

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Health Dep't Food License for packaging blends, malts, hops, etc. (plus sub sectioned for Grain storage)

Not sure if you would need Health Dept licencing for the grains and hops, and if you dont, dont. It can cost a few $$$ to go down that route

 

[HBHB]

Not sure if you would need Health Dept licencing for the grains and hops, and if you dont, dont. It can cost a few $$$ to go down that route

Certainly do - in every state and territory in Australia. If it's consumed by a human, you need to have it.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

In NSW food premises comes under your local council.. Certain things you dont need any licences for, but things like meat, dairy, eggs you most certainly do.

At the very least you would need a safe food handling cert

 

[Batz]

Not sure if you would need Health Dept licencing for the grains and hops, and if you dont, dont. It can cost a few $$$ to go down that route

Supprizes me as well, that means health food shops, Asian shops, Indian shops, lolly shops
etc that all repackage spices, grains, beans and rice require Health Dept. licencing? I don't think too many I visit in the Valley would have this.

 

[antiphile]

:icon_offtopic:
A semi on-highway consumes about 1 L of fuel per km. So we're talking at least $1,600 of fuel.

Holy jeebers cripes.

My BIL used to drive long-haul semis (he was based in the NT at that stage) and he told me some of them carry enough fuel to do a trip from Brissie to Perth without having to refuel.Thank gosh I never have to pay the bill to fill 'er up!

 

[Matplat]

The digression in this thread is fantastic!

 

[antiphile]

Sorry Matplat. I meant to put in my post that those long-haul semis could be used to haul malted grain! :blush:

Edit added 6:15pm: Getting back on topic, what I would definately not want to see ever in a LHBS is a Ducati riding tattoed thug who would be subject to the VLAD laws if he crossed into Qld in any brew store. So please make sure you filter your customers well. Maybe it would be worthwhile employing a bouncer.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Supprizes me as well, that means health food shops, Asian shops, Indian shops, lolly shops
etc that all repackage spices, grains, beans and rice require Health Dept. licencing? I don't think too many I visit in the Valley would have this.

Exactly.

And grain and hops are not directly consumed

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Sorry Matplat. I meant to put in my post that those long-haul semis could be used to haul malted grain! :blush:

Edit added 6:15pm: Getting back on topic, what I would definately not want to see ever in a LHBS is a Ducati riding tattoed thug who would be subject to the VLAD laws if he crossed into Qld in any brew store. So please make sure you filter your customers well. Maybe it would be worthwhile employing a bouncer.

Lucky I dont have tattoo's

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Thats what I like about internet forums.... everyone is so helpful
Thanks for contributing

Good work Carl.

On topic, most times on-line is cheaper than store front but If the owner knows more about his stock than you do and doesn't feed you BS it can be worth the trip.
I bought my false bottom from my local as I could physically try it in my mash tun.
Well stored yeast and hops is also hard to find in the local brew shops as they tend to focus on kit brewers and spirits.

Long live LHB's

 

[Matplat]

If you can, go check out Toowoomba Homebrewers... then make your store exactly like that! One of the few negatives about my recent relocation is that I won't have access to that store anymore

They have 90% of the grains, hops and yeast you'll need reasonably priced, fresh wort kits brewed in house, all sorts of extracts (not just light, amber and dark), grain milling and vacuum packing free of charge, helpful staff and they host the local brew club meetings.

 

[Beamer]

i would like to see a smile and hear more than "I dont know", this is why i shop online, then again my lhbs is a tobacconists with a shelf of K&K

 

[MastersBrewery]

Exactly.

And grain and hops are not directly consumed

I believe you mean it's not intended for direct consumption. I'm always chewing on a bit of grain when I start weighing out recipes. Gives you an idea of flavour/ freshness.

 

[mudd]

Kay, there's some good ideas here. At the end of the day you need to provide what your customers want. I'm not sure where your located but you need to have the demand to turn over your stock regularly (whether that's kits or allgrain). there is a risk in going hell for leather on all grain and having a glut of stale ingredients in a few months time. Having said that I think the opportunity long term is in being able to make the freshest homemade beer possible which is all grain brewing.

 

[Feldon]

Hi, Kay.

You're shop is located in Sale in Vic., so you could find out from the local water authority what the mineral profile is of the town water supply (assuming the whole town is fed from the same source).

You could then work out what mineral additions are needed to optimise the water for brewing beer, and put together kits of all the necessary mineral additions needed to adjust the water. You could sell these kits with a 'how to' instruction sheet. If this seems a bit complex, just post here the town water profile data and I'm sure AHB members with the know-how would help you to calculate the water addition dosages.

Selling a water addition kit like this would signal to the brewing community in Sale that you are dead serious about helping them make the best beer possible from the ingredients you are selling.

Best of luck with the shop.

 

[nosco]

I have 2 hbs's near me. 1 about 15 min and the other about 30-40. I go to the further one because they have a good range of grain, yeast and hops, wine and cider gear and all the rest, plenty of choice to make any kind of beer i want, but also everyone there is an experienced brewer. From a business point of view this knowledge is great because they are always sellinge things i dont need but i make it very easy. Ive been to this shop many time in the last 2 years. If i were you Kay id be learning as much about brewing as i could.
Ive only been brewing for 2 years (pretty obsessively) but i think i know more about brewing and beer than the people at the shop closer to me. They sell extract brew kits a pretty good range of dried yeast and a limited range of hops. They do brew on premises which i think is their main business but i havnt been impressed with the beers i tasted at all. The last one i tasted was supposed to be a James Boags Premium tasting beer. To me it tasted more like a cream ale that i had brewed. Which leads me to think that their lagers (most of their beers) are actually made with ale yeast. Ive been to this shop 3 times in about 10 years.
My 2c educate yourself about brewing and look at what some of the bigger home brew shops are selling to give you a good idea. If you can educate your customers too then you'll have greater scope for your business.

 

[bradsbrew]

As stated above, staff that are offering advice that comes from experience not from the packet instructions. Knowing your product and getting to know your clients is critical. Take your clients details so you can add them to a data base. Use that data base to assist you next time they come in.

Cheers