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MAJOR HOP COMPANIES TURNING THEIR BACKS

phAT YAK

By phAT YAK
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phAT YAK

phAT YAK

Posted
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So recently our small brew group decided to source out some extra suppliers for our bulk hop purchases....After 2 weeks of research we landed 2 that where happy to take our money....but 1 inparticular that decided against helping used the reason of coping flack from LHBS that it cuts them out of the picture. Correct me if I'm wrong but that is a piss weak excuse not to take our money and ongoing business from us. I got a better response from Europe and the Americas and they where more then happy to quote us....We even got redirected back to home soil for the best companies to contact.

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Beerlust

Beerlust

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I'll try & be brief.

 

The supplier that refused to do business with you, did so to protect his own business. If word got out to the LHBS's he supplies that he is wholesale selling direct to the public, he could lose all of the contracts for large scale volume selling of his hops. That in turn could end his business. A business he has probably worked very hard to build.

 

As far as the Americans & Europeans you approached, they are some of the biggest capitalists in the known world. They'd sell YOU the shirt off YOUR OWN back given half a chance, & leave you laying in the mud after you paid for it. Giving money to their businesses, doesn't create jobs in this country, it ENDS them.

 

For a few extra bucks, I sleep well at night knowing that I'm doing my bit to keep local business, .......

...IN BUSINESS.

 

Anthony.

 

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Scottie

Scottie

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For a few extra bucks, I sleep well at night knowing that I'm doing my bit to keep local business, .......

...IN BUSINESS. Anthony.

Hey Lusty

You hit the nail right on the head. Some of the problems that we face today and the issues that we bemoan are self inflicted due to shear short sightedness. I've said it before and it's good to see your supporting argument.

 

No LHBS to allow new brewers to progress past K & K, now that's a self fulfilling prophesy that can quickly gain momentum.

 

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GrahamB8

GrahamB8

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Last time I bought hops from the LHBS that I wanted to keep in business it cost me $16 for 90g of Amarillo. He also sold me a leaky keg which was 'pressure tested' and it took no end of arguing to get it resolved, screw him and his poxy business.

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Hairy

Hairy

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Why should Phatty be made to pay retail prices for bulk hops?

 

I understand why the supplier may be hesitant to cut out the LHBS and, given the supplier is the one foregoing the sale, it is their prerogative to do so.

 

But saying you must buy your supplies from your LHBS to keep them in business is a pretty simplistic view of the international market.

 

I am all for supporting your LHBS provided the service is good and the prices are right. Graham's experience above is an example of one that doesn't deserve support.

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Beerlust

Beerlust

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Hi guys.

 

I agree if the service you receive is poor like what Graham experienced, I would shop somewhere else too. Poor service is a different conversation altogether to what the OP discusses, & what I replied with.

 

If you're not happy with the prices at your LHBS then take the time to talk with the owner. If the shop is independently owned, you'll find he/she has some margin to play with around that price, especially when it comes to bulk sales as PY referred to.

 

In most cases, with a bit of back & forth, you can reach an agreement on a price you're happy to pay, & a price he/she is happy to sell at. After all, REAL money is REAL money isn't it? & you can't bank "Margin".

 

In relation to my point about supporting local business...

 

For those that don't get out much, turn off your computer for a couple of hours & go for a drive to your local shopping centre, mall or Plaza, & take a look at the amount of vacant shops. Each one of these used to give REAL people in this country a job. I'm all for competition in the marketplace, and as wonderful as the Internet is for many things, it is killing local business.

 

If buying from an unknown party with a 90%+ Ebay approval rating is all that matters to you then that's your choice. The unknown that he stores his bulk goods in a filthy shed lined with rat poo, & his 4 male bull mastiffs regularly lift their legs on the merchandise is something I know I don't need to worry about.

 

At least Scottie sees where I'm coming from. [happy]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

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Mainiac

Mainiac

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2 questions

 

1 Why does beerlust hate America so much? [lol]

 

2 Why not aproach LHBS and negotiate a "bulk" price?

 

It will not be the absolute lowest price but it will keep everyone happy.

 

As for buying local; I agree 100%

 

I try to buy as much as I can locally. I can get stuff cheaper on the interwebs or Walmart but I would like to give my money to people I like and who I think deserve it.

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Scottie

Scottie

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1 Why does beerlust hate America so much? [lol]

I try to buy as much as I can locally. I can get stuff cheaper on the interwebs or Walmart but I would like to give my money to people I like and who I think deserve it.

If Lusty does hate America then I'm not with him on that one. The USA and Europe are faced with much the same issues as us in Oz, it is just that we are feeling it more due to our small size.

 

However these 1st world countries will not be able to compete on a cost model with countries like China for the nest 50 years

So in reality the more money we throw at the international market via ebay ect, the less likely local business will be able to compete. Eventually the worm will turn and an unregulated labour market will balance the scales, sure hops will be cheap but the % of income spent on them will be greater.

 

Shouldn't this conversation be under the front bar general chit chat [unsure]

As you can see my kegs and cubes are full and my FVs are empty so little opportunity here to talk serious brewing [lol]

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PhilboBaggins

PhilboBaggins

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I agree that a good LHBS will be accommodating for bulk purchases, and that it is good to support your local. But I think we were being led up the garden path a bit by a lot of them in the days when the internet wasn't as readily available. One chain who shall remain nameless is still selling 25g of hops for $6, and US-05 for nearly $7!?! WTF?!?

 

The internet has done some good. Now that we are aware of what prices are everywhere else, people are able to discern the good prices locally compared to the rip off merchants who deserve no business at all (like the one mentioned above.)[annoyed]

 

I do all of my shopping with good Aussie companies. I am lucky to have 3 really good LHBS within 20 min drive, and for hops I have Yob (Hop Dealz Australia - no affiliation) and all my needs are met.

 

Having said that, I don't reckon many of them would supply the quantities that PY is looking for, and if I were him, I would probably be a bit pissed by the situation as well.

 

Hey Phat, have you asked at HDA yet?

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Beerlust

Beerlust

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Why does beerlust hate America so much? [lol]

I don't hate America.

 

America gave us Creedence Clearwater Revival, the TV show "Cheers", The world's first 24 x 7 SPORTS TV channel, comedian Steven Wright, & Bill Murray. [joyful]

 

Add to that, the American style Pale Ale & the hops to go with it. [happy]

 

For those 6 things alone, I will always be grateful. [biggrin]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

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Hairy

Hairy

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Why does beerlust hate America so much? [lol]

I don't hate America.

So is it just the Europeans that you hate? [biggrin]

 

I was hoping my post would fire you up. I buy most of my stuff from my LHBS but I am lucky that I get good service at a reasonable price. If he didn't offer that, or couldn't closely match a bulk price I could get elsewhere, then I would go somewhere else.

 

Phat, I don't know what prices you can get but I recall looking at Core Brewing Concepts for hops. They used to have a 5kg minimum order but you could get different varieties to make that up. And I think it used to be free postage too.

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Beerlust

Beerlust

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So is it just the Europeans that you hate? Biggrin

No, I don't dislike Europeans either.

 

Europe gave us the Eurovision Song Contest.

 

On second thoughts...I take that comment back. I do dislike Europeans! [pinched] [lol] [lol]

 

[biggrin]

 

Anthony.

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DaveH21

DaveH21

Posted
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I'm happy to pay a little extra. Otherwise we will have no LHBS.

 

But in return for my loyalty, I want;

 

A Fair price

The Best Ingredients

The Freshest Ingredients

Good Advice

& a funny joke like the local butcher used to give my mum, when I was a kid

 

 

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phAT YAK

phAT YAK

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Philbo I have been in contact with most of the suppliers on home soil and can confidently say without dropping names that 95% of the chain is fair play. I have hit few nerves with this post and has made things pretty interesting. I will ask one simple question for the haters\u2026 If your after a product in extremely short supply and the only way your LHBS can get it is to tap into international market, You won't use it based on your theory of keeping your money in the country.....PFFT.... I suggest you read the label on everything you buy from now on. Happy brewing, drink in moderation and be kind to your neighbour.[biggrin]

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Scottie

Scottie

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Its good to see that you are so attuned Phat Yak to the environment in which we shop. It takes a while for me to do the groceries, granted up to 80% of some supermarket items are from NZ or China and granted most people are unaware, it isn't that they don't care.

 

But that is a different issue, my local LHBS sells Australian grown Cascade but if I want Amarillo, Simcoe, Columbus or real Cascade then I have to buy American grown hops. MY LHBS stocks them as does Craft Brewer and hopefully they are the real deal and not the ones that Lusty talks of.

 

But then again I probably don't brew enough to warrant a bulk purchase of grain or hop. So its about $9 for 90g from CB or 50g for around $4.40 locally.

 

Good luck with your brewing conquests.

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Lotm

Lotm

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I buy many ingredients from my LHBS and from CB (I luckily can drive there [w00t]. When it comes to my LHBS though, I will buy anything there without hesitation, EXCEPT HOPS. They are just too expensive.

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phAT YAK

phAT YAK

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Emailed an order to Yob a couple of days ago and he hasn't got the varieties that I am after in stock, although he said he would look into it and get back to me. I must say this is a positive reaction compared to some of the feedback of late. I am pretty happy with my new supplier but you can't have all your eggs in the same basket.

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