My local Homebrew shop has closed down

[booyaa]

Nearest to me opens at odd times that make it difficult for me to get to. Shame as the guy there seems really knowlegable and helpful.
Another one is a local indoor market stall and is usually quite well stocked for what I want, I only do kits, so quite lucky I have two decent places that work for me nearby. I much prefer using the local places than online shops but sometimes I need to. Glad I have the choice and long may it continue.

 

[Grealish]

I really miss my local home brew shop. It was only small and he just couldn't keep enough stock for both kit brewers and AG. He had a reasonable supply of grain but limited hops and, of course, only dried yeast. I used him where I could, but in reality, I had to get stuff online and, like others have said, that usually means stocking up with an order over £65 for free delivery, by which time there's not much left to buy from the home-brew shop. Where he was useful was when you realised you could make up a brew with odds and ends but just needed a kg of Maris Otter or some hops or when you broke a hydrometer and really wanted one quickly. Really useful to me but not enough to keep him in business. Also, no parking, which is a pain, as others have said, when you're trying to carry bags of grain. It's a real shame. I hugely miss the old high street in many ways, but the next generation will just shake their heads at us when we say it to them. My old mum (actually, I'm from Brum, and we call our mothers 'mom') used to get her groceries from a shop where you went to the counter and asked Mrs Whoever for what you wanted. It was found, sliced/packed/weighed as required then handed to you. whilst this was happening, a conversation would likely take place. So much lovelier and more personal than visiting the supermarket but try selling it to an investor as a business idea.

 

[booyaa]

On the back of this I went to my local store, in Stafford, and the place is only open 2 days a week now as he is trying to sell up to retire. Another one appears to be disappearing.

 

[stevey]

The nearest one to me has also closed (Faversham Homebrew). The proprietor, Colin was very knowledgable and stocked everything I needed. Such a shame that real shops can't compete with mail order. I'd much rather go and look at something before I decide to part with my hard earned.

 

[the_quick]

I don't have any HB shop near me. But I use 2 local microbreweries for grain and hops - they happy to sell 1kg/£1 for grain and usually 100g/£1 for hops (it can differ on very expensive hops) - it does work really well. One has bar open to the public so I can sample their current beer range - I have really great relation with them.
I don't do many kits, and buy most yeast from CML. So I think I'm mostly sorted. Occasionally I will buy online rare hops/yeast.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Is there a list of HBS on this site, if not there must be enough knowledge to create one.

 

[Clint]

Great idea!

 

[booyaa]

Is there a list of HBS on this site, if not there must be enough knowledge to create one.

That would be excellent and really helpful. I like ot have a browse at different shops when I am in the area but it is quite difficult to find if there are shops in the areas, opening hours etc..

 

[Northern_Brewer]

This would be one place to start, although it's far from perfect :
https://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchA...+and+brewing+supplies&location=United Kingdom

 

[Cheshire Cat]

1. Quay Side Easy Brew Exeter
2. Hop Shop Plymouth
3. The Home Brew Shop Farnborough
4. Ballihoo Homebrew Chedar
5. Cookware & Homebrew Exeter
6. Brewbitz Homebrew Bath
7. Brew UK Salisbury
8. Dorset Homebrew Wimborne
9. Brewers Droop Bristol
10. GetBrewing Portsmouth
11. Bigger Trading Ilminster
12. The Malt Miller Swindon
13. Brewmonkey Homebrew Cradley Heath
14. Ring Pull Corsham
15. Stonehelm Homebrew Oxford
16. Brew Mart Sheffield
17. Colchester Homebrew Supplies
18. Homebrew Centre Cheddar
19. Waterintobeer London
20. The Happy Brewer Roxton
21. Hamstead Brewing Centre Birmingham
22. Love Brewing Chesterfield
23. Charles Faram Malvern
24. Cambridge Homebrew
25. Spitting Feathers Bolton
26. Julie's Homebrew Manchester
27. Salford Homebrew
28. Chester Homebrew
29. Leyland Homebrew
30. The Wine Loft St Helens
31. Darren Homebrew
32. Love Brewing Liverpool
33. Jolly Brewer Stoke
34. Homebrew Bottle Shop Prenton
35. Burnley Homebrew
36. Birkenhead Homebrew
37. Homebrew Bottle Shop West Kirby
38. Eastgate Homebrew Stafford
39. Morley Homebrew Centre Leeds
40. Do it at Home Rotherham
41. Dark Rock Brewing Dudley
42. Hobby Homebrew Pontefract
43. BrewGenie Telford
44. Bubbles Brew Burton
45. Cheers Nottingham
46. Dee Jay Homebrew Birmingham
47. Lancashire Beer Company Nelson
48. Homebrew Life Gateshead
49. Fleetwood Homebrew Centre
50. Pops Homebrew Cheltenham

 

[Duxuk]

I buy everything from Leyland Homebrew. Joe and Theresa only open Thurs. Fri and Sat now. I think they've wanted to sell up and retire but so far are hanging on!

 

[Rodcx500z]

I buy everything from Leyland Homebrew. Joe and Theresa only open Thurs. Fri and Sat now. I think they've wanted to sell up and retire but so far are hanging on!

Hi Dux I use them a lot 30 mile round trip for me but worth it will be a sad day when they retire

 

[dwhite60]

More and more it's sounding like the only way to do this successfully would be to operate as a co-op. Everyone that buys there has to put in some hours periodically to retain their privileges. This way you've eliminated the overhead of pay. This would result in a great reduction in cost. Could also institute some annual membership or a minimum annual purchase amount.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[Bobtheblob]

Any chance you could change the list so the towns come first alphabetically and make this a sticky?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Bob
That's your job

 

[Duxuk]

Is number 31. "Darren Homebrew" actually Darwen Homebrew? If so they are kit brew only. Interestingly local people call Darwen "Darren".

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Darwen it's auto correct does like Darwen.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Dorset homebrew are closing their shop at the end of the year , you will still be able to buy online from them ( they are very competitive). However you will be able to collect from a fulfilment centre a few miles away, browsing the shop though will be a sorely missed pastime but better on my wallet !

 

[johncrobinson]

I dont have homebrew shops near me just hardware and household with a homebrew section.Even though the range is not exactly awsome I still try to spend just to keep it going,I much prefer to see and touch things in a shop before buying.

 

[UKSkydiver]

Any chance you could change the list so the towns come first alphabetically and make this a sticky?

I know this is old.
I was a bit bored.

	Name	Location
6​	Brewbitz Homebrew	Bath
36​	Birkenhead Homebrew	Birkenhead
21​	Hamstead Brewing Centre	Birmingham
46​	Dee Jay Homebrew	Birmingham
25​	Spitting Feathers	Bolton
9​	Brewers Droop	Bristol
35​	Burnley Homebrew	Burnley
44​	Bubbles Brew	Burton
24​	Cambridge Homebrew	Cambridge
4​	Ballihoo Homebrew	Cheddar
18​	Homebrew Centre	Cheddar
50​	Pops Homebrew	Cheltenham
28​	Chester Homebrew	Chester
22​	Love Brewing	Chesterfield
17​	Colchester Homebrew Supplies	Colchester
14​	Ring Pull	Corsham
13​	Brewmonkey Homebrew	Cradley Heath
31​	Darwen Homebrew	Darwen
41​	Dark Rock Brewing	Dudley
1​	Quay Side Easy Brew	Exeter
5​	Cookware & Homebrew	Exeter
3​	The Home Brew Shop	Farnborough
49​	Fleetwood Homebrew Centre	Fleetwood
48​	Homebrew Life	Gateshead
11​	Bigger Trading	Ilminster
39​	Morley Homebrew Centre	Leeds
29​	Leyland Homebrew	Leyland
32​	Love Brewing	Liverpool
19​	Waterintobeer	London
23​	Charles Faram	Malvern
26​	Julie's Homebrew	Manchester
47​	Lancashire Beer Company	Nelson
45​	Cheers	Nottingham
15​	Stonehelm Homebrew	Oxford
2​	Hop Shop	Plymouth
42​	Hobby Homebrew	Pontefract
10​	GetBrewing	Portsmouth
34​	Homebrew Bottle Shop	Prenton
40​	Do it at Home	Rotherham
20​	The Happy Brewer	Roxton
27​	Salford Homebrew	Salford
7​	Brew UK	Salisbury
16​	Brew Mart	Sheffield
30​	The Wine Loft	St Helens
38​	Eastgate Homebrew	Stafford
33​	Jolly Brewer	Stoke
12​	The Malt Miller	Swindon
43​	BrewGenie	Telford
37​	Homebrew Bottle Shop	West Kirby
8​	Dorset Homebrew	Wimborne