New Homebrew Shop Coming to Washington Avenue

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New Homebrew Shop Coming to Washington Avenue

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blenderfish
weirdo
Joined: Oct '08
Posts: 41

I mentioned this in a different thread a few days ago, but I figured it warranted its own post. A new homebrew shop is going in at 700 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. I know the owners personally. They will be selling all manner of homebrew supplies, including organic grains and kits for apartment brewing. They will also have space in the shop for classes, and they will have a program to allow customers to brew larger batches of beer on premises. The shop should open by the end of the June.

They have been running classes around Brooklyn recently under the name City Brewshop, although the storefront will likely have a different name. http://www.citybrewshop.com/

They also have a kickstarter page set up if you'd like to help them get off the ground. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1768322178/city-brewshop-electric-brewery

# Posted 1 yr ago
jr5597
rookie newb
Joined: May '11
Posts: 30

I found them on facebook! This is really exciting. Where do they currently run classes?

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

I am SOOO excited for this! I have recently started brewing myself, and can't wait for a place to meet up with people from the neighborhood who brew, have a shop nearby, take classes, etc.

My husband and I were recently talking about businesses that could be successful in the area between Franklin and Flatbush and both agreed that a homebrew place would do well -- it's a niche, certainly, but it wouldn't only be for the hyper-local, but also for people who don't want to go to the LES Whole Foods for supplies within all of NYC. Unlike some other stores I see opening in the neighborhood that won't bring in outside shoppers, I think this will be a great addition for people living here as well as for people around NYC at large.

# Posted 1 yr ago
JoshB
getting it
Joined: Jul '05
Posts: 194

Yeah, but there's also the well-established Brooklyn Homebrew in Gowanus, on 3rd Ave and Eighth. Are there really that many homebrewers to require two shops? Not being a Debbie Downer; just curious how the business models will differ.

# Posted 1 yr ago
johnnyl
what am I, new?
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 4

Hey all. John from City Brewshop. Our next class will be July 10th at our new store at 700 Washington ave in Prospect Heights between prospect and St. Marks.It will be a beginging home brew class. We will be offering more advanced classes once we open. Check us out at http://www.citrybrewshop.com And yes there is Brooklyn Homebrew. And they are great. We have talked to them a few times about our shop. Our business model will be a bit different then theirs. We will sell supplies and equipment but we will also have classes and have a brew on premises where people can brew their own beer. Plus we will carry a lot of organics. We hope to expand Brooklyn's home brew community, there is room. BTW, we are changing our name...

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

JoshB said:
Yeah, but there's also the well-established Brooklyn Homebrew in Gowanus, on 3rd Ave and Eighth. Are there really that many homebrewers to require two shops? Not being a Debbie Downer; just curious how the business models will differ.

I was under the impression that it was mostly just the Brooklyn Brew Shop things -- their line of merch, if you will. They have good stuff, but it's not a home-brew supply shop - merely an outpost for a company to sell THEIR things along with some smaller materials (like tubing, etc.) needed for the brewing process. It sounds like this place opening on Washington Avenue is a store that sells a wide variety of supplies made by a variety of companies. Also, 2 years is not "Well established" in my mind -- this sounds more like what the Whole Foods on Houston does rather than a company that sells its own products only.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,068

How much does it cost for a kit to brew beer at home?

Does the beer turn out yummy?

Do people do this largely for the novelty of it, or is it cheaper?

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

I actually use the Brooklyn Brew Shop kits as of now -- although friends of mine (with bigger kitchens) do it more from scratch. My plan is to be more creative by the end of the summer.

Using these put-together sets, it's $15 to brew 12 bottles (about a gallon of beer) which is the smallest size they have. Which is slightly under cost.
But if you do the 5 gallon batches (the more common size for home-brewing), it's $40 for 60 bottles (so 2 1/2 cases) which is WAY less than buying beer. That amount of, let's say, Sam Adams would be about $90 and that amount of Six Point would be $150.

But once you understand the process/get good at it, it can be cool to be creative with the brewing process. I have friends who do awesome things with fruits/flowers/etc. One of my favorite beers was a peanut butter and jelly beer that I had from a homebrewer I met in suburban PA and it was a really wheat-y beer with raspberry and peanut flavorings -- it was amazing.

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

And yes, it's delicious. We're working on a Chocolate Porter right now. I'll let you know how it goes.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,068

how long does it take? ...when I want a beer, I am not patient.

I do not know if I am ready for peanut butter and jelly beer.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
johnnyl
what am I, new?
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 4

johnnyl said:
Hey all. John from City Brewshop. Our next class will be July 10th at our new store at 700 Washington ave in Prospect Heights between prospect and St. Marks.It will be a beginging home brew class. We will be offering more advanced classes once we open. Check us out at http://www.citybrewshop.com And yes there is Brooklyn Homebrew. And they are great. We have talked to them a few times about our shop. Our business model will be a bit different then theirs. We will sell supplies and equipment but we will also have classes and have a brew on premises where people can brew their own beer. Plus we will carry a lot of organics. We hope to expand Brooklyn's home brew community, there is room. BTW, we are changing our name...

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

This is the part I hate -- it takes 4 to 6 weeks.
But that means once you bottle, start your next batch and then if you drink a six-pack a week of homebrew, you're right on schedule to drink your next beer.

Of course, in my house, it's more than a six-pack per week (by a lot), but it is good to spice things up with great craft brews so you're not just drinking one beer all the time.

My tip: brew so that you get 6 beers per week through your brewing and then take all your growlers from other places (in my apartment alone we have 2 Weyerbacher growlers, 1 Bark growler, and 3 Bierkraft growlers) to Kelso brewery just north of Fulton and just west of Washington and get them filled for $10 with any beer of your choice on a Saturday. In my apartment that's 6 growlers -- which each pour 6 beers. So that's 36 beers plus the 6 we brewed -- and 42 beers per week for the 2 of us is a much better number. And we're still not spending TOO much for a whole lot of great beer.

Right -- did I mention my husband and I love to drink beer?

# Posted 1 yr ago
johnnyl
what am I, new?
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 4

Oops, screwed up my own url. It's http://www.citybrewshop.com

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,068

xlizellx said:

My tip: brew so that you get 6 beers per week through your brewing and then take all your growlers from other places (in my apartment alone we have 2 Weyerbacher growlers, 1 Bark growler, and 3 Bierkraft growlers) to Kelso brewery just north of Fulton and just west of Washington and get them filled for $10 with any beer of your choice on a Saturday. In my apartment that's 6 growlers

That is more growling than my dog does.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
catwalkertexasranger
above average
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 483

these people are at Wash Commons from time to time they are great. I wish them the best

# Posted 1 yr ago
johnnyl
what am I, new?
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 4

Our goal is to get people brewing the best beer they can, and to have the resources for established brewers. The best part is going to be the brew on premises where anyone can come and brew their beer on our state of the art equipment and let it ferment in our temperature controlled rooms. Beer brewing is as easy as you want it to be and is very high quality. The average beer takes about 5 weeks from brew to drinking, but well worth it. Check us out at http://www.citybrewshop.com and thanks for your support.

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

johnnyl said:
The best part is going to be the brew on premises where anyone can come and brew their beer on our state of the art equipment and let it ferment in our temperature controlled rooms.

I agree. I hate how small my kitchen is and I hate how filled my kitchen is with large pots and plastic tubing and empty bottles. I will take advantage of this for sure.

# Posted 1 yr ago
JoshB
getting it
Joined: Jul '05
Posts: 194

Hey, xlizellx:

There are two different homebrew supply shops in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Homebrew is the bricks-and-mortar shop on Third Avenue in Gowanus. They sell a wide variety of hops, grains, equipment, what have you. Benjamin and Danielle are great people, great selection, etc.

http://www.brooklyn-homebrew.com/

Brooklyn Brew Shop is the couple that sell kits at the Brooklyn Flea and Whole Foods. Brooklyn Brew Shop sells mainly kits, while Brooklyn Homebrew handles supplies. Two different models.

http://brooklynbrewshop.com/

But anyway, welcome to the neighborhood, fine brewing neighbors! We are thirsty folk.

# Posted 1 yr ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

ah, thanks -- good to know! I had heard about the Brooklyn Homebrew place years ago but as a "some day they might open" kind of way when at a homebrewers meeting in Manhattan. And then I hadn't heard anything since. Thanks for the info!

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,068

Video about business

http://vimeo.com/m/43396586

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 10 mos ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

These guys are great. As someone who has only home brewed a half dozen times, I love that they give our their cell numbers so you can call with your dumb questions while your brewing. So supportive, so helpful, and a great selection.

# Posted 10 mos ago
inpixels
above average
Joined: Oct '05
Posts: 542

"These guys are great."
not my email experience... but guess i'll give him another shot.

# Posted 10 mos ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

Email experience? I don't know what that means

# Posted 10 mos ago
inpixels
above average
Joined: Oct '05
Posts: 542

went to the store in person. Owner seemed like a nice enough guy. He didn't currently stock what I wanted---
Was told to check back in a few weeks.
~6 weeks later sent an email. - Never heard back.

# Posted 10 mos ago
xlizellx
rocking it
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,579

Ah gotcha. Yeah...I could see that happening easily. Good people but potentially scatterbrained is the right word?

# Posted 10 mos ago