Southern Homebrew & Wine

Cheap yes. But UTTERLY RUDE on the telephone. I think they have too much business. Let’s find another that has cheap prices.
ALSO — they make up their numbers in shipping cost.

I wish I would have read all the other bad reviews before I made the hour and a half trip up to the store. I originally ordered 2 wine kits online from Southern Homebrew, and when I ran out, I decided to drive up there to save on shipping costs. I immediately noticed that their wine kits were around 15% — 20% more expensive in their store. When I asked someone behind the counter if they would price match their website, they rudely responded «no.» They said prices were lower online to help with the cost of shipping. Needless to say, they have lost my business forever. I found a great local place in Melbourne and I’ll never drive up to Southern Homebrew again.

They have moved to Canal St? west of rte. !
I visited around Christmas while on vacation.
They do have a fairly good stock.
But there were moths in most of the grain bins. I bought 5 one pound bags, but put them in the microwave to kill any bugs later that day.
They have a very strange way of selling the malt grains. They give you a Ziplock bag a Sharpie and a scale on a cart. They then want you to measure out exactly 1 pound. I misunderstood and came close??? I figured they would re-​weigh the package and apply the price per pound…
I am glad this is not my local homebrew supply store, Your review helps others learn about great local businesses.

I went to this business to get supplies for making mead (honey wine), there were three employees in the store, all behind the counter. I was the only customer in the whole place and asked were the energizer and nutrient were… instead of coming over he just points and tells me. I mill around, and still didn’t see it, my friend found it for me… Then when the guy does come out he looks down at the stuff I have gathered, and tells me, «that what I have is going to make a really light mead and I’m not going to be happy with it, that I need to get a champagne yeast.» I hold it up for him thinking he doesn’t see it well, and say this one? he says yes, that I need a brewing yeast they sell by the pound. I told him that the yeasts that I have are good, (not to mention they are champagne yeasts) and that i’m not a newbie, he counters with his are good and he’s been doing it for 50 years. I then ask him why his yeasts are not refrigerated, he says they don’t have to be (however, in other good stores, they have been!) I say oh, how come on your display boxes it says keep refrigerated?! (But, again, I guss he knows more). I can’t believe a store like this is still around. If I didn’t have my heart set on making mead this afternoon, I would have put everything back and gone elsewhere. I ended up getting what I came for, but was so chapped by the very bad attitude and horrible customer service! I will go somewhere else for my next batch, in 30 days. I will not go back to his store, and suggest to others not to go there either.

I was in the store to purchase grain in Oct ’11, when I got to the counter I notice grain weevils in the flaked wheat. When I told them I did not want the grain, they said there are bugs in all grain and would not take it back. I then wrote a criticism inline of this. Two days ago my wife went to the store to get some DME and bottle caps and they refuse to sell anything to her because it was for me. They said they would never sell to me again. I talked to the guys at the Fermented Brew Shop in Sanford and they were super nice. I’ll be going there from now on.