A look at the inside of BrewChatter. Photo courtesy of R.J. Miller

New home brew store focuses on ingredients and teaching

What started as a home brewers club a year ago, has turned into a new home brew supply store in Sparks today. Before now, the Reno Homebrewer held a monopoly on home brewing supplies in the Reno-Sparks area for 28 years.

“We want to be a destination for people from any club to come and hang out and talk about beer,” said R.J. Hiller, owner of the BrewChatter. “We’ve just been waiting to open. We’re chomping at the bit.”

R.J said he never realized how many home brewers were in the area until Josh Dills and he started talking about opening a new store at BrewChatter club meetings.

“Everyone we talk to either is or knows a brewer,” R.J said. “I knew there were a lot but I never realized how many people in the area brew.”

For now the store will focus on selling high-quality brewing ingredients, such as Great Western Malting Company and Thomas Fawcett & Sons Ltd grain to help brewers make more authentic regional beers. They will also sell some specialty malts, yeasts and hops not currently available in Reno. Eventually, R.J. and Josh want to sell craft beer, put home brewed beers on tap and provide a place for newcomers to learn and make their own beers on site.

“I’ve been to a home brew class here and there but never got to taste what we made afterward,” R.J. said. “Here you can rent the brew system and we’ll show you what you need to do and it can ferment here. We’ll even help you design your own system.”

They’ve also started working with a local metal fabricator so that in a few months they’ll have a BrewChatter home brew system available: a flat, adjustable, three-kettle system with electric pumps and 10 or 15-gallon kettles.

Brewers can even order and pay for their supplies online, then pick up their orders from the store if they don’t want to spend a lot of time standing in front of shelves trying to decide. In the future, they may consider local shipping too.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible,” R.J. said. “We just want to spread the love.”

BrewChatter

Online: www.brewchatter.com/
Facebook: Facebook.com/BrewChatter
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Address: 1275 Kleppe Unit 21
Sparks, NV 89431

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Mike Higdon

Editor & Publisher at Drinkable Reno

Mike Higdon is a journalist passionate about beer and cocktails. He started the site because no one else covered Reno's growing craft scene at the level of detail required to stay in the know about all things drinkable in Reno.

Latest posts by Mike Higdon (see all)

• Drinkable Reno sold out to The Man and it’s all your fault - July 11, 2015
• Branded Hearts Distillery is the fifth in Northern Nevada - June 3, 2015
• Virginia City Muckfest: Mining, Whiskey & Cigars 2015 - May 30, 2015
• Definitive guide to the craft beer scene at Lake Tahoe and Truckee - May 21, 2015
• Bacon, Bourbon and Brews 2015 moves to Peppermill - May 18, 2015