1970's Homebrew Shops

I’m working on an article on the history of homebrewing from 1970’s and up. I remember being in a Wine Shop with my dad in the mid to late 70’s and I distinctly remember there were homebrewing supplies as well. Specifically bins of dried hops (could I be misremembering?). And I seem to remember extract kits as well. Of course I realize that Jimmy legalized homebrewing in '78 but does anyone remember there being homebrew kits prior to that? I know someone used to sell a malt extract that said “Don’t use the yeast under the lid” (I remember reading about it.)

Any info anyone has would be great.

You may want to talk to the folks at Stienbarts in Portland. They’ve been in business for a really long time. I think they started shortly after prohibition as a wine making supplier.

Drew Beechum might be able to help. He’s a member of the Maltose Falcons. They are out of the Woodlands Hills Wine and Cheese shop. The shop has been around since 1972 and Maltose Falcons since 1974. http://homebeerwinecheese.com/

Larry Bell who founded Bell’s Brewing in Michigan started with a homebrew store but that was in the early 80’s.

Being from Canada, the wine shops in the early 70’s sold dusty old extract kits. I remember seeing a baggie of Cascade whole hops in one of the bins for sale. Who knows how long they were there. I bought the John Bull kits and thought they were pretty good.

I remember when I was a kid in the early 1970s there was a grocery store (Town and Country, it was called, and it still exists) in Bozeman MT that sold limited homebrew supplies.  They had Blue Ribbon malt extract, dried yeast packets, hops in baggies, and bottle caps. Nothing refrigerated. The only equipment I remember seeing for sale was a hydrometer.

They only sold them for a year or so, and then they stopped.

Don’t forget The Winemaker’s Shop in Columbus, OH. Scott Francis and his wife, Nina, has had a tremendous influence on the craft beer and homebrew scene in Columbus.

Thanks all!

I will say that the Falcons were founded in 74 out of our home shop - The Home Beer Wine Cheese Making Shop in Woodland Hills - which was founded, I think in 1972.

This place would have been selling beer supplies in the 70s.
https://homewinery.com/hws/