Blockader is great. The store is very sparsely decorated, as a brew shop should be. Justin is very helpful, offering advice and shortcuts to save a little money. He’ll taste your brews if you think something is a little wrong and will tell you how to improve it. Sometimes he is a little short on ingredients or equipment.

Blockader has recently moved and its definitely for the better. The service remains top notch but the location is more attractive, better organized, and easier to find. the owner is rather eccentric so don’t be surprised to hear communist rap and see anarchist propaganda in the store, but he is also the most helpful and knowledgeable person i have ever encountered at a brewshop. i hope the move works out for Blockader and they continue to keep our thirsty town brewing.

I’m happy have Blockader in Athens. I was a big bummer to lose Normal Brew Shop. As stated in previous reviews, Justin is very helpful and pleasant to talk to. I’ve been happy with the selection most the time. I often have to make substitutions for my recipe because he is either out of what I need, or has never heard of what I need. Justin ALWAYS takes time to look up the sometimes obscure things I ask for and helps me make an informed decision about what the sub should be. Overall, a great LHBS!

Great place, great attitude, great service, very knowledgeable. Fantastic to have it in Athens!

Ahhh, Blockader. I could go spend hours and thousands of dollars in here now that my homebrewing addiction has taken full hold of me (wait I already have...). They have pretty much everything that you’d expect in a homebrew store with the exception of a few odds and ends. The selection is pretty good, but he’s occasionally out of certain things. What Blockader occasionally lacks in selection it more than makes up for in service, however. This is like the direct opposite of everything that WalMart is. Justin, the "proprietor" is a super nice guy and is really helpful, not just to me, but to anyone who walks in the door. He’s totally willing to help out with any questions and will help you put together the kind of beer and/or wine that you want. Prices are really quite reasonable when you consider the quality of service that you get. You can probably find most everything 5% cheaper online, but you won’t get near the service that you’ll get here locally. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Athens or the surrounding area. It’s refreshing to see an emphasis on service and customer satisfaction.