Available Groceries in the Carribean?

[Zpearl]

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I'm interested in going to St. George University or Ross University. In my spare time, I enjoy brewing beer as one of my hobbies. How easy would it be to find ingredients such as different kind of malt extracts, yeast, sugar, and hops? How much does it cost to have things like that shipped to you? Is there anything people would recommend bringing with them from the states because of it's unavailability in the Carribean? THANKS!

 

[BakedZiti]

Wow, that's a really cool hobby! My cousin went to med school in the Caribbean. I'm not sure about malt extracts, yeast, hops, etc...., but she did say that there were a lot of different fruits that she'd never heard of or had before that were amazing, if you were interested in using fruit in your brews. She also said the local items weren't too pricey, such as produce. But she had her parents ship her other items that would otherwise be imported into the country and be expensive. I don't think it was horribly expensive for her parents to send her stuff. And she also would take a box with her on the plane as checked luggage to save on shipping costs.

 

[PetPony]

And she also would take a box with her on the plane as checked luggage to save on shipping costs.

You need to be careful about what to take though. I fly internationally regularly and we have to be careful what's allowed to be taken if it's food.

 

[jmo1012]

I'm interested in going to St. George University or Ross University. In my spare time, I enjoy brewing beer as one of my hobbies. How easy would it be to find ingredients such as different kind of malt extracts, yeast, sugar, and hops? How much does it cost to have things like that shipped to you? Is there anything people would recommend bringing with them from the states because of it's unavailability in the Carribean? THANKS!

Hmm definitely don't know the answer for those specific ingredients, but they do make alcohol on the island so it can't all be impossible. Grenada is the spice island, so fun extras will definitely be easy and cheap.

Definitely not sure about Ross. Unless those are items typically found on the island, my guess is you'll have a harder time because it's just the vet school there (as opposed to Grenada where all 3 schools are located on the same campus-SVM, SOM, and SAS)

how time and space consuming is this hobby? you're definitely going to be short on those in vet school (particularly in the caribbean). i know a student at SGU who likes to brew, but I have no idea if it's just a state side hobby for when he's not in school.

She also said the local items weren't too pricey, such as produce. But she had her parents ship her other items that would otherwise be imported into the country and be expensive. I don't think it was horribly expensive for her parents to send her stuff. And she also would take a box with her on the plane as checked luggage to save on shipping costs.

local items = cheap
shipping = wickedly expensive. not only is it absurdly expensive to ship things to the island, but you have to pay to pick them up (either yourself or via courier) and then pay taxes on every item (often expensive too).

You need to be careful about what to take though. I fly internationally regularly and we have to be careful what's allowed to be taken if it's food.

as long as you can get it out of the US, you should be able to get it into Grenada with no problems. they're really only interested in taxing you on computers

 

[Zpearl]

Thanks everybody! Thats pretty helpful. I'm sure some ingredients I may need to have shipped to me. Does anyone know what the living quarters are like on campus? I hear they are small. However, brewing beer can be done in a closet space and a small kitchen.
Also, if you live on campus, what is the roommate situation like? Are you able to meet/contact your roommates before getting to the island? I'd have to make sure this was all cool with them. I don't want to be a dick hahaha

 

[Psorophoraferox]

Also, if you live on campus, what is the roommate situation like? Are you able to meet/contact your roommates before getting to the island? I'd have to make sure this was all cool with them. I don't want to be a dick hahaha

Don't want to speak for your potential future roommates, but home-brewed beer = insta-good roommate situation for me. 😀

 

[anjabryn]

I go to Ross and st kitts has a brewery on the island where they brew Carib and Stag beer.
I am sure you can buy some of that stuff from the brewery themself.
All of the grocery stores have almost the same stuff as in the US, but you just may not find it all of the time.

 

[jmo1012]

Thanks everybody! Thats pretty helpful. I'm sure some ingredients I may need to have shipped to me. Does anyone know what the living quarters are like on campus? I hear they are small. However, brewing beer can be done in a closet space and a small kitchen.
Also, if you live on campus, what is the roommate situation like? Are you able to meet/contact your roommates before getting to the island? I'd have to make sure this was all cool with them. I don't want to be a dick hahaha

you will likely be in a double room first term. a double room is a shared bedroom with a kitchenette and bathroom. a few students are usually able to luck out into suites where they have their own rooms but share the kichenette/bathroom.

when it comes to knowing who your roommates are, sometimes you find out ahead of time who they are and sometimes you don't. its kind of a toss up.

 

[Zpearl]

Don't want to speak for your potential future roommates, but home-brewed beer = insta-good roommate situation for me. 😀

Haha thanks! Well if we both get into the same school, lets hope we're roommates lol