Shipping Homebrew

[Nealz]

This may have been covered/answered previously so I apologize if it's a redundant request but... who has shipped or mailed their homebrew? What kind of packaging did you use? What quantities did you ship? Do you have a preference in shipping companies? What condition did it arrive in?

As the holidays approach, I'm thinking of gifting some of my homebrewing handiwork to friends and family - small quantities in bottles only. Any advice and potential pitfalls would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and take care.

-Nealz

[MagTheGrate]

I've sent two bottles through UPS in a piece of big PVC tubing stuffed with crumpled newspaper. worked great.

[batkins]

I've traded beer several times via various shippers (UPS, USPS, Fedex). I have always wrapped the individual bottles in bubble wrap. Then placed the bottles in a box with styrofoam peanuts or somthing of the like. Make sure your boxes dimensions are an inch or two longer than the longest bottle, you don't want the bottle touching the box anywhere. Some people will double box with the outter box containing styrofoam or bubble wrap and the inner box. Inside the inner box is more styrofoam and the bubble wrapped beer. I've also heard of people wrapping the beer in plastic bags, so if they break........they wont leak. Shippers will not deliver a leaking box.

I have never done the plastic bag or the double box, and have never had any breaks or leaks.
When you ship, do not say it is fragile or liquid. DO NOT say it's beer. If anyone ever ask me..........."It's VW parts".
There is an article on beeradvocate.com about it........but I couldn't track it down...........I'll continue to look

[hopjack13]

hey batkins , im ready for some beer!:p

[batkins]

Sounds good!
I'll get some packed for you.
Cheers,
Bill

[danno]

Brewerdeluxe and I swapped some beers, he did a very nice job of packaging up two six packs, taped them together, bubble wrapped them, then in two layers of boxes with much crumpled up newspaper in them. I actually used most of his packaging for his return package. :D

I've also shipped bottles by the case, just poured in enough packing peanuts to keep the bottles from jostling around too much, I've never had a broken bottle.

I would take your package to a "UPS Store" or "Parcel Plus", some other third party shipper, instead of directly to the big boy's facility. You're less likely to be questioned about the contents. Don't volunteer anything unless you have to, and if pressed, just tell them it's "Yeast Samples", best thing is, you're not even lying...

[batkins]

I've been shipping almost exclusively with the USPS. Seems my packages that were costing 25 bucks, can be shipped with the Postal Service Priority Mail for 18 or 20 bucks. They have also been getting there quick.
Cheers,
Bill

[hopjack13]

i thought shipping beer via u.s. postal service was a federal offense?? better be careful , on the other hand i know a person or whos a pot head and travels quite a bit, before he gets to the air port he'll stop off at fed ex and ground ship a bag to his hotel, it arrives a day or so after he gets there, so he doesn't have to carrie it on the plane with him. a very smart cat , you'd sh@# if i told you who he worked for.

[Fast_Eddy]

It's definitely on the USPS's prohibited list.

[hopjack13]

i thought so, post prohibition laws n what not

[Nealz]

Thanks folks... all good advice. 'Yeast' samples... VW parts...LOL!

On the receiving end, is there any issue with overpressurized bottles or sediment floating around? I'm thinking of the 'Got Milk?-Chocolate Milk' shipping spot here. Heaven only knows what actually happens to your perfectly- engineered packing job after it leaves your hands. Muchas Gracias again.

-Nealz

[sallad]

there was an article about this in the byo magazine not to long ago, forget what month.. said USPS was out, go with fedex or similar. if you need to say what you're shipping, they said "live yeast cultures" or "liquid for analysis purposes" work well... hehe. check out the latest few byo mags for more info!

[Beerconnoisseur]

The BYO article was on p.28, July-August, 2003.

And VW parts probably won't work for too much longer... ;)

One possibility is to use a carbonator cap (from http://www.morebeer.com) and 2-liter soda bottle(s). Voila, no chance of bottles breaking. I have no idea how long the beer would stay carbonated and in perfect condition, however.

[danno]

instead of a carbonator cap (for $12), go down to your local auto parts store, and buy a set of 4 chrome replacement tire valve stems. (while you're there, pick up an air hose quick disconnect set, and a chuck to complete your setup...)

drill a hole in the plastic cap that came with your 2 liter bottle, snap them in, and you have a $0.55 carbonator cap (I paid $2.19 for a set of 4 stems).. then, if it never gets returned, you're not out $12 ...