Beer Swap!

[ScrewyBrewer]

It just occurred to me that I'll actually be able to keep a very well stocked supply of my delicious homebrew now. Brewing tens instead of fivers means having more beer than I'll know what to do with. One benefit I see is that my beers won't have to be served up young anymore, some will actually get to stand the test of time and go on to be aged before serving. I'll also have enough beer in stock to share with other homebrewers passionate enough about their craft to find themselves taking an interest in this.

This endeavor is not to be interpreted as a competition, necessarily, but rather as an opportunity to share, sample and enjoy beers of our own making with fellow brewers and friends.,

[John Sand]

Sounds like a great idea Vince. I enjoy bringing my beers to homebrew meetings and family dinners. I plan to enter another competition soon, and I sent a few bottles to a guy who sent me some hops. Beer is like a smile: best when shared.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Sounds like a great idea Vince. I enjoy bringing my beers to homebrew meetings and family dinners. I plan to enter another competition soon, and I sent a few bottles to a guy who sent me some hops. Beer is like a smile: best when shared.

This is a fairly new concept of sharing for me too. A Facebook friend of mine will be mailing me a few samples of his homebrew in the coming weeks. The idea is for me to sample them then send him a few bottles of mine reusing his shipping package.

It'll be a good example for me to learn just how to pack bottled beer and ship them to someone. Just like brewing there always seems to be more to learn for home brewers.

[swenocha]

I'm always up for a share, and I'm guessing the big borg Christmas share will get some momentum soon as well. Thanks for reminding me that I have a box or two to send out soon...

[John Sand]

I'm looking forward to the Secret Santa too. I have better beer to send!
I just shipped some bottles USPS. (I know it's not "legal". Pot isn't either, under federal law.) They were well wrapped in bubble wrap and double boxed, arrived fine.

[ScrewyBrewer]

I there a best way to package the bottles? I guess I want to know if anyone's ever posted a how-to guide for shipping beer that's been proven to work the best. I joined a beet of the month club a few years ago but threw out the molded cardboard inserts the bottles were in. I've got at least a month before I'll have anything to ship but I'd like to start planning early, the Christmas Beer Swap sounds like fun, count me in this year too.

[RickBeer]

Beet of the month club? YUCK!


How To Pack and Ship Beer

[John Sand]

I think the AHA has some tips used for shipping to competitions. I single wrap in bubble, and double box. If the boxes are a tight fit, great. If not, foam between the boxes. I see it as two requirements: to protect from impact and from shaking. So pack tightly and box strongly. It's been 27 years, but I used to pack and ship for Grainger.

[RickBeer]

And bag so IF they break no leaks... Leaking boxes are pulled by all the companies.

[Brewbirds]

A while back the head of the USPS mentioned wanting to add shipping beer and wine as a way to increase revenue.

I haven't seen any new reporting on that lately but it would be nice as I'm guessing some shipping containers for it would hit the market as well.

I wish it wasn't so expensive to ship beer I might enter more competitions and I definitely like sending beers around the .

[BlackDuck]

I regularly ship beer to a few other Borg members. I only use UPS. And I'm lucky enough to be able to ship from work, so I don't have to declare what's in it like you might need to do at a UPS Store. I put each bottle in a zip lock bag, but I'm not sure if that will help if one breaks...I would imagine the broken glass would go right through that bag. But I do it non-the-less. Then each one gets a healthy dose of bubble wrap. And I make sure that the top and bottom of the bottle is well protected. Then the bottles go in a box with plenty of packing stuff. I use whatever I can find at work. It ranges from bubble wrap, wadded up wrap the is used to wrap product on skids, to air packs to wadded up newspaper. You just need to make sure that it's well packed, don't skimp on the packing material.

[Kealia]

I'm one of the rogues that also uses USPS Flat Rate boxes. I use healthy amounts of bubble wrap, put each bottle in a ziplock bag to protect from leaks, and ensure that no bottles touch the box (meaning that there is plenty of packaging between bottles and the sides for protection).

I used UPS a number of times without issue, too - it was just 3X the cost because I'm sitting here on the West Coast and it seems the rest of the Borg is at least half a country away.

When you are ready to do some swaps, just say so. There's plenty of guys here that do it already. It's fun to have another Borg member review your beer and it's great to taste the recipes that you see here in return.

In fact, I've been meaning to reach out to few people on here that I haven't yet to see about a swap or two. I might have to do that if I get time this weekend.

[jimjohson]

I regularly ship beer to a few other Borg members. I only use UPS. And I'm lucky enough to be able to ship from work, so I don't have to declare what's in it like you might need to do at a UPS Store. I put each bottle in a zip lock bag, but I'm not sure if that will help if one breaks...I would imagine the broken glass would go right through that bag. But I do it non-the-less. Then each one gets a healthy dose of bubble wrap. And I make sure that the top and bottom of the bottle is well protected. Then the bottles go in a box with plenty of packing stuff. I use whatever I can find at work. It ranges from bubble wrap, wadded up wrap the is used to wrap product on skids, to air packs to wadded up newspaper. You just need to make sure that it's well packed, don't skimp on the packing material.

after getting a box from you I sure changed the way I packed

[ScrewyBrewer]

Well I bottled up five gallons last night and they're naturally carbing in the brew room now.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Count me in! I also use UPS, recycle bubble wrap and boxes from incoming freight, put 13 gallon kitchen garbage bag in the box first then add in the protected precious cargo. Also have a bunch of PET bottles that maybe I can send for swaps and include return label to ship the bottles back!