legality of sending beer

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Question:

I tried to send a few bottles from a third party mail place (has an ETC in their name…), and the clerk told me it was illegal to send alcohol *out* of Minnesota. Guess you can send it into the state, just not from. I of course said it was home made root beer, and they packed it just fine. I’ve since kept all the small triple walled cardboard boxes I come across (Compaq boxes are great!), and buy some bubble wrap and tape, and do it myself. If it’s boxed and taped and packed well, nobody has ever asked, and never had one break. Never had a problems with airlines, either. One security guard had to shake them all, and then asked me all sorts of questions about ingredients. No leaks or breaks, but carrying a case of homebrew in a duffel bag sure gets heavy. So I guess my moral is, don’t ask, don’t tell, and pack it yourself. -warren Minneapolis, MN – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hola, Does anyone know the legality of sending beer to friends/family? I heard from a friend that it is illegal to send beer through the US mail, however if you don’t label the bottles and insert a note in the box saying something like "Yeast Cultures" it is ok. What’s the story on this? Also, will shipping UPS circumvent the law? Michael

Response:

Thanks for all the input. I’ve shipped it before and just found out it was "illegal" recently. Like someone mentioned, I go to a third party UPS shipper and have had no problems. If I run into a problem, I’ll just say its rootbeer. Michael – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I tried to send a few bottles from a third party mail place (has an ETC in their name…), and the clerk told me it was illegal to send alcohol *out* of Minnesota. Guess you can send it into the state, just not from. I of course said it was home made root beer, and they packed it just fine. I’ve since kept all the small triple walled cardboard boxes I come across (Compaq boxes are great!), and buy some bubble wrap and tape, and do it myself. If it’s boxed and taped and packed well, nobody has ever asked, and never had one break. Never had a problems with airlines, either. One security guard had to shake them all, and then asked me all sorts of questions about ingredients. No leaks or breaks, but carrying a case of homebrew in a duffel bag sure gets heavy. So I guess my moral is, don’t ask, don’t tell, and pack it yourself. -warren Minneapolis, MN Hola, Does anyone know the legality of sending beer to friends/family? I heard from a friend that it is illegal to send beer through the US mail, however if you don’t label the bottles and insert a note in the box saying something like "Yeast Cultures" it is ok. What’s the story on this? Also, will shipping UPS circumvent the law? Michael

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks for all the input. I’ve shipped it before and just found out it was "illegal" recently. Like someone mentioned, I go to a third party UPS shipper and have had no problems. If I run into a problem, I’ll just say its rootbeer. Michael I tried to send a few bottles from a third party mail place (has an ETC in their name…), and the clerk told me it was illegal to send alcohol *out* of Minnesota. Guess you can send it into the state, just not from. I of course said it was home made root beer, and they packed it just fine. I’ve since kept all the small triple walled cardboard boxes I come across (Compaq boxes are great!), and buy some bubble wrap and tape, and do it myself. If it’s boxed and taped and packed well, nobody has ever asked, and never had one break. Never had a problems with airlines, either. One security guard had to shake them all, and then asked me all sorts of questions about ingredients. No leaks or breaks, but carrying a case of homebrew in a duffel bag sure gets heavy. So I guess my moral is, don’t ask, don’t tell, and pack it yourself. -warren Minneapolis, MN Hola, Does anyone know the legality of sending beer to friends/family? I heard from a friend that it is illegal to send beer through the US mail, however if you don’t label the bottles and insert a note in the box saying something like "Yeast Cultures" it is ok. What’s the story on this? Also, will shipping UPS circumvent the law? Michael

Brian Rezac (AHA director) mentioned when every state legalizes homebrew, there will be a BIG push to change the laws regarding shipping, that will be a BIG help! Rich Byrnes Fermental Order of Renaissance Draughtsmen

Response:

Say that it is a yeast sample, then you wont be lying. — John Varady http://www.netaxs.com/~vectorsys/varady Boneyard Brewing The HomeBrew Recipe Calculating Program

Response:

Hola, Does anyone know the legality of sending beer to friends/family? I heard from a friend that it is illegal to send beer through the US mail, however if you don’t label the bottles and insert a note in the box saying something like "Yeast Cultures" it is ok. What’s the story on this? Also, will shipping UPS circumvent the law? Michael

**It’s illegal to ship alcoholic beverages through the US Postal system. It’s not illegal to ship via UPS; however, I and others of my acquaintance have had problems with UPS saying that they can only ship beer to and from *certain* states. Prevailing logic says, package well, and don’t tell the fine folks you’re shipping through that the package contains beer. –Walt

Response:

I guess I’m one of those strange few. If the post office doesn’t ask what’s in the box (which they never do) then I don’t tell them. Live dangerously man, and ship whatever you want! Leo

Response:

UPS and FedEx are under different regulation than the postal service. Whether or not they can carry your beer probably depends on where you are and where you want to send it (i.e., the trucking laws of the state or states involved). FWIW, when I took a six-pack to my brother-in-law in Colorado a couple of years ago, I made a point of telling the airline what I had, to avoid any nasty surprises. They had no problem with it. — Andy McKellar Dallas, TX

Response:

Does anyone know the legality of sending beer to friends/family? I heard from a friend that it is illegal to send beer through the US mail, however if you don’t label the bottles and insert a note in the box saying something like "Yeast Cultures" it is ok. What’s the story on this? Also, will shipping UPS circumvent the law? I guess I’m one of those strange few. If the post office doesn’t ask what’s in the box (which they never do) then I don’t tell them.

I always take packages to a third-party UPS shipping place. They never ask what’s in the box, even though I’m often sending beers to competition and the address is something like: Drinkalot Homebrew Competition Maltworld Brewing Co. Other people have had problems at actual UPS offices, where the clerk actually asks them what’s in the box. I don’t send through the postal service because a) it’s illegal, b) the postman knows it’s illegal and will be pissed off at your friend if he has to deliver a dripping package. YMMV, of course.

Response:

Well, I work for UPS and we’d have no problem shipping beer. The only time we get really concerned with what is being shipped is if it’s a Department of Transportation regulated substance. Beer doesn’t fall under those regulations. Now, if you’re shipping via air like with over night or next day air you might want to put your bottles in some sort of plastic bag. You’d be suprised how many sealed containers leak or explode due to the changing atmospheric pressure during flight. Steve

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