Shipping Beer

We wish to ship a 6 pack of our Kolsch to a friend in Ohio as a gift.

How can we do that, without causing any trouble for him or us?

Don’t ask, don’t tell. Coughziplockbagsbubblewrapprintlabelsathomedropoffpackage*

You’re sending gifts

Allenhuerta provides wise advise. Also, I find the best way to ship a few screws is in a plastic cup covered with plastic wrap and then place the cup in a large box with other items. When the box is jostled, the screw cup covers any other sound emanating from the box.

Not USPS, that is illegal.

Not just illegal, but a poor choice even if it were legal.

Apparently UPS won’t ship to PO boxes either in case your friend gets mail that way. Found that out the hard way.

You are shipping some to me?  I am honored!  :smiley:

Not this time. But, you never know…

Never had a problem sending beer from a UPS store.  Each bottle in its own Ziploc™ bag, then bubble-wrapped, then in a box lined with another plastic bag to contain any leaks.  Also probably wise to weigh the package at home on a reliable scale, go to UPS.com and put your own pre-paid label on the box to minimize contact in the store.  Go to a UPS store (I recommend against going to a store that collects for UPS…more below*), hand over the box and say “dropping off, thanks.”

A bunch of years ago, I sent 22 oz. bottles to friends around the country, of a competition beer of mine that was brewed commercially.  Found shipping containers called https://spiritedshipper.com and they have sizes for both beer/375ml bottles as well as larger 22 oz./750ml bottles.  They are great, very well designed and protective, and reusable.  The Scotch Malt Whisky Society to which I belong, also uses them to ship bottles.

  • One year while attending the GABF we took a road trip and I bought a couple bottles of cherry juice to use for meadmaking.  On the way back to town, we stopped at either a Staples or Office Depot, bought a shipping box and bubble wrap, went back out to the car and boxed up the two bottles of juice to ship back home to myself.  We took them back into the store, to the shipping counter in the back.  Told the guy to send them UPS, etc. and the guy asked what was in the box.  I told him two bottles of juice.  SOB creep didn’t believe me, unsealed the box and saw two bottles of juice.  Didn’t even apologize for being a schmuck.