I just got a call from the shipping place that UPS inspected my box and they returned it because of unauthorized shipment of alcohol. >:( Luckily I have enough time to resend it, but does anyone have any advice for how to ship it without it getting returned?
FedEx FedEx! I have never had a problem with them 
Everytime I do it I tell them it is a yeast sample. They are good with that.
UPS inspected your box? WTF?
I know that the post office has laws against shipping alcohol, but for ups it is just policy. Why should they care?
Mine was just delivered today from NH. I print the labels at home and send them from work. I’ve never had one returned. Glad you have time to resend.
3 boxes of yeast samples safely arrived in Seattle from Regina, SK, Canada yesterday via Fedex.
Damn, that sucks. It’s probably a fluke since thousands of homebrew beer shipments must be shipped each year using UPS and Fedex and we rarely hear of shipments being returned. Still, that doesn’t help you. Send it again via Fedex and make sure there are no reasons to inspect the box (clicking bottles, markings on the box, etc).
Why not just call it soda? Do they actually open the bottles?
I thought of that - they can’t open the bottles and would have to take your word for it. However, the beer competition entry sheets and bottle labels would probably give it away.
Yeah, the strange thing was that none of the bottles were open so they really couldn’t have known that it was beer for sure. I guess I was kind of dumb to ship the bottles in a box that had 12 beer glasses in it originally, and had pictures of beer on the outside. :-[
I talked to a friend last night who does shipping for a big winery in town, and she said that you should be able to ship alcohol, as long as you pay extra for an over 21 receiving signature. Anyway, she said she would ship them for me today, which will get them there tomorrow.
Was this a call from UPS, or did you have the UPS Store ship it for you? I’m just curious where it was opened. Was it after UPS picked it up, or before?
They said it was after UPS picked it up. It had some UPS stickers on it that send return to Postal Annex because of unauthorized shipment of alcohol. I kind of wonder if the people at the store opened it, though. The woman there kind of gave me a hard time.
there is certainly some weird things here. I’ve shipped beer from my local UPS Store, told them it was beer, and they had no problem whatsoever.
Curious.
are you sure they didn’t try to mail it through the USPS? I know the UPS store near my work accepts mail for the USPS. postal annex is a USPS term isn’t it? wouldn’t it my shipping annex or something if it was UPS?
My thoughts exactly. I’ve never heard of problems shipping beer via UPS…I’ve done it many times.
Even some of the ‘beer of the month’ things I’ve received as gifts came delivered via UPS.
I’ve been competition organizer for a BJCP Sanctioned event. A couple of entries arrived damaged. One was packed really badly, and the box was saturated and stinking of beer when UPS delivered it. That didn’t seem to bother them, and it was obvious what it was.
I think it’s really the luck of the draw. If you get some T totaling prude you’re screwed. Good reason to enter early and often.
There are state by state laws prohibiting the shipping of alcohol without some sort of license. I believe that in California only a retailer of alcohol can ship legally. I imagine there are some states where shipping beer is 100% ok, but since getting them to NHC requires crossing state lines, I doubt it can really be done legally for most homebrewers. Getting a “homebrew competition exemption” for shipping alcohol should be (and probably is) a major focus for the AHA.
SWMBO has bought me the beer of the month thing twice over the years. First time, 5-6 years ago, DHL was the shipper and would not leave without someone 21 there to receive. Then, just last year it was FedEx, and I’d come home from work, and the beer would be waiting for me…
BTW, I’ve never had a “good beer” from one of these clubs. All east coast lagers. WE need a BOM club that focuses on northwest IPA’s. LOL.
Lot’s of inconsitancies. Roll the dice, take your chances.
I just confirmation that it was delivered and signed for at Georgetown Brewery in Seattle. Woohoo.
Officially, neither UPS nor FedEx allow shipping of alcohol except by registered shippers.
FedEx delivered my entries yesterday.
I’ve shipped a lot of beer, and never had an issue with fedex. Always cover up beer labels on the outside of the box, whether it’s glasses, wine, beer or booze.