Travelling with hops on an air plane, anyone?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

HarvInSTL

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
721
Reaction score
7
Location
Saint Louis, MO
I leave for the airport to head to London in an hour. One of my buddies lives over there and he has had a hard time getting Simcoe. So I picked up a lb and was going to bring it to him.

Has anyone travelled with hops on an air plane? I don't have much room in my checked luggage (bring a "few" 22oz bombers of IIPA's for some tasting).

Think I would be ok bringing it in my carry on? Or should I just check it with the rest of my luggage?

Thanks!
 
Go ahead and prove them to be the idiots they are.

If they hassle you just ask them if they know what a MJ leaf looks like...most people do...then show them a cone...then ask them to bring on a drug dog and see what doesn't happen...;)



In all seriousness though...it IS a plant form that shouldn't be carried into another country...it's an Agricultural thing...
 
The TSA may take them out.

If it looks suspicious, you would have an easier time explaining it in the security line, rather than open your suitcase and see that its gone.
 
i dont know about the quality of them dogs.... the hop is a hemp family plant, as is cannibus.... plus the first time i opened a pellet bag of hops I was surprised how close it smelled to MJ.... maybe its just me though...
 
Forget confusing it with controlled substances--it's probably illegal to bring hops due to agricultural restrictions. I know you can't bring most vegetation on international flights.
 
Just an update, they arrived safe and sound in my checked luggage. As well during my trip I inquired with the Enforcement Support Division of the Food Standards Agency/Imported Food Branch about hops. Here is what they told me:

You are allowed to bring a reasonable amount of these products to the UK.
For more information about personal imports you can access the Personal Imports page at our website Food Standards Agency - Personal imports

Please note that the information on our website is not product specific - all references will be to "food that has no animal content" and will not specifically mention dried hops flowers.

The advice contained in this Email should not be taken as an authoritative statement of the law or its interpretation. Only the courts can decide whether in particular circumstances an offence has been committed.

Yours sincerely


Ian Grist
Imported Food Branch
Enforcement Support Division
Food Standards Agency
Tel. 020-7276 8018 Fax. 020-7276 8463
Email [email protected]

Now, based upon the personal import of food that has no animal content, the following applies:

You can bring back reasonable quantities of food that does not contain anything of animal origin. For large amounts, if it is considered to be for commercial purposes then it may be subject to checks by the port health authorities at the point of import.

Personal imports of fruit and raw vegetables from outside the EU may be subject to a limit of 2kg due to plant health restrictions

So a good rule of thumb would be that bringing in up to 2kg of hops from the US into England shouldn't be a problem.

Ya, didn't think of that. Be sure to lie on your immigration forms!

I should have on my way back. I brought some special salami back with me and when I was asked if I brought any meat products back, I said yes.

Come to find out, the only meat you can bring into the US is potted pork. I laughed at the customs agent and told him that he doesn't have to worry about me bringing potted pork into the US.

The TSA may take them out.

If it looks suspicious, you would have an easier time explaining it in the security line, rather than open your suitcase and see that its gone.

I'd rather deal with it at my destination as opposed to dealing with it before I depart.

i dont know about the quality of them dogs.... the hop is a hemp family plant, as is cannibus.... plus the first time i opened a pellet bag of hops I was surprised how close it smelled to MJ.... maybe its just me though...

It's just you.

Forget confusing it with controlled substances--it's probably illegal to bring hops due to agricultural restrictions. I know you can't bring most vegetation on international flights.

See the first part of this post.
 
Jamil talked about this on one of his podcasts (Foreign extra stout I think). Tasted wanted him to take a buddy in Australia a couple pounds of hops. Jamil refused because he thought it would be illegal. When he inquired later, he found out that it is completely legal to take hops on an international flight.

Completely unrelated:HarvInSTL, you said you packed a few bombers in your checked luggage? Is this allowed? If so did you just pad them really well? I need to travel with a few and need to figure out if I should ship them in advance.
 
Completely unrelated:HarvInSTL, you said you packed a few bombers in your checked luggage? Is this allowed? If so did you just pad them really well? I need to travel with a few and need to figure out if I should ship them in advance.

STEP #1: USE THE WORD "BOTTLES"

for the love of dog, don't call them bombers
:: cringe ::
 
Completely unrelated:HarvInSTL, you said you packed a few bombers in your checked luggage? Is this allowed? If so did you just pad them really well? I need to travel with a few and need to figure out if I should ship them in advance.

I've done it two ways. My trip back in August I brought back 29 bottles and a bottle of absinthe. All in my checked luggage, just wrapped in my clothes.

I had a bottle break and it ruined a few work shirts so I don't go that route any more.

I use these :

Shipping Box 6x22oz:
Shipping Box 12 x 22oz:
Shipping Box 6x12oz:
Shipping Box 12x12oz

The box I use holds 3 22oz/750ml per box. And I just put one box in each of my two checked luggage and surround it them my clothes, shoes,etc.

I still haven't unpacked from my trip so if you want I can take a picture if that will illustrate it better.

So...


How was the trip?

Not too bad. Most of my work was focused around the London area and with this being a short trip I didn't get a chance to explore and enjoy.

I did how ever make it down to the London Borough market a couple times and found a place called The Rake that had some great beer.

Stone IPA on tap! Hell we can't even get that in Missouri! They also had Aventinus Eisbock on tap and I''ve only had that in a bottle, so I had to try that. Mmmm, talk about amazing!

Found another pub that had SNPA and Stone IPA in bottles, but it isn't close to my normal hotel. So I spent night watching football and drinking in pubs.

The next trip in May will have me in Edinburgh and Manchester for work, with the hopes of being able to squeeze a weekend trip back to Belgium or maybe a trip to Prague or Norway.
 
Back
Top