USPS won't ship beer??

Wankers!!

I'll just have to go back tomorrow and lie to them.

trencher said:

Wankers!!

I'll just have to go back tomorrow and lie to them.

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Yep, tell em it's yeast samples.

Uh oh... does this constitute a conspiracy to commit mail fraud?

yes....

Your bottle has yeast in it, how is that fraud? Just make sure you don't send filtered beer.

I just write FRAGILE-GLASSWARE on the box. Don't insure.

Wait...you actually told them you were trying to ship booze?

"Uh, yeah, I was wondering what the postage is for plastic explosives..."

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Wise up. This country ain't so cool when it comes to booze. In fact, stay away from USPS altogether. Go to UPS. I always tell them that they're "collectibles". They never ask questions beyond that. One time, when I sent stuff into NHC, they asked if it was beer, because the address had "beer" in the name (stupid NHC)...I said, oh, no, no, they're just yeast samples! Worked.

lesson is:

• Go to UPS
• Don't tell the truth.

2nd Street Brewery said:

I just write FRAGILE-GLASSWARE on the box. Don't insure.

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Waste of time. The ladies at UPS store said that themselves. Those packages get handled by mostly machines and conveyor belts. Writing fragile, at least with UPS, does nothing for ya.

If UPS catches you, they might confiscate your package.

If the USPS catches you....

I only ship UPS now

Anyone know what the penalties for sending beer through the USPS are? That must technically be a "Federal Crime," right?

Well, my thought was that it isn't dangerous in any way - unless you try to breathe it, and that's your fault - so why would they mind carrying it around in their trucks? I should have remembered our nation's obsession with legislating conservative Christian values.

If they figure it out, I can just tell them I put yeast and some nutrients in a bottle, then forgot to send it for a few days... "You mean I can make beer that easily?!?!"

OTOH, I'm sure someone in the Office of Homeland Security has already seen this, so maybe I should go to UPS after all. They just seem to have no respect for the packages they're delivering. Late and damaged seems like their MO.

DeadYetiBrew said:

Yep, tell em it's yeast samples.

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I did that at my local UPS center. I got home 15 minutes later and they call me... "Ummm ya, this is Brian from UPS, you said that you were shipping yeast samples, but this box is leaking alcohol and you're going to need to come and get it."

Apparently the word FRAGILE written in large letters on every side of the box didn't mean a whole lot to them.

I have shipped FedEx and had good luck with my last few.

I can't bring myself to say "yeast samples," it just seems like it would raise too many eyebrows.

What else do people say that they're shipping? I've sent "glassware," "collectibles," "machine parts", "books," and "tools." I always pack nice and tight so you can't feel anything moving around. Thankfully, no problems as of yet.

I always say I'm shipping glassware. I pack it up nice and tight in this special packaging that a lot of the housewares catalogues use to ship dinnerware and the like.

I didn't think UPS cared whether it was alcohol being shipped. I've told them flat out that it's beer and they did not bat an eye.

It's definately against company policy. There's a list of banned items at the UPS drop location I use, alcohol is on there.

Alcohol shipments require signatures. Most of my wine club stuff somes via courier.

Too many liabilities for UPS. Takes too much time. Doesn't fit their business model. Would probably require "training" much like all of those retail ID programs for convenience stores.

I don't blame them for this policy given all of the restrictions.

olllllo said:

Alcohol shipments require signatures. Most of my wine club stuff somes via courier.

Too many liabilities for UPS. Takes too much time. Doesn't fit their business model. Would probably require "training" much like all of those retail ID programs for convenience stores.

I don't blame them for this policy given all of the restrictions.

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Yeah and get this, I was getting Beer of the Month club beers. The box was from DHL and it says Adult Signature Required. Never once did they ask for a signature, they just left the box at the door. Not to mention my state has passed a law against receiving alcohol in the mail, that includes beer/wine club stuff. I asked someone why that was, and his answer was that the state is mad they aren't getting their taxes off of it... Stupid money hungry bastages....

Yea, it's a federal offense shipping with usps. Might as well just go with UPS and not risk it.

Technically, it's a federal offense only when it's shipped across state lines, but that usually applies to our 'yeast samples' shipments anyway. Don't ask how I know.

I always tell ups that I'm shipping beer. They never seem to care. I was also told by the clerk to never write "fragile" on the package. That's like putting a big bull's-eye on the package and the handlers turn into the Samsonite gorilla.