Buying beer online

Some guys in a homebrew club that I just joined told me about these two sites and wasn't sure if all here were familiar with them. I didn't even think that you could buy beer online.

John's Grocery Inc.: Beer: World-class beer department

The Online Beer Store - Buy Beer Online

This is great because I don't live in as big of a craft brew market as many of you do and some of the really good ones aren't available here. I still can't find Pliny the Elder on either of these but I am anxious to try Green Flash's West Coast IPA after hearing so many good things about it. I also don't get many barleywine offerings at my local liquor stores so those will be nice as well. Does anyone know where I might be able to buy Pliny online?

Here is a few links...

http://www.amazinggrapeswinestore.com/store/category/117/599/Ale/

http://www.liquormax.net/order-specialty-beer-i-9.html?osCsid=b5145b2a3a9a05f4f98bc6edba48168d

They've got West Coast IPA, but no Pliny right now. Liquid Solutions would keep you busy for a while.

How legal is all this stuff? I thought with beer distribution, three tiered system, other buzzword X, etc, that it was kind of hard? Also, with trafficking between state lines or something. That reminds me, I have a friend in CO who wanted to do a beer swap...

I was wondering the same thing but I know of some guys that have done it.

+1 on liquidsolutions. I've bought some stuff from them a couple of times. Fast delivery and they ship in these really cool boxes that have plastic... I dunno... shelves built into them (the best way I can describe it) sot hat each bottle is kind of suspended inside the box so there's no breakage.

They have some really nice stuff.

I haven't bought retail online, but I've done several trades with other beer lovers around the country via the beeradvocate forums.

Sigafoos said:

How legal is all this stuff? I thought with beer distribution, three tiered system, other buzzword X, etc, that it was kind of hard? Also, with trafficking between state lines or something. That reminds me, I have a friend in CO who wanted to do a beer swap...

Click to expand...

It depends on your state laws. Some states allow shipping of alcohol. TX does allow it:
Realbeer.com: Beer News: Texas judge rules in favor of mail order alcohol sales

As long as you're clear on what's legal (i.e., what UPS or FedEx will deliver), you're OK. My brother-in-law wanted a wine from California that's not available in the stores out here in the Midwest. Unfortunately, it's illegal to deliver to an individual in IN, where he lives. So he has the wine delivered here (we live in IL), and then the next time we see him, we hand over the vino.

Holy crap on the Liquid Solutions suggestion. That place is amazing!

I ordered a mixed case of belgium winter ales a year and a half ago from John's grocery in Iowa City. The chap i spoke with on the phone was super helpful in getting a sweet mix and the packing was done to an amazing level.

best of all, my father in law shared his xmas gift