Homebrewed Beer in checked luggage on an airplane

So I've been trying to research this for some time now. Can you take home brewed been in your carry on luggage on an airplane? I am trying to take some home to my family over the holidays. I had emailed the TSA and they sent me this generic back:
Thank you for your email message.

TSA has published guidelines to help passengers traveling with alcohol through the airport security screening process.

Many alcoholic beverages are considered hazardous materials and are regulated by title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, parts 171 and 175.10. Passengers are prohibited from taking alcoholic beverages with more than 70 percent alcohol content (higher than140 proof), including 95 percent grain alcohol and 150-proof rum, in checked luggage or in carry-on luggage. To view the complete regulations for hazardous materials, travelers may visit the U.S. Department of Transportation website at www.myregs.com/dotrspa.

Only retail-packaged alcoholic beverages that contain up to 70 percent alcohol content (140 proof) are allowed as checked and carry-on items. There is a limit of 5 liters per passenger of beverages with between 24 and 70 percent alcohol content. There is no limit for beverages with less than 24 percent alcohol because they are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.

Additionally, travelers should remember there are restrictions on the size of containers they may carry through security checkpoints which apply to containers of alcoholic beverages. Travelers may only carry liquids, gels, and aerosols in containers that hold 3 ounces or less, and these must fit in a quart-size, sealable, transparent plastic bag.

Liquids, including alcoholic beverages, purchased after clearing the security checkpoint can be carried onboard aircrafts in containers larger than 3 ounces if they meet the alcohol content and 5-liter limit requirements. However, passengers who leave the secure area of an airport and must be rescreened will not be permitted to bring the beverage onboard if it does not meet the container size restrictions. Before purchasing alcoholic beverages in a secured area, passengers with connecting flights should be certain they will not need to be rescreened before they reach their final destination.

For future reference, it may be helpful to know that a Transportation Security Officer or Law Enforcement Officer may allow a passenger to make other arrangements for a restricted item. The options include placing the item in checked baggage; making other arrangements for the item, such as taking it to the car, leaving it with a non-traveling person, or mailing it home; or withdrawing the item from the screening checkpoint. There are no provisions for returning a restricted item if a passenger chooses to leave it at the checkpoint.

Regarding any concerns you may have about duty-free liquids, passengers who fly into the United States and then have a connecting flight must conform to the standards and policies for liquids and gels established by TSA for domestic departures, even when the domestic departure follows international travel. This means that although liquid duty-free purchases can meet U.S. requirements for entry - in a tamper-evident bag that meets U.S. standards - these liquids are only allowed as carry-on to your first stop in the United States. Once cleared through Customs and Border Patrol, these liquids must be placed in checked baggage upon arrival in the United States and before departure on connecting flights. TSA advises travelers returning from international flights to a connecting flight in the United States to use their time in customs to place any duty-free liquid items in their checked bags.

I'm thinking if I take bottles that I didn't remove the labels from will be good to go. Any input or experience will be helpful, I'm probably going to end up making a phone call to the TSA anyway.

Thanks,
Chris

I don't think i'd trust any baggage handler or airport baggage systems with homebrew in my luggage. I'd ship the stuff out ahead of time. That will give the sediment a chance to re-settle as well... it's gonna get stirred up quite a bit in a luggage journey...

Before this liquid crap happened I came back from Germany with 2 - 5 liter kegs of German beer in my checked baggage, 1 in my backpack and 1 in a carry-on bag...not one problem at any check point.

I once flew with 9 12 ounce bottles and a growler in my carry on.... post 9/11, pre liquid ban. TSA folks looked at me a bit strange, but let me through regardless...

cflem18 said:

So I've been trying to research this for some time now. Can you take home brewed been in your carry on luggage on an airplane? I am trying to take some home to my family over the holidays. I had emailed the TSA and they sent me this generic back:[/B]

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Based on this, I can say they will not let you do it, unless you're talking about 3 oz or less containers for your brew. If you wanted to check it, thats a different situation. If I were you, (and I was in this situation awhile back) ship it. A lot less of a concern.

Brought 15 beers back from UK, in a shipping box last flight, no problem.

Edit - Oh, and I brought US beers over there in the same box, including hombrew and cider...

I used to travel with checked beer all the time. I traveled weekly for work visiting brewpubs bringing back bottles and growlers. Never a problem once for over a year. Wrap them in your close as you pack you suitcase.

I think the key restriction here is "retail packaging." They won't have any way to verify what's in a generic unmarked bottle containing a mysterious fluid. I'd say don't try it unless you're willing to risk losing it at the checkpoint. Ship it out ahead of time to be safe.

I've taken homebrew in my checked luggage on several occasions, traveling domestically and internationally without any problems whatsoever.

StunnedMonkey said:

I think the key restriction here is "retail packaging." They won't have any way to verify what's in a generic unmarked bottle containing a mysterious fluid. I'd say don't try it unless you're willing to risk losing it at the checkpoint. Ship it out ahead of time to be safe.

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The OP's original idea of packing homebrew bottles into his checked luggage where the original label hasn't been removed works just fine to get around this. With commercial labels still on the beer bottles, there's no reason for anyone checking the luggage to think they're anything but those commercial beers. They can do the necessary checks to make sure the liquid inside isn't a potential risk, like checking the outside for traces of flammable liquids, fuels, liquids known to be used in explosives like nitroglycerin, etc.

I've flown with homebrew in commercially marked bottles in my checked luggage recently and had no problems.

I fly all the time and I put all my beers in my checked bags. Roll them up in dirty clothes and never had a problem yet.

Brew-boy said:

I fly all the time and I put all my beers in my checked bags. Roll them up in dirty clothes and never had a problem yet.

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Yup, same here.

I bring beer back from overseas without any problems.

Wrap the bottles with bubble wrap, pack with the dirty clothes inside a packing bag to catch any spills.




Lined the sides with this:



As you can see they foam did its job and saved the beer.

Everything is legal unless you get caught.
bottle some in marked bombers and recap them.

If you lose a couple beers the loss insn't all that great anyway.

heck, i know a guy who brought some mexican moonshine back in squirt bottles

"Only retail-packaged alcoholic beverages that contain up to 70 percent alcohol content (140 proof) are allowed as checked and carry-on items. There is a limit of 5 liters per passenger of beverages with between 24 and 70 percent alcohol content. There is no limit for beverages with less than 24 percent alcohol because they are not subject to hazardous materials regulations."

the only thing they may have a problem with is if they are in unlabeled bottles

I've traveled with homebrew many times. The last time, I brought several Belgian size bottles with my own label as a wedding gift. No problems whatsoever.

JMSetzler said:

I don't think i'd trust any baggage handler or airport baggage systems with homebrew in my luggage. I'd ship the stuff out ahead of time. That will give the sediment a chance to re-settle as well... it's gonna get stirred up quite a bit in a luggage journey...

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Just curious.
What special training or disposition do package handlers have that is any different than luggage handlers?

Especially since a checked bag will be handled far less than a shipped package.

My Dad checked 2 gallons of homemade wine one of my Uncles had made (this was like 20 years ago) They survived the entire trip, until they were placed on the baggage carousel, where they somehow shattered, dousing the entire thing with 2 gallons of wine. Fortunately for adjacent luggage, it all went into the carousel and disappeared (without causing a malfunction) but the whole area smelled like wine, and I'm sure it did for some time after.

I have no idea how they bottles were packed, I just remember helping Dad pickup a wine-soaked box full of glass and deposit it in the trash.

I wouldn't ship and liquids in glass without some serious padding. When we went on a cruise this summer, the duty free shops had there really cool bottle cozy-airbag things that looked like they'd protect a bottle from a pretty significant blow. Don't know where you'd get them, though.

Sounds like lots of good DIY ideas in here, though. I agree that as long as you label the bottles so they appear to be "retail packed" you'll be good to go. This is a weakness in the rules, though. What would keep a bad guy from repacking dangerous stuff in retail bottles, though I'm sure the TSA has ways of detecting tiny traces of dangerous stuff that would be left from the process.

homebrewer_99 said:

Before this liquid crap happened I came back from Germany with 2 - 5 liter kegs of German beer in my checked baggage, 1 in my backpack and 1 in a carry-on bag...not one problem at any check point.

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Ah memories... I've done that... One under each arm...

Brew-boy said:

I fly all the time and I put all my beers in my checked bags. Roll them up in dirty clothes and never had a problem yet.

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Yep. I also wrap the bottles in plastic bags, just in case.

My only problem is that the heavy bottles always seem to put me over the weight limit.

I've flown Orlando > Puerto Rico > Bonaire several times with unmarked bottles of homebrew (they did have Brewers Best caps though ). PR has earned quite a reputation for stealing items out of checked bags...maybe they were just afraid do take them since there was no label.

I always bring bottles of commercial brew back with me as well. I've come back with as many as 4 stops and still not had an issue. Wetsuits are a great way to wrap bottles. lol

Though I've not had problems, I am still always nervous about it. I'd much rather have the homebrew in bottles with the original labels on them just to be safe.

One idea I've seen elsewhere for packaging delicate objects is to use great stuff:

Place bottles in box. Place garbage bags in between rows of bottles. Fill bags with great stuff. You now have form fit foam. Would be wise to use capped but empty (or water filled) bottles for forming (just incase you put in too much great stuff and crack a bottle) and have some type of spacer to keep bottles off bottom. Done creatively and properly you'd have a practically bullet proof box o' booze and a re-usable custom fit foam case.

I've flown frequently over the past several years with bottled homebrew in checked luggage. After a few episodes in warm weather, where I experienced leaks with crown capped glass bottles, I've switched to 1 liter PET screw top bottles for my traveling brew. (Packed in a ziploc bag for extra leak protection.) To date, I have had no issue with these being challenged in checked luggage. I just sent some with my brother who flew Nov 1st, with no challenge from TSA.

as I am sure it has been said, if you were bringing this on the plane it would have to be in the checked luggage, you can no longer carry on any container of liquid in excess of 3 Oz. This includes 2 Oz of liquid in a 12 oz bottle.

That being said, I recently came back from St. Martin with a lot of booze during a family vacation. Of the 16 bottles we brought back, 3 broke and an iPod was crushed. The bag handlers just dont care about your belongings. So I would say no, especially considering the hard work you put in to make the beer. You should definitely ship it. As someone said, ship it early to let the sediment settle out.

Bag handlers are monkeys

so this is a no go? i was planning on bringing some stout with me to miami for new years.

Pimp Juice said:

Bag handlers are monkeys

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TSA handlers are thieving @holes

Just curious.
What special training or disposition do package handlers have that is any different than luggage handlers?

Especially since a checked bag will be handled far less than a shipped package.

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Requoted for an answer!

I have checked as many bags as I have shipped and have breakage once on an international flight. The beer in question was not my own so there is a possibility that it was a bottle bomb before it was shipped. There was no damge to the box that I checked and the rest of the bottles were fine.

I have received 2 shipped packages where someone shipped to me and there was damage. In one case, the package was not deliverable as defined by the shipping company.

Not exactly a scientific sample, but my conclusion is that there is really no difference in the odds that a worker will mishandle you beer in either situation. I'd favor an airline only because in both cases insurance is a moot point and the airline handles it less.

I'd love to take a couple of cornies to my brothers 40th Bday next summer... what's the options here? Shipping would be quite expensive. What does a 5g cornie weigh? Has to be over 50#

What about the increased pressure differential? Most aircraft keep ambient pressure to 8K before maintaining 8K pressure through their normal operating range. This is likely an issue only with borderline bottle bombs (am I allowed to say bomb in a tsa thread?) but may also cause crown caps to leak. Anyone notice how beer served on airlines always seems more carbed?

I've taken homebrewed bottles to Mexico... Customs allowed 3 litres... So I took 3L = 101 oz = eight 12 oz bottles.

Shoved the bottles in white tube socks for cushion and then put them in Ziploc bags.

No problems whatsoever.

Last month I took 6 plastic screw-top bombers from Florida (elevation 12) to Colorado (elevation 8,000) in my checked bag with no ill effects. I let the beer settle/chill for 24 hours before opening. I put this note in my suitcase taken directly from the TSA website:

You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it’s packaged in a sealable bottle or flask.

Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/alcoholic-beverages

I wonder what a TSA agent ( who happens to be a home brewer) would do if he stumbled on the homebrew? Would he remain true to his homebrew brother or true to his taste buds?

Hmmmmm.

I have transported homebrew in checked luggage on several occasions. It should be restated that this works only for checked luggage, obviously. "Gate checked" doesn't count, as it's scanned like (and considered as) carryon by the TSA.

hehawbrew said:

I wonder what a TSA agent ( who happens to be a home brewer) would do if he stumbled on the homebrew? Would he remain true to his homebrew brother or true to his taste buds?

Hmmmmm.

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Please don't give them the credit of agent, they are not even officers they are TSA screeners.

Beer_Eugenics said:

Please don't give them the credit of agent, they are not even officers they are TSA screeners.

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Touché. I'd like to say what I really think they are, but, I don't feel like setting off any trigger words that big brother may be searching for

I just bought some Wine Diapers to bring my own rum with me on vacation, and I added a few so I could pack some homebrew bomber bottles. I hope it works out.

Follow up. The wine diapers worked perfectly.

I am a frequent flyer (read over 3,000,000 miles on a certain airline). And I can tell you the TSA is about as capricious as our alcohol laws. That is I have flown the same route and the same plane weeks on end. Each time taking a growler with me. And in one of them it was taken by a TSA agent. How do I know this, because they left one of the cards that said they checked it. When I called to get my growler back I was told the TSA does not keep the items, but instead destroys them. It really was a nice growler, I will miss it.
That being said please keep in mind the TSA often does not follow its own rules. I can tell you of times I have (mistakenly) carried on butane lighters (they have never been allowed on planes), knives, my wife's SIG250 (in our checked backs, undeclared) and bottles of water through the scanner. Yes all of these should have been picked up by the TSA.
All this being said, it is all anecdotal information. It is much easier to ship it though UPS. You will know where it is, can insure it if you like, and have more room in your baggage. Obuet the best advice I can give you, as a frequent user of their services, is to avoid the Kabuki theater that is the TSA as much as you can.