Driving cross country with fermenting beer in a carboy

Is this going to get me into trouble if I run into law enforcement?

I'm visiting a buddy and we were saying it would be cool to bring a couple of carboys and brew a batch and take my half home with me.

I'm sure a keg would be the ideal way to do this, but it won't work out at this time.

Any thoughts?

I would be more worried about shaking the hell out of the carboy during the trip, possibly breaking the carboy, and trying to regulate the temperature before I'd worry about what law enforcement might do.

Why not just have him mail your half once its finished and bottled?

How do you drive cross country when you start in the middle?

it's a lambic and will be sitting in the fermentor for at least a year. I'm using better bottles to avoid the risk of breaking, and will wrap them and have the AC in the car on the entire way (which is probably unavoidable anyways).

Xpertskir said:

How do you drive cross country when you start in the middle?

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there and back.

I'd be more worried the cop would think it's something from a mobile meth lab and call the whole force out thinking he just stopped Mr. Big.

But really.....a lambic in a better bottle should be fine. I'd take a milk crate lined with a towel or some foam so the plastic doesn't rub. If you know someone that has an old child seat from their baby, that might work pretty good as long as the better bottle fits in it. Buckle that bad boy in and hit the road.:rockin:

Anyone know if CO2 would be a problem? I don't know how airtight cars are, or how much CO2 one carboy could give off in ~5 hours between stops.

RacingRam said:

Anyone know if CO2 would be a problem? I don't know how airtight cars are, or how much CO2 one carboy could give off in ~5 hours between stops.

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I'll add that I know you'll have the AC on. I'm not thinking a lethal amount of CO2, just enough to impair driving. My question really is a hypothetical: in an enclosed car with no airflow, would a fermenting carboy create enough CO2 to make someone dizzy?

^crack a window?

I've done it. About a 5 hour drive with an actively fermenting carboy full of beer in the back seat. Covered it to protect it from light. Strapped it in real good. Cranked the AC. It stayed at acceptable fermenting temps the whole way. And I was driving through the California and Arizona desert.

That batch didn't turn o

I've done it. About a 5 hour drive with an actively fermenting carboy full of beer in the back seat. Covered it to protect it from light. Strapped it in real good. Cranked the AC. It stayed at acceptable fermenting temps the whole way. And I was driving through the California and Arizona desert.

That batch didn't turn out great, but for reasons completely separate from the car ride.

Why not make the wort, transport it home then pitch the yeast. If you are stopped you only have a large vessel of sugar water!

Thanks for the ideas. I wasn't too worried about the c02, but I guess I can just crack the window every hour or something or set the AC to the fresh air cycle periodically.

I will definitely cover it and hope for the best.

kh54s10 said:

Why not make the wort, transport it home then pitch the yeast. If you are stopped you only have a large vessel of sugar water!

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This. Just don't pitch the yeast until you get home. For that long a fermentation, a couple days won't matter... and the wort will be fine if it's sealed.

kh54s10 said:

Why not make the wort, transport it home then pitch the yeast. If you are stopped you only have a large vessel of sugar water!

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evrose said:

This. Just don't pitch the yeast until you get home. For that long a fermentation, a couple days won't matter... and the wort will be fine if it's sealed.

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Exactly this. Just make sure your sanitation is awesome.

I just came up with a mind-blowing idea. Since its a lambic you should do this..

Turn the backseat of your car into a coolship, drive home with the back windows open, and you'd have yourself a multi-state spontaneous fermentation.

In VA, and I assume most other states, there are 'open container' laws, meaning if there is an open container of alcohol in the car, they can ticket you for drunk driving (or similar). Also in VA if you put the 'open conainter' in the trunk/furthest back area of the car - behind the last seat, then it is not considered in reach for the driver and does not violate open contianer laws.

As for driving around with fermenting product, that I think has already been comented on.