Taking homebrewed beer on a plane

[kef300]

I'm flying to Orlando in May to my roommate from college's wedding. I brewed different batches a week ago, with the intention of bringing him a six pack, hopefully two. Has anyone had any experience in flying with beer? I assume I have to put it in my checked baggage, as no liquids are allowed in carry ons. However, this makes me nervous as bags are usually thrown around and the bottles might break. I was planning on putting them inside a ziplock bag and wrapping them with clothes.

Of course, once there, I would refrigerate them upright so the sediment settles again.

Have you guys done this before and do you have any suggestions? Thanks!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Jes2xu]

I have been wondering about the same thing!

Interested to see what people say.


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[pricelessbrewing]

Best bet is to ask the airlines

 

[Yooper]

You can do it without any issues at all. Just packed them well, as the luggage does get thrown around by handlers. I used some bubble wrap, and then wrapped that in my clothes to help cushion the bottles. I've brought wine and beer, both homebrewed and commercial, on flights without issue.

 

[Phalanx]

I have been flying with homebrew in my checked baggage. I put each bottle in a small cardboard box not much bigger than the actual bottle and stuffed the space with socks. Everything went fine. I think you should pack them as tight as possible so that there is no room for them to "fly arround" in your suitcase (which I would reccomend using over a bag). Just as you would do it if you would send them via mail.
If a ziplock bag prevents the liquid from flooding your suitcase if a bottle actually breaks? I doubt it, but no ziplock doesn't prevent anything either... so go for it and hope for the best

 

[ong]

I've packed homebrew in bubble wrap and then in a cardboard box, and checked the box. Done this a couple times with no problems. Might be good to put each bottle in a ziplock bag, too, as backup.

 

[Goolsbymd]

Best bet is put them in stainless steel bottles if you can.

 

[bluemoose]

Why not ship them instead? Depending on your luggage it might be safer and cheaper.

 

[Quaffman]

I just wrap it really tight in my clothes and put it in the center of my luggage. No problems for me.

 

[heckler73]

Best bet is to ask the airlines

best is to not ask.

wrap them up in your checked bags. done it lotsa times.

Just careful if you are shipping them in the winter! - I lost a couple via Purolator in January because they froze solid. I've never had that problem in a plane. Sure, it's a mess, but not really the end of the world to wash your clothes out. The small boxes is a good idea to contain the glass just in case.

 

[bluemoose]

Yeah, not sure the last time you packed a beer in carry-on, was it in the 90's? Put it in carry on gets you an automatic cavity search. Good luck with that.

 

[Yooper]

best is to not ask.

wrap them up in carry on. done it lotsa times.

Just careful if you are shipping them in the winter! - I lost a couple via Purolator in January because they froze solid. I've never had that problem in a plane. Sure, it's a mess, but not really the end of the world to wash your clothes out. The small boxes is a good idea to contain the glass just in case.

You can't carry liquids on a plane, not even a full container of saline eye drops or a plastic bottle of water, let alone glass bottles of alcohol.

You CAN pack it in checked luggage without any issue at all.

 

[The_Professor]

Place a condom over the bottle of beer and insert it into your ass.

If the cap sets off the metal detector play dumb, "...I wondered where that went..."

And they'll let you go for a bribe, "...hey, it's good beer, go ahead and keep it..."

 

[NTexBrewer]

Place a condom over the bottle of beer and insert it into your ass.

If the cap sets off the metal detector play dumb, "...I wondered where that went..."

And they'll let you go for a bribe, "...hey, it's good beer, go ahead and keep it..."

Thanks for the good laugh Professor.

I have mailed and checked beer. If taking just a few bottles then put in ziplock bags, bubble wrap and put in luggage. If you want to take more then consider using UPS. It is really pretty cheap to mail with UPS. Just ziplock, bubble wrap and tell them you are sending yeast samples.

I have only had one bottle leak. I've shipped beer at least 6 times and checked beer at least 4 times. The leak happened with a beer sent by UPS and it was contained in the Ziplock bag.

 

[mbbransc]

I placed packaged bottles in a garbage bag in my luggage. If a bottle were to bust, I don't want beer on all my clothes and in my suitcase. Same principle with shipping packages.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Yeah, not sure the last time you packed a beer in carry-on, was it in the 90's? Put it in carry on gets you an automatic cavity search. Good luck with that.

Around 2005-2006, actually. They didn't stop liquids in carry-on until those morons hatched a plot to blow up a plane using liquid compound explosives.

They ruined it for all of us who want to travel and bring home beer... I *HATE* checking bags...

 

[heckler73]

sorry, brain fart - maybe too much beer yesterday. I meant wrap them in checked bags, not carry on.

 

[chezhed]

I always pack beer in luggage...every trip I take, I bring beer back that I can't get where I live. I frequently take homebrew to people. I've done this for 10 years....never had a bottle break and all I use for packaging is my clothes.
A guy recently told me that he does this too and puts it in his wife's boots in the luggage.....which led to her saying at a bar not long ago, "I've got better beer in my shoes, than this place serves."

 

[adiochiro3]

If you're really concerned about it why not vacuum seal them in food saver bags?

Sent from my brewery while sitting on the John.

 

[Calichusetts]

Mail the clothes...pack the beer...seriously, many of my buddies do this. Ziplock bags.

If you are trying this in the future, pack light but several pairs of shoes. Put one end of the bottle in one shoe, the other end in the matching shoe. Place it in the middle of your luggage. Works pretty well but no garuntees

 

[MrCrabby]

Yup, as has been said 17 times now, pack it well in your checked bag. I've brought home wine from Spain and Germany with no issues. At least you won't have to go through customs!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I don't think you'll have an issue bringing it in a checked bag but shipping using a flat rate box could be cheaper. I think you've got all the info you need at this point though.... enjoy the wedding!

 

[KVANTAN]

I put them in a scotch whiskey tube that my high end liquor bottles are sold in. Never had problem

 

[kef300]

Thanks for all your replies guys! I think I'm going to go with the ziplock bags + clothes to be safe. Once there I'll put them in a fridge and let the yeast settle back to the bottom.

 

[kevron]

P.E.T. bottles.... They don't look as cool as a glass bottle of your own brew, but they won't break.


Although you have probably already bottled them.

 

[TobyG]

I'm flying to Orlando in May to my roommate from college's wedding. I brewed different batches a week ago, with the intention of bringing him a six pack, hopefully two. Has anyone had any experience in flying with beer? I assume I have to put it in my checked baggage, as no liquids are allowed in carry ons. However, this makes me nervous as bags are usually thrown around and the bottles might break. I was planning on putting them inside a ziplock bag and wrapping them with clothes.

Of course, once there, I would refrigerate them upright so the sediment settles again.

Have you guys done this before and do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

I have a wine check that I use for bombers/750s if I know I'm bringing roughly a case to or from. Smaller amounts, pack it well in your luggage (preferably a hard shell suitcase). My last trip to SF, I had my wine check full so used dirty clothes as cushioning for the overflow without issue. The two things to keep in mind are stuffing your bag overfull and being over the weight limit. There is nothing that will cause a baggage handler to be rougher with your bag than to have it over the limit or awkward to handle.