Transporting Homebrew Across State Lines?

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hefeweizen

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I will be moving from Orlando to Pittsburgh this weekend. I have about seven cases of beer that I need to transport. Obviously, I don't want to put it on the moving van so I am planning to take it up in my car with me. Does anyone know if there is any issues with transporting it across state lines?

Thanks in advance.

-Ron
 
USUALLY the limits on transporting beer/spirits is directly linked to tax issues. Some states have lower taxes than others so to keep you from skirting higher taxes in one state by buying large amounts in another they impose limits on what you can bring in from another state. Just be mindful of what your doing but I wouldn't be too concerned. Just drive safely and close to the speed limits and you should be fine.;)
 
I have been trying to do some Google research on the subject and it looks like this could be considered bootlegging since it is homebrew and not commercial. Anyone confirm or deny this?

-Ron
 
Ron, you could sweat this all day long and I'd almost guarantee if you start looking at the laws for the various states you will travel through you will end up being confused beyond belief.

You are going to have to make the call of whether or not you want to move your beer. Seriously I don't think you have anything to worry about.
 
simple solution, have a big party and leave all your friends with a good taste in their mouth.

Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate twice about driving across state lines with homebrew.
 
simple solution, have a big party and leave all your friends with a good taste in their mouth.

Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate twice about driving across state lines with homebrew.

I considered this but I bottled two of the batches yesterday and the last one will be bottled on Wednesday so it's not quite ready. Oh well, more for me!

-Ron
 
I took homebrew to Mexico.

Of course, I didn't declare it, the TSA didn't randomly examine my bag, and I had the bottles wrapped up really nice in socks.
 
I took homebrew to Mexico.

Of course, I didn't declare it, the TSA didn't randomly examine my bag, and I had the bottles wrapped up really nice in socks.

Lucky you! A prison in Mexico is not a place where I would ever want to be!!! :(
 
I start my new job on Monday so calling my new boss to tell him I was arrested for trying to transport my homebrew probably isn't going to go over too well.
 
If you're worried, you can alway get some of those $4 gray plastic bins at Walmart. You can fit a lot in those and they aren't see-through ......
 
Just package it real good and put it in the moving van. One thing I've never seen pulled over (and I live at 2 major interstate crossroads) is a moving van pulled over and being searched. Cops would have no way to pull out all your crap to search it even if they wanted to :)
 
i don't think you have anything to worry about. your not transporting to sell.

Doesn't really matter. Forgetting the other states, the PA law is that you can't bring any alcohol into the state, with some bizarre exceptions. It's designed to protect the state monopoly and tax revenue on liquor and wine, but the law applies to beer*, too.

Possession or transportation of liquor or alcohol

(2) For any person, except a manufacturer or the board or the holder of a sacramental wine license or of an importer's license, to possess or transport any liquor or alcohol within this Commonwealth which was not lawfully acquired prior to January first, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-four, or has not been purchased from a Pennsylvania Liquor Store or a licensed limited winery in Pennsylvania, except in accordance with section 488 or the board's regulations.

I know when I used to live in PA near the MD border, the State Police would occasionally hang around the state line and wait for people with PA plates to come back from the liquor store that was just across the border in MD.

All that said, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Load it on the moving truck. Yes, you might lose some "samples" to the movers, and the heat might not be great for it, but it won't do any better in your car, and it's a lot less risky.

EDIT: *IIRC, anyway. hard to tell from the way the code is written, but lets just say it's not the kind of thing I want to be arguing with a State Trooper about after he stopped me for an illegal lane change or a broken headlight, y'know?
 
Why worry? I have flown with homebrew and drove with it many times. It is not for sale. I am taking it with me to share with my brother usually who is also a homebrewer. I have never been stopped and even if you are stopped for speeding. What are the chances of them looking in your trunk. Tell the guy you are moving and show him the invoice for your moving van.
 
Don't forget, also, that even if you DO get pulled over, say for speeding, illegal lane change, etc. , you don't HAVE to let the cops search your car.
That is why they ALWAY ask if they can search it. I know from experience, when I was bringing things MUCH more illegal than homebrew acros state lines, that unless a cop KNOWS that you have something in your car, he is not going to risk trying to get a search warrant just on a hunch.
 
I have driven a SUV FULL of wine, scotch and beer from N. Carolina to New York city. If you drive with caution, and don't do anything that would get you pulled over, then you have nothing to worry about.

So, do the speed limit, use your cruise control
Make sure all your lights and indicators work before you leave
Obey the rules of the road!!!

I used to drive from NY to DC every weekend hauling stuff. I did it for almost 6 month and never once did I get pulled over. Just don't give them a reason to!
 
Don't forget, also, that even if you DO get pulled over, say for speeding, illegal lane change, etc. , you don't HAVE to let the cops search your car.
That is why they ALWAY ask if they can search it. I know from experience, when I was bringing things MUCH more illegal than homebrew acros state lines, that unless a cop KNOWS that you have something in your car, he is not going to risk trying to get a search warrant just on a hunch.




Dude way too much info.:drunk:
 
Don't forget, also, that even if you DO get pulled over, say for speeding, illegal lane change, etc. , you don't HAVE to let the cops search your car.
That is why they ALWAY ask if they can search it. I know from experience, when I was bringing things MUCH more illegal than homebrew acros state lines, that unless a cop KNOWS that you have something in your car, he is not going to risk trying to get a search warrant just on a hunch.


And you wonder why many homebrew shops also carry hydroponics stuff. Our local was awaiting trial for growing wacky weed.
 
I will be moving from Orlando to Pittsburgh this weekend. I have about seven cases of beer that I need to transport. Obviously, I don't want to put it on the moving van so I am planning to take it up in my car with me. Does anyone know if there is any issues with transporting it across state lines?

Thanks in advance.

-Ron


Contact the AHA and ask them
http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/index.html
 
I've driven to MI and FL with homebrew and never gave it a second thought. Compared to the other risks of driving on the highway, the possiblity of suffering negative consequnces due to having a few cases of homebrew in the trunk has seemed negligible to me.

In other words, RDWHAHB (but not while driving!) :D
 
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