Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale

I asked the man at Blueridge Pack and Ship on Preston about possibly sending a bottle of homebrewed beer. He said that as long as I packed it well and did not send it by US mail, all should be well.

My question is: What about the carbonation and all the shaking in route? Won't it be ready to gush forth when my friend in Boston receives it?

Any experience with this from anyone?

brew3dew (Bob Hueckstedt)

The big thing is not to send it through the US mail, where transportation of alcohol through the mail is a crime.  UPS and FedEx both have policies against shipping alcohol, but I just don't tell them what is in there.  If asked specifically, just say they are live yeast samples (which is true).  The important thing is to pack them well, using bubble wrap around each bottle, and well padded at the bottom and the top.  It also does not hurt to put a garbage bag inside the box, in case one leaks.  As for the shaking, just tell your friend to sit on the beer for a week before opening it, and things will have settled back out.

Good luck!