[majorvices]

I've done it before but it's been a few years. Anyone have any issues lately?

[phillamb168]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

[kramerog]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

What about customs?

[brewmichigan]

Flying in the US I have done this many times. Depending on the airline, you might want to take an extra foldable bag and just put a cardboard box in it and check that separately on the way back. Also depends on how much beer you're planning on taking back but I have done 6-8 bottles in zip-loc bags and surrounded by clothes with no problem.

[corkybstewart]

I brought a bunch in Maine last year and packed it in my suitcases.  TSA opened the bags and looked at the bottles but re-packed everything while we watched.
The only real issue these days is suitcase weight and those excess weight charges are stupendous. It was much cheaper for us to buy a third suitcase and distribute the beer among 3 than it would have been to have 2 suitcases and one of them be over the weight limit of 50 pounds.

[majorvices]

Thanks guys! I want to only bring about nine 12 oz bottles out to Seattle. Might bring twelve or so back.

[bluesman]

Flying in the US I have done this many times. Depending on the airline, you might want to take an extra foldable bag and just put a cardboard box in it and check that separately on the way back. Also depends on how much beer you're planning on taking back but I have done 6-8 bottles in zip-loc bags and surrounded by clothes with no problem.

+1

No problems here as well.

[phillamb168]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

What about customs?

Not sure I follow. Customs starts caring about levees and taxes once it goes over 2,000 usd.

[weithman5]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

What about customs?

Not sure I follow. Customs starts caring about levees and taxes once it goes over 2,000 usd.

so what you are saying is i should be able to bring some old style to paris this winter

[beerprof]

Not sure I follow. Customs starts caring about levees and taxes once it goes over 2,000 usd.

not exactly true... you are allowed to bring ONE liter of alcohol into the country duty-free... but customs doesn't seem to care about beer, I just declare it as "some beer" no matter the amount...

[phillamb168]

Not sure I follow. Customs starts caring about levees and taxes once it goes over 2,000 usd.

not exactly true... you are allowed to bring ONE liter of alcohol into the country duty-free... but customs doesn't seem to care about beer, I just declare it as "some beer" no matter the amount...

I definitely wrote '18 bottles of beer' on the customs declaration. They stopped and frisked me for the contraband socialist sausage I had bought at the airport, and took that, but they didn't give a second glance to the beer.

It's my understanding that they start really caring when you come in every month with five cases.

[Jimmy K]

I check beer in my suitcase on almost every domestic trip and never have a problem. I've only ever heard of people having problems coming back from Napa, where flying back with wine is common and the airlines want you to use an approved container - and they are on the lookout there, unlike most airports.

[erockrph]

The only real issue these days is suitcase weight and those excess weight charges are stupendous.

So true. I was on a cruise when they put the "no liquids in your carryon" rule into effect. I had already stocked up on booze on the ship and was planning on using it as my carryon. Ended up losing all the money I saved on scotch paying the overage fee for my checked bags.

[hopfenundmalz]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

What about customs?

I have never had a problem at customs. Have it declared. They might chat about good German beer, but it isn't worth their time to collect the per bottle duty (it is pretty small change) and fill out the paperwork. They have better things to do, like keeping socialist sausage out of the country. Or something like that.

[corkybstewart]

Brought ~20 pounds of beer into the US and ~30 back into France. No problems on either side.

What about customs?

I have never had a problem at customs. Have it declared. They might chat about good German beer, but it isn't worth their time to collect the per bottle duty (it is pretty small change) and fill out the paperwork. They have better things to do, like keeping socialist sausage out of the country. Or something like that.

Just before liquids were banned in carry-on, and before the ridiculous weight limits, my wife and I came back from a trip to Belgium and France with 3 10 liter boxes of wine and about 20 bottles of beer, wine and champagne scattered through our luggage.  I declared every drop of it and got a lecture from the customs agent in Cleveland about how much paperwork he was going to have to fill out just to collect $1.63 in duties.  Just declare whatever you have so there's no possibility of them accusing you of smuggling.   And going into France there aren't even Customs agents like we have, they really don't care.