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Author Topic: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane  (Read 11522 times)

Offline dudesbrews

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #15 on: April 27, 2013, 05:12:30 am »
I had considered doing this myself the last time I flew out to see an old college buddy. I spoke to someone at the airline (Southwest) and they advised that bringing beer (either carry on or checked) onto a plane is not a problem as long as the beer is in a clearly labelled (aka commercial) bottle.  When I told her that my homebrew was in a plain brown bottle she advised against it. Not wanted to risk losing some of my precious beer (not to mention some of my dignity during the inevitable cavity search) I ended up shipping it instead.
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Offline arafly

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #16 on: April 27, 2013, 05:37:13 am »
I had considered doing this myself the last time I flew out to see an old college buddy. I spoke to someone at the airline (Southwest) and they advised that bringing beer (either carry on or checked) onto a plane is not a problem as long as the beer is in a clearly labelled (aka commercial) bottle.  When I told her that my homebrew was in a plain brown bottle she advised against it. Not wanted to risk losing some of my precious beer (not to mention some of my dignity during the inevitable cavity search) I ended up shipping it instead.

Aha, good to know, thank you! That is a good point, and I am flying Southwest.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #17 on: April 27, 2013, 02:07:37 pm »
You can print out labels that look commercial enough that someone picking through your luggage will not know the difference.  Or you can put it in bottles that still have the labels on them.  You can't bring it on the plane anyway, I would just put it in your luggage and not worry about it.  I have never had problems.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline rjharper

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2013, 01:23:25 pm »
Ive never had an issue checking homebrew or unlabeled bottles. And even if one does blow in your bag, they work case is beer soaked clothes with glass fragments. It will not rupture a bag or cause a safety issue for the plane.

Offline AmandaK

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2013, 11:47:34 am »
I had considered doing this myself the last time I flew out to see an old college buddy. I spoke to someone at the airline (Southwest) and they advised that bringing beer (either carry on or checked) onto a plane is not a problem as long as the beer is in a clearly labelled (aka commercial) bottle.  When I told her that my homebrew was in a plain brown bottle she advised against it. Not wanted to risk losing some of my precious beer (not to mention some of my dignity during the inevitable cavity search) I ended up shipping it instead.

I wouldn't worry about this. Southwest is the most easy-going airline. I've brought all kinds of homebrew across the country on their planes. What they frown on (but don't punish at all) is bringing your own little liquor bottles on the plane.  8)
Amanda Burkemper
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Offline Jeff M

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #20 on: May 02, 2013, 09:23:00 am »
Why not just bottle it without priming it, bring it ont he plane, and then carb it at his place?
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Offline gmac

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #21 on: May 02, 2013, 09:43:01 am »
Or just go buy a few plastic bottles...

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #22 on: May 02, 2013, 10:57:03 am »
Or ship it by a legal method.

I sometimes wonder at our collective mentality that businesses should just accept our defiance and that we shouldn't be expected to read the fine print on the ticket, agreeing to the contract of the what is accepted practice.

Sorry for the rant. I mean no offense. Its an $8 fix to a multimillion dollar problem is all...

Would we disregard BJCP guidelines or the Reinheitsgebot with such wanton? I think not!  I rest my case. No further questions your honor
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 11:04:02 am by klickitat jim »

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #23 on: May 02, 2013, 11:34:12 am »
Would we disregard BJCP guidelines or the Reinheitsgebot with such wanton?
Of course we should.  It's our beer to brew how we like it.  And I'm not a fan of the reinheitsgebot, they can stuff that.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #24 on: May 02, 2013, 11:43:09 am »
Or ship it by a legal method.

I sometimes wonder at our collective mentality that businesses should just accept our defiance and that we shouldn't be expected to read the fine print on the ticket, agreeing to the contract of the what is accepted practice.

Sorry for the rant. I mean no offense. Its an $8 fix to a multimillion dollar problem is all...

Would we disregard BJCP guidelines or the Reinheitsgebot with such wanton? I think not!  I rest my case. No further questions your honor

putting it in your checked baggage is at least as legal as shipping. USPS = federal crime, UPS/FedEx = against corporate rules, Airline checked bags = I've never seen anything in the fine print that says I can't put beer in there. or glass, or anything, heck I could put a gun in there as long as it's not loaded and I declare it.
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2013, 11:46:25 am »
Lol that's awesome! Well, as far as bjcp goes. I'm a rhg Nazi though. Water, barley, hops, maybe yeast. Anything else is verboten!

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2013, 11:51:08 am »
Or ship it by a legal method.

I sometimes wonder at our collective mentality that businesses should just accept our defiance and that we shouldn't be expected to read the fine print on the ticket, agreeing to the contract of the what is accepted practice.

Sorry for the rant. I mean no offense. Its an $8 fix to a multimillion dollar problem is all...

Would we disregard BJCP guidelines or the Reinheitsgebot with such wanton? I think not!  I rest my case. No further questions your honor

putting it in your checked baggage is at least as legal as shipping. USPS = federal crime, UPS/FedEx = against corporate rules, Airline checked bags = I've never seen anything in the fine print that says I can't put beer in there. or glass, or anything, heck I could put a gun in there as long as it's not loaded and I declare it.

We have a right to guns, not beer. Though if you properly exercise one right you create the other.

My point is that the airplane is private property.  They can limit whatever they choose to limit. We can try to sneak past that but no whimper if they catch you.

Offline AmandaK

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Re: Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #27 on: May 02, 2013, 12:07:23 pm »
We can try to sneak past that but no whimper if they catch you.

I've never done any 'sneaking' to get beer in my checked baggage. Southwest's rules actually allow for it - just put them in bubble wrap. If you don't have bubble wrap, they'll sell you bottle sleeves right at the counter for $5 a pop. The counter ladies have even packed it for me before.
Amanda Burkemper
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane
« Reply #28 on: May 02, 2013, 02:13:08 pm »
Lol that's awesome! Well, as far as bjcp goes. I'm a rhg Nazi though. Water, barley, hops, maybe yeast. Anything else is verboten!
If you ever go to Germany and see them mixing beer with juice or soda in the glass, you might think again about the relevance of it. :)  There's nothing wrong with just using the specified ingredients, but neither is there anything wrong with adding other things too.

I'm more inclined to reference the BJCP guidelines if only to make it easier to describe the beer to people.  And they are more or less required if you plan to compete.  You don't need to follow them though, follow your palate.
Tom Schmidlin