[pete b]

I would have a couple ready and would ship if you need participants.

Question though - How would you ship "without any clues as to who you are?"  Isn't there a return address on the shipments?

Yeah, but there has to be at least a dozen guys named Jim in Klickitat. It could be from any of them.

I'm definitely interested in a future swap. I haven't brewed in a while, so I'm going to sit this one out. Unless I find something good in the cellar that I can spare, but I don't think I have anything that fits the bill.

While we're in the discussion phase - do we want this to be beer-only, or is cider and mead ok, too?

IMO if its bottled its open to swap.

I would love to include mead because I always have some. If there was a month I didn't have a beer ready I wanted to give someone I would always have that. As far as shipping goes UPS picks up at work all the time, I can't imagine them asking questions.

[toby]

I would be willing to participate, but not this month since I have a cruise in a couple weeks and shipping by the end of this month would be tight.  I also already participate in a few similar exchanges on Facebook.  One group is specifically a shelf beer mystery box exchange where they do only that sort of thing.  The other is a trader group that occasionally does a 'beer it forward' type thing.

For people with shipping questions, the secret is to set up an online account to create and print your shipping label yourself.  You don't get any questions that way and you can drop off at a UPS/FedEx drop off location.  Personally I prefer FedEx ground, but YMMV.

[dls5492]

Jim I'd love to do it, but shipping can be difficult.  I would love to know a shipper through whom I could ship reliably for these purposes.  Last year's NHC entries for me was an all day runaround trying to locate a shipper willing to do this.  I finally found one, but that place was a member of some kind of wine club, so they were tied to a special group or had some kind of special rights with a national operator.  Now that place is closed down, so I don't know where to ship from (I am in the far western suburbs of Chicago).  I don't want to lie about contents, like has been suggested by others regarding NHC entries in the past.

If you ship FedEx and have it picked up from your home with the label already on it you never get asked about contents.  I've heard shipping may actually be illegal in some states though and I'm not sure where to find a definitive answer? 
This does sound like fun, unfortunately I'll have to pass this go around.  New baby didn't leave time for brewing the last few months and my kegs are all running dry on me.  I will have to get back instock.

Both UPS and Fedex have it on their website that you can print a label and pay on the website. Then drop it off at their store, or have it picked up. I have never been asked the contents.

[denny]

Would there be any interest in a forum beer swap? This idea is sprouted from a secret santa I participated in, but different.

If we can do it, you would PM me your info. Once all the participants were in the hat, you would get a PM back with who to ship to. You would ship a beer to that person leaving out any clues to who you are. When you get a beer you enjoy it and post your comments on that beer. Only the brewer would know whose beer you are talking about. If they want to the brewer can reveal their identity. Only rules would be a commitment to follow through in a set timeline, and no rude comments in the beer reviews.

What do you think? If we're allowed to do it and there's at least 8 or 10 willing participants, we'll go from there.

I think it's a great idea, but I also think it needs to be done outside of the forum in order to make sure the AHA has no liability.  If someone wants to set up a website or mailing list for it and post links here, I think that would be fine.

[dmtaylor]

Both UPS and Fedex have it on their website that you can print a label and pay on the website. Then drop it off at their store, or have it picked up. I have never been asked the contents.

Same here - Neither UPS or FedEx ever asks me about contents as long as I pre-pay and print and attach the label at home.  It's a very simple drop-off process at that point.  In the very unlikely event that they ask, just tell them it's non-perishable food, glass/fragile, so be kind of careful with it, etc.

It's also important when packing it, if you haven't done this before, to line your box with a big garbage bag and put everything inside that bag and tie it up.  Then if there are any bottle cracks or cap leaks (both of which occasionally DO happen unfortunately), it won't soak into the outer cardboard and cause them to question the contents en route.  They should have no reason to question a well packed box unless they totally mutilate the box, and then that's THEIR fault, not yours.

[homoeccentricus]

Do you ship to Belgium?  :-P

[SecondRow_Sean]

I lurk much more than I post, but I'm certainly interested.

[HoosierBrew]

I'm up for it definitely. Not sure about this month since I haven't brewed as much as usual lately (kids activities, etc.). My first choice to share would be my tasty APA - if it survives the weekend (having a party) I'll bottle some. If not, I should have something ready for the next go round.

[Slowbrew]

I have nothing in bottles and this time of year have no time to get that done so I'm out.

The shipping rules are based on export licenses and such.  Both UPS and FedEX will ship alcohol from companies across state lines that have export licenses but their rules for consumers specifically disallow alcohol shipments.  It's more a matter of not wanting to cross the Feds and the states and end up in court than anything else.

In my opinion, ship it anywhere you want as long as you don't get asked any questions.   

Paul

[ynotbrusum]

I am in, subject to shipping.  I was asked at 4 different locations when I tried shipping to KC last year for NHC - probably because I didn't do the prepay thing and it was going to a brewery!

Is it going to be a blind draw or similar? I'd like to send something the recipient might like and not my garlic potato salad and knock wurst Porter with belgian saison yeast (kidding!  please don't make me brew that....)

Knowing ahead of time would allow an offer of a couple styles on hand....but Jim it is your choice AFAIAC.  I will abide.

[coolman26]

Jim I'd love to do it, but shipping can be difficult.  I would love to know a shipper through whom I could ship reliably for these purposes.  Last year's NHC entries for me was an all day runaround trying to locate a shipper willing to do this.  I finally found one, but that place was a member of some kind of wine club, so they were tied to a special group or had some kind of special rights with a national operator.  Now that place is closed down, so I don't know where to ship from (I am in the far western suburbs of Chicago).  I don't want to lie about contents, like has been suggested by others regarding NHC entries in the past.

I ship as yeast/perishable food. 

[cascadesrunner]

I'm interested, but need an idea of time?  Would it be worth discussing some sort of standardized packaging?  It might be helpful if this were to go past one round. 

[klickitat jim]

Ok, there's enough interest to do it. Im going to start a new thread.

[toby]

I ship as yeast/perishable food.

I've taken to putting either 'kitchen supplies' or 'canned goods' in the comment field.  I might put 'evaluation samples' on comp entries.  I've always wondered what they'd do if you told them 'urine samples' were in the box.  Would they be extra careful? lol