[Visor]

   I'm considering entering a couple beers in the NHC, but all my beers are bottle conditioned and I have serious concerns about what kind of shape they're likely to be in when they arrive, after the shipper is done abusing the package. If anyone who has shipped bottle conditioned beers to a competition would care to relate their experiences, I'd like to hear them. Assuming I can get the beer to the destination more or less intact and undisturbed, how do I let the judges know to give the beer a homebrew pour and not just glug, glug the sediment it into the tasting glass?

[denny]

Many, many people ship bottle conditioned beer for NHC. Not a problem. I assure you the judges are aware of how to pour. There is probably more bottle conditioned beer than force carbed.

[Semper Sitientem]

I’ve shipped bottle conditioned beer multiple times and have never had an issue. Not so much to competitions, but to friends. As long as you package properly, there’s no issue. One precaution I take is to place the padded bottles into large ziplocks, so in case there is damage the liquid should be contained.

[jeffy]

Actually, bottle conditioned beers should be less prone to oxygen staling than bottles filled from kegs.  Once they arrive at the competition site, they will probably be kept still for a couple weeks and at some sites refrigerated.  So, no problem.

[Kevin]

Homebrew beer competitions requiring submissions to be mailed are nothing new. People have been shipping bottle conditioned beers for decades. Also, judges are not just some schlubs off the street. They know a few things about beer and homebrewing.

[Visor]

   My concern is mostly about bottle sediment getting agitated in shipping and not having time to fully settle out before judging. With some beers that would mostly be an esthetic issue, with some others the sediment is NASTY!  I'm not at all concerned about O2 staling though.
   I recall a good bit of conversation a couple years ago before HBC about Fedex or UPS refusing to ship beer, who are y'all currently using to ship beer?

[denny]

   My concern is mostly about bottle sediment getting agitated in shipping and not having time to fully settle out before judging. With some beers that would mostly be an esthetic issue, with some others the sediment is NASTY!  I'm not at all concerned about O2 staling though.
   I recall a good bit of conversation a couple years ago before HBC about Fedex or UPS refusing to ship beer, who are y'all currently using to ship beer?

I use UPS. Fill out paperwork online and drop it off. I say it's gifts.

[Semper Sitientem]

   My concern is mostly about bottle sediment getting agitated in shipping and not having time to fully settle out before judging. With some beers that would mostly be an esthetic issue, with some others the sediment is NASTY!  I'm not at all concerned about O2 staling though.
   I recall a good bit of conversation a couple years ago before HBC about Fedex or UPS refusing to ship beer, who are y'all currently using to ship beer?

I use UPS. Fill out paperwork online and drop it off. I say it's gifts.

+1. I’m sure the express couriers know what’s going on. it’s sort of a “don’t ask don’t tell” as long as it’s not mass quantities. At the end of the day it’s revenue.

[ynotbrusum]

Hand delivery to local comps these days…other comps just aren’t worth the effort.  I treat it like a fundraiser for the host club and support them with an entry or two.

[Richard]

   My concern is mostly about bottle sediment getting agitated in shipping and not having time to fully settle out before judging. With some beers that would mostly be an esthetic issue, with some others the sediment is NASTY!  I'm not at all concerned about O2 staling though.
   I recall a good bit of conversation a couple years ago before HBC about Fedex or UPS refusing to ship beer, who are y'all currently using to ship beer?

I use UPS. Fill out paperwork online and drop it off. I say it's gifts.

Same here, but I say it's pickles so that explains any sloshing sounds they may hear.

[Kevin]

   My concern is mostly about bottle sediment getting agitated in shipping and not having time to fully settle out before judging. With some beers that would mostly be an esthetic issue, with some others the sediment is NASTY!  I'm not at all concerned about O2 staling though.
   I recall a good bit of conversation a couple years ago before HBC about Fedex or UPS refusing to ship beer, who are y'all currently using to ship beer?

They are not going to send your bottles straight from the back of the UPS truck to the judging table. They are going to sit for days before being opened. Again, these folks have some experience behind them and know how to handle bottles of homebrewed beer.