Airline question

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by PSUDREW, Mar 24, 2012.

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  1. TheGr8BeerState

    TheGr8BeerState Initiate (0) Jul 20, 2011 Michigan

    Thanks for the advice everyone! I was thinking around those same lines, but it's reassuring to hear your success stories (and learn from your unfortunate loss).

    Hopefully I will be sipping on some KBS on the beach in Florida tomorrow instead of having clothes that smell like KBS all week...
     
  2. woosterbill

    woosterbill Pooh-Bah (2,733) Apr 6, 2009 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    Make that 8x750ml and 6x375ml - reading this thread reminded me to put away my suitcase and extra bubblewrap, and in with the bubblewrap I found an extra bottle that I thought I'd left behind with my friend in London - a 1990 De Wets Geuze. How's that for a fun surprise?
     
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  3. cbeer88

    cbeer88 Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2007 Massachusetts

    You can pickup a decent portable digital luggage scale on Amazon for $15. It's pretty much spot on and since then I've never had an issue with luggage limits and beer.

    Prior to that, I always just had a "man overboard" beer or two that I stuck on top. Stuff that wasn't worth anywhere near a 50 Euro bag overage...
     
  4. woosterbill

    woosterbill Pooh-Bah (2,733) Apr 6, 2009 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I'll have to look into that scale; it would have sucked to have gotten hit with the overage charge - on United it would have been $200!
     
  5. cbeer88

    cbeer88 Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2007 Massachusetts

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  6. gn0sis

    gn0sis Initiate (0) Dec 17, 2007 Massachusetts

  7. gonuts31

    gonuts31 Initiate (0) Aug 5, 2010 Illinois

    I bring beer home from business trips all the time. I don't even bother with bubble wrap and plastic bags. I fly Southwest and they love bags, so no worries. I wrap the bottles around a tee shirt and set in my suitcase. I use the clasps built into the suitcase to make sure nothing can move around. So far, so good.
     
  8. coreyfmcdonald

    coreyfmcdonald Initiate (0) Nov 13, 2008 Georgia

    I have never used bubblewrap in a checked back, but I would have to imagine it's a good idea. In the past, I've just wrapped my bottles in clothes and made sure nothing was moving around in the suitcase at all even with lots of movement of the suitcase. I would recommend using plastic bags in case of breakage, though. A few bottles should be no problem at all, I've brought about 8 22s home in a medium sized suitcase.
     
  9. abcramer

    abcramer Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2010 Pennsylvania

    I've brought beer home in my checked luggage many times, and have never had any problems. I don't use bubble wrap, but I do usually put each bottle in a sealable plastic bag, just in case. Also, wrap clothes around the bottle, or stick the bottle in a shoe, assuming you're packing shoes.
     
  10. yesferro

    yesferro Initiate (0) Jul 30, 2008 Mississippi

    pack it as if Fedex will be handling it, I bet they're rougher on packages then luggage handlers!

    I bubblewrap, ziplog and then roll it up in clothes. Last trip to Belgium, we brought back 27 bottles and 6 glasses, no breakage! We did have to mail some of our clothes home :B
     
  11. kelvarnsen

    kelvarnsen Pundit (944) Nov 30, 2011 Canada (ON)

    I was in Mexico in February. I didn't bring back any beer, but I did pack a bottle of tequilla and a bunch of hotsauce bottles in my luggage. Since we were travelling with our 1 year old and had a bunch of unused mexican pampers that weren't that great anyways, I wrapped everything in diapers and then put the bottles in the very middle of a clothes suitcase.. I figured that would give me the padding needed plus if anything broke the liquid absorbtion stuff in the diapers would keep my clothes from getting soaked. If I were to bring beer back from somewhere in the future I would totally use diapers again.
     
  12. Thehuntmaster

    Thehuntmaster Initiate (0) Sep 2, 2009 South Africa

    Wrap each bottle in a sock and then put it in a ziplock bag. If a bottle does break, the sock will stop the glass puncturing the bag, which will keep the beer from leaking into your bag. Also try and pack the bottles in the middle of your suitcase, not on the edges.
     
  13. guajolote

    guajolote Maven (1,325) Sep 12, 2008 Oregon

    If you're flying out of PDX, this is a great option. The Laurelwood brewpubs in PDX (Concourses A & E) sell growlers & bombers to go. The growlers were $14 (with glass) the last time I was there in December, which is a steal at a regular bar, let alone at the airport. Since the pubs are past security, you can carry the bottles or growlers onto the plane with you. I take a growler with me any time I go back to Ohio to visit family. Also, Portland has a "no price gouging" ordinance, so anything you buy at the airport costs around the same price as it would anywhere else in town.
     
  14. Steimie

    Steimie Maven (1,404) Jan 7, 2012 Michigan

    Flew with 7 bottles today. Wrapped them in bubble wrap, put each one in it's own ziplock bag, wrote "BEER" on each bag, put the bags in a wooden wine box, taped it shut, wrote "BEER" on the outside of the box. Beers arrived safe and sound. There was a TSA inspection tag inside my suitcase and another inside the box. TSA had very carefully re-taped the box.

    If you're as anal about packing beer as I am, I highly recommend the wooden wine boxes. They're not terribly heavy and it seems as though they offer pretty good protection.
     
  15. maltmaster420

    maltmaster420 Initiate (0) Aug 17, 2005 Oregon

    You're lucky. The last time they inspected my beer they used a box cutter to just slice through all the bubble wrap and then just sort of tossed them back into the bag with the bubble wrap sort of half assedly wrapped around the bottles. Oh, and someone wrote "Nice beer!" on the inspection card.

    Luckily nothing broke or I would have been pissed because it was 2 bottles of Hunahpu's and a bunch of other stuff I can't get in Oregon.
     
  16. Steimie

    Steimie Maven (1,404) Jan 7, 2012 Michigan

    Man, that sucks.

    I flew out of DTW, and I have to say I think they have the best security system and the best TSA agents of any airport I've been to. We'll see if it goes as well when I fly back on Sunday. Hoping it does...I'm flying with 2 bombers of Abyss and I'd hate to see them break (for lots of reasons, obviously).
     
  17. mindswoop

    mindswoop Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Texas

    I've never used bubble wrap and never had a break.

    Always use jeans and sweatshirts to wrap 750s. Use other clothing to provide padding around the bottles. I make sure the bottles don't touch and that the suitcase is full so there isn't the opportunity for much movement. Another trick is using shoes to protect 12oz bottles...they fit perfectly and have instant protection on 3 sides.
     
  18. rings

    rings Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2011 Michigan

    I nearly always check in a case when I return from Germany. I bubble wrap each bottle, and tape cardboard over the top, but the plastic cases are perfect for carrying and the Mehrweg bottles (thicker glass as they're reusable) hold up really well.
    You're allowed 1 case per adult through customs, no tax or fees.
     
  19. paulys55

    paulys55 Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2010 Pennsylvania

     
  20. FullObs

    FullObs Initiate (0) Jul 27, 2010 Illinois

    Use wine shippers. Declare it as wine and tell them it's professionally packed - they put a sticker on it and will be more careful with it (hopefully). 12x 750s in a styro shipper is under the 50lb limit.
     
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