Cold Weather Trading / Winter Shipping Thread

maybe im looking at this wrong? but I disagree...If im shipping and I say I dont want to ship because of the cold weather, and he says ship anyway, IMO its outta my hands...

 

I think that point should be documented and understood rather than implied in the BM trail as well, in case there's later dispute.

 

We're agreeing, unless my grasp of English continues to deteriorate. If a trader says "don't ship it's cold" & the other guy does it anyways, it's the shipper's fault if things go south. Or north.

 

I've had a few trades lately when our local temps were -20 at night. I'm not going to risk the bottles or getting blacklisted by my shipper or having any number of other issues arrise. If someone so badly wants me to send regartdless of the WX conditions, I think I'd call off the deal. To me, that just says there's going to be issues of one sort or another. Thus far, everyone's been cool with it as they want to see their beers arrive intact as much as I do.

 

It's all in the details. In an instance like this, I'd insist that I don't send the box because it's cold in the location where it's going and I fear beer slushee. If recipient insists I send, I'd respond that I don't think it's a good idea and that if I do, he accepts liability for the box if it freezes. If he accepts, I ship with signature required (so that the box isn't left on a doorstep outside) and hope for the best.

 

Not directed at you. I didn't check your weather so I asked what you thought about your weather and shipping and you said it was fine.

 

There's some key advice here. Its not worth the risk of ending up on the FedEx shitlist. even if you waive all you resposibility there are other consequences involved

 

I don't like to ship into bad weather, and I've delayed shipping on multiple trades into the an NE and Midwest, we all agreed the weather was for shit. I wouldn't ship un replaceable bottles even if asked to do so. I take full responsibility to deliver my stuff, but if I was asked to ship against my better judgement the Responsibility falls on the receiver . But common sense says if your shipping rare beers, expensive beers you don't ship into freezing cold weather.

 

This is a good conversation to have, since I've been thinking about this issue myself with all the cold weather and snow around here.

I think the recipient does bear some of the responsibility. I try to warn my trading partners if the weather in my region is not suitable for shipping, and I would hope they would do the same. After all, everyone knows the weather in their area best. Also, I don't know whether my trading partner has their packages left on a cold front porch or delivered to a heated office building, but they do know. If they have more information than I do and they're not sharing it, that puts some of the responsibility on them.

So I don't know who bears responsibility at which stages of any bottle breakage. But I would propose that at a minimum, if the box is delivered successfully (i.e., there is no breakage en route), then from there onward the recipient bears the responsibility (as with boxes which are stolen/misplaced off of porches).

 

I just want to throw this out there in a couple trade forums about freezing. Just sent 2 boxes out to Florida on Monday Feb 10th one had the lie down shipping crates inbetween with bubble wrap around each bottle and one had the wine dividers (square deep cardboard seperators) each bottle bubble wrapped then box packed tight with bubble wrap to limit motion. 1st night picked up by UPS at 2ish p.m. it was 18 during the day -2 overnight according to Weather Channel. Went to Columbus Ohio second night it was 0 that night and high of 20 it only made it to 13 then next information was Weds the 12th they were in Jacksonville, FL at noon-2 p.m. Both packages arrived no leaks no damage. Hopefully this helps some people.

Beers mainly 7% WITH 4-5 being close to 10%. I think the Insanity might have been 11%.

 

said this in another thread, but I've received 2 different boxes shipped through and to very cold climates this year. polar vortex, etc. all was fine.

I don't think the ABV matters much at all. I did read that Fedex does not store any materials outside at night, which does matter a whole lot. and I have been home to pick up packages, which matters a lot. packaging really doesn't matter unless you are using legit insulating materials.

even still, I got a package delivered the other night, when presumably it had been in the back of the fedex truck all day, and the high locally was only mid 20's. the bottles were cold, but not even slushy.

 

Just sent a 30 pounder to Chicago... admit I'm nervous but... what can you do, eh? Maybe that pipe-insulating foam that people put around faucets outside would help?

 

I've just been in a holding pattern on a couple trades. Rare beer that can't be replaced if frozen during shipping is a must wait in my book. I have no problem waiting as long as my trading partner doesn't either. Better safe and here in April, then rushing something just to have it and only getting half of it at best because it froze and busted during shipping. If it's something I can run to the store and grab again next week maybe, but why pay shipping twice to make up for impatience.

 

Unreplacsble beers just have to sit until it's safe to ship, really no other choice. I know it gets dicey with IPAs and non age worthy brews. Lucky any trade worthy IPAs I can get fresh daily.

 

I just spent a weekend hiking in -10 to -39 degree weather, 5 mile hike pulling a sled with beers packed pretty much like was shipping them. Everything under 7% was slush after 3 hrs, the higher ones made it fine but for testing left one outside the yurt for 4 hrs, it was a Samichlaus at 14%, it was slush to almost froze after 3 1/2 hrs. So by the power of science let's as a group just say in the winter if it gets below 10 don't ship beer.

 

This idea popped into my head the other day. Having not completed my first calendar year of trading and living in a relatively cold weather state (double digits below freezing last winter) this worries me a bit.

So I'm asking...what is your experience? I recently viewed an older thread that was full of varying opinions and successful/unsuccessful stories. Basically, sounds like you should save the whales until spring, ship on Mondays to avoid weekends, avoid single digit temperatures, and provide plenty of insulation/padding inside the box.

Just looking for a fresh take and updates! Brace yourself, winter is coming...

off topic gif removed

 

I have done dozens of trades in cold weather and never had a problem, but some of the common sense things you mentioned should be followed. Take into consideration volume and abv as well, both of those make a difference in regard to freeze times.

 

Looks like you've got the basics. I would add communication with your trading partner and their opinions on this as well. Will they picking the box up at FedEx/UPS store? Is someone home to bring the box in or will it be outside all day? I take these things in consideration also. I try to avoid shipping in extreme weather, if at all possible.

 

Holding at FedEx locations works great. Especially with my sporadic work schedule. Cheers!

 

I'm in Florida and it's 85 degrees. I forget about the cold.