Beer Trading 101: Ideas Wanted

Wine shops are a good source of bottle shippers

Too much communication is better than having anything be in question

Make a box/extras that you'd be happy to receive

Use seekabrew.com to check distribution

Always extra asubeer sours

 

1. If you're a new trader expect to ship first.
2. If you'e a new trader, set up a trade with someone that has done several trades so they can help you.
3. Extras are EXTRA, but almost everyone sends them unless the trade specifies not to send them.
4. Set up an on-line account which allows you to print labels at home and saves money.
5. Check the bad trader list and check references before sending off your box.

 

Be respectful of the trading community. If you think someone is asking WAY too much for a certain beer, maybe kindly tell them, or don't say anything at all. Don't threadshit or come after them.

 

Wrap the bottles like you're going to drop them from a 4th story window. There's no such thing as too much bubble wrap.

Oh, and don't tape the bubble wrap. Rubber bands.

 

Trade for what you want to try, not for what everyone else wants to try. This means that when there's a release, there's usually a feeding frenzy of people one-upping each other in hopes of getting the next best thing. Don't be a part of it. If you want the latest releases from an area/brewery, build a relationship with someone from that vicinity beforehand.

Your beer isn't as valuable as you think it is. As long as people continue to overvalue their collections and tell everyone else to do so, the overall values are going to continue to inflate. This helps no one.

Don't play catch-up. Someone trading for 4 years might have 200 or 300 (or 1000) beers in a cellar. Just because they do, doesn't mean you need the same in the first month.

There's a ton of beer in your local area and more every day. Do you really need to trade?

 

Always clarify exactly what the trade includes before agreeing to ship.

Make sure you know what you have: Oak Aged Yeti is not BA Yeti

Do some research first. Don't expect to be taken seriously by anyone if you're obviously just throwing out ISO offers for beer that obviously isn't available (PtY)

 

I don't have many content suggestions, I think someone else could say that better. But I'd highly suggest involving Alewatcher somehow. Either borrowing his content (with his permission, of course), linking to it, or even having him write some/all of the post. His blog is the trading bible, so it makes sense to me to involve him.

Oh, I do have one content suggestion, which is to emphasize that trading, like all activities through BA, should be about advocacy. As cheesy as it sounds the relationships I've built trading are way more valuable to me than the beer I've acquired.

 

Research the beer you are seeking before posting an ISO/FT. Take note of bottle counts and availability. Those components will be very helpful in determining the forum value of your beer.

Start slowly. Trade locals for locals in the beginning if at all possible.

Remember that this is a trading community, not Christie's Auction House.

 

1. Study the ISO:FT Forum first - In order to fully understand how trades are completed, look through existing posts to get an idea of how to make an ISO post, see how people value other beers, and what's trading for what. Then you'll be ready for step 2.

2. Start small - Don't jump in and try to trade for the biggest new release. Locals 4 Locals, while it may seem a little boring to some, is a great way to learn the ropes. You get to try new beer, and also get the hang of how a trade works without too much risk. Also, keep to one trade at a time so you don't over extend yourself.

3. Communication is key - Keep in constant contact with the person you are trading with and respond back to any questions or issues they might have in a timely manner. Also, keep your partner informed of any changes on your end, whether you can't ship the date you promised, couldn't find a bottle you were supposed to send, or anything else that may change the terms of the trade.

Bottom line, like some others said, send a box that you'd be happy receiving and everything will be fine. I've built some great relationships with trading and there's no reason why everyone can't if you put together great boxes and have solid communication.

 

• know your local beer market inside and out before trading for beers outside your market. It will help immensely if you know your local wares before you try and trade for them.

• reach out to an established trader for advice- he or she can 'shadow' your first few trades and provide specialized, trade-specific advice.

• make sure that you re-use shipping materials when applicable, but do not compromise the integrity of the package by using sub-par packing materials or shipping containers. If a box is damaged, replace it.

• pack as if your box is going to get thrown off a cliff and hit by a train. Better safe than sorry.

• If a beer breaks in transit, it's the shipper's responsibility to replace it. If it cannot be replaced, work with the other trader to make good on the broken bottle. Send them something else tasty as an act of good faith.

• Once the beer reaches it's destination, it is no longer the shipper's responsibility. A receiver is responsible for the package once it is listed as 'delivered' by the carrier.

• Make sure to know the freshness of all beers you send out- for styles like IPAs or DIPAs, a few weeks or months can make all the difference. Don't count on a retailer to automatically sell you fresh beer- make sure you verify this before you purchase and ship it. No one wants to trade for old, stale beer.

• Always send a 'confirmation' before both parties agree to ship- listing ALL the beers on both sides of the equation so that both parties have clear understanding of what the trade terms are. Make sure to get the other person's full contact info- email, address, phone #, etc etc are all valuable tools if something comes up.

• Beer trading is expensive and cumbersome- don't let it supplant your love of the beers you have ready access to, and if it stops being fun or becomes too much work, take a break.

• Use your gut instinct- if a trader seems sketchy, or you get a bad feeling, don't do it. If a trader tries to bully, force your hand, or otherwise make you trade in a way that's not comfortable to you, walk away.

• Just because a bottle is 'rare' doesn't mean it tastes good, or is 'worth' a lot by virtue of it being rare. In fact, many of the most available beers on the market are also some of the best-tasting, and for good reason- the demand for them has made them best-sellers.

• Don't be a dick. Seriously.

 

This is something that should be emphasized, this way there's no confusion before or after packages are sent.

 

Number 5 may be difficult for a new trader since the list would be hard for them to come by. Maybe change that to a "trade at your own risk" type of thing, as well as check references. I am sure that will be included , though.

 

This cannot be emphasized enough. There are great beers to be had in almost everyone's backyard. When I first got into craft beer I traded like a maniac, then I realized I had all the beer I ever needed right here in Portland. I was able to make some great trading partners in the process, but it was an expensive process. Look LOCAL before you look at the trading forums is a good motto.

 

I would say you should go back to a buffer window before people can post in ISO/FT. That way noobs can observe before diving in.

As for the 101:
1) Communication is key.
2) COMMUNICATION IS KEY
3) Don't get in over your head. Limit yourself to only the number of trades that you could complete even if something went completely sideways in your life. Remember that beer trading can become VERY EXPENSIVE if you let it.
4) Start out small. There are plenty of good beers that aren't that rare (see Abyss, PtE, RR Sours, etc)
5) Make sure that once terms are agreed upon, you send a confirmation (EG: "so to be clear, Im sending the BBVD, you are sending 3xpte, right?")
6) Don't threadshit in other people's ISOs. If you don't think their request is reasonable, bm them.
7) Get an account with Fedex/UPS. It will save you money and time.
8) Send extras, the other guy will. (unless the other guy acted like a dick)

EDIT: When posting, or BMing, act like you are talking to each other IN PERSON. It is much harder to be snarky/dickish/disrespecful that way

Edit 2: Learn how to use the Conversation function. Please don't post offers in the threads!

 

Be generous. There are official bad trader lists and unofficial. Don't make your way on to either.

 

Seriously.

 

i'd want

1) packing info,

2) extras etiquette,

3) emphasis on generosity and trying new things (ie emphasis that the trading forum is not an outcropping of liquor stores, and if it was The Market, the bros would probably want a cut rather than hosting the forum for free... i know i would),

4) some acronym stuff,

5) emphasis on COMMUNICATION

6) even more emphasis on communication

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edit: major thing:

7) emphasis on lurking more. there is no rush to trade, and certainly no rush to become the Beer King Who Bags The Choicest Cuts. learn the culture and etiquette before rushing in, and you'll avoid lots of bad trader / argument nonsense.

 

I would add something concerning pre-trade etiquette. Lord knows too many people have been burned by people not getting bottles that they were sure to get.

 

I second the link to seekabrew.com

How about a 10 Commandments of Beer Trading?