I have an event cross country to which I'd love to ship a keg of homebrew. And we're talking all the way across country, California to North Carolina. Has anyone ever done this? I'm assuming it's entirely illegal to ship a fermented beverage across state lines like that. Not to mention the expense and potential damage to the beer itself. But I figured I'd at least ask if someone's ever tried it...
I mean...I've seen it done on Brew Masters (Sam Calagione shipped a corny of beer to New Zealand) but I don't know if that was through the regular post. Maybe do like UPS or something? Probably have to put it in a box with packing peanuts though. Slap a fragile label on it. Being that it's homebrew, it may not be legal, but I have no idea.
I know a brewery near me ships 1/6 barrels to competitions. What they do is buy a cheap suit case packs the keg in there than boxes it up and ships. They have never had a problem, however it costs big money.
Yeah but a brewery probably ships a 1/6 barrel keg with a sankey lid, not a corny keg lid..... I'd worry about the corny keg lid seal personally.
I wouldn't trust a Corney shipped anywhere, a Sanke yes not a Corney I would be concerned with sealing issues too.
I've bought polypins (beer in a box) which have shipped fine. That's only 400 miles or so though, by road and from a business that probably ships by the pallet. Might be an idea though, they are square so easy to box up further to minimise any damage edit to say although I live in an entirely different country, I'm fairly sure I have an equally low opinion of our delivery firms as you do of yours
