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Moving across the country with beer

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by chcfan, Apr 2, 2013.

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  1. chcfan

    chcfan Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 California

    At the end of this month, I'm packing up and heading west (to the Bay Area!!!) and in a bit of a conundrum due to my cellar. I'm going to have a carrier like Allied ship my stuff but those movers do not carry alcohol, I assume because of the legality of crossing state lines with it. I'm also planning to ship my car (>$1K), but they do not allow for you to have anything in it.

    I thought a cargo van would work for my needs but it does not appear that any carriers like Uhaul and Penske (or Enterprise for that matter) allow you to go one-way with cargo vans; the first two just allow trucks and those things start at $1,750, guzzle gas, and go slow as hayell. Any form of other rental, SUV or minivan from a place like Enterprise or Thrifty, will be $1,500 when all costs are factored in.

    I got a ridiculously high quote from PODS and I don't have a place to put one anyway. I'm going to try to pare down the cellar to ~70 bottles, both large and small...this will be a challenge - the cellar clearing party hasn't been scheduled yet, but it is forthcoming. I would imagine that this would be a few hundred dollars to ship Fedex, but I can't imagine it being anywhere near $1,500 plus.

    I do not want to drive across the country in my car since it will hardly fit my beer and be major wear and tear on it, and since I got a plane ticket for practically nothing. I'm looking for advice from someone who's gone long-distance with beer. What did you do? It looks like it's drive or ship Fedex, but was wondering if there's another option. Any input would be awesome.

    Thanks!
     
    #1 chcfan, Apr 2, 2013
  2. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    How would the movers know what was in the boxes you're giving them to transport? Do they go through them?
     
    #2 Hanzo, Apr 2, 2013
    4kbrianb, brewbetter, bcook582 and 5 others like this.
  3. chcfan

    chcfan Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 California

    They pack the truck.

    Edit: They "load" not pack the truck, which in this scenario will be shared with other moves so I'm 99% sure there isn't an option to self load.
     
    #3 chcfan, Apr 2, 2013
  4. YaKnowBrady

    YaKnowBrady Pundit (809) Jul 23, 2010 New Jersey

    This. Box this up yourself, tell them it's glassware, or pretty much whatever you want, pack it like you would shipping it but just in bigger boxes, and write "FRAGILE" on the outside of the boxes. You might even want to buy a bunch of styro bottle shippers, would make things pretty easy, I would think.

    http://www.uline.com/BL_5450/Styrofoam-Wine-Shippers

    20 shippers at $13.75 each comes out to $275.00, with capacity for 240 large-formatted bottles.
     
    #4 YaKnowBrady, Apr 2, 2013
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  5. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    Yeah, so let them load it...just pack the boxes very securely as if you were shipping them as trade. Bing bang boom.
     
    #5 Hanzo, Apr 2, 2013
    BBThunderbolt and YaKnowBrady like this.
  6. chcfan

    chcfan Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 California

    Yeah, I guess that makes sense...didn't think of that. Can't just put them in wine boxes since that will be obvious, but if I'm not going to drive them, they'll need to be carefully boxed up anyway. I wonder if they even have a mechanism for weighing stuff since it will likely be several heavy boxes that they didn't account for in the estimate.
     
    #6 chcfan, Apr 2, 2013
  7. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    I've never used a mover, but how accurate could an estimate be before you have everything packed up? Did they go through all your drawers and closets? I am sure it would be fine.
     
    #7 Hanzo, Apr 2, 2013
  8. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,221) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    When I last moved across the country in 1999, I used AtlasVanLines, and there was no problem at all with beer, wine, or liquor. No need to hide what it was or anything. Have things changed that much?
     
    #8 geocool, Apr 2, 2013
  9. fredmugs

    fredmugs Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2012 Indiana

    Lots of shit changed after the 2000 election and 9/11.
     
    #9 fredmugs, Apr 2, 2013
    mh007 and YaKnowBrady like this.
  10. YaKnowBrady

    YaKnowBrady Pundit (809) Jul 23, 2010 New Jersey

    Just tell them it's boxes of Gueuze. They won't know what you're talking about, nor care.
     
    #10 YaKnowBrady, Apr 2, 2013
    JG-90, KhakCane, alysmith4 and 2 others like this.
  11. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,221) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    I kinda doubt either of those things had anything to do with it....
     
    #11 geocool, Apr 2, 2013
    Franch likes this.
  12. CommanderOfAwesome

    CommanderOfAwesome Initiate (0) Aug 30, 2012 California

    Welcome to the bay area. I did this exact same move in August '12 from DC to Bay Area. I had a cellar party and just started over once I got here, but I moved via parcel post.
     
    #12 CommanderOfAwesome, Apr 2, 2013
    BeerKangaroo and alysmith4 like this.
  13. loafinaround

    loafinaround Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2011 New York

    I agree w/ others. I have some really expensive china and glassware.... It is not unusual for people to pack their own antiques and delicates, seal it up tightly and write fragile 20X on the outside and pass the precious cargo to the movers.
    The movers don't give a shit what they move, as long as it's not gasoline or something toxic that can hurt them.
    Just put them in very good styrofoam bottle containers, and write "kitchen" and "fragile", and you're good to go!
     
    #13 loafinaround, Apr 2, 2013
    BBThunderbolt, buffs9, alysmith4 and 1 other person like this.
  14. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,221) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    This company indicates that they'll take it:
     
    #14 geocool, Apr 2, 2013
  15. maltmaster420

    maltmaster420 Initiate (0) Aug 17, 2005 Oregon

    Something tells me they'd be a bit suspicious as to why your boxes of "glassware" weigh 40lbs each, but I bet if you used styro-shippers and labeled them "Books" it would work.
     
    #15 maltmaster420, Apr 2, 2013
  16. YaKnowBrady

    YaKnowBrady Pundit (809) Jul 23, 2010 New Jersey

    Even if they did question you, you could tell them it's none of their business what's in it specifically, as long as it doesn't give off noxious odors or anything. If could be crystal sculptures, or fancy servingware (you'd be surprised how much cut crystal dishes weigh). Books would work too, and if they ask about the sloshing, just say it's a lot of Hemingway books.
     
    #16 YaKnowBrady, Apr 2, 2013
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  17. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,221) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    I also found this link:
     
    #17 geocool, Apr 2, 2013
  18. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    #18 Hanzo, Apr 2, 2013
    SatlyMalty and KhakCane like this.
  19. HoosierInOhio

    HoosierInOhio Devotee (326) Apr 2, 2011 Ohio

    I am doing the same from OH to LA, allied as well. The guy said none of our booze can go (flammable), but beer and wine are OK. Just be aware that it won't be climate controlled.
     
    #19 HoosierInOhio, Apr 2, 2013
  20. loafinaround

    loafinaround Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2011 New York

    "kitchen" works very well. could be a combo of olive oil, glassware, china. China is SUPER heavy. Not sure why the OP thinks 40 lbs is unreasonable for china. Those were always my heaviest boxes.
     
    #20 loafinaround, Apr 2, 2013
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