A potentially dumb question. If trading a growler, does the recipient send the growler back, or is the price of the growler priced into in the value of the trade ( ie; beer cost + growler cost = value of trade). Also, any special packaging considerations for shipping a growler? Thanks.
I always give the option to the person I'm shipping to. If they want to send the growlers back, I don't add the cost when going $4$ Shipping growlers is obviously a little more risky than capped bottles or cans. I use electric tape to wrap the cap on screw on growlers and swing tops
Someone paid for the growler, which shouldn't be returned. Therefore, the cost of the growler must be included in the value of the trade. Another way to look at it.........If you traded for five growlers at $5.00 for each growler glass (low price), would you expect the other guy to eat $25.00? If he does, good for you but you certainly shouldn't expect it.
huge considerations need to be taken when shipping a growler. if you're shipping a swingtop, securing the top is of utmost importance. wrap electrical tape around the cage to prevent it from swinging open, and then wrap it from top to bottom (very tightly) to help keep it sealed. if shipping a screw top, just be sure that it's as tight as possible (use something grippy to hold on to the cap while tightening), and then wrap very tightly with tape.
Yeah theres no such thing as too much tape on the cap. Also for non swingtops I put a separate bag over the cap and zip tie it on the neck and then double bag the rest of the growler. I would also send smaller growlers if possible and put them in a bottle shipper.
Cost of the beer is the cost that your trade partner walks empty-handed into the brewery/store to get the beer. I would never ask my trade partner to eat the cost of the empty growler and I expect the growler cost to be accounted for. It adds up, especially if you ship growlers frequently. In my case, it would be over $1000 for over 200 growlers shipped. No partner ever had any issue with cost of empty growler included in working out the trade. Keep in mind that this is only the case if you're trading $4$. If you said I'll ship you a growler of this for a bottle of that, growler cost is irrelevant. I also want to echo the use of electrical tape on swing top arms and along the gap of the cap and top of screw tops. Be sure to tighten the cap or make sure that the swing top are on properly. There's no other time that is more critical to use a trash bag or ziploc bag around each growler AND a strong trash bag over the entire shipment than when shipping growlers. It's a lot of liquid to be contained when growlers break. Lastly, unless your trade partner plans to fill the growler and ships it back, it's usually not economical to ship empty growlers back since FedEx and UPS are both charging dimensional weight.
