Shipping Heady Topper Question. . .

After seeing the damage my luggage sustains while traveling, I would never use anything soft-sided. Hard-case, cooler, or box would be the only way I would check it through an airport. Maybe that's just me.

 

I flew a case to ORD last year. I kept the beer in the cardboard box it comes in, put an empty Heady Topper cardboard box on top, taped it shut so the cans couldn't move and then simply threw the beer between my clothes in the middle of the suitcase so it wouldn't move.

I've flown with beer many times in the past couple of years and would recommend using a normal suitcase. I wouldn't chance it with a duffel bag.

 

Don't the airlines go through your checked luggage? Was always curious how people have fared checking beer in luggage.

 

I just flew back to Boston from Hawaii with 4 bombers in my checked bag. The TSA doesn't care, I even had the note in my bag that they opened it during screening.

 

When did Burlington get USPS??

 

Same thing here. Just don't lock your luggage closed because they'll cut the lock (if they pull it for screening).

 

Pay the baggage fee and check it. $25-$25 for a box up to 50lbs and I think 60inches total dimensions is a bargain. I went to IL/WI last summer and I brought back a ridiculous amount of beer. Just over protect each can/bottle. The box was 48lbs!

 

They opened the box and left one of those notices. They just to know what it is and don't care that its beer.

 

I'm planning a trip to CA later this year and was wondering if it's ok to check a 12x750 styro shipper. Gonna have one shipped to my friend's place ahead of my trip and then i'll be filling it over the course of a week of brewery visits. Would much rather pay to check it on the plane than ship it. Does this vary depending on airline? Or is it standard to do this?

 

I just came back from CA last week and checked a cardboard 12-bottle wine shipper (48lbs) that I got from one of the wineries. If you ask the airport counter, they will label it with fragile stickers. The box came out fine and appeared to be well-handled, so I'd imagine a styro one would be OK. I also put a bunch of beers in my checked luggage and they were fine as well.

 

What's the availability of HT in Burlington or Mont Pelier? Wife's leaving Monday for a three day business trip and willing to stop in a liquor store if she's not in a wild goose chase. Is it readily available or does it get gobbled up in 10 minutes like everything in Chicago? I know Alchemist site has locations with days for deliveries but curious if there's truck chasers or if it sits on shelves?

Appreciate the info in advance!!

 

I just flew back to Boston from Hawaii today, small world! I only brought back one bottle, a bomber of BIBH Red Sea of Cacoa.

 

Nice. I wasn't planning on bringing anything back, but I bought some stuff near the end of my trip and didn't end up drinking it. Two bottles each of Overboard IPA and White Mountain Porter. I had some Big Swell cans too but ended up leaving those behind.

 

I thought the BIBH stuff was the best across the board, much better than anything I had from Kona. We were on the Big Island from Sun-Thurs for a conference and spent two days in Honolulu before flying back. We happened across a great beer bar called Brew'd that was across the street from where we had dinner one night (Town, which was also excellent). Hawaii doesn't have the same beer scene that we get spoiled by around here, but obviously has many other things going for it