Why Ship Beer?

I think a lot of my posts have focused on how to ship beer, and where you can ship beer. I get caught up the the logistics of making sure everything is packaged up safely, where you can ship to legally, which shipping service to use, and how to get the best rates. It’s a lot to think about, and it’s good to know, but I don’t think it gets at the heart of why people ship beer in the first place.

Let’s talk about WHY anyone would want to ship beer in the first place. Why go out of your way to package beer and pay to ship it? It can be a lot of time, effort, and money to send your bottles and cans across the state, or across the country! So why do it at all?!

Personally, it comes down to two reasons: I love sharing my homebrewed beer, and I love trading beer. I’ve been homebrewing for 3 years now, and I love experimenting, and trying new styles. I want friends an family to try my beer, and for the people who don’t live in LA, I’ve got to ship it to them, and I’m happy to do it! It makes a great gift!

Homebrewed beer might be THE perfect gift. First, it’s a homemade gift, which makes it cool, unique, and special. Second, IT’S BEER! A homemade gift that is tasty, cold, and refreshing? Yes, please!

I also love trading beer with friends from my home state of Ohio. I’m from Cleveland, my high school is across the street from Great Lakes Brewing Company, so I’ve got to have my Dortmunder, Christmas Ale, and Edmond Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, Great Lakes doesn’t distribute in Los Angeles (at least not that I’m aware of), so the only way to get my hands on it is to have it shipped to me. Fortunately, California has relatively lenient alcohol shipping laws (thank you wine industry), so beer for private use can legally be shipped to me from a friend.

I think a lot of people who ship beer feel the same way. Many homebrewers also ship beer to homebrew competitions, and some use my shippers to get this done! This I love, because some of these folks will be starting breweries in the upcoming years, and I am happy to support any effort they are making towards pursuing a passion for beer making.

There is a strong passion for the people you are connecting with when you ship them your beer. There might also be a strong passion for the place a beer is coming from when it is shipped to you. So why go to all the trouble of shipping beer. Because it brings people together, and it can bring you a little piece of the place you’re from.