Funky Beer Swap

[bconnery]

Guys,
Just discussing the transport aspect.
I have sorted a courier this end thanks to someone's generous access to their frequent users rate but the return leg is a little more tricky.
Does anyone involved in the swap have any plans to utilise a courier, or access to one, so that it isn't a one off rate? The difference in price is fairly large.
I raise it mainly because it is going to be difficult to know how much to give to Quintrex a) until I know how much the parcel will weigh and B) the best option.
I know things can be posted, and I can get an approximate price based on that but to be honest Auspost is my last resort due to price and handling, especially if there could be more stubbies involved...

I don't want to be pulling out, especially at this late stage, but if I can't have a reasonable degree of confidence that the beers will come up here to Brisbane in some sort of state it is hard. WA and NSW guys, just wondering what your plans where?

 

[Quintrex]

I'm happy to hold your case/s until you can organize someone to pick it up if you can organize it.

I'll do my best to work in with people in regards to pick up/drop off/ courier etc.

Q

 

[kabooby]

I am thinking the logistics might be easier if in NSW we get all our beers in a central location and send them down as a whole. That way we only have to send down the beers for the other states and don't have to send down beers that are just going to come back.

Obviously this will make things a bit trickier to sort for Q, and I am not even sure if the cost will be cheaper. Just a thought.

I agree Ben that it would be better on a courier than via Aus post.

Kabooby :unsure:

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Raspberry version it is then

I dont know about anyone else... but I am willing to go all socialist on the shipping cost. If we can work out an overall total - I'm happy to contribute 1/12th of that amount even though I will be picking-up/dropping off (assuing thats OK Q) in person.

Spread the burden and encourage wider participation I say...

TB

 

[Quintrex]

Raspberry version it is then

I dont know about anyone else... but I am willing to go all socialist on the shipping cost. If we can work out an overall total - I'm happy to contribute 1/12th of that amount even though I will be picking-up/dropping off (assuing thats OK Q) in person.

Spread the burden and encourage wider participation I say...

TB

Hmm good thoughts thirsty, btw you still got that apricot berliner for me ? ;-)


More than happy to have people pick up, transport is the only major flaw with the whole aussie wide case swap thing and I'm happy to do whatever I can to make it work.
I'm down with sharing postage costs, but I'd say it'd have to be a voluntary thing.

We have had trent drop out because he's away for an extended time and won't be able to participate. This leaves one gap,
I'm happy if someone wants to step up to fill it or just leave it.

Cheers
Q

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Hmm good thoughts thirsty, btw you still got that apricot berliner for me ? ;-)

As a matter of fact I do - But I get to share it when I pick-up/drop off the swap case OK. I have been looking at it for ages wondering how it has fared with 18months or so of age on it. I'm guessing the brett might have added a bit by now!

 

[bconnery]

Raspberry version it is then

I dont know about anyone else... but I am willing to go all socialist on the shipping cost. If we can work out an overall total - I'm happy to contribute 1/12th of that amount even though I will be picking-up/dropping off (assuing thats OK Q) in person.

Spread the burden and encourage wider participation I say...

TB

Well now obviously this has a great appeal for me, even if it only on the return leg.
I'm still curious what the other interstaters have planned postage/courier wise.

I don't mind paying my costs, although sharing is good and generally the more we have for a courier the better price.
I've been doing some investigating and there are a few options...
http://www.onlinecourierquotes.com/ has been a good start...

 

[kook]

I'm still curious what the other interstaters have planned postage/courier wise.

I was planning on sending either auspost or courier - but until I know the number of bottles I can't work out the box size. If I send auspost - it'll be calculated by volume not weight due to the size of the box.

Is anyone other than neonmeate planning on sending 2 stubbies?

 

[Stuster]

I was going to send longnecks.

I've been looking for courier companies. Anybody in Sydney/NSW got a good recommendation on that?

 

[kabooby]

I got some prices from the courier company I use for work.

From Syd to Melb
0-15kg $19
16-25kg $26
26-40kg $44

From Melb back to Syd
Up to 25kg $33

A long neck is about 1.2kg and a champ bottle is about 1.4kg

Not sure how this compares with others, I dont send that much stuff interstate.

Kabooby

 

[warrenlw63]

Hey chaps

Sorry just caught this as I've been on a week's sabatical. Unfortunately I'm pulling the pin on this one as my Flanders Red is to my tastes undrinkable. <_<

If there's somebody who wants to take up my place feel free.

Apologies I'm just not willing to swap bad beer for good.

Warren -

 

[neonmeate]

Hey chaps

Sorry just caught this as I've been on a week's sabatical. Unfortunately I'm pulling the pin on this one as my Flanders Red is to my tastes undrinkable. <_<

If there's somebody who wants to take up my place feel free.

Apologies I'm just not willing to swap bad beer for good.

Warren -

what was the matter with it? too much acetic?

 

[bconnery]

I got some prices from the courier company I use for work.

From Syd to Melb
0-15kg $19
16-25kg $26
26-40kg $44

From Melb back to Syd
Up to 25kg $33

A long neck is about 1.2kg and a champ bottle is about 1.4kg

Not sure how this compares with others, I dont send that much stuff interstate.

Kabooby

Kabooby, that's close to some of the prices I've been getting.
Can I ask a favour? Do you think you could ask them about returning from Melbourne to Brisbane? (if they do that?)
The reason I ask is that it would make things simpler if there was one point of organisation for couriers, at least from my point of view...
If everyone was goping to courier back to NSW then just having one pickup might be good.

No stress if you can't, I've started looking into options myself.

The one thing it does appear is that it is better if a local person has a courier, sending from a city is cheaper than organising something to a city, if that makes sense...

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I'm just thinking - if everyone tries to organise their own courier - its going to be hell on poor old Q trying to be around for all the various pick-ups etc. Gonna be hard enough on him with deliveries. I am thinking that depending on his circumstances... he might have to do a bit of running around to courier depots etc.

So (and I am speaking for Q without his say so or knowledge of his circumstances here) it might be easier on him if people use Aus Post to ship their cases out... then the furthest he has to go is his local post office for missed deliveries.

AND - as for returning the cases. I suggest that once the boxes are sorted and packed, they can be weighed and measured and Q (or someone) can get a quote for return delivery from a courier or whatever.. maybe even a bulk discount.. and then after people send him the dough, he only has to deal with one pick-up by one company, one time.

This might cost a few extra bucks, but is inclusive of a kindness premium to the organiser of the swap.

Tell me to shut up if I am out of line Q

Thirsty

 

[Stuster]

No, I think that's a good point. On the other hand AusPost is pretty pricy and if we NSW mob can gather the beers together first then it might not make Q's life too difficult. What do you think, Quintrex?

 

[warrenlw63]

what was the matter with it? too much acetic?

Nah NM I'm thinking maybe too little acetic... Has a very "offputting" corny/vegetal type of flavour now. I guess it's a price I'm paying from trying to turn a mistake into something else. I've tried a couple of bottles and struggle to finish them.

Scary given the fact it seemed to be on the right track upon bottling.

Warren -

 

[bconnery]

I'm just thinking - if everyone tries to organise their own courier - its going to be hell on poor old Q trying to be around for all the various pick-ups etc. Gonna be hard enough on him with deliveries. I am thinking that depending on his circumstances... he might have to do a bit of running around to courier depots etc.

So (and I am speaking for Q without his say so or knowledge of his circumstances here) it might be easier on him if people use Aus Post to ship their cases out... then the furthest he has to go is his local post office for missed deliveries.

AND - as for returning the cases. I suggest that once the boxes are sorted and packed, they can be weighed and measured and Q (or someone) can get a quote for return delivery from a courier or whatever.. maybe even a bulk discount.. and then after people send him the dough, he only has to deal with one pick-up by one company, one time.

This might cost a few extra bucks, but is inclusive of a kindness premium to the organiser of the swap.

Tell me to shut up if I am out of line Q

Thirsty

I definitely like the plan for the return. If someone in Victoria has a courier, or knows someone who uses a courier then arranging the courier out of the city is much cheaper and a single pickup etc. would be simpler on Quintrex. Anyone have one their work uses?

As for the way down I can post it but I would definitely prefer the courier option. If all of NSW is going to courier their's together that would minimise the disruption for Q.
I'm using someone's discounted rates for couriering from here down so that would remain much more convenient for me.
Again though, if postage is the option on one leg then so be it, I'd prefer the sending leg probably because I'm going to be all plastic bottles probably now so the weight will be less.

Bottling the lambics this weekend.
Pretty certain it will be all lambics, combination of the fig and the mixed berry.
We are at 10 bottles now yes with withdrawals?
I might throw in an additional bottle for Q...


Cheers
Ben

 

[kabooby]

Kabooby, that's close to some of the prices I've been getting.
Can I ask a favour? Do you think you could ask them about returning from Melbourne to Brisbane? (if they do that?)
The reason I ask is that it would make things simpler if there was one point of organisation for couriers, at least from my point of view...
If everyone was goping to courier back to NSW then just having one pickup might be good.

No stress if you can't, I've started looking into options myself.

The one thing it does appear is that it is better if a local person has a courier, sending from a city is cheaper than organising something to a city, if that makes sense...

Ill make some calls later and report back

Kabooby

 

[bconnery]

Ill make some calls later and report back

Kabooby

Awesome.
Cheers!

 

[bconnery]

Bottled mine today!

I'm sending, and I'll PM you with more details Q, a mix...
4 Fig Lambics
5 Mixed Berry Lambics
1 Fig/Mixed Berry Lambic blend
1 Sour Orange just for Q as an organiser's present.

Which makes a total of 11. I'm not sure where we are with numbers but let me know if that's right or too many. Happy to drop one out to save postage