Home Brew On A Plane

[Econwatson]

Hi guys!

Off back home to Scotland for christmas, looking forward to it, apart from the lager at home!

Anyway, I'd quite like to take a couple of brews home with me in the suitcase. Was wondering if anybody has had experience doing this?

I understand that putting brown unlabelled bottles of liquid through might raise some security suspicions!

In general, would the bottles survive their journey in terms of air pressure etc?

Thanks guys! Merry Christmas!

 

[stux]

Hi guys!

Off back home to Scotland for christmas, looking forward to it, apart from the lager at home!

Anyway, I'd quite like to take a couple of brews home with me in the suitcase. Was wondering if anybody has had experience doing this?

I understand that putting brown unlabelled bottles of liquid through might raise some security suspicions!

In general, would the bottles survive their journey in terms of air pressure etc?

Thanks guys! Merry Christmas!

Put some commercial looking labels on them

Wrap them in ziplock bags incase they leak.

I've brought plenty of booze/beer home in my suitcase, but always wrap them in the middle of the suitcase and wrap in plastic bags incase they break

I can't see why homebrew would be seen as any different... if it didn't look like homebrew

 

[Truman42]

My dad brought 6 homebrews as carry on luggage in a 6 pack foamy from Cairns to Melbourne last year and had no problems.
Scotland's obviously a lot further

 

[pk.sax]

Checked in only cuz of international travel restriction for larger liquid containers. The cabins are pressurised you know, so is cargo. You don't see the beer the hosties are selling bursting do you?

Btw, the cargo is often the coldest part of the cabin. Freezing cold even... Yes, measured it. Someone told me someone's pets got frozen on a particular airplane in their cages h34r: wrap those bottles up!

 

[scottc1178]

the only real danger is baggage handlers... those guys aren't gentle! wrap and cushion em up good!

oh and if ur headed to Edinburgh, have a mulled wine at the German fest for me!

 

[HoochHB]

the only real danger is baggage handlers... those guys aren't gentle! wrap and cushion em up good!

oh and if ur headed to Edinburgh, have a mulled wine at the German fest for me!

The PET bottles would have been handy for that,for weight and baggage handlers

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Im surprised no one has thought of the Quarantine restrictions that our customs has.. border patrol anyone?

All food or drink items must be sealed and have the retail labels attached for proof of ingredients, you see it all the time on the tele, im sure other countries would have the same restrictions, maybe check out the scottish customs website for food declarations etc.

At the end of the day, as long as you declare it, you won't take a hit to the pocket in terms of a fine, they just pull you up to check it, if you tell em its beer, they might not even ask to look. Happened to me plenty of times with lollies etc from the USA. Although, their booze excise laws might also require you to pay tax on importing alcohol, so declaration is your best bet if you do.

 

[Florian]

Im surprised no one has thought of the Quarantine restrictions that our customs has.. border patrol anyone?

All food or drink items must be sealed and have the retail labels attached for proof of ingredients, you see it all the time on the tele, im sure other countries would have the same restrictions, maybe check out the scottish customs website for food declarations etc.

At the end of the day, as long as you declare it, you won't take a hit to the pocket in terms of a fine, they just pull you up to check it, if you tell em its beer, they might not even ask to look. Happened to me plenty of times with lollies etc from the USA. Although, their booze excise laws might also require you to pay tax on importing alcohol, so declaration is your best bet if you do.

Not many countries are as strict as Australia and New Zealand when it comes to Quarantine.

Check your alcohol allowance for Scotland, same allowance for home brew as for commercial beer. From memory I can take 16L of beer to Germany (plus the usual spirits etc), not sure how Scotland handles it But probably not as tight as Australia either, but check beforehand.

Depending on your flight schedule you might have a stopover in another EU country or even in Scotland, hence there might be no customs checks on your destination airport. As an example, when i fly to Berlin I do so via Helsinki, Frankfurt, Zurich or where ever, and as my flight to berlin comes from an EU country there are usually no customs checks in Berlin. But don't rely on that!

As others have said, pack it well and don't take it on hand luggage, surest way to loose it. That only works on Australian domestic flights.

 

[labels]

I took four glass bottles of homebrew with me to New York. Not in carry-on luggage. USA is extremely hard to get stuff into (after 9/11) so you should get it through to the UK as well as I did to USA.

Attached to the bottles were entry forms to a home brew competition. This 'may' have had a bearing on me getting them in, just a guess.


-=Steve=-

 

[pimpsqueak]

My sister brought over 2 flagons of beer that she filled at The Regional in Wellington last night.
They have generic labels but no specific ingredients etc... Sydney customs took one look and let them through.

Delicious :icon_cheers:

 

[Florian]

Also, rather than taking bottles, take one of these.

I have taken them overseas a few times without problems, just make sure you don't overstep quantity limitations (and if you do, outweigh your risks of getting cought -_- )

Kiwis are pretty relaxed I've been told...

 

[pk.sax]

Beer, even homebrew! Is legal. And it's alcohol. Not food. Quarantine don't give a stuff about alcohol. Customs do. Stay in limits. Actually, never had them trouble me about beer. Now, whiskey or vodka you have to watch your quantity about! It'd be a really anal customs agent to fine you for beer. It costs bugger all, not like you are robbing them of shitloads by transporting beer. Even if you took a slab with you, pay the duty as its due! It's tiny compared to paying duty on spirits.

 

[Wimmig]

As above, put them in checked baggage. Sealed containers, wrapped tightly and in airtight & watertight bags. Some variety of description or info on them may be a good idea too. Less you get pulled up at the other end. If your luggage is transfering planes midway be aware liquids may be stopped & chucked out without question and you may be held up. Bags that do not leave the plane (ie only being refuled) are not subject to local specifics if kept secure and not removed from the plane. If xfered to another one they come under local rules. Some people get caught in this with things as simple as 50ml & 30ml checked liquid concession. It's different in some places.

Your end destination is the question of if it's ok or not. Your leaving port will only care so much as if you don't break any specific local transit laws.

 

[bum]

USA is extremely hard to get stuff into (after 9/11)

The cabin is, the country isn't.

Once you're off the plane they don't give a **** about anything that isn't a ballistic weapon. Even then it'd probably come down to calibre.

 

[stux]

Basically, there's only one place harder to get food stuffs into than Australia and that's New Zealand. Everyone else doesn't care.

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Beer, even homebrew! Is legal. And it's alcohol. Not food. Quarantine don't give a stuff about alcohol. Customs do. Stay in limits. Actually, never had them trouble me about beer. Now, whiskey or vodka you have to watch your quantity about! It'd be a really anal customs agent to fine you for beer. It costs bugger all, not like you are robbing them of shitloads by transporting beer. Even if you took a slab with you, pay the duty as its due! It's tiny compared to paying duty on spirits.

My post wasn't to say it was illegal but to be cautious and check about the rules and regs rather than get stopped unknowingly, I've been bailed up at customs getting he med for quarantined items before and it's not fun even if everything is right.. Especially after a 27 hour flight.
You can take 16 pints in from one google search. Regarding quarantine, I was thinking since there are live yeast being transported, that may or may not come up if checked, regardless of wether it is an actual issue, I don't know as I don't know their particular requirements.. Hence me saying research.
Be prepared is all I have to say, research, it takes minutes these days!
Edit: food items include liquid.. Steak in every beer right? :lol:

 

[Florian]

As above, put them in checked baggage. Sealed containers, wrapped tightly and in airtight & watertight bags. Some variety of description or info on them may be a good idea too. Less you get pulled up at the other end. If your luggage is transfering planes midway be aware liquids may be stopped & chucked out without question and you may be held up. Bags that do not leave the plane (ie only being refuled) are not subject to local specifics if kept secure and not removed from the plane. If xfered to another one they come under local rules. Some people get caught in this with things as simple as 50ml & 30ml checked liquid concession. It's different in some places.

Nah mate, liquids don't get chucked out midway From checked baggage. There are no 50ml checked liquid concessions. I think you're confusing this with Hand luggage.