How to ship bottles

[BbqinKY]

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this thread. I'm shipping my buddy a bottle of Knob Creek across the country but not sure what steps I need to insure safe travel. I seen people using parafilm to seal the top but is that necessary on a wax sealed bottle? Any tips would be helpful 

[miller542]

Bottle in a big zip loc, zip lock/bottle padded with wadded newspaper in a small box, small box padded with wadded newspaper in a slightly bigger box.

Edited June 16, 2016 by miller542

[Thig]

Probably the most important thing is don't tell whoever is shipping it that  it is alcohol.  Most of them probably will not ship it if you do.  I order quite a bit on-line and it usually comes in bubble wrapped or in cardboard carriers.  I have never received a bottle with parafilm on it.

[BbqinKY]

USPS, UPS OR FEDEX?

Edited June 16, 2016 by BbqinKY

[theDon]

I get these printer cartridge bubble wrap things from work to store my bottles in at home. They are the perfect fit for 750's. Is this a special bottling of Knob Creek or something? Seems like it would be available in every state and he could just buy one and you could avoid the hassle.

[Darwin]

Sealed in a Ziplock bag and a few inches of bubble wrap will help going by some of the packages that get dropped off on my front stoop.    

Also check the weather, Phoenix (for example) is forecasted to hit 119° this weekend.  Those sort of temps would be bad for most anything.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2016 by Darwin
spellin

[Enoch]

I wrap bottles in a disposable diaper then put in zip bag. Especially when shipping multiple bottles. If the box starts dripping it is disposed of.

[tanstaafl2]

18 hours ago, BbqinKY said:

USPS, UPS OR FEDEX?

 

Simple answer is yes. I have used them all with success. I like to track my packages of "olive oil" so it is just a matter of personal preference and convenience to you I suppose. But the key is not mentioning what the contents are (why would they need to know about the "olive oil" you are shipping anyway???) and wrapping it well so that there is essentially no chance of a leak. in addition to diapers or other absorbent material (for example they make specific "wine diapers" for shipping but a baby (or adult?) diaper is probably cheaper) the suggestion of double boxing your "olive oil" is also a good way to make sure your "olive oil" arrives safely.

 

If you went to try to cover the sloshing of your "olive oil" I learned from another SBer to put a couple of pennies in a metal mint tin like altoids in the box. Although sloshing about is to be expected with "olive oil".

 

Did I mention "olive oil"?

[berto]

21 hours ago, BbqinKY said:

USPS, UPS OR FEDEX?

 

UPS or FedEx.  Shipping alcohol is against their corporate policies but don't ask don't tell.  Package securely - since the KC bottle is oddly shaped use a bunch of bubble wrap and fill any void with more bubble wrap.  A box inside a box works.  Pre-print your label at home and drop off the box ready to go.  Olive oil, essential oils, lava lamps, etc. are all standby answers if they ask.

 

It's against the law to ship alcohol USPS.  Fed stuff.  Avoid.

[DonutsNBourbon]

I've actually had a retailer ship to me 2 bottles of bourbon through fedex... but it was clearly labeled on the outside of the package that there was alcohol inside and they had to ID me before they would release the package to me.  This was last week.  It was wrapped securely in exactly what @theDon had pictured above and then shoved in a box.  No problems with the alcohol once I received it.

[tanstaafl2]

1 hour ago, DonutsNBourbon said:

I've actually had a retailer ship to me 2 bottles of bourbon through fedex... but it was clearly labeled on the outside of the package that there was alcohol inside and they had to ID me before they would release the package to me.  This was last week.  It was wrapped securely in exactly what @theDon had pictured above and then shoved in a box.  No problems with the alcohol once I received it.

 

It is just us little guys that get the shaft from the shippers. It appears to be ok for shippers with an alcohol license to do it as I have received dozens of shipments over the years with no problem or breakage (knock on wood, wrapped in bubble wrap!). So the BS that it is significantly more dangerous to ship (closed) bottles that are well packaged is just that, total BS.

[BbqinKY]

Thanks for all the help everyone