RocAFella1 Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 I just booked my flight next week to Cincinnati and will be driving into Kentucky to tour around. Does anyone have any experience or tips for shipping bottles home? So excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 10 hours ago, RocAFella1 said: I just booked my flight next week to Cincinnati and will be driving into Kentucky to tour around. Does anyone have any experience or tips for shipping bottles home? So excited! Just to aid any folx with such experience... Where would the bottles be shipped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richdel Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 Going to be doing a mid-winter's trip to south florida, and was wondering the same thing; shipping home versus packing in luggage on plane. TIA for any help and guidance, thanks RocAFella1 for posting this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocAFella1 Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 3 hours ago, Richnimrod said: Just to aid any folx with such experience... Where would the bottles be shipped? Forgot to include that important detail. They will be shipped back to California. I know shipping wine into Kentucky is illegal but how about shipping bourbon out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocAFella1 Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 I'm considering whether to bring an extra suitcase and a bunch of foam and bubble wrap or if I can buy wine shippers in Kentucky and ship them back to California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocAFella1 Posted December 4, 2016 Author Share Posted December 4, 2016 Does anyone in Kentucky know where to buy wine shippers? After a lot of research, I think the best option will be to buy some wine shippers locally in Kentucky and check it in on the flight home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepCover Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 Back in September I shipped 3 bottles back to TX from Cinci after doing some bourbon hunting in KY. I went to Target and bought bubble wrap and a box. My hotel had packing tape and scissors. I just wrapped the 3 bottles up well, stuffed them in the box (that I had also lined with bubble wrap), and took it to Fedex for shipment back home. It was $18 shipped second day air. It arrived at my house before I did and everything went perfectly. If they asked, I was going to say I was shipping some high-end extra virgin olive oil my wife had me buy, but nobody asked a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoch Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 The only risk is if one leaks. They will open it, see what it is, and discard the whole box. They will then let you know why it was not delivered. (Happened to me.) I ship beer and whiskey but always put bottles in zip loc bag wrapped in disposable diaper. Good padding and absorbs leaks. (Also do this in checked luggage.) When flying I check large bag with smaller one inside. On the way back I have two in case I find something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrel800 Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Party Source's inventory is online and pretty accurate in my opinion, might be worth browsing on there and make a determination before you go of how to attack getting them home (carry on or ship). I think you'll find similar situations in the other stores just south of Cincinnati. Anything "limited" is just as unavailable in KY as anywhere else. Be aware, I do think there are some limits on ABV for flying. Keep that in mind if you are going to try and carry on anything "barrel proof". One item to think about, rather than fishing around at The Party Source and Cork and Barrel for a few hours looking at bottles you can probably get at home. Go online and check out The Party Source. You can place an order for pickup if something tickles your fancy, it will be packed and ready to go, quick in and out. It's about 1.5 hrs to 4 Roses from Cincinnati. Might call the 4 Roses gift shop and see if they have any 4RSB Barrel Strength Distiller Selections available. I've yet to have one of those that wasn't worth the effort. At one time they were trying to have all 10 recipes available, but I'm not sure if that is still the case. That said, I don't know how much time you have. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berto Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Pack in a suitcase. 5L total under 140 proof. Bubble wrap, wine skins, sweatshirts, etc. Keep in mind that TSA can open your bag and is unlikely to repack your bottles correctly. Shipping is easy. Buy shipping materials and pack at hotel. Print label and leave with hotel for daily FedEx or UPS pickup. Don't declare actual contents. Olive oil, essential oils, lava lamps, etc. are fine standbys if asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocAFella1 Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 13 minutes ago, berto said: Pack in a suitcase. 5L total under 140 proof. Bubble wrap, wine skins, sweatshirts, etc. Keep in mind that TSA can open your bag and is unlikely to repack your bottles correctly. Shipping is easy. Buy shipping materials and pack at hotel. Print label and leave with hotel for daily FedEx or UPS pickup. Don't declare actual contents. Olive oil, essential oils, lava lamps, etc. are fine standbys if asked. Does the same 5L limit apply if checking in a wine shipper? Would you recommend one option over the other? Appreciate the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berto Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 On 12/5/2016 at 11:45 AM, RocAFella1 said: Does the same 5L limit apply if checking in a wine shipper? Would you recommend one option over the other? Appreciate the advice. Not sure if it's per package or per person. I'd ship because I trust FedEx/UPS slightly more than I trust TSA and the baggage goons. In theory baggage should be better but all the great packing in the world is for naught if TSA opens and doesn't properly repack and the baggage goons use your suitcase for the Baggage Goon Olympics. Of course FedEx/UPS can break, steal, or confiscate so you're risking it either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocAFella1 Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 Does anyone know how strictly they enforce the 5L limit for checked alcohol on flights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTerp Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I don't know, but I would guess it would be pretty easy for them to spot with the x-rays if there was a bunch of bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeTen Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 (edited) I ship all my hooch out or home with FedEx Home Delivery. I use the "Wineskins" that I found in Oregon - they have a double seal with enclosed bubble wrap. I know Total Wine carries them ($4.99 for two, IIRC). Just insert your bottles and tape them up for a waterproof seal. Then I use regular bubble wrap or styrofoam "peanuts" around the bottles and double tape the box (do your best taping on the bottom - that was the advice from my FedEx guy). Have had great luck (so far) with this system. YMMV. Edited December 12, 2016 by GeeTen Good English is not my native language! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I have had suitcases wander their way through TSA security on multiple occasions on both domestic and international trips that were definitely in excess of 5 liters that TSA clearly inspected (because things had been moved around and perhaps more obviously they left a notice in the bag to indicate they had done so) and so far, knock on a wooden barrel, they didn't seem to care. All bottles arrived at their destination. Doesn't mean it will always happen that way but so far so good! Truth be told you have to work at it to pack substantially more than 5 liters (basically 6 750's and one 500 ml) in one bag given current weight limits. Glass is heavy! So if it looks close I don't think they are likely to bother to do the math. My main liquor shipping suitcase might be able to squeeze maybe 9 750's in it depending on bottle shape but I rarely push it to that extreme. This last trip I think it had 7 750's, 1 500, 1 375 and a 240ml hip flask and that was pushing the upper limit. 50 pounds on the nose when you included the odd dirty sock or t-shirt to fill the last open crevice or two between the various pieces of Styrofoam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadeweber Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 On 12/12/2016 at 9:26 AM, GeeTen said: I use the "Wineskins" that I found in Oregon - they have a double seal with enclosed bubble wrap. I know Total Wine carries them ($4.99 for two, IIRC). A second endorsement for Wineskins. I have used them many times without a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 On 12/12/2016 at 3:50 PM, tanstaafl2 said: This last trip I think it had 7 750's, 1 500, 1 375 and a 240ml hip flask and that was pushing the upper limit. 50 pounds on the nose when you included the odd dirty sock or t-shirt to fill the last open crevice or two between the various pieces of Styrofoam! Do you really pack dirty socks with your booze? Aren't you afraid of negative bottle influence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 5 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said: Do you really pack dirty socks with your booze? Aren't you afraid of negative bottle influence? Sure! Can't hurt the booze and may well help the socks! And maybe it also helps keep the TSA at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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