Shipping beer in winter and freezing

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ba-brewer

I'm not Zog, I'm Leroi
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Is there any concern about beer freezing while being shipped during winter?

Beer would be going ground to an area that freezes this time of year.
 
Is there any concern about beer freezing while being shipped during winter?

Beer would be going ground to an area that freezes this time of year.

it takes a long time to get it frozen (keep in mind that freezing temperature depends on alcohol content) if you insulate it well. I would put each bottle in an insulated envelope and maybe add some cardboard or paper in between to add insulation against temperature and impact. Should work just fine.

Let's argue it in reverse - in the heat of the summer boxes with freeze packs (such as blue apron food items, or yeast) arrive with ice still frozen.
 
32 degrees is very different than -32 degrees. If it's going somewhere really cold I'd overnight it, somewhere moderate some insulated packs should be fine. Check the weather forecast for 10 days out.
 
If it's going to be exposed to sub-freezing temps for more than 48 hrs., I'd be concerned, not as much about what it might do to the beer, but that bottles might explode.
 
I have no idea what temperatures packages are exposed to on a truck, at the warehouse etc.

I would be concerned more about if the package was going to be left outside at the front door. Can you send it to the person's business where you can have the package signed for.

The other option is with UPS and FedEx if the recipient has an account they can request the package be delivered to a FedEx or UPS store where it should stay warm until they pick it up.
 
I have sent beer in cold weather and had it freeze. It didn't break the bottles, just forced the caps loose and leaked. Not good.
Passed's suggestion of plastic or aluminum sounds good.
Next time I'll also ship them at room temperature to start, instead of cold.
 
Thanks for the ideas. Ground shipment would be 4 business days so maybe half of that time in less than ideal conditions. Maybe I will get some plastic bottles to hedge my bet.
 
Just did a trade where the person sending me beer had a cold front come throug and he lost 4 of 9 beers. Thanks fully it wasn't from me but he asked me what my weather was like before sending me beers. I've always used FedEx to ship beers and sent them out on a Tuesday and they get there by Saturday most days. Plus FedEx hasn't ever left me a tag saying they dialed to deliver so they will retry again tomorrow at the same time.
 
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