UPS and FedEx Favor Wine and Reject Beer

Some stories in the news recently have brought to light the difficulties that brewers have when trying to ship beer. UPS and FedEx appear to welcome wine shipments, but prohibit beer shipments even though the two products are, for all practical purposes, very similar. Why the discrepancy? I don't know, but I can tell you that I have personally experienced difficulty when trying to ship beer to a competition.

I once had to go to two different FedEx locations to ship my entries. The counter person at the first location seemed thoroughly confused and needlessly apprehensive. After consulting with her supervisor, she informed me that I would have to go to the main hub/warehouse to ship my "yeast samples." Long story short - when I got to the hub, the agent gladly accepted my package for shipment. My mind screamed - WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE! - as I smiled and swiped my debit card. Ultimately, it was worth my time and aggravation, for the beer in that box earned two medals when they reached their destination.

For more information on the perils of shipping beer and what you might do to help improve the situation, please check out the linked story.


UPS and FedEx Favor Wine and Reject Beer When It Comes to Businesses Shipping to Consumers