Beers

The new year is off to a great start, and while some trends from 2013 have started to fade away, a few look like they may become permanent parts of the food and beverage industry. Local and organic fare is still in high demand, and small batch distilleries and breweries are opening throughout the country, much to consumers' delight (and even large producers are trying to make their products feel more personal). One of the issues with local and craft breweries, is the simple fact of America's size. How do get a hold of a case of your favorite small batch Brooklyn Brew if you live in San Francisco? That is the problem that consumers all over the country are hoping to solve, with beer trading, enabling consumers to trade for their favorite rare beers or those from far away. The interstate practice is gaining momentum as users take to internet forums at websites such as Beer Advocate, Talk Beer, and even on social networks using hashtags such as #Beertrade. While this informal practice seems to be well established amongst beer lovers, there are some caveats to note. Firstly, the laws regarding the shipment of alcohol are a bit fuzzy, and can vary from state to state and even between counties. For example, USPS does not ship alcohol, ever, though UPS and FedEx do under certain circumstances, with the proper licenses (which, unless you have a liquor store, you most likely do not have). Secondly, it appears that the unspoken rule among traders is that you participate at your own risk (and that you should never, ever, buy beer on eBay). Thirdly, when you do manage to actually ship the beer you intend to trade, the freight costs may be high due to the package weight and declared value. The most important tip of all, is to make sure you know the trading lingo before you get started. So for acquiring your average brew, beer trading may not be the best option. If you are absolutely dying to get your hands on your favorite stout from across the country, then hop online and see if beer trading will work well for you. What rare or out-of-state brews are you craving? Let us know via Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn and Twitter. Source: Image Credit, Drinks.SeriousEats