Beers from Overseas

[Chris P]

Hi all,

In March I am going to LA (and San Deigo for a day) and I am trying to hunt down Pliny so I can finally say I have had it and have seen some bars which almost always have it so if I cant find a bottle anywhere at least I will have it fresh... but I digress.

When I come back I hope to bring back some nice bottles with me and not have them confiscated or have to pay hundreds to keep them.

Maybe looking at up to 10 bottles of whatever...

Also I am stopping in Fiji for a few days on the way back so if I get stung I hope not to get stung there too!

Just after others advice and experiences with this sort of thing.

 

Any advice will be duly noted and appreciated.

 

Cheers all

[Greig McGill]

I've done this many times. The actual allowed limit is something like 4L of beer (can't remember exactly, and too lazy too look it up) but I find if you always just answer honestly, and say "yeah, I'm a beer nerd and bringing back a few craft beers to share privately with friends" nobody (either this side, or US side, if you're taking them to USian friends) cares. I've always just had a smile, and a "that's fine". Once I had a "how many?" and I had around 10. They were fine with that too.

Pack them really well though. No glass-on-glass, lots of bubblewrap, and enclose in ziplock backs in case of breakage to avoid wet luggage. :)

[Chris P]

Thinking of only taking a lazy bottle or two to help kill time at the Airport for my 10 hour wait in Fiji on the way over to be honest. 4 litres sounds not too bad I was reading about Aussies who only get 2.5L but for a fair amount over they would only be looking at $F.All compared to what they owed which I can live with. Not getting stung at all works better for sure so I will be wearing my sweetest smile and giving a shining wink to the officials on the way through.

I am partaking a Stone/GF tour and so will have some of their brews and also RR if I get to a good bottle store but has anyone got any other recommendations for the LA/San Diego trip? I am giving Ballast Point (bottles) a miss as the word from over there is they are pretty poor like the ones I get locally. Plenty of places show as having Sculpin on tap anyhow so that will keep me happy.

[Rohan Tayler]

I'd recommend Alpine if you can make it there.  They're arguably doing the best IPAs in the US at the moment, however they don't have distribution outside of SD. Duet, Nelson and Pure Hoppiness are incredible. 

http://www.ratebeer.com/brewers/alpine-beer-company/2776/

 

Only issue is they're about 30min out of town, and not in the direction of Stone, so you might be best looking for a bottle shop.

[Chris P]

Nice one. I will try and get to a bottle store in San Diego for sure then. On the list it goes. Looking forward to some cheapish west coast 6pks to get me through when Im not at bars around LA/SD.

[Greig McGill]

Second that. Alpine Nelson is pretty amazing.

[Crusader-Rob]

Saw this never had one, however, this is apprantly the clone recipe for the Alpine Nelson?
http://hopville.com/recipe/408239

[Sam Possenniskie (TGM)]

I recommend socks, lots and lots of socks :)

[Colin Slater]

My brother brought me a bottle of Pliny at Xmas. It was absolutely fantastic but he also said it was very hard to find.

[Chris P]

Yeah I am keeping an eye out for any bottles but if all else fails I have seen a few live taps at bars showing what they have and when.

[Rohan Tayler]

In my experience you shouldn't have much trouble finding Pliny in LA bottleshops.

However if you prefer to drink it at a bar, and can't make it to San Fran, these two bars are brilliant (visited last February), and often have it on, as they do currently:

http://www.surlygoat.com/

http://www.38degreesalhambra.com/

[Chris P]

Cheers Rohan I am up near universal and have Blue Palms and Mohawk Bend reasonably close to me.

Surly Goat may be doable if I get into trouble finding it elsewhere or maybe when I head over to Santa Monica for a day trip. But over there I think I am in Fathers Office and Daily Pint area and I would be quite keen to check those out also. Haha with the wife in tow it is a case of which ones can I drag her along to as she isn't the beer lover that I am.

[Gareth G]

Coming into NZ, you can bring 4.5L of beer

On entering New Zealand you are entitled to bring in the following quantities of alcohol products free of Customs duty, provided that you are over 17 years of age* and that the goods:

• Accompany you through the Customs arrival process.
• Are for your own personal use, or intended as gifts.
• Are not carried on behalf of another person.
• Are not intended for sale or exchange.

If the above is applicable the following amounts are allowed duty free:

• 4.5 litres of wine or 4.5 litres of beer.
• Three bottles (or other containers) each containing not more than 1,125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverages.

Any amounts over the above will be liable for Customs duty and goods and services tax (GST). This includes bottles which are of greater volumes than the one described.

* Please note that New Zealand law prohibits the sale of alcoholic drinks and tobacco products to anyone in New Zealand under the age of 18 years. This restriction applies to New Zealand duty-free outlets.

http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/charges/dutyfree/Pages/default....

Fiji is the same, except you can't get your full limit of beer and spirits together:

Alcoholic Beverages

• Spirituous Liquors not exceeding 2.25 litres or
• Wine not exceeding 4.5 litres or
• Beer not exceeding 4.5 litres or
• Any combination of the above provided that it does not exceed the equivalent quantity under liquor, wine and beer

http://www.frca.org.fj/arriving-in-fiji/