Sending competition entries: recommended courier?

[geigercntr]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to enter some competitions this year for the first time. Hopefully get some useful feedback on my brews.

I suspect this has been asked before, but nothing came back on my search. Can you good folk flag up any couriers you've had success with in delivering bottles for competitions and the like (or which should I avoid)?

I know that some don't want to carry liquids (Hermes) and others seem obsessed with kicking packages around their warehouse before losing your item (UKMail).

Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[Ajhutch]

I’ve used Royal Mail / Parceforce and never had issues.

 

[IainM]

Royal Mail. They have some rules which the person at the post office may or may not enforce: make sure they're wrapped in something waterproof, and have "fragile" written on the package.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I also use Royal Mail and have not had any issues. Check on their website for parcel sizes, weights and costs. Especially important as most competitions ask for at least 3 500ml bottles.

 

[geigercntr]

Cheers all. Pretty resounding Royal Mail support then!

 

[dad_of_jon]

I also use Royal Mail and have not had any issues. Check on their website for parcel sizes, weights and costs. Especially important as most competitions ask for at least 3 500ml bottles.

I recon 3x500ml bottles will be a big ask to fit in with royal mails small parcel size. if it's under 2 kilos and withing certain dimensions its £2.95 for a second class parcel.

I've managed a 660 bottle or 2x330's in the small parcel size ok.

 

[geigercntr]

Yeah, the comp I'm looking at wants a minimum of 3 bottles summing to 1500 ml.

Probably going to send 1 x 750 & 2 x 375

 

[Dads_Ale]

I had some sent to me as part of the forum competition where the crown cap was not sealed properly and beer had leaked out soaking the cardboard parcel. Royal mail had put the bottles in a bag and a new cardboard container and delivered with a note saying the item had been re-packed. That is good service in my book.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Yeah, the comp I'm looking at wants a minimum of 3 bottles summing to 1500 ml.

Probably going to send 1 x 750 & 2 x 375

Look at Royal Mail website as the next size up from small is only about a fiver and has a large weight limit and package size.

 

[Ajhutch]

Once you’re over 2kg regardless of size the Parcelforce price becomes the cheapest at £12ish. 3 x 500ml in glass would probably trip that limit, I don’t know if you’re bottled already for the competition but if you have the option PET would probably be under 2kg. Is that the London and South East competition? I’m fortunate that I can go to the venue to drop off in person for that.

Edit to add link

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/uk-standard

 

[geigercntr]

Yeah, it's the LSE comp. Can't get down there I'm afraid (though I am planning to go to BrewCon in Nov), so it's got to be postal.

Good thinking on the PET. Unfortunately I'm submitting a mixed fermentation bretty saisony kind of thing so it needs to stay in pretty heavy glass bottles.

Cheers for the info tho!

 

[Leon103]

Royal mail if under 2kg