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Beer Mail Trading Forum Website Staff

Welcome to the

Some FAQ's :

Well...  now, take that same idea and apply it to... beer !!

It's quite simple. The basic rules are: somebody creates the BiF, and gets together a list of names and addresses of those involved and creates a Master Sheet which contains all the rules and specifics. The originator then sends out the first package to somebody in the group. No one knows where it is going to, although the sender usually posts some clues in the trading forum.

When that person receives his/her package, they cross their name off the list and then subsequently sends it (forwards it) to the next person. All rules and instructions are included on the Master Sheet along with the names and addresses. A few common ground rules are:

 The organizer of the group is:

1: the first to ship...  and  2: ALWAYS  the last to receive. This gives everybody a turn.

BiF's are usually capped off at around 10 or 12 participants. This is done to reduce the time of the trade. If you figure each trade averages 7-10 days per participant, then you see that it can take up to 3-4 months to complete.

Please note: acceptance into the group is determined by the organizer. You are not guaranteed a spot, especially if you are a noob on the site. It really helps to have some reviews and site time under your belt (or get some recommendations from other BA's)

Is all of this legal?

What happens if my shipment gets damaged or lost?

It is extremely important to keep a tracking number for your package. However, if your package gets lost or damaged, YOU are ultimately responsible for replacing it and re-sending another package out. It seems unfair, but who said life is? Also, the way you package your goods is important. Ziplocs are recommended for each beer, and some like to use a lot of crushed newspaper for packing material (to soak up any leakers). Some even like to line the entire package with a plastic bag, so if a breakage occurs, hopefully it won't leak through the box and thus "red-flagging" it for the shipper.  

Here's the basics of organizing a "Beer it Forward" trade :

1. First, come up with some guidelines for the trade. How many people you want in the trade group? (Remember - the more people in the group, the longer it will take to complete). How many beers do you want to send? Do you want to have a limit on money to be spent? Do you want any kind of beer? local beer only? Growlers only? Hoppy beers? Barleywines? Homebrew? it's up to you...

2. Post a topic in the Beer Trading Forum stating that you want to start a new BiF. Post your rules. Ask for anyone interested to send you their name and address. Create a "master list" of people and names. This list gets sent along with the beer. Remember - it's important for you to check to out the BA's who want in, before you add them to the group. How long have they been on the site? Check their reviews/beerflys/forum posts... You might get a new user who wants in, and adding him/her will be up to you. Beermail the BA in question to get more info.

-  Click here for an example of a Master List. Use it if you want, and change anything you need to. Usually the addresses of everybody in the BIF are placed on the reverse side of the sheet.

3. Once your list is complete, YOU send out the first package. Don't let the person know that you have done so (the whole thing is to make it sort of a surprise) , You can post some clues about who it's going to and what beers are being sent. Send your package to anybody on the list that you want to. Make sure you send the master list along with the package, or the next person will have no idea who/where to send to!

After the first package is sent out, the BiF generally runs itself. You will be the last to receive, so be patient. Most BiF's have webpages that track their progress, but they aren't necessary. It depends of what you are capable of. Some members are even willing to host a BiF page for you, if you ask. You just need to send them all of the current info as it becomes available.

Have Fun !