Please choose where you are shipping from in order to get relevant shipping information.
General Shipping Info
WBC Shipping Address:
BA – WBC 2023
587 S. Taylor Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
USA
US Shipping Info
Looking for ways to save money on shipping? Breweries may consolidate shipments when sending competition beers. This saves time and money! Consider contacting your local guild or other nearby breweries to discuss the option of palletizing your competition entries and shipping them together via a freight company, which tend to encounter less issues (loss of shipment, breakage, etc.) than individual shipments sent via UPS or FedEx.
Please do not use the United States Postal Service (USPS). FedEx, UPS, DHL, and private couriers work well, and freight companies work best.
When sending beer via UPS or FedEx, it may be best to schedule a pickup from your home or place of business. Often shipments brought directly into a UPS or FedEx store may get denied as shipping alcohol is against UPS and FedEx policy (unless you have a business account that allows for these type of shipments).
All regulatory and financial burdens associated with submitting samples to the World Beer Cup are the sole responsibility of the entering brewery. C.O.D shipments will not be accepted.
Once the Brewers Association receives your entries at our warehouse (currently located at 587 S. Taylor Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027), we will transport entries via refrigerated trailer to the venue where the competition will take place. In the event of an unforeseen event or circumstance where we are unable to execute the competition (e.g., a truck crash), the Brewers Association will refund associated entry fees. Refunds are limited to the entry fees paid by the entering brewery for the World Beer Cup 2023 competition ($180US). The entry feel reimbursement shall be an entering brewery’s sole and exclusive remedy and any related shipping or transit costs are not reimbursable.
Beer Quantities / Amount to Send for Judging
The number of bottles/cans to be sent for the competition depends on the size of the bottle/can the beer is in and competition category it is entered into. Please use the following as a guideline: Some categories have a larger number of competing entries, therefore will undergo more rounds of judging and will require more samples to be sent. Please be sure to use the appropriate information below, based on the category your entries will be judged in.
The following categories undergo 4 or 5 rounds of judging, and therefore will need to send more samples of beer for judging. These categories are:
Cat. 20: Experimental India Pale Ale
Cat. 25: American-Style Sour Ale
Cat. 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Cat. 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout
Cat. 35: International Light Lager
Cat. 38: Hoppy Lager
Cat. 39: International Dark Lager
Cat. 40: German-Style Pilsener
Cat. 41: Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Cat. 42: Munich-Style Helles
Cat. 57: International India Pale Ale
Cat. 59: German- Style Koelsch
Cat. 63: South German-Style Hefeweizen
Cat. 91: American-Style Pale Ale
Cat. 92: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
Cat. 93: American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Cat. 94: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
Cat. 95: Imperial India Pale Ale
Cat. 96: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale
Cat. 102: American-Style India Pale Ale
Cat. 103: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale
| Bottle/Can Container Size | Amount to Ship |
|---|---|
| 588 ml (19.9 oz) or less | 12 |
| 589 ml (20 oz) and higher | 8 |
All other categories not listed above:
| Bottle/Can Container Size: | Amount to Ship |
|---|---|
| 322 ml (10.9 oz) or less | 10 |
| 323 ml (11 oz) – 588 ml (19.9 oz) | 8 |
| 589 ml (20 oz) and higher | 5 |
Beer Labeling
Brewing companies that normally bottle or can their products must send the beer in its commercially available container with the beer’s standard label.
Get Shipping and Competition Labels
- Clarity and accuracy are key, please use the barcode beer labels emailed to you by the Brewers Association — these print on Avery 5160 label sizes)
- Verify Information: Make sure the info on the label matches the info we have registered for the competition exactly. If the info differs at all, it will cause problems during sorting and judging. The World Beer Cup is not responsible for issues caused due to errors in labeling.
- Print them: Print official barcode labels and affix one label to each bottle with adhesive (adhesive labels, clear packing tape, glue, etc.). Do not rubber band or tie loose paper to the bottles or use clear labels – this will surely cause issues during sorting.
- Place them vertically on the side of the can or bottle. It is easier to scan barcodes when placed vertically.
- Don’t worry about these things:
- You do not need to remove any commercial labels that are already on the bottle/can.
- Detailed Judging information and pouring instructions on the label — this information is provided to judges separately.
- Please consider shipping extra bottles for our volunteer sorting crew that works hours in the cooler getting the competition beers sorted and inventoried for the competition.
- Non-US Breweries ONLY – Government Warning Label: All beers produced outside of the U.S. without U.S. federal label approval must attach a label with the following text: For sample purposes only. Not for resale. Government Warning labels Government Warning: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may cause health problems.
Packaging Beers for Shipment
Package your beers in a way to withstand rough handling during transit. The World Beer Cup is not responsible for broken shipments. We will contact breweries if broken bottles are received, however time may not allow replacement bottles to be shipped. Determine the type of packaging that will ensure your beers maintain the best quality possible. Some breweries include cold packs in their shipments.
- Barcode Box Labels. Please use the shipping labels emailed to you by the Brewers Association (these are 2×4″ or Avery 5963 label sizes). Affix one label to each shipping box with adhesive (adhesive labels, clear packing tape, glue, etc.). Remember to hand write the total number of boxes being shipped on each shipping label (i.e. Box #1 of 3, Box #2 of 3, Box #3 of 3, etc.)
- Create a packing list/inventory each box: place one copy in the box, and keep one copy for yourself. In an instance where there is an issue with your shipment (i.e. one of a brewery’s four boxes are damaged in shipment), it is much easier and quicker to find a solution when the brewery has kept track of which entries were packed and shipped in a specific box.
- Secure bottles/cans to avoid breakage: secure your samples so that they are packed to withstand very rough handling during transit. Specialized beer shipping containers are best, as they provide the best protection against damage. Newspaper and packing peanuts are NOT recommended as they do not offer much protection.
- Coolers or other special containers will not be returned.
Congratulations
You have reviewed all important packaging and shipping requirements. Bookmark this page in order to easily reference the important information below.
Beers Must Arrive March 20 – March 24, 2023
Beers Must Arrive Feb. 27–March 2, 2023 at Global Consolidation Points
Competition entries must be received at the shipping address between March 20 and March 24, 2023.
Competition entries must be received at the consolidation points between Feb. 27 and March 2, 2023.
Detailed shipping information will be sent to participating breweries once the registration process is completed. Please carefully read the following to plan properly and to ensure your beer entries arrive on time. Late entries will not be judged.
Contact wbc@brewersassociation.org with questions.
To manage your competition registration information:
WBC Shipping Address
BA – WBC 2023
587 S. Taylor Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
USA
Below begins the international shipping info
Please choose your method of shipping.
Note: shipping via consolidation point requires pre-registration by 4 February.
Registering Your Brewery with the U.S. FDA *required*
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the government agency responsible for public health and safety, requires all international breweries sending beer into the United States to register the brewery as a food facility. All international breweries must be registered with the FDA to compete in the World Beer Cup.
The Brewers Association recommends completing this step after February 1, 2023.
Instructions for registering your brewery as a Food Facility with the U.S. FDA:
- Create a new account with the U.S. FDA or Login with your existing credentials via the link at the top of this page.
- Once you are logged in, carefully follow the instructions in the PDF guide to complete the Food Facility registration process process.
Important: When you are asked to provide information on who to use for the United States Agent, you must use the following information:- Craft Imports LLC
- 901 East E St, Suite 201
- Wilmington, CA 90744
- Email: WBC@CraftImports.us
- Tel: 424-368-0197
- Craft Imports Federal Basic Permit: CA-I-16863
- Craft Imports Colorado Import Number / Liquor License: 4708328
To ensure smooth shipment to the United States, World Beer Cup participating breweries are asked to complete their FDA registration AFTER February 1, 2023.
Required Documents When Shipping
International breweries not using a global consolidation point may ship their entries directly to the competition in one of two ways:
- Use Your United States Distributor/Importer: If your beers are currently distributed in the U.S., your distributor may deliver them directly to the host distributor. Details on this location will be shared once registration is complete.
- Ship Directly Using an International Courier: DHL is heavily advised as a recommended international carrier, but if you plan to use a different international courier, please notify WBC@CraftImports.us (Craft Imports / Global Craft) of your shipper. Note: Breweries that use a courier that bills customs charges back to the Brewers Association will be responsible for paying all of these charges before their beers are judged.
Breweries shipping with an international courier (option 2 above) must include a Commercial Invoice as part of required documentation with your shipment. The Brewers Association recommends using DHL to ship your entries, but you may choose an alternate carrier. Please use the Commercial Invoice Templates provided below, depending on which carrier you choose:
- If you are shipping your entries with DHL (RECOMMENDED) use the Commercial Invoice Template (if shipping using DHL) – Sections in red on the template must be completed by the brewery.
- If you are using an alternate carrier (NOT DHL) to ship your entries (NOT RECOMMENDED) use the Commercial Invoice Template (If shipping with other carrier — Not DHL) – Sections in red on the template must be completed by the brewery.
Important: Once your Commercial Invoice is completed, share the completed document with wbc@craftimports.us in advance of shipment so that your COLA Waiver may be approved on your behalf. Failure to provide your commercial invoice in advance of shipping may result in delayed delivery.
Please file prior notice with the FDA, just before shipping your beers to the U.S.
Breweries shipping with DHL may have Prior Notice automatically completed for them, but we suggest confirming that with your local DHL office.
- Click Here for a PDF guide illustrating how to File Prior Notice.
- Here is an example of a completed Prior Notice Entry.
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule Number: 2203-00-0030.
- The FDA product code for beer is 32ACT04. Once you receive your login information, go back into the system and “Register a Food Facility”.
Once the Brewers Association receives your entries at our warehouse (currently located at 587 S. Taylor Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027), we will transport entries via refrigerated trailer to the venue where the competition will take place. In the event of an unforeseen event or circumstance where we are unable to execute the competition (e.g., a truck crash), the Brewers Association will refund associated entry fees. Refunds are limited to the entry fees paid by the entering brewery for the World Beer Cup 2023 competition ($180US). The entry feel reimbursement shall be an entering brewery’s sole and exclusive remedy and any related shipping or transit costs are not reimbursable.
Ship Using International Consolidation Points (Pre-registration required)
The Brewers Association has set up consolidation points in the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, The Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, and Mexico. Participating breweries may elect to ship their entries to one of the consolidation points instead of directly to the United States. The Brewers Association will then arrange for the beers to be airfreighted from the consolidation points to the United States.
Breweries must pre-register to use a consolidation point. If you do not have the link to register, please contact wbc@brewersassociation.org
Competition entries from breweries utilizing consolidation point must be delivered to the appropriate address Feb. 27–March 2, 2023.
Additional information:
- Do not package samples in wood or send on wooden pallets as wood is not accepted by US Customs. We cannot accept the risk of detaching cartons affixed to the pallet for risk of breakage.
- Do not include any other items in the shipment than the samples themselves. No coasters, glassware or other material should be sent as that may cause the shipment to be disallowed by US Customs.
- Mark each carton on the outside with your brewery name and write “WBC 2023”
Once the Brewers Association receives your entries at our warehouse (currently located at 587 S. Taylor Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027), we will transport entries via refrigerated trailer to the venue where the competition will take place. In the event of an unforeseen event or circumstance where we are unable to execute the competition (e.g., a truck crash), the Brewers Association will refund associated entry fees. Refunds are limited to the entry fees paid by the entering brewery for the World Beer Cup 2023 competition ($180US). The entry feel reimbursement shall be an entering brewery’s sole and exclusive remedy and any related shipping or transit costs are not reimbursable.
