Homebrewing legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Homebrew competitions are a natural extension of our right to brew in the United States. So why is it so difficult to ship homebrew to competitions?
The Unites States Postal Service (USPS) prohibits the shipment of alcohol. Private carriers each have their own shipping policies when it comes to alcohol beverages, but those policies favor commercial beverage alcohol producers, making it difficult or impossible for hobbyist brewers to use their services.
The American Homebrewers Association Board has therefore pledged to take action and advocate on behalf of American homebrewers to engage the USPS and private shipping companies to change their outdated policies. Homebrewers should not have to disguise beer, mead, and cider samples intended for competitions. We should not have to use half-truth language to ship our legally brewed homebrew within the United States.
The AHA Board has passed a resolution to create a safe, transparent, and legal method to ship homebrew domestically by engaging carriers, regulators, and partners in the beverage alcohol industry on behalf of our members. It’s time to make the shipment of homebrew legal.
Read our resolution in full:
Modernizing Legal Shipping for Homebrew Competitions
The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) supports establishing a clear, compliant method for adult homebrewers to ship their entries to AHA/Beer Judge Certification Program sanctioned competitions.
Homebrewing is legal both federally and in each state of the United States, and competitions are essential to education, creativity, and improvement in our craft. Yet the rules governing shipment of homebrew have not kept pace with today’s needs.
Federal postal law currently prohibits beverage-alcohol shipments through the United States Postal Service, even when the contents are non-commercial homebrew intended solely for judging. Private carriers maintain alcohol-shipping programs designed primarily for licensed beverage producers, which leaves hobbyists without a practical and lawful path to participate in competitions that rely on shipped entries.
The AHA is committed to leading a responsible, solutions-focused effort to close this gap. We will:
- Explore compliant private-carrier pathways that allow homebrew to be shipped under proper licensing, age-verification, and safety controls.
- Engage national and regional carriers—and the compliance and logistics partners who support them—to identify viable pilot programs for competition shipments.
- Collaborate with policymakers to consider long-term modernization of federal postal restrictions so that lawful homebrew entries may be shipped under appropriate safeguards.
- Support competition organizers by providing model guidelines, safety standards, and updates as pilot solutions develop.
Our goal is straightforward: to create a safe, transparent, and legal method that allows homebrewers to fully participate in sanctioned competitions without relying on uncertainty or inconsistent rules. We invite carriers, regulators, and partners across the beverage-alcohol and hobby communities to join us in building a modern, responsible solution for America’s homebrewers.
One-Page Board Resolution / Motion Language
Resolution: Developing Legal Shipping Pathways for Homebrew Competitions
WHEREAS, homebrewing is legal in all 50 states and competitions are core to education, advancement, and community engagement within the American Homebrewers Association (AHA);
WHEREAS, existing federal postal restrictions prohibit shipment of beverage alcohol through the United States Postal Service;
WHEREAS, private carriers limit alcohol shipments to licensed entities and do not currently offer accessible pathways for non-commercial homebrew;
WHEREAS, these limitations prevent legal, responsible adult homebrewers from participating fully in sanctioned competitions;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the AHA shall lead a national effort to identify, develop, and promote compliant solutions that enable homebrew competition entries to be shipped safely and legally.
The AHA shall:
- Engage private carriers, compliance firms, and logistics partners to explore pilot programs for competition shipping.
- Evaluate licensing, verification, and regulatory frameworks that would permit lawful tendering of homebrew entries.
- Communicate with policymakers regarding potential long-term modernization of postal and carrier rules.
- Provide guidance and resources to competition organizers regarding safe and lawful handling of shipped entries.
Adopted by the Board of Directors of the American Homebrewers Association on 5/12/2026.
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