When craft beer meets customs regulations

Behind the 17.8% year-on-year growth in beer import volume in 2023 lie countless landmines importers have stepped on. Last year, aCross-border E-commerceplatforms €2 million Belgian Abbey beer wasnot labeled with yeast contentand detained at the port for 47 days. This story reminds us: beer import is never a simple pay-receive model.

Seven Steps for Beer Import Clearance

• Qualification confirmation stage
  • Imported food consignee registration (valid for 5 years)
  • Alcohol Business License (required in some regions)
  • Overseas Manufacturer Registration Number in China (Customs General Administration filing)
• Document preparation stage
  • It is recommended to verify through the following methods:Dual Certificate Verification with Health Certificate
  • Chinese Label Pre-approval (even font size matters)
  • Special Ingredient Declaration (e.g. β-glucan common in German beers)
• On - site inspection stage
  • Fragile Goods Inspection Channel Application
  • Different Sampling Ratios for Aluminum Cans vs Glass Bottles
  • Alcohol Concentration Verification (error margin ≤±0.5%)

Those tuition fees weve paid over the years

• Classic Case:An importer declared IPA beer as regular beer, and was required to return shipment due toexcessive bitterness valueLabeling Trap:
• Sugar-free claims require test reports, a Japanese brand lost ￥130,000 because of thisTransport Accident:
• Craft beer without antifreeze treatment reached -25℃with 27% bottle explosion rateMaritime TransportationLast years expedited clearance case for a craft beer bars German beer shipment was most representative:

The Hidden Value of Professional Agents

The most representative case was helping a craft beer bar complete an urgent customs clearance for German beer last year:

• the ASEAN Single Window (ASW)Pre - classification rulingReduce tariffs from 20% to 10%
• Coordinated laboratoryPriority testingSave 9 working days
• ApplyConstant temperature container + air cushion filmDual protection

Become a savvy beer hunter

When selecting partners, it is recommended to focus on evaluating:

• Whether possessingAlcohol hazardous characteristics testingCapability
• Local customsAEO certificationSituation
• For emergency situationsEmergency customs clearance solution

When you hold this pitfall avoidance guide, those issues that trouble your peersHS Code Disputes,Label rectification,Transportation Losswill become a stage to showcase professionalism. After all, letting consumers taste the first sip of freshness is the ultimate essence of the imported beer business.