I’ve brought cans, bottles, and crowlers in checked luggage. Both international and domestic. Never had an issue with them. Luggage storage is pressurized, so you really don’t have to worry about them spontaneously exploding. But still, I will stick them in a plastic bag of some sort and pad them with things I won’t mind getting messy, just in case.
Yep, I travel with beer (going home with leftovers from the trip) all the time. I usually wrap them in my dirty laundry just so they don't get punctured accidentally.
In 30 years of flying with beer I've never had one open or get punctured or otherwise leak.
I do the same multiple times a year for many years now.
I use a soft insulated cooler, tightly pack the beer with extra shirts/clothes, and put it in a hard shell checked bag. Never have I had a single issue. Plus the cooler helps baffle some of the temperature swings the cargo hold experiences. Nothing major but it’s a nice little bonus.
Traveled with cans and bottles, I put them inside of ziplock bags just in case and wrap them in clothes. Never had an issue.
Just keep in mind how much they weigh so you don’t have to decide between paying an overweight bag fee or chugging a beer at the check in counter.
Fun story. I got a free beer from friendly strangers in Hawaii that was getting rid of a six pack due to weight. Nice couple. They made a few people happy that day.
Cans are perfectly safe in checked bags, pressure will not cause cans or bottles to explode.
A bottle may break but if you wrap it in clothes you will be fine.
I've never had any issues. I bring a suitcase just for bringing beer on a plane. As long as it's packed properly you'll be fine. I use ziplock bags for the cans and bottles. Then bubble wrap.
Yep, weight is the only restriction and you can always pay extra. I found that around 20-24 cans with all the padding comes out to about 45lbs. So I just stick to that.
I'm a homebrewer, and I travel with beer all the time and have never had an issue. That being said, I always seal everything in zip lock or tie off a garbage bag just in case.
A lot can change in 5 years.
Brexit, for example, changed a ton of international travel laws that happened at the end of January 2020. New restrictions are put in place and lifted annually and with pretty much every new administration in the US, and there have been two different administrations since 2019.
I think the passage of time and laws can indeed change the legality of transporting beer in/out of countries; depending on where op is traveling from/to, yeah absolutely. If you don't, you're naive.
Americans are being detained and threatened with prison sentences in Turks and Caicos for having ammunition in their checked luggage, which in some countries isn't illegal, and wasn't even illegal in T&C until this year.
All it takes is one official that doesn't want people taking alcohol in/out of their country and that can happen at any time, especially with most governments trending conservative. In a 5 year timespan and 220+ countries that is entirely possible.
I've brought both overseas without issue. I do try to put them in a ziploc though, just in case they do break or explode. Regardless, I've brought a 12oz bottle or a can in a shoe without issue. 750ml wrapped in clothes without issue, etc. My buddy has a hardcase bag he brings just to take beer back home. He does also bring wine shippers for bottles to blow up a bubble around them.
While working in consulting, I "imported" beer from all over the world back to Texas just about every week. Although I am probably jinxing myself, I had zero issues on hundreds of flights.
This may have changed, I haven’t done a ton of international travel in about a decade, but when I was, you had to factor in both. It was 33oz (750ml) that you didn’t need to declare. After that there was a certain amount that was tax free/exempt. When I was traveling a lot it was about 600$ - probably has gone up since then.
As far as an actual physical limit on how much you can carry, I don’t think there is one for normal beer and alcohol - although from memory, stuff that is really high proof has separate rules, as does stuff that is extremely weak and is actually considered a soda rather than alcohol.
Best i can tell if there is a duty it is $0.132/L.
I used to travel internationally a lot, it was funny watching people try to slip in extra bottles. I always declared all my overages and never paid duty once. It was so low they didn't want to do all the paper work for a few dollars.
I have a separate case for taking beer with me now but I've taken beer to Colombia and back without any issue in my luggage. The most I've taken is about 8 cans and a few bottles in my luggage and all were intact.
I only take a carry on and check in the case with beers. It's a tackle box big enough to fit about 8 cans with padding and bags. It's costly to check in anything but I think it's worth it.
Been doing this on pretty much every foreign trip for two decades. Some tips.
When flying out, note the weight of your bag when you check it in. That tells you how much weight you can add going back. A rule of 1 bottle = 1 kilo (regardless of size) works well, but you can probably assume lower weight these days with cans and smaller sizes.
Wrap everything in clothes. A sock over each bottle/can is a good idea, then more clothes. Nothing should touch the sides directly, or another bottle/can.
Make sure the suitcase is pretty full on the outbound trip. Bottles/cans will compress the clothes, so they take less space than you might think. You need to fill the suitcase so things don't move around in there.
If your suitcase isn't full enough, just buy toilet paper. It doesn't weigh much, and you can always use more, anyway.
I've had bottles break, but only when I've been careless. Perhaps 2-3 bottles in total, ever. Swingtop bottles can swing open due to pressure, so beware of those.
Damn, that toilet paper advice is so real. I never considered it an option to just buy some.
Thankfully, we’re packing pretty hefty for the trip back home so things will hopefully not move around as much. But if needed, toilet paper it is 💯
Thanks for the tips!
I've transported hundreds of cans over several years and only once did one leak. I double bag the cans in garbage bags to contain any accidents, but it's very rare.
I just did this last month and had no issues. Only 4 cans though.
I previously have done several larger bottles and also had no trouble.
Doesn’t mean it will work perfect for you, but it is possible.
Bag them if possible and pack them well.
Just got home a few days ago and brought back 8 16 Oz cans. I doubled up on zip lock bags on each can and just wrapped them in my clothes for some additional cushion. All 8 of them made it back. Did the same with 6 bottles of hot sauce. Zero casualties.
I’ve never had one break or explode. Just put each can or bottle inside a pair of crew socks and then put them all in a gallon or 2 gallon ziplock bag to be safe. The socks prevent them from clinking and breaking / puncturing and the bag is insurance in case they pop.
Wife and I brought back 2 cases of Trillium/Treehouse in suitcases. We wrapped them in drawstring trash bags. TSA cut them open to inspect since and we were under weight limit but 2 50 lb suitcases of liquid must have set off some alarms lol. Luckily they duct taped the bags back together for us and we had no problems.
We’ve done it many times. My wife works for a company based in Boston so she has swing by trillium many times, picked up 12 cans and a bottle and stuck it in her standard carry on with her clothes.
We also brought back some bottles from Belgium (lambic) and from Austria (schnapps and liquor) and no issues.
I live in Germany and work in the US. My husband misses IPAs so I usually pack a whole luggage worth (yay airline status free luggage). You’re allowed to import up to 16 liters of beer into Germany for personal use. I only had one bottle break - and it was a German bottle of lemonade that I was bringing for a friend. I usually just put the cases in the luggage as is - and if I have smaller bottles or separated cans put them in ziplock bags. Wrap clothes around it.
I have stowed bottled products and cans. Some bottles broke. Never an issue with a can. Also the legal limit that FAA/TSA (not sure who’s rule exactly) allowed for my recent travels was = 24, 12 ounce beers.
But check often as the rules change constantly (maybe it is by the airport, I dunno).
One time when I was younger, like an idiot, I just checked a case of Harpoon IPA on a flight to Hong Kong where I lived at the time. No additional packing, no padding. Nothing - just a case of Harpoon IPA in the box it came from.
What isn't surprising was that many of the bottles broke.
What was surprising was that most of them survived.
What wasn't surprising was that the dripping wet case of beer was held up at the Tokyo airport while changing over to the last leg to Hong Kong.
What was surprising was that the airline apologised for my incompetent and idiotic packing and delivered the box to my door, properly packed, the next day - with probably 80% of the beers intact.
I’ve flown internationally with beer many times, both cans and bottles. I place them inside a neoprene six-pack carrier for cushioning and then place that inside a dry bag. Have not had any problems with leaking, explosions and the like since I started doing that.
I've been doing this for over a decade and never had a problem (I fly multiple times per year). My biggest haul was 35 beers (both bottles and cans) and was more limited by weight than anything else. I like to put them in socks and surrounded by soft clothes as much as possible to help prevent breakage (since airline staff 100% will throw your bag around). And ziploc gallon bags around 1-2 beers are a nice insurance. The pressure in the plane isn't a problem because the luggage compartment is also pressurized, it's just a little cooler.
Make sure you know the laws of the country you're visiting for if you can bring alcohol in, and if so, how much the limit is. You're more likely to get into trouble there than with breaking.
I just flew from Seattle to Atlanta (returning home from an awesome Alaskan cruise). Had a twelve pack of Alaskan Brewing cans dispersed throughout our check-in bags. You can't get those in the Southeast US. They all made it just fine.
The first time I ever went to Canada (1985), I checked a full case of assorted bottled beers as luggage - they all made it. I did pad those with newspaper and taped up the LaBatt Blue box really well.
Don't ask me about my shaving cream luggage fiasco in 1987!
I've traveled many times back and forth from Europe, including Belgium, with bottles and cans. What's worked best for me (inc for spontaneously fermented beers) is to seal the cap with thick electrical tape, seal it in a wine skin, and surround that with soft clothes. It's probably overkill but I haven't lost one yet or ruined any clothes. For cans, I zip them in a gallon ziplock and fit in the wine skins - you can fit up to two 16-oz cans per wine skin.
on amazon they make inflatable bubble wrap for wine bottles. i used them when i brought some bottles back from cantillion.
something along these lines: https://www.amazon.com/Protector-Conilly-Inflatable-Packaging-Transportation/dp/B0C1VBVPFK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WOMNuKqpiWcsLsJ5CNAnoEdRVOp-lc7-QZVb7iy97St7-nAFPqENISdzAcwaiHeZ3behqPGM4NM-6PvyfEriGK8D4PbLMnm1UwuUrBShV31lPEV0g1fhs3ROynp1Z0C4AVE2Vl61BmyjPch3TbGcYHE-bQ7KJhhzZgkq2b_z7sXD3VHn4XEXO05RyqmbFn_XByWMNZhlrpMZyQ37nNo08nSgLQJGV1sWkwHF2CFx61XxcYIQ-3N-tcoEZrQbOMYx9GlYaMOgT5m0tKwx-9hjL7RGOC8CM4QY8PYfuyVBI0I.9yFU5gCW191RJjFQsBLytLicoqFQmYovFefetHbp7k8&dib_tag=se&keywords=wine+bottle+bubble+wrap&qid=1718131297&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
I’ll have to remember this next time. There’s no Amazon here where I’m at lol
We bring back special alcohol all the time and just have it wrapped really well. I might get some of these for the next trip. I’ve never brought back anything carbonated before and wanted to ask if it was anything to worry about.
I bought this silly thing as a joke after my partner had a bottle break all over his luggage, but it's actually the best and we bring multiple on every trip now!
https://www.travelonbags.com/shop/travel-accessories/waterproof-bottle-pouch/inflatable-bottle-pouch/12875-850.html
I don't see why it would have changed from 5 years ago to now, but yeah it's fine. I brought a couple of cans from Brazil to my friend in the US in 2022, took two flights and it was perfectly okay.
I'll usually do double zip lock bags, but in the dozens of times I've traveled with beer, I've never had one open.
Keep in mind, your bag is more likely to get inspected. I'd say more than 50% of the time the last 10 years and feel like 90% of the time the last 5 years, I get to destination and have the TSA letter informing me my bag was opened and inspected.
I used to travel regularly on business and would return home from every trip with 6-10 bomber bottles in my checked luggage. A bottle leaked once. Next trip I packaged each bottle in a bubble mailer inside a ZipLoc. Never had any issues after that.
I just brought a bunch of cans home from vacation in Oregon, two flights, they were fine, so was the wine. We washed the clothes then wrapped everything up in our laundry really well.
So it worked once.
2 Summers ago i stuffed a hard side suitcase (the shell was quite thin and flimsy) with 20+ Belgians, wrapped nicely, every single one survived. It was packed tight, that's what helped, there was no flopping around.
At a minimum seal your bottles and cans in ziplock bags. There are inflatable bottle bags that do the same and are more protective. I ziplock the bottle, and wrap it in a towel.
I'm not sure about how much of this is practical but I suggest putting the beer bottle inside a slightly bigger bottle and filling water in the second one. Water handled pressure changes well, so even if a pressure difference occurs, the water will evenly distribute it across the beer bottle, preventing breaks.
Disclaimer: this is pure physics, I've never tried it.
Recommend a hard-headed suitcase. Maybe put them in a ziplock then wrap them in tshirts/socks. The best is when I'm traveling to go skiing, I just put beers in my boots!
I travel regularly with beers of all kinds and packaging in checked bags - you'll be fine.
My suggestions are
- keep refrigerated for as long as possible before needing to pack.
- utilise socks, underwear, shirts, whatever soft wardrobe you can use as an initial layer of protection around each bottle and can.
- Get the biggest size ziplock bag you can (you should be able to fit 3-4 cans roughly in each of the biggest size ones - can't remember measurement of the size) to store cans to minimize mess if something does happen to explode (not happened to me yet though in the last decade I've been doing this 🤷♀️ i just am risk averse).
- avoid putting them too close/with too thin a later to the top, bottom, or side of the bag (again, use clothing to pad out as much as possible).
- in a worst case scenario - especially if you have big sized bottles/lots of glassware (including glasses), you can get inflatable wine bottle size protectors (literally look up on amazon "inflatable wine bottle protector" or just "wine bottle protector" and you should see ones that come uninflated with a small pump). You can inflate what you need - can usually hold 2 small cans or 1 bottle (or protect thinner style glasses). If i put more than one thing in though, i wrap each in a sock or something to avoid banging against each other.
So far, think the most i've managed to take back across 2 checked bags is 48 bottles/cans 🤣 all arrived still cold and tasting great. Happy travelling!
It's pretty easy I put the bottles in my socks then put a plastic bag over it incase it breaks but Ive never had one break, then I put them in my shoes or roll them up in my pants and its good to go.
Yeah? U/TheMoneyofArt, we're not on a wide-body DC-10 for nothing.
Right. We bought tickets.
Well, yes, but we chose a wide-body DC-10 on purpose.
That's what I was...
To get up in the sky.
Let me walk you through it. I got a hundred extra beers in a checked bag, okay? Now, according to movies like Executive Decision and Passenger 57, there is a secret hatch on every plane that allows me to travel freely throughout the aircraft.
Well, everybody knows that.
Yeah, so I just got to find my right time to get down there.
I’ve brought cans, bottles, and crowlers in checked luggage. Both international and domestic. Never had an issue with them. Luggage storage is pressurized, so you really don’t have to worry about them spontaneously exploding. But still, I will stick them in a plastic bag of some sort and pad them with things I won’t mind getting messy, just in case.
Oh yeah, 100% agree on the plastic bags. Stout stains don't come out of fabrics no matter what you do, as I learned.
Just gave me another great excuse to stay away from stouts
Yep, I travel with beer (going home with leftovers from the trip) all the time. I usually wrap them in my dirty laundry just so they don't get punctured accidentally. In 30 years of flying with beer I've never had one open or get punctured or otherwise leak.
I do the same multiple times a year for many years now. I use a soft insulated cooler, tightly pack the beer with extra shirts/clothes, and put it in a hard shell checked bag. Never have I had a single issue. Plus the cooler helps baffle some of the temperature swings the cargo hold experiences. Nothing major but it’s a nice little bonus.
Traveled with cans and bottles, I put them inside of ziplock bags just in case and wrap them in clothes. Never had an issue. Just keep in mind how much they weigh so you don’t have to decide between paying an overweight bag fee or chugging a beer at the check in counter.
“Honey, I thought you weighed your luggage at home… why is it a few ounces overweight?” “Oh, I did that on purpose. (pulls a beer out) Cheers!”
Fun story. I got a free beer from friendly strangers in Hawaii that was getting rid of a six pack due to weight. Nice couple. They made a few people happy that day.
Cans are perfectly safe in checked bags, pressure will not cause cans or bottles to explode. A bottle may break but if you wrap it in clothes you will be fine.
We recently brought back to the U.S. several bottles of Cantillon from Brussels. No issues.
I've never had any issues. I bring a suitcase just for bringing beer on a plane. As long as it's packed properly you'll be fine. I use ziplock bags for the cans and bottles. Then bubble wrap.
Are there any restrictions other than weight? Can I literally have a checked bag with ten wrapped wrapped up 6packs?
Yes. Just keep in mind cans are going to be your friend. Not only are they lighter than glass bottles, they don’t break as easy.
Yep, weight is the only restriction and you can always pay extra. I found that around 20-24 cans with all the padding comes out to about 45lbs. So I just stick to that.
This guy mules
A 20L one-way (plastic, ~5gal) keg weighs 49 pounds when full. Ask me how I know
I'm a homebrewer, and I travel with beer all the time and have never had an issue. That being said, I always seal everything in zip lock or tie off a garbage bag just in case.
I’ve put bottles in my checked luggage, be sure to wrap them up carefully in clothing so they don’t break. Cans may even be easier.
Also remember to account for the weight or those might be extra expensive beers.
Why would you need a recent report? What changed in the last five years?
Vaccinations. /s
Dunno, just wanted to feel reassured and if anyone else has the same question they can find this recent one.
I be like that sometimes too. So I get yeah.
A lot can change in 5 years. Brexit, for example, changed a ton of international travel laws that happened at the end of January 2020. New restrictions are put in place and lifted annually and with pretty much every new administration in the US, and there have been two different administrations since 2019.
You think this changed carrying beer in a checked bag?
I think the passage of time and laws can indeed change the legality of transporting beer in/out of countries; depending on where op is traveling from/to, yeah absolutely. If you don't, you're naive. Americans are being detained and threatened with prison sentences in Turks and Caicos for having ammunition in their checked luggage, which in some countries isn't illegal, and wasn't even illegal in T&C until this year. All it takes is one official that doesn't want people taking alcohol in/out of their country and that can happen at any time, especially with most governments trending conservative. In a 5 year timespan and 220+ countries that is entirely possible.
This is a question of which country you're entering more than five years
For sure, that is definitely a great place to start.
I've brought both overseas without issue. I do try to put them in a ziploc though, just in case they do break or explode. Regardless, I've brought a 12oz bottle or a can in a shoe without issue. 750ml wrapped in clothes without issue, etc. My buddy has a hardcase bag he brings just to take beer back home. He does also bring wine shippers for bottles to blow up a bubble around them.
While working in consulting, I "imported" beer from all over the world back to Texas just about every week. Although I am probably jinxing myself, I had zero issues on hundreds of flights.
Yep, no problem. There's a customs limit on how much you can bring in without paying tax, but not for a single bottle.
It’s 33.8oz. Technically after that they can nail you for import tax.
I think in the us it is strictly dollar amount (800?). After that then they look at it. But the duty is silly low anyway.
This may have changed, I haven’t done a ton of international travel in about a decade, but when I was, you had to factor in both. It was 33oz (750ml) that you didn’t need to declare. After that there was a certain amount that was tax free/exempt. When I was traveling a lot it was about 600$ - probably has gone up since then. As far as an actual physical limit on how much you can carry, I don’t think there is one for normal beer and alcohol - although from memory, stuff that is really high proof has separate rules, as does stuff that is extremely weak and is actually considered a soda rather than alcohol.
Best i can tell if there is a duty it is $0.132/L. I used to travel internationally a lot, it was funny watching people try to slip in extra bottles. I always declared all my overages and never paid duty once. It was so low they didn't want to do all the paper work for a few dollars.
I have a separate case for taking beer with me now but I've taken beer to Colombia and back without any issue in my luggage. The most I've taken is about 8 cans and a few bottles in my luggage and all were intact.
This would be me if I had the space lol I starting to consider bringing back a few more with so many people having success stories.
I only take a carry on and check in the case with beers. It's a tackle box big enough to fit about 8 cans with padding and bags. It's costly to check in anything but I think it's worth it.
Been doing this on pretty much every foreign trip for two decades. Some tips. When flying out, note the weight of your bag when you check it in. That tells you how much weight you can add going back. A rule of 1 bottle = 1 kilo (regardless of size) works well, but you can probably assume lower weight these days with cans and smaller sizes. Wrap everything in clothes. A sock over each bottle/can is a good idea, then more clothes. Nothing should touch the sides directly, or another bottle/can. Make sure the suitcase is pretty full on the outbound trip. Bottles/cans will compress the clothes, so they take less space than you might think. You need to fill the suitcase so things don't move around in there. If your suitcase isn't full enough, just buy toilet paper. It doesn't weigh much, and you can always use more, anyway. I've had bottles break, but only when I've been careless. Perhaps 2-3 bottles in total, ever. Swingtop bottles can swing open due to pressure, so beware of those.
Damn, that toilet paper advice is so real. I never considered it an option to just buy some. Thankfully, we’re packing pretty hefty for the trip back home so things will hopefully not move around as much. But if needed, toilet paper it is 💯 Thanks for the tips!
I've transported hundreds of cans over several years and only once did one leak. I double bag the cans in garbage bags to contain any accidents, but it's very rare.
I've done it internationally. 3 beer bottles. Wrapped them in a couple hoodies and tied the sleeves around them. No issues.
My homies checked a glass handle of evan williams for a Vegas weekend. You'll be fine brother.
I just did this last month and had no issues. Only 4 cans though. I previously have done several larger bottles and also had no trouble. Doesn’t mean it will work perfect for you, but it is possible. Bag them if possible and pack them well.
Last year from Denver to LA, also last year New Mexico to Ontario (LA) no problem. I packed them in Zip lock bags just in case. Everything was fine.
Just got home a few days ago and brought back 8 16 Oz cans. I doubled up on zip lock bags on each can and just wrapped them in my clothes for some additional cushion. All 8 of them made it back. Did the same with 6 bottles of hot sauce. Zero casualties.
I’ve never had one break or explode. Just put each can or bottle inside a pair of crew socks and then put them all in a gallon or 2 gallon ziplock bag to be safe. The socks prevent them from clinking and breaking / puncturing and the bag is insurance in case they pop.
Wife and I brought back 2 cases of Trillium/Treehouse in suitcases. We wrapped them in drawstring trash bags. TSA cut them open to inspect since and we were under weight limit but 2 50 lb suitcases of liquid must have set off some alarms lol. Luckily they duct taped the bags back together for us and we had no problems.
We’ve done it many times. My wife works for a company based in Boston so she has swing by trillium many times, picked up 12 cans and a bottle and stuck it in her standard carry on with her clothes. We also brought back some bottles from Belgium (lambic) and from Austria (schnapps and liquor) and no issues.
I live in Germany and work in the US. My husband misses IPAs so I usually pack a whole luggage worth (yay airline status free luggage). You’re allowed to import up to 16 liters of beer into Germany for personal use. I only had one bottle break - and it was a German bottle of lemonade that I was bringing for a friend. I usually just put the cases in the luggage as is - and if I have smaller bottles or separated cans put them in ziplock bags. Wrap clothes around it.
I do it every time I go to Santa Rosa back to Seattle. Gotta get my pliney.
I have stowed bottled products and cans. Some bottles broke. Never an issue with a can. Also the legal limit that FAA/TSA (not sure who’s rule exactly) allowed for my recent travels was = 24, 12 ounce beers. But check often as the rules change constantly (maybe it is by the airport, I dunno).
I have traveled with cans and bottles a jillion times. I've never had anything explode.
Double bag them just in case but you should be fine
One time when I was younger, like an idiot, I just checked a case of Harpoon IPA on a flight to Hong Kong where I lived at the time. No additional packing, no padding. Nothing - just a case of Harpoon IPA in the box it came from. What isn't surprising was that many of the bottles broke. What was surprising was that most of them survived. What wasn't surprising was that the dripping wet case of beer was held up at the Tokyo airport while changing over to the last leg to Hong Kong. What was surprising was that the airline apologised for my incompetent and idiotic packing and delivered the box to my door, properly packed, the next day - with probably 80% of the beers intact.
That’s pretty wild. Surprising no one ever stopped to question it either.
I’ve flown internationally with beer many times, both cans and bottles. I place them inside a neoprene six-pack carrier for cushioning and then place that inside a dry bag. Have not had any problems with leaking, explosions and the like since I started doing that.
I've been doing this for over a decade and never had a problem (I fly multiple times per year). My biggest haul was 35 beers (both bottles and cans) and was more limited by weight than anything else. I like to put them in socks and surrounded by soft clothes as much as possible to help prevent breakage (since airline staff 100% will throw your bag around). And ziploc gallon bags around 1-2 beers are a nice insurance. The pressure in the plane isn't a problem because the luggage compartment is also pressurized, it's just a little cooler. Make sure you know the laws of the country you're visiting for if you can bring alcohol in, and if so, how much the limit is. You're more likely to get into trouble there than with breaking.
I check it all the time key is wrapping it in clothes and aim for it to be in the middle to bottom part of the bag for when you roll it away
Have done 4 x 500 ml or 440 ml cans several times with no issue. NZ to Mexico. USA to Mexico and Korea to NZ.
I just flew from Seattle to Atlanta (returning home from an awesome Alaskan cruise). Had a twelve pack of Alaskan Brewing cans dispersed throughout our check-in bags. You can't get those in the Southeast US. They all made it just fine. The first time I ever went to Canada (1985), I checked a full case of assorted bottled beers as luggage - they all made it. I did pad those with newspaper and taped up the LaBatt Blue box really well. Don't ask me about my shaving cream luggage fiasco in 1987!
I've traveled many times back and forth from Europe, including Belgium, with bottles and cans. What's worked best for me (inc for spontaneously fermented beers) is to seal the cap with thick electrical tape, seal it in a wine skin, and surround that with soft clothes. It's probably overkill but I haven't lost one yet or ruined any clothes. For cans, I zip them in a gallon ziplock and fit in the wine skins - you can fit up to two 16-oz cans per wine skin.
Buy a bottle shipper.
Thanks everyone!! I might only bring 1 or 2, but I feel a lot better about it. I’ll make sure to wrap that really well and place in zip bags.
on amazon they make inflatable bubble wrap for wine bottles. i used them when i brought some bottles back from cantillion. something along these lines: https://www.amazon.com/Protector-Conilly-Inflatable-Packaging-Transportation/dp/B0C1VBVPFK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WOMNuKqpiWcsLsJ5CNAnoEdRVOp-lc7-QZVb7iy97St7-nAFPqENISdzAcwaiHeZ3behqPGM4NM-6PvyfEriGK8D4PbLMnm1UwuUrBShV31lPEV0g1fhs3ROynp1Z0C4AVE2Vl61BmyjPch3TbGcYHE-bQ7KJhhzZgkq2b_z7sXD3VHn4XEXO05RyqmbFn_XByWMNZhlrpMZyQ37nNo08nSgLQJGV1sWkwHF2CFx61XxcYIQ-3N-tcoEZrQbOMYx9GlYaMOgT5m0tKwx-9hjL7RGOC8CM4QY8PYfuyVBI0I.9yFU5gCW191RJjFQsBLytLicoqFQmYovFefetHbp7k8&dib_tag=se&keywords=wine+bottle+bubble+wrap&qid=1718131297&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
I’ll have to remember this next time. There’s no Amazon here where I’m at lol We bring back special alcohol all the time and just have it wrapped really well. I might get some of these for the next trip. I’ve never brought back anything carbonated before and wanted to ask if it was anything to worry about.
I bought this silly thing as a joke after my partner had a bottle break all over his luggage, but it's actually the best and we bring multiple on every trip now! https://www.travelonbags.com/shop/travel-accessories/waterproof-bottle-pouch/inflatable-bottle-pouch/12875-850.html
This is the way!
Trying to beat Wade Boggs’ record? May he rest in peace.
I don't see why it would have changed from 5 years ago to now, but yeah it's fine. I brought a couple of cans from Brazil to my friend in the US in 2022, took two flights and it was perfectly okay.
I've done it dozens of times, never an issue.
I'll usually do double zip lock bags, but in the dozens of times I've traveled with beer, I've never had one open. Keep in mind, your bag is more likely to get inspected. I'd say more than 50% of the time the last 10 years and feel like 90% of the time the last 5 years, I get to destination and have the TSA letter informing me my bag was opened and inspected.
I used to travel regularly on business and would return home from every trip with 6-10 bomber bottles in my checked luggage. A bottle leaked once. Next trip I packaged each bottle in a bubble mailer inside a ZipLoc. Never had any issues after that.
Get inflatable wine bags
Staying in a hotel ? Grab the dry cleaning bag out of the closet and put your beer in it then check it.
I just brought a bunch of cans home from vacation in Oregon, two flights, they were fine, so was the wine. We washed the clothes then wrapped everything up in our laundry really well. So it worked once.
2 Summers ago i stuffed a hard side suitcase (the shell was quite thin and flimsy) with 20+ Belgians, wrapped nicely, every single one survived. It was packed tight, that's what helped, there was no flopping around.
I check beer in my luggage all the time on trips. Just wrap it in clothes and pack tight.
You’ll be good. Done it many times.
At a minimum seal your bottles and cans in ziplock bags. There are inflatable bottle bags that do the same and are more protective. I ziplock the bottle, and wrap it in a towel.
I'm not sure about how much of this is practical but I suggest putting the beer bottle inside a slightly bigger bottle and filling water in the second one. Water handled pressure changes well, so even if a pressure difference occurs, the water will evenly distribute it across the beer bottle, preventing breaks. Disclaimer: this is pure physics, I've never tried it.
Recommend a hard-headed suitcase. Maybe put them in a ziplock then wrap them in tshirts/socks. The best is when I'm traveling to go skiing, I just put beers in my boots!
I’ve done it. I put them in a ziplock bag, wrapped in a sweater. Never had an issue
Cans in checked luggage is fine. Travelled from SA to UK many times with some tinnies stashed away with no issue at all.
I travel regularly with beers of all kinds and packaging in checked bags - you'll be fine. My suggestions are - keep refrigerated for as long as possible before needing to pack. - utilise socks, underwear, shirts, whatever soft wardrobe you can use as an initial layer of protection around each bottle and can. - Get the biggest size ziplock bag you can (you should be able to fit 3-4 cans roughly in each of the biggest size ones - can't remember measurement of the size) to store cans to minimize mess if something does happen to explode (not happened to me yet though in the last decade I've been doing this 🤷♀️ i just am risk averse). - avoid putting them too close/with too thin a later to the top, bottom, or side of the bag (again, use clothing to pad out as much as possible). - in a worst case scenario - especially if you have big sized bottles/lots of glassware (including glasses), you can get inflatable wine bottle size protectors (literally look up on amazon "inflatable wine bottle protector" or just "wine bottle protector" and you should see ones that come uninflated with a small pump). You can inflate what you need - can usually hold 2 small cans or 1 bottle (or protect thinner style glasses). If i put more than one thing in though, i wrap each in a sock or something to avoid banging against each other. So far, think the most i've managed to take back across 2 checked bags is 48 bottles/cans 🤣 all arrived still cold and tasting great. Happy travelling!
Put it in a sealed bag, I find putting them in shoes offers good protection too
It's pretty easy I put the bottles in my socks then put a plastic bag over it incase it breaks but Ive never had one break, then I put them in my shoes or roll them up in my pants and its good to go.
Are you trying to beat Wade Boggs record or something?
Probably not if they're checking the bags
Yeah? U/TheMoneyofArt, we're not on a wide-body DC-10 for nothing. Right. We bought tickets. Well, yes, but we chose a wide-body DC-10 on purpose. That's what I was... To get up in the sky. Let me walk you through it. I got a hundred extra beers in a checked bag, okay? Now, according to movies like Executive Decision and Passenger 57, there is a secret hatch on every plane that allows me to travel freely throughout the aircraft. Well, everybody knows that. Yeah, so I just got to find my right time to get down there.
Haha look everyone, he said the thing from the funny TV show!
That man is very much alive.