I'm now sold on ziplocking cans.

A good reminder. I ziplock/bag everything, including the glass, for just this reason, but it seems like cans are a big more prone to the occasional explosion, especially in the middle of a heat wave like we're experiencing now!

 

All of my problems sending and receiving over the years have been with cans...never have had an issue with a single bottle...I think we all tend to forget just how thin that aluminum can is till one punctures or slices open and then you see...I Ziploc everything...it prevents a lot of problems

 

I always put bubble wrap around the cans then put it into a ziplock bag. Can easily fit 2 or 3 cans into a 1 gallon bag. Seems to work like a charm.

 

This. I've had 1 bottle break in all my trades, but have had cans come open a few times. Ziplock bags will ensure that a single can being compromised doesn't cause your leaky box to get sent back or worse.

 

so do you guys not bubble wrap the cans too? Or just ziplock them?

 

I don't bubble wrap them. I do stick something in between them/stick them in a four-pack holder so they don't bang together, & always tape a piece of heavy cardboard over the top so a tab doesn't accidentally get pushed in.

 

Sometimes, maybe if I'm shipping cans only. But if it's say mainly bottles with a few cans as extras or something then I don't. I just bag them individually and tuck them in carefully amongst all the other bubble wrap/other padding that I have in the box.

 

Just got my first and second cans that "didn't quite make it" in my last few boxes. Both were from the same trader in back to back boxes(one Crowler and one 16oz can). The following box came with everything double zip locked and in a box wrapped in a trash bag... inside another box! This was the first time I've had any problems with any cans.

 

I've had this problem once. but it was contained. I Ziploc everything, then bubble wrap it. I've also had a couple of cans blow in the closet. The common denominator has been that they were creams stouts from two different breweries. I think the carbonation was the cause for both.

 

I never zip locked cans or bottles before but after reading the thread, I recently started doing it. It's little cost and sounds like it could save a lot of potential headache.

 

An alternate approach to containing leakage, that some may find easier and that covers everything, is to put the entire contents of the box inside of a large heavy duty garbage bag, and tie that tightly closed before placing it into the box. (Or if you're really the belt-and-suspenders type, ziploc the cans/bottles and seal up the entire contents in a garbage bag.)

 

Have to say, this is the 'way to go'.

We're spending $50+ on beer, plus shipping costs, why not spend the extra 10 cents on a ziplock bag.

I found construction bags to be a nice choice to wrap the entire shipment. Nice and thick, but fitting them into a tight fitting box can be a challenge.

 

see, i bubble wrap even my cans. i never ziplocked them, until one recently was punctured on the way to me in a trade. It wasn't bubble wrapped though. so now, i just save all the ziplocks and reuse them for my cans, and still bubble wrap.

 

I grossly prefer shipping cans as I've had more bottles break than cans. Never had a can punctured. Of course I am a pretty meticulous packer, and I think the time I had half a dozen bottles break it was because they were in there a bit looser than normal and a gargantuan threw the box off a four story building...

I always do grocery bag, wrapped around, then ziplock, then inside of a garbage bag, and bubble wrap on the outside between bottles/cans/layers. and of course the sides are reinforced with cardboard or bubble paper.

 

I've had 4 cans of Big Gruesome explode. Two in my cellar had the tops blow completely off

 

I've always zip locked any cans/bottles/crowler, then bubble wrap it..I think out of almost 60 trades, I've only had one bottle break..I like those odds

 

Interesting as I do the opposite. Bubble wrap then ziplock. Heck I'm doing it right now in my hotel room

 

If you do both, there is no right/wrong way to do it..just a personal preference

 

Totally agree. I just had never thought of doing it that way and started to think if I would be easier to do certain bottles.

Although a lot of times I bubble wrap a couple bottles or cans then bag them together and it makes for a pretty solid little package.

I had a 32oz bullet howler (plastic) leak slightly on my flight back. Happy the bag was there