First time shipping.

I'd just keep them in their boxes and put some padding around the box itself...No need to individually wrap the cans. If you want to pull them out, i'd take 3 cans and put them in a gallon ziplock (so you'd need 4 ziplock bags total), then wrap those in bubble wrap.

 

I'd bubble wrap em and throw them in quart size zip lock bags and check them in.

 

I would just bubblewrap the box of cans, however this is also a good recommendation...

Or alternatively line the inside of your bag or package with a large trash bag. If a bottle/can does break you don't want that liquid to leak out of the bag or package, because bag handlers are likely to retain, check, reject, and/or delay your stuff. A potential hassle that can be avoided with some cheap plastic bags.

FYI, the no leaking package rule applies to courier service shipments too (FedEx, UPS, USPS), in case you decide to ship them directly.

 

I suggest diapers for padding. Very protective, yet extremely absorbent in the event that something breaks.

 

Diapers are a very good packaging tool.

 

No, probably not...providing your check-in is also full of clothes / other soft items. Just put them in ziplocks and sandwich them.

 

When I've checked beer in luggage, I just wrap the beers in my clothes and make sure everything is packed tight and no movement at all. It works surprisingly well for how beat up the bags get. I had one though were I had quite a few large format bottles in my bag and it was really heavy and the seam split. Luckily there was no damage and I was able to tape the hell out of it when switching to my next flight. With you having cans, I'd say putting them in socks and then wrapping in shirts, jeans, etc should be fine.

 

hahahahahahaha!

 

The Achille's Heel for packing beer in your luggage is the TSA's tendency to repack things in a random fashion when inspecting a bag. The safest route I've found is to use a dedicated / clearly labeled solution like the Wine Diaper, which either doesn't get opened or seems to get repacked just as it was.

 

Just make sure the cans get padding around them if they are in your checked bag. In some regards, they are easier to ship than bottles, but at the same time, a rigid corner will easily put a hole in a can. The only leaked beer that I've ever gotten in a trade was a can. The bottles were all well packed and padded, then the can was just sort of tossed into the box..

 

Gotta treat the cans just like bottles, no matter how you ship 'em. Not sure why but, I've had a can pop while paying for it at the store.

 

I travel often for work and usually bring back beer in my luggage if I can get to a local brewery or bottle shop. The very first thing (and most important, IMO) is to invest in a nice, hard-shelled piece of luggage if you plan on checking a bag with beer inside. The soft luggage is fine for carry ons but doesn't protect very well when bags are getting tossed around by the handlers.

As for wrapping the beer, I obviously don't travel with a bunch of bubble wrap and ziplock bags. I do always have socks. Place each bottle or can in a sock and then wrap the sock-bottle in a t-shirt or sweater. Use pants and other clothes to pack around the bottles/cans tightly so they cannot move around.

I have only had one issue in the 5-6 years I have been doing this. I had a bottle of Yellow Rose leak from around the cap when traveling back from Texas. I had packed it upside down (when the bag was on its wheels) and about half the bottle leaked around the cap and onto my clothes. It was soaked up into various sweaters and shirts. A mess but not a real tragedy. Lesson learned is that you should always make sure the bottles will be upright when the bag is on its wheels.

Hope the above helps.