Top 5 Tips to Safely Ship Beer

Are you looking to ship beer across the country or internationally? Whether you’re trading beer with your buddies from all over, submitting your homebrew for a competition, or sending your favorite beer to yourself or friends, you’ll want to make sure those beautiful babies arrive in pristine condition. If you’re sending beer that you brewed personally, the last thing you want is for the recipient to receive a box of broken bottles. Here are a few tips to help you ensure that none of your bottles break during shipping and that everyone gets to enjoy your beer as you intended.

Use Proper Packing Materials

When shipping beer bottles or cans, you want to provide maximum protection to prevent breakage or leaking. If you choose the proper materials, you can insulate the bottles effectively and prevent them from hitting one another during shipping. One of the best forms of padding is bubble wrap. Bubble wrap comes in many shapes and sizes, however the wrap with smaller bubbles is best for bottles and cans. Depending on the size of the bottle, double wrap each one and leave enough room at the bottom and top of the bottle so you can protect both ends from damage.

After wrapping the bottle, fold the excess at the bottom of the bottle to protect it from impact. Use scotch tape to close the bottom and get a good seal. The top of the bottle will also have more bubble wrap to protect the neck. You can use rubber bands or scotch tape to close the top end. Using scotch tape instead of packing tape will make it easier for the recipient to open and reuse the bubble wrap. For extra protection against leakage, place each wrapped bottle inside a zip lock bag and seal.

Purchase Styrofoam or Pulp Shippers

Many people prefer to use molded inserts to protect rare beer and wine. Styrofoam and pulp inserts are great if you want to ship beer bottles and cans safely. They are flexible and absorb impact to keep bottles from breaking. Beer box packaging will eliminate the extra work you have to put in to ensure your bottles are safely shipped. They are available in different sizes to fit the items you’re shipping, such as 12, 16, and 22 ounce bottles and cans. Inserts are a good option if you’re short on time and sending something vintage. 

Vineyards, breweries, and homebrew aficionados use these shippers to ship their beer or wine. If you make beer on your own, beer shippers will save you valuable time and money as your customer base grows. The more you ship, the more you’ll save, causing the styrofoam and pulp inserts to become a better investment.

Add Extra Padding to Shipping Boxes

How you choose to box up your beer bottles or cans will directly affect breakage and leakage. Low-quality boxes are flimsy and not sturdy enough to handle the shifting that packages endure during the shipping process. So, make a wise decision and only purchase corrugated boxes. If you’ve wrapped your bottles yourself, place them inside the box to see how much room is left. There should be no room for your products to shift, and if there is, you’ll need to add extra padding.

You can add extra styrofoam to the interior walls of the box, or use larger bubble wrap panels along the sides, bottom, and top of the box. The goal is a secure fit that doesn’t allow the bottles to shift during transportation. Once you’ve got a nice and snug fit, place the wrapped bottles inside a flex-force, kitchen-size garbage bag. The bag will provide another layer of protection against leakage if your bottles are not already inside zip lock bags.

Ship Your Bottles When Temperatures Are Favorable

As you prepare to ship your bottles out, always check what the temperatures will be along the route between you and the recipient. Extremely hot or cold temperatures are the enemies of beer. If temperatures are going to be below freezing, wait for the weather to warm up a bit before you send it out. Frozen beer causes expansion and pressure, risking broken cap seals. For extreme heat, you can expect your beer to end up sitting on the back of a truck or in a hot warehouse at some point in time along its journey. When the temperatures are in the upper 90s or 100s, your beer will oxidize and develop a stale or cardboard-like taste that is very unappealing. 

If you absolutely must ship beer during the summer, consider getting a styrofoam ice chest that can fit snugly inside of the box and add freezer packs or cold packs to keep the inner contents cool. Shipping ice packs are non-toxic and help to preserve the flavor. However, they only last for about 24 to 36 hours, so keep this in mind when attempting this method. For best results, don’t ship beer during the summer and ship only in the fall or spring.

Know the Rules When You Ship With FedEx or UPS

Shipping alcoholic beverages in the United States is highly regulated and requires approval from FedEx and UPS to ship. There are specific labels required on the box to indicate that the package contains alcohol, and FedEx is required to comply with state-mandated reporting laws. If you register with UPS or FedEx online, you can get the authorization you need at a lower price than you’d pay in a retail location. The only thing you need to do is print out the label and apply it to the box.

With UPS, you must have a license to ship alcoholic beverages according to state and federal law, so educate yourself on your state’s regulations and existing laws before attempting to ship alcohol. As far as the United States Postal Service is concerned, the shipping of alcoholic beverages domestically or internationally is illegal regardless of who’s sending the package.

With the tips we’ve covered today, you know what you need to do before shipping to ensure that your bottles and cans arrive unscathed. Use the information presented in this article, and avoid using newspapers or packing paper to insulate your boxes or wrap your bottles. Happy Shipping!