Protective Beer Packaging for Bottles & Cans

Protective Beer Packaging for Bottles & Cans

Shipping beer is tricky.  Glass bottles break. Cans dent. If you are using a box that wasn’t built for the job, both of these things will happen before your package even reaches the customers door

At Gorilla Shipper, we make beer packaging built specifically for breweries. If you are a beverage brand or an e-commerce seller shipping beer, we literally got your back. Our corrugated shipping boxes absorb and keep bottles and cans firmly in place – and they’re built to handle the rough treatment that happends every day in sorting facilities and delivery trucks.

Our beer bottle packaging is sized to fit – whether you’re shipping 4-packs of craft cans or a case of glass bombers. The protective inserts keep each container stable during transit, which means fewer breakages, fewer refund requests, and a better experience for your customers when they open the box.

We work with direct-to-consumer brands, subscription beer clubs, and ecommerce beverage retailers. Whether you’re a small brewery just starting to ship or am established brand that needs reliable packaging to match your reputation, we’ve got the right solution.

 

Why do breweries use specialized beer shipping boxes?

Many breweries start with generic boxes and find out the hard way that it doesn’t work. Broken glass in shipping is expensive in more ways than one.

But why? Regular cardboard boxes don’t really come with an insert system. That means your bottles are sitting loose inside. Some may shift and some might collide every time the package gets tossed or stacked. Even a short drop can cause bottle on bottle collision or cracks. For aluminum cans, denting is the problem, and a dented can looks even bad though it is still sealed.

Specialized beer bottle packaging builds protection into the box itself. Our inserts hold each bottle or can in its own pocket, completely isolated from the others. No movement means no collision and no collision means no breakage.

What about carrier requirements?

Shipping beer bottles comes with carrier requirements to think about. Our beer cartons are built to meet FedEx and UPS standards for shipping fragile glass. So, with us, you’re not going to run into issues at the carrier level.

 

Types of Beer Packaging for Bottles & Cans

Hexabox Beer Shippers

Hexabox is our patented corrugated design. Each bottle or can is wrapped in a hexagonal structure that distributes impact force, so a drop from any angle is absorbed by the box – not the container. Hexabox beer shippers are ISTA 6-FedEx-A certified and fully recyclable.

Pulp Insert Beer Boxes

Molded pulp inserts sit inside a corrugated outer carton and hold each bottle snugly. The boxes ship flat, and the inserts stacked, so they won’t clutter your packing area. Pulp insert beer boxes are a solid eco-friendly option for breweries shipping glass beer bottles.

Beer Can Shipping Boxes 

Designed for aluminum cans in 8 oz to 16 oz sizes. These beer can shipping boxes prevent cans from shifting and denting in transit. Available in multipack configurations for 4, 6, 8 and 12 can orders.

Beer Bottle Shipping Boxes 

Built for standard glass beer bottles – including 12 oz, 22 oz, and 750 ml formats – these boxes come with individual inserts or dividers to keep each bottle separated and secure throughout delivery.

Beer Cartons 

If you are looking for something durable, stackable, and sized for standard brewery pack formats this beer carton is your catch.

Not sure which option is right for you, Our team is happy to help.

 

Shipping Beer Bottles Safely for Breweries & Ecommerce

Breweries aren’t the only ones shipping beer these days. Subscription beer clubs, online bottle shops, and ecommerce beverage retailers are all doing it – and they all face the same core challenge: glass and aluminum do not hold up well to rough handling.

 

Here’s how different types of businesses use our beer shipping boxes:

Craft Breweries

For breweries doing direct-to-consumer sales -especially limited releases and specialty bottles – packaging matter. These are not commodity beers, and customers are paying premium prices. So, our Hexabox beer shippers are the right fit.

Beverage Brands

Businesses launching through ecommerce channels need reliable beer packaging from day one. A high breakage rate early on is a customer acquisition problem disguised as a logistics problem. We have a wide range of beer shipping box options to fit your needs.

Subscription Beer Clubs

Subscription beer clubs operate on a fixed schedule, often monthly. They need consistent, reliable beer packaging for direct-to-consumer beverage shipping that works every single time. We offer high-quality packaging designed for exactly this type of operation.

Ecommerce Beverage Retailers

Ecommerce beverage retailers often ship a wide variety of bottle sizes and formats. Our corrugated beer shipping boxes come in enough configurations to handle most of what a beverage retailer would carry, without needing a different box for every single SKU.

At Gorilla Shipper, we have got protective packaging systems designed for shipping beer bottles safely in all the cases above.

 

How to Choose the Right Beer Shipping Box?

That’s an awesome question to answer.

Guess what? Picking the right beer packaging comes down to a few straightforward questions.

Bottles or cans? Glass beer bottles and aluminum cans have different packaging needs. Bottles need cushioning against breakage. Cans need protection against denting. We have specific options for both, so make sure you’re matching the box to the container type.

How many per shipment? Our beer shipping boxes come in multiple configurations. We have it for single bottles, 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, and more. So try to ensure that your box size matches the order size so that the materials are tight and the space is minimized inside the package.

Do you need inserts? For glass bottles, yes, always. Our protective inserts prevent bottle movement, which is the main cause of breakage during shipping. For cans, inserts or dividers are also a good idea if you want to avoid dented packaging on arrival.

What size are your bottles? We carry options for 12 oz, 16 oz, 22 oz, 750 ml, and other standard beer bottle sizes. Using a box sized for your specific bottle means a proper fit, not a loose one with too much empty space.

How often are you shipping? If you are shipping quite often, buying in bulk makes a lot of sense. Our tiered pricing means the more you order, the less you pay per box, and that adds up quickly for any brewery or brand shipping week in and week out.

 

Sustainable Beer Packaging Solutions

Craft brewing and sustainability go together more often than not. A lot of breweries have built part of their brand identity around being environmentally responsible, and it makes sense for the packaging to reflect that.

Our Hexabox beer packaging is 100% recyclable and biodegradable, isn’t it awesome for a brand that is thriving to say this to their end consumer?

The corrugated board that we offer is made from recycled content and can go straight into the recycling bin after use. Our pulp insert options are made from molded fiber, it is made from 100% post-consumer waste and is one of the most sustainable packaging materials available.

We also design our boxes to ship flat before assembly, which reduces the space and fuel needed to transport them to you. Less bulk in transit means a smaller footprint before the box is even used.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Beer Packaging

What are the different types of beer packaging?

Beer is commonly packaged in glass bottles & aluminum cans. For shipping, each requires a protective outer box with inserts or dividers to prevent movement and damage during transit. The main shipping box types are corrugated Hexabox shippers, pulp insert boxes, and standard corrugated cartons with dividers.

What type of packaging is best for shipping beer bottles?

A corrugated beer shipping box with individual bottle inserts is the best option. The inserts hold each bottle in its own pocket so bottles can’t collide during transit. Our Hexabox and pulp insert shippers are both designed for this.

Can beer bottles be shipped safely in corrugated boxes?

Yes, as long as the box has proper inserts. A plain corrugated box without inserts will let bottles move around and hit each other, which causes breakage. With the right insert system, corrugated beer cartons handle the rigors of parcel shipping just fine.

What is the difference between beer cartons and beer shipping boxes?

A beer carton is typically the outer corrugated box. A beer shipping box usually refers to the complete system, meaning the outer carton plus the protective inserts inside. When people say “beer shipping box” they generally mean something built for transit with protection built in, not just a plain cardboard outer.

How do breweries safely ship beer bottles?

Breweries often opt for purpose-built beer bottle packaging that with inserts. The inserts hold each bottle tight, and then it is packed into corrugated outer cartons. After sealing the seams, the bottles are safely shipped through licensed carriers like FedEx or UPS.

Can beer cans be shipped using the same packaging as bottles?

Not always. Beer can shipping boxes are designed around the diameter and height of cans. This one is quite different from glass bottles. Using a box sized for cans means a better fit and better protection against denting. We have specific options for both bottles and cans.

What are the common beer pack sizes used in packaging?

The most common beer pack sizes are single, 4-pack, 6-pack, 12-pack, and 24-pack. For craft and specialty beers, 22 oz single bottle and 750 ml formats are also common. We carry beer shipping boxes in configurations that match most of these standard pack sizes.

What types of containers are used for beer packaging?

Glass bottles and aluminum cans are the main containers. For direct-to-consumer shipping, glass bottles and cans are most common. Each requires a different insert setup, though the outer corrugated carton structure is similar.

Do beer shipping boxes require inserts or dividers?

Yes, for anything fragile. Glass bottles absolutely need inserts or dividers to prevent contact between bottles. Cans benefit from them too to avoid denting. A plain box with no separation system is not a good choice for shipping beer.

What packaging do breweries use for shipping beer to customers?

Most breweries shipping direct to consumer use corrugated beer shipping boxes with molded pulp or Hexabox-style inserts. These meet carrier requirements, protect the product, and can be ordered in bulk to keep per unit costs manageable. Subscription beer clubs follow the same model.