bottles and cans
Taking three cans of carbonated soda (specifically, spruce beer) in checked luggage to St Louis was no problem. The non-pressurized bottles of alcohol were likewise no problem. In St Louis we found thematic beer for the party and bought too much (we had the right amount of everything besides beer). I brought 29 bottles home in my checked luggage. 23 of them made it. I'm curious if cans would have been a better idea, but not curious enough to try it. Packing the beer in the dirty laundry turned out to be a great idea; cleanup will be very easy. Getting on the nonstop was also a great idea; who knows what the baggage handlers would have thought about putting my bags on a second flight.