How To Keep Beer Cold When Camping?

The summer camping season lets you experience everything wonderful about nature as it is comfortable. You can relax in a comfortable position, sip some cold beer and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding you. It’s ideal for many, but it’s usually met with confusion. Do you know how to keep your drink cool while camping during the summer? It is probably the most frequently asked question I receive online or from friends. In contrast to camping in winter, you’ll need to think about the hot temperatures and make sure you’ve got plans in place to keep your beverage cool

Warm beer is awful. I’ve been through my fair share of warm beverages during camping trips. There are many strategies you can employ to keep your drinks cold during that camping trip during summer. I’ve used two of these suggestions at music festivals where the space is limited.

How To Keep Your Beer Cold While Camping

Make sure you have an Ice Box and Drink Cooler

If you’re planning your next trip and have the money to invest in an icebox, I strongly recommend it. It is the only way to be sure to keep your beers and beverages cold during multi-day camping excursions.

My experience is that it’s better to have two coolers on an outing to the campsite in case you have the space and don’t need to transport them miles by foot. This is to keep one to be used for drinks and one for food items that could spoil if the worst was to occur. It’s also good hygiene to ensure your drink is kept away from open meats and food items. It’s easy to imagine keeping food cool when camping is a common issue I’m asked, the guidelines are identical.

I’ve used a variety of drinks and food coolers through the years. A tip is to avoid buying cheap items. However, that doesn’t mean inexpensive coolers aren’t useful or should be avoided at all costs. If, for instance, you plan to camp for just one night, then the cheapest camping cooler will be ideal. I personally utilize the Coleman 70 Quart cooler whenever I am on camping trips with my dogs since we typically just camp for one night, perhaps two or three at most.

9,614 Reviews Coleman Cooler | Xtreme Colder Keeps Ice for up to 5 Days camping, BBQs, tailgating, and Outdoor Activities

  • Xtreme Technology; Insulated lid and additional wall insulation help keep the ice in place for up to 5 days with temperatures of up to 90 degF.
  • High Capacity: holds up to 100 Cans
  • Have-A-Seat LID: The lid that is closed can support up to 250 pounds.
  • Cup Holders: They are molded into the Lid to keep drinks close and prevent spills
  • Handles with COMFORT-GRIP: Design with no-crush and a positive stopper for easy pinch-free carrying

$79.99 Purchase on Amazon

If you’re planning a longer or two-day camping trip or are planning a family camping trip, in my experience nothing beats this Thermik cooler that is high performance. It’s 45 Quart1, and comes with an inbuilt shelf, bottle opener, drink holder, and five days of insulation power. Also included is a 5-year guarantee, which is unusual for coolers for camping.

If you’d like to learn more about different alternatives and models, I suggest you go to my Top Ice chests, coolers, and coolers page for an in-depth guide on camping purchases. I evaluate the available top models and attempt to keep this page updated with the latest products.

298 Reviews A Thermik high-performance Roto-Molded Cooler 45 qt., White

  • Rugged one-piece rotating construction with a textured lid on top and soft latches that are damage-proof
  • The thick urethane insulation will keep frozen for up to 5 days and has the same retention capabilities as Yeti and Rtic
  • A freezer-grade lid seal that is freezer grade and the ability to release vacuum from lids to avoid the lids from getting stuck.
  • Indestructible hinge, sturdy rubber feet, and tie-down holes
  • It includes cutting board separators dry keeper basket, and a drink holder as well as an awesome 5-year warranty!

Purchase on Amazon

Make use of the cold winter weather The Scotsman Method

Like I’ve said in previous posts, I am Scottish however I have camped all over world with groups from various nations. All over the world from all over the world, including USA, Mexico, Canada even to Australia in New Zealand. This method is one I have utilized the most often, particularly when I can’t bring an ice box or cooler along with me. Many call it my Scottish method, because they only think the thought of a Scotsman might think of it.

The first step is to think about whether it’s cool and a bit windy out there? If so , great, If it’s cold and no breeze, that’s fine but this trick will not be as effective for you. It’s possible to look over the tips below for keeping your beverages cold because they may help you.

You’ll require an shirt along with some cool water but only warm water. Put your t-shirt under the cold water, then wrap your beer into the shirt. Then, you should put your t-shirt in the area of the camping area that experiences winds the highest or coldest.

The cold weather and wet t-shirt can help reduce to the alcohol content of beverages. Make sure that you don’t have to wear the shirt as it will not dry anytime soon!

I’ve used this trick frequently when I go to Musical Festivals in which the weather isn’t quite as nice. I was regarded as the cold beer guy at Rock Am Ring in German due to this small trick.

Is this technique working? Yes, it definitely can, however it’s not the best method and can be difficult to handle with sweaty T-shirts.

Bury Your Beer

Are you currently in the camp or at a music festival, and you’ve realized that the beers you drank aren’t cold? I’ve been there and I can tell you that it’s not a good scenario being in.

The most effective way to ensure that your drinks stay cold is to make small holes in the soil. Ideally, you want to locate a soil that is soft, dark, and shaded throughout the day. If you put your drinks even a little beneath the surface, they will remain cool, assuming that there isn’t direct sunlight that heats the ground.

I’ve tried this at least once and love finding cold dark soil underneath the bush. This can provide adequate cover away from the sun and ensure that you remember where you dug up your drink. You don’t want to search in the darkness of night to find a pit in your ground. Therefore, placing the beer under or next to the bush can serve as an indication.

If you’re worried about the possibility of dirt contaminating your drink then put your drinks in the bag of plastic to protect them. Make sure you carry the bag around with you and then dispose of it.

Sink Your Beer

If you’re camping along the river or stream, then you are able to use this to the fullest extent. You can place your beer in a bag and then add something heavier to help weigh it down and then place it just a few feet beneath that surface. The deeper, the better, but be aware of the water to ensure that you don’t be in trouble.

This trick came in my backpack while camping in northern Scotland as well as in Germany. Then I submerged four plastic bags with beer and tied little ribbons on the bags to allow us to find them in the water.

One thing to remember is that this method may not be appropriate for the night as it could be extremely dangerous and irresponsible to take beers out of deep waters in darkness. I typically retrieve a few beers at night and then put them in the pond using the above method so as not to be involved in any trouble.

The first camping rule is to prepare ahead and not be foolish.

Do you see any snow Around?

This is obvious, but I’ve gone on camping trips with my friends who complained that they didn’t have any method to keep their drinks cool… When camping in winter with all the snow around us.

When you’ve been out hiking and camping for hours, you’ll be so exhausted that the obvious may not be so evident. If you’re at your campsite and notice some snow. You can then bury your beer beneath the snow and then leave it for about an hour.

Plan Your Trips

A lot of you will be researching on this subject either at your campsite or in the weeks prior to your campout or the festival. If you’re already in the camp, you have plenty of alternatives that will serve you good, but do not expect ice-cold drinks.

If you are going to be traveling within the next week or two, then I highly recommend you buy an ice chest or a camping cooler. There is no better option than being prepared and having a cooler on hand. If you’re contemplating your first excursion, you’ll be able to find my guide for first-time campers useful since it’s packed with tips, tricks and helpful information for newbies.

Remember to make sure you have fun during your travels and discover the beautiful nature.

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Norah Clark

Norah Clark

Hi, I'm Norah! I have been an author at Dens Camp Guide since 2017 and a full-time nomad since 2012. I love outdoor walking trails, finding new places to adventure, and cooking on camp trips with my boyfriend.