When it comes to camping, enjoying a cold beer in the great outdoors comes with the territory. But keeping your brews cold can be a challenge as the ice melts. Keeping your beer cold during your camping adventure means powering a fridge on the go. We have some practical tips so your drinks stay refreshing wherever you are.
Overview
- How to keep beer cold while camping
- Running a fridge while camping
- Enjoy a cold beer in the great outdoors
How to keep beer cold while camping
No matter what you call it: cooler, esky, cool box or chilly bin, they work pretty well at the start of the camp trip but nothing beats a fridge. Nevertheless, the following hacks will help you keep those beers cooler for longer!
Keep your cooler in the shade
Avoid putting your cooler in the direct sunlight at your campsite as this will melt ice faster.
Put the beers in the cooler cold or even frozen
Buy cold beers or pre-chill the beers in a fridge before adding them to the cooler. You can even freeze some to thaw out while you are camping.
Set your expectations
You will eventually run out of ice, so your beers won’t stay cool unless you bring a 12V fridge camping with you.
Not all coolers are made equal
Get a good one, do some research and invest in quality unless you like warm beer.
Use block ice
Fill containers or water bottles with water and freeze, leave ice in the container to avoid water, as the ice melts, getting through the contents of the cooler and soaking food and other items.
Take two coolers
One to keep food cool and one for beer and other drinks, this means you will open them less - keeping the cold inside.
Cool beer in cold water or snow
Camping in snowy conditions? Shove the beer into some snow or place in a cold stream or river!
Add salt
Adding salt to your cooler will keep the ice frozen longer.
Running a fridge while camping
Of course, if you want a cold beer after the first day, you’ll need a fridge. You go camping for peace and quiet, so a generator is not a practical option. But having additional power on hand can be pretty straightforward.
REDARC’s Classic 40A In-Vehicle DC Battery Charger is a good solution when you need power, for stuff like your fridge, but don’t want to run your vehicle dead. If you're staying for an extended period, check out 12v systems for extended overland travel.
Enjoy a cold beer in the great outdoors when you power a portable fridge
It doesn’t get better than a cold one at the end of a hot day. Cheers to relaxation, nature, and the perfect beer!
Looking for more inspo? When life is an adventure, REDARC can get you there and keep you going, read about van life powered by REDARC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will my beer stay cold in a cooler?
A good quality cooler can generally keep your beer cold for 2 to 4 days. The length of time your beer will stay cold in a cooler varies greatly depending on several factors, including the quality of your cooler, how often you open it, and the outside temperature.
How to get my beer as cold as possible?
Run a fridge. Use a REDARC Fridge Power Kit to run a fridge while off-grid without access to power. Otherwise, a cooler with ice is your second best option which stays cold for a day or two.
How do you chill drinks when camping?
Power your fridge with a DC-DC charger, Battery Management System or solar panel to keep your batteries topped up and your fridge icy cold wherever your adventures take you.
