There’s a thread about a new invention that promises to instantly cool individual beer cans which got me thinking about actual sustainable and environmentally sound ways of cooling packaged containers, such as while camping, when the powers out and there’s no ice around. I’ve used the cold river trick—while tubing in Texas—but that’s as far as my knowledge and experience goes. I’ve read but never tried using a wet towel wrapped around a can. Something something heat transfer. And in the old timey days pre refrigeration were cellars cool enough to preserve the suds? Curious what else is out there!
That would be a situation of evaporative cooling akin to how you cool your body by sweating when you are hot. This 'trick' will not get beer down to refrigerator temperature. A full cellar will be in the 50's. Warm by refrigerator temperature standards but some beer styles are intended to drink at this sort of temperature. I will sometimes just take my homebrewed English Bitter Ales that I store in my cellar and drink them at cellar temperature. Hopefully some other BAs have novel ideas here. Cheers!
Nine years ago I went camping with my daughter down near Mount Rainier and stuck a couple cans of Cowiche Canyon in the creek not too far from our tent to chill (I still have evidence—thanks Imgur). Went for a little walk around the lake and when I got back they were gone! Later I saw another camper wandering around drinking one and I nearly lost my shit—gave him hell too. But it was too late. Never again.
I rely on the great outdoors to pre-cool, or chill my beer stash. The shady corner outside in a styro box on the bricks keeps beer quite cool during several months even in southern Calif. The cold garage or front porch in other places seems to work well for a lot of the year.
This book does a great job of explaining a technique in simple terms. https://qpsychics.com/product/manual-of-cryokinesis/ It’s a wonder how few people actually employ this practice. . . . Note: See my post in the other thread for additional information critical to fully understanding this concept.
Think of the great day that guy had though. Although, he probably should have offered you one of his found treasures unless he didn't have time before the yelling started.
I think acclimating oneself to drinking beer at non-fridge temperatures is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of our beer drinking. And, in my opinion, beer consumed at non-fridge temperatures simply tastes better. I'm lucky to live in a very old house (by US standards) in New England. My unfinished fieldstone basement is fairly cold throughout the year. As a result I do not refrigerate beer for nine months out of the year. And even during the three months that I do refrigerate, it's just some styles (like lower abv lagers).
Depends on where you live. In more northern states, it'd work, but the basement of the house I grew up, while having a bit more of a consistent temperature than the rest of the house year round, only really got cold in January and February. Keep in mind that in a lot of the US, basements are rare in the first place. An interesting thing I learned about the rules about what temperature wine should be served at date back to the "Little Ice Age", and room and cellar temperature were probably about 10* cooler than present day.
Bringing a cooler from home packed with ice has always worked well for me in the past. The newer coolers keep items chilled for days when placed out of the direct sunlight. Now I have a camp trailer with a refrigerator and also bought a great little Briggs & Stratton generator (not really environmentally conscious but necessary when “camping” for four-five months at a time). In the few weeks of summertime I get up in AK, I’ll only have to run the generator once a week to keep my batteries charged. It gets much more use in August/September when the snow starts falling again! Anyways, I would personally be leery of storing beer cans in a natural body of water. Downstream you might have water that contains pesticides, sewage, fertilizers, while upstream you might have beaver fever, tularemia, all kinds of yummy stuff! I’m probably being too paranoid, it’s just something to take into consideration.
Yep, get a nice rotomolded cooler like a Yeti or one of the knock-off brands (I have a CaterGator), and if you put cold beverages in, fill with ice, and keep it in a shady spot, the ice lasts for 2-3 days even in summer. Those coolers aren't cheap, but worth not having to deal with the headache of refilling the ice daily, if not more often.
A friend of mine bought a solar powered cooler / refrigerator for his week long camping trips. He showed me a picture and it looked like an ordinary cooler, but it cools like a refrigerator so no ice is needed, just sunlight. I think he has an extra battery in case the day is overcast, but it looked really cool and cost around $500.00 if I remember correctly.
Kinda replicating a root cellar, which I am blessed to have. Back in my SCA days before Yeti coolers were invented, we had regular plastic coolers and during Pensic (a two week war in western PA) in August, a cooler placed in a hole just big enough for it an some solid insulation on top kept ice frozen almost a week. In 80 degrees or more often. Cheers!
From an internet discussion about root cellars: “…the earth a foot or two down stays at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. and the root cellar uses that temperature.” I would suppose there may be some variation depending on where you live. For example, a bit cooler in Minnesota vs. Florida. My preference for many beer styles is to drink beers closer to 40 °F vs. 50 °F but I would much prefer a cool beer (e.g., 50’s F) vs. an warm beer. Cheers!
I as well use the outdoor cooler on the porch method for chilling beer & wine. Frees up frig space, especially during the holidays.
