Beer cooling hacks every hiker needs to know

Look at you go.

No day hike is complete without a refreshing beer. Often, the best part of a long and sweaty trek is that moment when you get to sip on a cold one at the edge of a cliff or beside a waterfall. 

Hopefully, your next outdoor adventure will be blessed with lots of sunshine and blue skies. One problem, though: summer temps mean that your beer will have turned into a hot fizzing brew by the time you reach your destination. 

What’s a hiker to do? Guzzle that beer warm or drink no beer at all? 

Don’t lose your cool, sweaty pals. You may have left behind the world of fridges and ice buckets but there’s no need to settle for a warm beer out in the wilderness. We’re about to show you how to hack your way to a chilled drink. 

Of course, it’s easier to just pick up a portable cooler bag or growler from Amazon. These gear were literally invented to keep your goods cold on the go and will bring you a ton of outdoors cred. But, where’s the fun in that? These hacks are a great way to channel your inner MacGyver (and who knows, you may end up with a funny story to tell). 

Full disclosure: we have not personally put all of these hacks to the test, so we can’t truly say whether they actually work or not. But they sound better than drinking warm beer, right? So, try ’em out yourself if you want.

1. Our top tip is the easiest.

Get yourself an insulated backpack and toss a few cans straight from the freezer in there. Of course, you’ll need something to keep your cargo perfectly chilled for the duration of your hike. We suggest padding the bottom part of the backpack with small, spill-proof ice packs. Or better yet, freeze empty plastic water bottles so that when the ice melts, you’ll also have cool, fresh drinking water. 

2. If your hike takes you to a river, lake, creek or ocean, you can kill two birds with one stone:

take a dip to cool you off and use the water to bring down the temperature of your beer. Thanks to the laws of physics, water is always colder than the surrounding air. Call it nature’s refrigerator, if you will. Just be sure to anchor the cans when you submerge them. Wedge them between rocks or wrap them in a towel or socks (this speeds up cooling) otherwise they’ll be lost to the currents. Give them about 10 minutes to cool and you’ll be ready to start sipping. 

3. Add an old T-shirt, socks, or newspaper to your hiking packing list because these everyday items will be your next beer chilling standby.

While not as effective as the ice packs or the underwater trick, once again, it certainly beats having to sip on a bad-tasting brew. And it only works if it’s a little breezy outside. You simply wrap your beer in a wet piece of clothing or newspaper and put it under a tree to wind-dry. Apparently the wind, shade, and water work together to create an all-natural cooler (just take a shower on a hot day and stand in front of a fan, and you’ll see what we mean). 

As exciting as a day on the trails is, it’s essential to be well-prepped. And we don’t mean “sunscreen” and “bug repellent” prepared. We’re talking keep-your-beer-lip-smackingly-cold kind of prepared. So, pick yourself up a pack of Gilly’s American Lager and take a journey through nature. With these hacks, you’ll be impressing your friends with your creativity and resourcefulness in no time.