A Beer Geek’s Camping Checklist

For a lot of us, a perfect beer is what makes a good day. A cold brew after a long day can make the entire experience better. If you love beers just as much you love to travel or go camping, then this article is for you.

For beer geeks, camping is always a more pleasant experience if paired with your favorite drink. However, traveling long distances combined with troubling weather, and lack of refrigeration can really affect your beer's taste and quality. Also, according to NBC News, beer might not be as bad for your body as people tell you. And, in all honesty, nobody likes a lukewarm can or a damaged bottle. To make your life better, we've made a checklist of a few things that every beer geek should have on their camping trip.

● Beer Coolers: Since the plan is to explore the wilderness with your favorite beer, you can't really plan a trip without a few good-quality beer coolers. While you can plan your trip any way you want, we recommend taking a few beer coolers with you. A big, 65-quart cooler to hold all the bottles for the journey is the best choice, with a few smaller ones to carry them on hikes and rides. Also, the more coolers you take, the more beer you can bring. And when it comes to beer, too much is never enough.

● Beer Bottle Opener: Although small, you'd be surprised just how many people forget their bottle opener on a trip. Imagine the situation after a long, tiring hike. All your friends are looking forward to unwinding a bit with a cold can of beer, but no one brought an opener! As stupid as this may sound, this is a regular occurrence. Bottle openers are easy to find and reasonably cheap. You can also find openers small enough to easily fit into your wallet without asking for too much space. We recommend everyone to carry a bottle opener of their own in order to avoid such situations.

● Growlers: If you can’t live without your favorite draft beer, a growler is a must. A high-end growler can keep your drink cold for a fairly long time without taking a toll on its taste. Furthermore, if you’re on the road and find a draft beer that’s too good, you can easily bring some back to the home base. However, look for a good quality growler since the quality can really be affected if the beer gets lukewarm.

● Beer Bladders: If you think carrying multiple cans of beer on a hike is too space-consuming, then a beer bladder is what you need. They're pouches that lay flat when not in use, thus consuming very little space on their own. You can pour your favorite draft beer into it and let it chill. You can also choose to pour bottled beer to save space, which we don't recommend. However, just for the sake of convenience, you can carry a few bladders, which will make your journey significantly easier.

● Plastic bags and bubble wraps: Although plastic bags should be a must-have on every camping trip, they are especially important if your plan is to carry a lot of beer. Firstly, if your destination is far away and your mode of transportation is via airplane, but you plan on taking your beer from home, you need these. It's imperative that you wrap your beer package with bubble wrap and then put it in the plastic bag to avoid hassle at the customs. Also, if you're carrying bottles any distance, bubble wrap will help preserve them and prevent damage. To keep your bottles safe and avoid an incoming disaster, investing in some plastic bags and bubble wrap is a good idea.

● Campfire arrangement: A great bunch of people, campfire stories and top-notch beer: the recipe for a perfect day! Campfires are always the most enjoyable part of camping trips, with all the good food and stories involved. However, if you’re traveling to somewhere remote or somewhere you don’t have access to a campfire, you will miss out on it. So, what we recommend is investing in some campfire tools. A small electric grill, good quality camping lights and makeshift tools can really do you all the good. If you have a fixed group of people you go camping with, make a joint investment, and get it ready, you'll be surprised at how much more enjoyable the next trips are!

● Generator: Going out to camp means staying in touch with nature and the wilderness for a while. However, this doesn't mean you're heading back to the middle ages. For this reason, electricity is a must. Everything from mobile phones to flashlights, cooking tools, portable coolers, etc. requires a consistent supply of electricity. Since you aren't getting any grid electricity connections, a 2000-watt portable generator should be enough to satisfy your needs. Inverter generators are all the rage currently. They're lightweight, easy to move around, and don't make a lot of noise. Also, they're relatively cheap when compared to bigger, conventional generators. Much akin to campfire tools, these can be a great joint investment. Also, suppose you're from a place that has frequent load-sheddings. In that case, a generator can save you from the trouble of living without electricity when you're home as well.

● Instant Coffee: If you regularly enjoy your coffee, this is probably a must-have in your house. For a lot of people, waking up after a night of drinking isn't a good experience. The buzz from drinking and the overall hangover can be very troublesome. Having a hot cup of coffee really helps in these situations. So, if you have space, a few instant coffee packets should really make their way into your travel bag.

A great can of beer can really make a day better. After long hikes and tiring expeditions, what more could you ask for? However, carrying beers while camping can seem a tad difficult. However, don't let this worry you. If you’ve nabbed all or some of the things mentioned on this list, your camping trip should be a breeze – a boozy breeze at that.