Bringing beer on camping trip is a lot more difficult than it sounds. And actually enjoying a cold glass of beer on a camping trip is even harder. If your camping site is just a few hundred feet from the parking lot, then it’s easy enough to lug around a cooler full of cold beer. But if you enjoy backpacking and camping a little further off the beaten path -- and you want to enjoy your favorite craft brew as you do -- then you need to learn the science of storing and enjoying beer in the great outdoors. Experienced backpackers know that every extra pound of gear and beer in your pack will weigh you down on the trail, and if you aren’t careful, you’ll accidentally skunk your beer. Light strike, when beer is exposed to light, can cause a beer to turn. Brown bottles can prevent light strike, but then you run the risk of leaving behind broken glass, which definitely isn’t drinking or hiking responsibly. If you want to tip back a beer growler full of your favorite craft beer after a hard day of hiking, then it is possible to store beer while camping or hiking. With a few simple tips -- and the right beer gear -- you can serve beer like a pro on your next adventure into the wild. Keep reading to learn how to pack beer and beer growlers for your next camping trip…
More Pro-Tips for Packing Beer on Camping Trips For the die-hard craft beer lovers out there, it’s not enough to pack or store beer correctly. It’s just as important to enjoy craft beer correctly. According to Beer Advocate, these are the ideal temperatures for serving your favorite craft beers:
- Strong beers, such as barleywines, are best stored and consumed at temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees fahrenheit.
- For both service and storage, temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees fahrenheit are best for standard ales like IPAs.
- Lighter beers, such as pilsners, wheat beers, and lagers, fare best when stored and served between 45 and 50 degrees fahrenheit.