To keep a mass market american beer cold in your cooler. Use rocks.
Put them in the freezer a few days before so they reach freezer temps. They will retain this temp.
Place them in the cooler with the beer bottles (not cans).
Shake well.
It's the best way to serve this beer.

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Fred
Ignorance killed the cat. Curiosity was framed.
Sarcasm is not just a right, but a responsibility.

Fair enough. I suppose your instrumentation is still Imperial. I went through trade school in those days too but since we changed to metric 40+ years ago (the same as you), I've used those units. Much easier.

You or the Americans?

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2007 Suzuki DL650 K7 (With a few farkles)

RIP Bucko - Riding on forever

That begs the question is granite better than quartz?

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

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Dunno, but 40s are betta dan quartz.

This is the way...........

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06-DL1000 62000 miles....Sold...
Now Honda NC700Xs.................

and bringing this back into the context of motos, specifically V's...

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'08 DR650
'07 DL1000

PU is one of my faves - a buddy of mine went there and had the same experience! I was having a 4th or 5th pint talk with the brewmeister at our local brewery, and he said something that forever made me think differently about light mass-produced beers, like PBR and such. He basically said that it was a modern miracle that vast quantities of such lightly flavored, very lightly colored beer could be produced over and over and over again. That any slight error in the process would introduce extra flavors that would prevent it from having the signature "lack of flavor" that so many of us beer-snobs (myself included) sneer at, or make fun of.

Once I understood the true gravity (low specific) of what he said, did I truly relax and learn to appreciate the modern miracle that a nice cold frosty PBR represents.

In a nutshell - if it doesn't suck, then it's good beer.

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"Side effects may include: Mild kidney explosions...Testicular cranberrying... And Rectal hallucinations."

I don't know all the science behind it, but my expereince is;

Are you Camping or is it for a party?

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Camping
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Always pre-chill your cooler. The night before you leave, put some ice (crushed or bottle...doesnt matter) so it cools the cooler down. You will probably find all the ice melted the next day, so get rid of it, then;

I use frozen bottles of water. I can get 4 days easy out of 2 two litre bottles. opening cooler around 6 times a day.

I try to put food in one cooler, and drinks in another. That said, this year we just had one and the drinks were colder when we got home than when we left. It was only about 30 celcuis though and we kept it in the shade. If it's not obvious, having drinks and food seperate means you only need to open the food cooler 2-3 times a day, but the drinks will get opened more often (I don't have kids, but I imagine if you had kids it would be opened every hour or so)

A friend had a cheaper cooler (I recently bought a fancy one so we can go on week long camping trips) and he used Ice. He only opened his twice a day. On the 2nd day (24 hours after Ice went in) there was not much ice left. by that night, it was only water. Day 3 morning, it was cool, but not cold. Day 3 night, it was almost room temp.

I used to use crushed ice but found 3 days was about the most you could get (and that was pushing it). With ice blocks, you can get 3 days eaaaasy and you have spare water when (if?) it melts.


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Party
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I don't think it matters...

I use crushed ice if drinks are not already chilled, as it will chill them quicker. if they are chilled, I will use ice bricks (2L water) as they last longer.

A mate uses crushed ice, then drops water in his to quick chill. He reckons it cools them quicker (but it doesnt last as long).

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So to answer your question: If it's for a party - won't really make a big deal for a few hours. If it's for camping, I'd drain the water every day.

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2008 DL650

will you take the advice of a guy that runs a bar, and keeps all beer on ice?

if you are going to add beer or anything else to the bin, you keep the water. the thermal mass will absorb heat from the newly added items until it reaches stabilization. once stabilized, drain water and add ice. the ice is colder than 32 degrees and will drop the temperature of the bin contents more. ice in contact with the products will be a colder product, have less surface area with the container walls ( melts slower, lasts longer ). In the mornings when I have forgotten to close the drains, I always have more ice left than when I close them. so your ice will last longer if you drain the water periodically.

shrimp dealers in texas will also keep there ice drained as their product lasts longer and stays fresher.

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The first 40 years of childhood are the hardest.

DL650A L1 "Sandy"
Solobox Paniers
17/46 520 size chain, Front and rear Sprockets
Rigid Industries 6" E-series light bar
3m Military Green Wrap on order
Oil Filter Adapter HERE'S why

Dry ice with about 2" of real ice on top was the winner for me.

Pete