Avanti Kegerator Review: Avanti 2 Mini Keg Portable Party Pub Model:CB350S-IS

The Universal Problem of transporting draft beers to the tailgate party may have a working solution. The Avanti 2 Mini Keg Portable Party Pub is a real contender. For starters, Avanti is Florida based. When last I looked, Florida was the party state. I am assuming they know a lot about beer… so read on for a very detailed review of the Avanti kegerator “Portable Party Pub”. And, don’t forget: this is more than just an Avanti Kegerator Review–we have included valuable information on cleaning, transporting, accessories and how to make the most out of your new kegerator!

Avanti Kegerator Review

Strictly speaking, this is not an outdoor kegerator and it only holds 2 mini-kegs at a time. Around 30 beers. However, it has been designed to be extremely portable. So, with that in mind, this is a great choice for the best kegerator to take to the tailgate party. It measures 21” high, 18.25” wide and 20.25” deep, so it is possible to carry this to your parking lot site and set it up on a solid surface (table that won’t collapse under the weight of the unit, 2 kegs) – never mind so much about the 2 kegs as they will be drained pretty fast, problem solved.

Like a fridge, there’s a cool LED light inside with an on/off switch. Avanti has equipped this kegerator with a glass-storage shelf where you can stand a couple of not-too-large glasses to chill. It’s not really solid state inside but Avanti has good warranties so if you run in to trouble when the carousing gets out of hand, send it back and replace it.  The exterior is platinum finish and the surface just wipes clean.  You don’t need to use abrasives.

A mini-keg holds 5 liters. You get 3 x 12 oz drinks to a liter, the keg holds 2 x 5 liters so you get around 30 drinks in this kegerator.   Sooooooo, that’s my share. What are you drinking? Bring your own along please ….

Still 30 drinks of draft ale perfectly chilled is a nice foundation for a tailgate party, no?

Avanti’s Party Pub is a good description as you can store and keep chilled two kegs of different brands.  On the outside of the door there is a digital temperature control for easy temperature regulation. It is really important to keep the door closed so there is a neat safety latch to make sure the door stays closed while you’re dispensing your brew of choice.  It is equipped with one tap so you can’t switch between kegs with great ease, but you will have the luxury of draft beer on site. The tap is just a generic, black pull-down one but I could see it would not be too much of a strain to swap this for something more team-ish. Don’t lift the unit by the tap – you can pick it up by the stand. The tap is fine for what it does, but it is not heavy duty enough to serve as a handle.

The see-through window showcases and identifies your kegs and that window is reasonably hardy.

This Avanti Kegerator weighs around 35 pounds without the beer. Allow for this and its packing (see below) when you are configuring your portable gear for the best tailgate party ev-ahhhhh …..

Avanti Kegerator Accessories

The Avanti Portable Party Pub has only one challenge as a portable unit: you need to keep it really cool and temperature-stable. Don’t site it in the sun and keep it out of rain, water spray or drips.  Wind can affect it too. It needs to stay plugged in to a power source for starters. A surge protector is recommended for a wall socket – some cities have terrible power surges which will cause your unit to burn out. Yes, I’m looking at you, Detroit!

A portable battery pack is essential if you have a long way to travel or your tailgate party site does not have a power source (most don’t). I have a Duracell battery pack and it works OK with this. The specs say 115 V and the battery will last a few hours with the kegerator plugged into it.

When the beer has all been drunk, you can use the power pack to run a light so that you can re-pack the truck for your trip home.

Now, this is more than just an Avanti Kegerator review. Here are some tips to get the most out of your system. Keeping the unit cool is a bit of a challenge but not one that a large space blanket or foil faced bubble wrap can’t handle. Foil-faced bubble wrap is a radiant barrier. It’s not insulation. However, you can line a carton with it and slip your Avanti Portable Party Pub in the box so that you can avoid the radiant heat.  In brief, here’s your little craft exercise for the week.  It’s so darn easy you can get your bratty nephew to do it instead of practicing graffiti on your garage walls.

Buy 2 rolls of Reflectix Bubble Pack Insulation.   Cut it in squares to your box size.

Stick it together with this Reflective Insulation Tape.

My advice is to cut it to 6 inches larger than the size of the kegerator (allowing for proper air circulation) which will allow you to make yourself a nice loose box liner (again, for air circulation). Line said box. The box needs a sturdy base, flat as a table top. Seal it with the tape around all raw edges for a pro-look and to prevent tearing and place the kegerator in this airy, yet insulated cave. Don’t place the kegerator next to the BBQ or any other heat source. You need to keep it cool and certainly not in direct sunlight, rain or wind as said earlier.  Warm beer goes foamy, doesn’t tap right, overflows and wastes.

As long as you allow space around it, the unit will not overheat. If the temperature in the parking lot is going to be gruesome, then consider double walling your Reflectix bubble pack and inserting some flat cooler sheets in each wall to maintain the cold. Flexi Freeze Refreezable Ice Sheets are good as they can be refrozen many times and are flat enough to slip between the layers.

This may seem a bit Gyro Gearloose/White Trash fix-up, but it does work! You can even cut this to size to make window covers for the SUV or RV and it works out way cheaper than the custom made ones on the market.

The digital readout is flush with the surface and the light glows with a pleasant blue. It is easy to clean. Read up on the instructions on how to keep it clean. You will want to make sure to wipe it over after every use. Keep a couple of team bar towels handy! Hand wash only. Well, no idiot even is going to think of putting this in the dishwasher but I’m just sayin’ ….

A kegerator cleaning kit is a must: get one with a pressurized line-cleaning system. It will pay dividends as gunk in the kegerator will ruin your beer. Clean it on every keg change.

How Long Will The Beer Last In The Kegerator?

The life of the beer in the kegerator? Indefinite. It will last as long as you don’t drink it, provided the temperature is stable. That is a benefit in itself as you can pull beers in tiny glasses for the Ladies. Normally, they just sip off the top of a can and throw the rest away. This way, you can’t help but save money.

Just remember that, despite what it says in the instructions, your actual keg needs to be pre-chilled and the kegerator needs 24 hours at least of running time prior to putting the beer in it. Do not be tempted to flash-cool the beer in your freezer.  It could freeze or even burst.  Then you’ll be REALLY sorry.

The Avanti is a compact design and will be easily fitted into your trunk with a small BBQ and your Poleish Game, red cups, food and coolers.

There is an instruction book and a One Year Limited Warranty. Only use the CO2 gas cylinders recommended for the unit.

The instruction book is really great. Pictures, diagrams and clear descriptions plus a neat trouble shooting section.  Congrats Avanti!  This is one of the best instruction books I have seen.  It’s in Spanish and English, too.

They are only shipped within the USA at present.

A great solution to the tailgate party draft beer dilemma to be sure!

**CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS:

PROPOSITION 65 WARNING:
This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and/or birth defects or other reproductive harm.