The Best Beer Koozies To Keep Your Drink Frosty.

Keeping beers cold (in your hand) is an important skill at tailgate parties. It has led to the invention of that customizable commodity, the ‘Koozie’. And here’s a list of the best beer koozies to keep your drink frosty for the tailgate party.

Yes, now ‘Koozie’ is a real word, in Urban Dictionary! It’s not too long before someone will open a Koozie exhibit in a museum as the inscriptions, logos, pictures and shapes of these items tell lots of stories about their owners. They’ve come a long way from those old-timey knitted or crocheted drink holders.

Here’s the official definition:

‘A cylindrical insulator for beer can and beer bottles (it probably also works with other beverages in aluminum cans or glass bottles). Usually made from foam and cloth and sold at convenience stores.’

(alternative spelling ‘coozie’)

The beer koozie (koō-zie), “beer hugger”, or “beer huggie” is a misnomer as it is not always used for an alcoholic beverages. Other names are “coastie”, “cozy”[ “coosie”, “coolie”, “coldy-holdy”, “can cooler”, “beer sleeve”, and “bottle jacket”. In Australia it is called a “stubby holder” due to the shape of the 375 millilitres (13.2 imp fl oz; 12.7 US fl oz) bottles of beer being shorter and fatter compared with the more slender 330 millilitres (12 imp fl oz; 11 US fl oz) bottles.

Simply put, the ‘Koozie’ is an insulated, sometimes ornamental slip-on cover to keep a can of beer or other drink cool while hand-held.

Do they work? I’ve tested a heap of these of different types. They are all effective in varying degrees. The very best is not necessarily the most fun and it is:

Thermos Stainless steel can insulator

Thermos Stainless Steel Can Insulator

Yes, it works – it keeps drinks cold for hours, even in extreme heat, the Middle East, Mexico and the Mojave Desert which is what you may want. It’s almost indestructible and holds your cans tightly, almost vacuum sealing them into the Koozie. Icy cold for an hour and cold for two hours and cool for two more hours. It fits into most cars’ drink container (an elastic band will keep that tight or a sheet of paper towel, but really, you don’t need it to be that tight.) The can will sit quite low in the koozie but don’t push it in all the way and it is fine. If you are using non-standard small cans, try putting a paper towel beneath, folded small into a little mat. MSRP = $14.75

But for those who don’t need an extreme beer cooler and prefer that added zing of fun … there are many alternatives. Any party or group of friends wanting a bit of a laugh while enjoying a cold beer is somewhere you can often see a wide range of Koozies. They can be personalized, printed with messages, logos or anything and you will find them among team licensed merchandise such as this Raiders one:

Oakland Raiders Koozie Soda Can Holder

Definitely, you can add to your atmosphere by choosing your Koozie collection with some plan in mind. If you want everything to look like it coordinates with your team, that is an easy task. You can buy Koozies that have you team logo, or just in team colors.

But here are some that really made me laugh. I think they’d be terrific hostess gifts or stocking stuffers. Oh, and you can use them for any cans – mixed spirits, soft drinks, mineral water… some are a little on the adult side though and if political correctness is your thing, you’re not coming to my tailgate party anyway!

A word about their ability to keep beer cold: they do an average job. They are not expected to stay cold for hours, but they do stop your hands from warming the contents of the can and keep the chill in quite efficiently for an hour or more. That is more time than it takes to drink a beer.The plastic can be a little slippery with condensation, but, well, there’s plenty to grab hold of.

Average price is around $9.

DCI DrinKooliez Drink Sleeve Koozie, Assorted

These come in a few different designs and the one shaped like a coconut cocktail with an umbrella on the side cracks me up as does the Don Draper Bourbon glass …

Next is a simple red plastic cup approach. Don’t over-think this one!

Big Mouth Toys Kool Koozie, The Red Cup

The red cup style may just be the ultimate post-modern piece of self-reflexive design. But wait, there’s more …

Big Mouth Toys Prescription / Pill Bottle Drink Kooler

Big Mouth Toys Prescription Pill Bottle Drink Kooler

Think your beer is therapeutic? Now you can make it look the part with this Koozie that looks like a prescription pill bottle. Tailgate party stress will be relieved in an instant!

Big Mouth Toys The Beast Giant Fist Shaped Drink

Big Mouth Toys The Beast Giant Fist Shaped Drink Kooler

Does this one confuse you? At your tailgate party you could embellish the fist adding chains, dog tags, a watch, a bracelet, a hand-cuff or … well, you decide!

Boobzie – Classic Collection

Boobzie Can Koozie

Ah, now we come to the classy ones! They will certainly be a talking point at your tailgate party. The more worthy among us have made a nice link between these and breast cancer awareness while others just state that the combo of breasts and beer is a tailgate party must!

Boobzie – Classic Collection

Boobzie Can Koozie

Insert your own boob joke here (though it’s a bit redundant as the Koozies above and below ARE the joke). Besides, I’ve probably heard them all at some tailgate party or other.

“World Cups” (Sporty collection) Boobzie Can Cover / Koozie