Customize your NCAA Tailgate Party with Team Decorations

By Rawhide

Here’s a conundrum. At tailgate parties in College Football Arenas, there is a huge mix of young students and those of over-21 drinking age. It’s not fun to serve Shirley Temples to everyone there, is it? But there are enough adults to make sure that the youngsters are safe so I’m thinking that it’s OK to combine drinkers and non-drinkers in the same tailgate party. Yet a lot of the fun comes from customizing your party, dressing it in your team colors across the whole spectrum of tailgate party gear. The young guys certainly know how to dress the part.

Old Varsity Brand NCAA Central Florida Golden Knights Thermal Crew Shirt,

Dressing The Part in Team Colors is for Gals and Guys and not just clothes.

So maybe it’s not JUST about the booze. It’s about the fun, the tailgate party prepping and the look of your site. Counted at the end of the summer season of 2016, there were 774 colleges and universities that have football programs. On average about five a year teams are added and nobody seems to leave. So you can NCAA for football till your wallet runs dry as there are so many ways to show your team spirit. Firstly I would say dress for your team and then check out all the other stuff you can find that screams team. At the very least you can slip on a crew shirt and the one above comes in a huge range of team colors with logos. Below are a few ideas to start you thinking about how you can make your tailgate party so much more fun (and you can re-use them for the whole season or beyond). I have noticed that most are very reasonably priced and buying online will save you a trip to the big-box party store.

Glitter Gear Nebraska Cornhuskers Official NCAA 3/4 Zip Pullover Track Jacket

Cornhuskers Official NCAA Track Jacket.

Jackets that wear their hearts on their sleeves (metaphorically) are available in all team stylings. This is one for the gals. They are surprisingly inexpensive so you can buy one for multiple team loyalties if you have a divided family. Hey, who has ALL their kids in the same college these days? Follow the links to a heck of a range of bargain clothing for your NCAA team.

Then customize your eats and drinks:

The Memory Company NCAA Virginia Tech Gameday Ceramic Platter

The Memory Company NCAA Virginia Tech Gameday 2 Ceramic Platter

The Memory Company NCAA Virginia Tech Gameday Ceramic Platter

Don’t just use a plain white platter – go for a team one. This will make you stand out from your NCAA adversary in the parking lot!

Start with an NCAA Tablecloth.

This one is 8 feet long and you can track down your team’s version through amazon by clicking here:

Rico NCAA Michigan Wolverines 8-Foot Table Cover

You can even just buy your team’s fabric and custom make your own table cloth, banner or blanket.

Collegiate Fleece University of Alabama Fabric

The one above is fleece but you can find all kinds of fabric – even cotton, to make skirts and dresses. Pretty versatile for the next step which is to:

Decorate your tailgate party site whether in a parking lot, a park or just in the back yard.

College Flags and Banners

College flags and banners

This one is 13″ x 18″ and you can even hang them around your garden. Go here and navigate to your own team’s banner from the pictures below the listing. There are heaps to choose from.

You can also hang team ornaments around your site. Or keep them for the holiday tree.

NCAA Ball ornament – Florida State

Wearing your heart on your sleeve for your own team shouldn’t be dismissed – it is essential (IMHO). And while you are there, make sure you have a good repertoire of team songs to hammer out when you’re, well, hammered.

Filed Under: Accessories, Atmosphere

Best 5 New Tailgate Party Products for 2018 reviewed

By Rawhide

I just found this stuff while browsing amazon.com (full disclosure – I have an affiliate agreement with them but I am honest in my reviewing). Most of it is new or newish but I certainly had not seen it before.

First, let’s go hi-tech for the lazy tailgate party host.

Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaner

Meet the Grillbot Automatic Grill cleaner. This is the equivalent of a Roomba but for your grill.

Grillbot on BBQ

The Grillbot only weighs around 3 pounds but has all the scrubbing power you need to use after cooking up a storm. We would recommend using after each batch of whatever you are grilling to keep that grill-top (grate or flat-top, even small electric grill) from building up cross-flavors and old fat and charcoal. You can set the Grillbot and forget it. It will beep when the cycle is finished. Of all the New Tailgate Party Products for 2018, these are my faves.

Grillbot comes in 4 colors

Push button with an LED light, it also has a carry case. I will be buying a swag of these for my beer buds whose barbecue hygiene is, well, not ideal. With this little gadget you can get the job done while you are enjoying the party.

Grillbot showing size

It’s powered by a rechargeable battery and definitely takes the sweat out of the scrubbing, getting in between those grill grates quite nicely. Afterwards, just wipe down with a paper towel and cook the next course or pack the grill away for the next game. HINT: If you wear the Grillbot brushes out, it is easy to replace them and they are always available. In fact, all parts are replaceable in case you leave them at the tailgate party. Also the weatherproof case you can buy as an optional extra is worth the small money it costs.

I’d say this is one of the hottest items of 2018. This is what the Grillbot looks like underneath:

Grillbot – what it looks like underneath

Party King Grills PKG-VJV-6412 SWING’N Smoke Varsity Grill Package, Includes Varsity Grill, Varsity Cradle and VERSArm LT Swing Arm

Party King Grill – perfect for Parking Lots

And now here’s a way to deal with shrinking parking lots and small parking spaces yet not sacrificing the size of the grill. It’s the Varsity model from Party Grill. We’ve seen trailer hitch groills before but not at this standard which features an innovative way to attach their large 3-burner grill to the trailer hitch of your vehicle and it takes up minimal space. Party King Grill people have invented a whole package of complementary grill tools so the whole kit and caboodle is transported on the back of your car. You just park, swing the Party King Varsity Grill out to the side, light up, get your food from the trunk and everything is close at hand. A brilliant idea that really does fit the ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ category. Party King Grills Varsity 6412 Package – Medium Grill and Standard Arm. The Varsity 6412 is one of the most popular hitch mount tailgate grills on the market and that is understandable as it is solid and well-built. The medium sized Varsity grill has only been released recently and that, in my estimation, is the best model for tailgate parties. It can also be used independently as a portable tabletop grill by detaching it from the arm. It’s also fully stainless steel and the Varsity grill has predictable and accurate cooking temperatures while still achieving the searing top temperatures of larger models. The Party King Varsity Grill includes fold up side shelves and quick attach grill mounts and there are numerous attachments that you can get to grill your own way. The surface for cooking is 11.25″ x 18.5.

It’s from a reliable company that delivers good, old-fashioned personal service and that’s great to know. It”s a product that is recommended for any vehicle from compact upwards and frees up so much space in your trunk.

HyperGear Beast XL Rugged Portable IPX6 Waterproof Water Resistant Dustproof Outdoor Indoor Wireless Bluetooth Speakers

The Hypergear Beast Bluetooth Speakers are resistant to splashes (yes, even from beer) and well engineered as compact, dust-proof yet high quality ways to play music (or a feed from your computer – eg. The Game) at your tailgate party.

We have been lugging our Block Rocker around for years and now it’s time to go compact. So for 2018, we will carry more food and less music gear. It has incredible sound for a bluetooth model and an impressive bass. Go to this link and you will get an amazing discount !

Alfrescamore Pizza Oven from Cuisinart with integrated stand

Alfrescamore Cuisinart Pizza oven and stand

Here’s a pizza oven that I noticed at my bud’s place lately and I was surprised to hear that it was from Cuisinart as it is poles apart from their sweet kitchen appliances. The Cuisinart Alfrescamore pizza oven is so ideal for tailgate parties as it has an integrated stand, runs on gas, is not heavy and you can also add wood chips to ensure that smokey taste. Any flavor you want.

The pizzas look realistically Italian and taste just fantastic. You can cook them fresh during the tailgate party rather than risk the cardboard flavor of most boxed fast-food items.

Pizza fresh from the Oven

Selling for a great price at the moment. So stock up on all the ingredients you enjoy and craft pizzas while you watch the game at the tailgate party.

Now to the games: from experience, this is one of the best giant beer pong games around:

Giant Beer Pong Edition – BucketBall

You need something that is easy to pack, compact but enormous and not going to break and this seems to be the one that everyone is using. (Some are too big to transport). This one is not brittle and will give you seasons of fun.

Bucketball Giant Beer Pong Combo Pack

And no, you do NOT have to drink a bucket of beer. Stick to the red solo cups.

We will add to this list as we get around the parking lots and see just what everyone is using this year to make sure that their tailgate party is the best it can possibly be. So do watch this space and see what we have been able to discover.

Happy Tailgating !

Filed Under: Accessories, Food

Tailgate Party Attire Doesn’t Have to be Beer Color – What Men Wear.

By Rawhide

Tailgating parties don’t have to be restricted to sporting events. Concerts, even religious meetings attract dyed-in-the-wool tailgaters. Heck, some people see a crowd and just have to pull into a generous car space in the lot, drag out the BBQ, turn on some loud music and start playing flip cup. Gals can usually figure out something cute to wear. But what is the dress-code for men? Let’s assume that if it is a prayer meet, then attendees will have some kind of level of decorum. You can still tailgate, party like a crazy person and go right on into the event and beg forgiveness. My friend pre-games at the opera and ballet. And there’s a fancy-schmancy dress-code including champagne flutes that would never do in one of my parking lots.

Pregaming shirt for the Ladies

But you can’t have her shirt.

Anyway, what do the guys wear? Is there a dress code seeing as how there will be grease splatter and beer-stains? Which could be the best of it.

Go for comfort, team spirit and durability. Washable makes sense. Layers for unpredictable weather.

Everyone is familiar with the concept of dressing for the sports tailgate party versus for a music concert. The simple equation is, for sport, dress for a home or away team. For music, do NOT dress for the performer, but go coooool till it hurts, finding an appropriate ironic t-shirt if you can.

Below, are some very suitable tailgating outfits for men, and I am talking ‘men who like beer, bacon, bourbon, a level of bawdiness and a mountain of BBQ’. NOTE to self. Investigate some cool bibs to wear when splashing and dripping that BBQ sauce. On second thoughts, do those bibs EVER look cool? Probably not.

Anyway, let’s start with Beer-themed clothing. You can never go wrong with this. Babies, especially, wear beer themed clothing well, but that’s another chapter.

Cornholer T-Shirt

Salute to the game! No, not the game IN the stadium, the one outside in the car-park. Designed and printed in the USA, this smart logo shirt is made from pre-shrunk 100% cotton (except for the grey version which is 90%-10% Poly-Cotton) and the collar is ribbed (double-needle) with taped neck and shoulders so that it will not stretch, sag or become misshapen. The design has been applied using 21st century technology and I am pleased to say, it is eco-friendly. Heat treatment sets the design and dyes so that it is color-fast. A high quality product, durable and comfortable yet smart enough to wear to any level of tailgate or home-gate party.

In the range created by this local, high-rated manufacturer, there are many slogans, graphics and designs that have been conceived specifically with the passionate tailgater in mind. They are also competitively priced and the shapes of the tees and sizes are well in line with today’s styles. Full range of 16 colors, that will harmonize with your team, and sizes from Small to XXXX-Large can be selected at checkout.

I Like Pig Butts and I Cannot Lie T-Shirt

I like Pig Butts and I Cannot Lie T-Shirt

And show your friends you are there for the pork. Nicely made and finished off and will be durable enough to last for a few seasons of pork rind dribbles and beer staining.

How about an Instant beard?

This Barbarian Beard and Beanie combo is really useful for cold-weather tailgate parties and when the whiskers are full of cheese dip and ketchup, you can just throw it in the wash.

Barbarian Beard and Beanie for Tailgate Party

There are a few different color combinations, not really in team tones but near enough. This purple one could do for a Lakers’ tailgate party. The beard is removable (Velcro) and the only annoyance there is that the yarn can stick to the Velcro easily and tangle up. But that’s easy to control by tucking it into the hat. Acrylic with 30% wool and the beanie is 100% acrylic. Bit of fun!

List Hockey Grey Youth T-Shirt

List Hockey T-Shirt to wear to a Hockey Tailgate Party

From Coed Sportwear, this shirt knows more about the game of hockey than most young guys … ‘You might be a hockey player if … your dentist is on speed dial ‘ and so on printed on the front. 100% cotton, the size range is YMDYXL.

Football and Beer in Idaho

This is the iconic Idaho Tailgate Party football/beer shirt. Will soak up those beer stains no worries. And celebrates the state… of inebriation.

I realize that hunting for t-shirts is like looking for shells on the beach. There are millions. Screen printed, 100% cotton for solid colors, the heather colors have between 10% and 35% synthetic component. Aand tells it like it is.

By far the favorite piece of clothing at tailgate parties is the hoodie. It has pockets, is usually cut wide enough so that you can layer wearables underneath to insulate you from the cold and that hood is the best invention ever. Those monks sure knew how to dress in 13th century Europe. Here is a list of my favorite hoodies for men from small to burly guys. Everyone looks equally cool in a hoodie.

Pop Over Hoodie – Team Colors

Arizona Cardinals Sunday Hoodie

This will keep you warm in the season and you can drink, eat, spill, whatever and then just throw it into the wash. Nothing super special about the design but it is not expensive. This means you can buy a few of these with different teams and conferences. Cotton 80%/Polyester 20%.

Here’s a jacket that says exactly what it means: You are the host with the most.
And you take tailgate parties seriously.

NFL Men’s Repeat Logo Ugly Business Jacket

As always, when you order this one, you need to select your own team and size. The range offered is amazing and I don’t know how they keep up!

And if a ‘sports jacket’ isn’t enough for you, then go the whole suit and you’ll be the hit of your tailgate party!

NFL Mens Repeat Logo Ugly Business Suit

And would I wear this to the office? Heck yeah! Well, only if we won that day.

Order a size larger than you normally wear and be aware that these are not lined. They are not luxury suits but a bit of a gag.

But wow, what a splash at the tailgate party when you show up!

Champion Men’s Champion Eco Fleece Full Zip Hoodie

Champion Men’s Full-zip Eco Fleece Hoodie Jacket

This is a low-priced, plain hoodie and the fabric that makes it up is partly spun from recycled fibers. Here’s the breakdown of the materials from their label: “Solid Body: 9.3oz, 80% Cotton, 20% Polyester. Oxford Body: 9.3oz, 75% Cotton, 25% Polyester. Granite Heather: 9.3oz, 52% Cotton, 48% Polyester. Solid Trim: 98% Cotton, 2% Sapndex; Oxford trim: 89% Cotton, 10% Polyester, 1% Spandex; Granite Heather.

Easily machine washed it has a reinforced neck (with signature tape) and a smartly lined hood for extra warmth and style. The fleece will keep you extremely warm and the wind is blocked out by the cotton component.

The hoodie design features a center pouch pocket and coil zippers for a classic look. This will keep you warm but it’s not not waterproof – the beer will not splash off but eventually soak in to reinforce your inner beeriness. Comes in lots of colors that will suit your team.

Dakine Men’s Wyeast Jacket

Dakine Wyeast Men’s Jacket – waterproof.

This is almost a complete weather control jacket and while it is not in team colors, it really stands out in a crowd but will protect you from everything life can throw at you. * Mental note: Wear while cornholing.*

Here’s a fully waterproof, has glove hooks at inner sleeve cuff, wrist gaiter and sleeve pass pocket, a regular hood and one handed drawcord system at front of hood, YKK Aquaguard Water resistant zippers, 2- way opening center front zipper and collar venting System, attached powder skirt with Lycra in case you also want to take it to the slopes, fully taped seams and mesh goggle pocket and much more.

What you need for tailgate parties is something that repels water, keeps the wind out and can be washed after you cover it with BBQ sauce and beer. (Read the labels for cleaning instructions).

I really appreciate the design of this jacket and know that it can get pretty vicious out there on the lot so you have to dress for extremes. Buy a size bigger so you can layer with a sweater underneath or a hoodie.

It has a large hood and the tightening cords are well anchored. The pockets are large and the coat is also vented so that you don’t feel claustrophobic. The one pictured is quite smart. If you want to make it into a team jacket, sew on a patch or two.

Men’s UA Tactical Fleece Hoody Tops by Under Armour – Navy

Under Armour Men’s Storm Tactical Job Fleece Great for Tailgate Parties

21st century men have discovered that Under Armour’s clothing line is not just for soldiers. The design elements in this Marine style lightweight thermal shell hoodie are not spectacular but the simplicity and generous sizing are in line with its Defense contracts. Charged cotton 80%/Polyester 20% (ie. treated to make it extremely waterproof) does keep water off and after a few months of wearing and washing, you can recharge it with any of the popular DWR sprays. This product will melt when exposed to extreme heat or open flames so don’t stand too close to the BBQ. Cotton-blend fleece, treated with Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish, repels water but stays breathable, for protection from whatever Mother Nature throws at you. Ultra-brushed interior is soft to the touch and traps heat like a champ, keeping you warm without any bulk. Lightweight, 4-way stretch construction improves mobility and comfort. Superior Moisture Transport System wicks sweat to keep you drier, longer. Ribbed cuffs and front pocket deliver stretchable comfort. These are in limited colors. Add patches … or look here for team colors (not logos).

MLB New York Yankees Thermabase Full Zip Jacket

MLB NY Yankees Thermabase Jacket

I think I have tracked down a good price on this classic baseball team jacket (the one pictured being for the Yankees). For tailgate parties, you can’t do much better than this. Support your team (Yankees in this case) with this Triple Peak Premier jacket from Majestic. The jacket is designed around Therma Base technology featuring moisture-wicking fabric so that you won’t have that sweaty buildup. Full-zip, waist to neck, 100% polyester woven tightly for protection, double collar, banded waist-band and hidden cuffs make this a great performer in the car-park. Four-way stretch fabric gives a windproof and waterproof protection and the classic design will take you from party to game and back again. The left sleeve features an authentic team logo. It is an Official garment with genuine team color-blocking.

Other features include:

Soft fleece lining

Locker loop

Quality embroidery

2 side seam ventilation zippers

2 front pockets

Olympic collar

At this time of the year when people are trying to put heatwaves behind them, they can sometimes sell fast, so get your order in quickly. Specify your team and size. If you intend layering clothing beneath (ie. if you live in somewhere freezing like North Dakota and feel the need for extra clothes) buy a size up.

MLB Detroit Tigers Shut Out Full-Zip Hooded Fleece Jacket, Navy

Detroit Tigers Hooded Jacket

Dakine Wyeast Men’s Jacket

Detroit Tigers Hooded Jacket

This is the Detroit Tigers MLB Spring 2013 Fleece by Majestic, that fine designer and manufacturer of team-wear. It’s available in all sizes and for all teams so tick the right boxes in your order at checkout. It features a Felt Tek patch for your team and the large hood can be tightened to shut out the wind. It’s light enough to wear under a waterproof jacket and the company says that will guarantee almost Arctic protection. That’s what you need in a carp-park when you are iced in with chilly beers. That and a rack of juicy ribs or some pulled pork.

Don’t forget to accessorize.

EZ Drinker Drink Vest

12-pack EZ Drinker Drink Vest

Here’s the 12-pack that has never seen the inside of a gym. The EZ Drinker Drink Vest is fun and practical, giving tailgaters the ability to tote six cans of their favorite brew to share (or not) with friends! Just don’t jump up and down while wearing it.

Made of waterproof black fabric, the belt fastens firmly in the back and features front and center personalization which can be ordered at checkout. Show up wearing this (filled with interesting brewskis) and you will create a sensation.

On that note … don’t forget to dress for success. Good luck to your teams and …

Happy Tailgating, folks !

Filed Under: Accessories, Gear

New Gadgets and Grill Accessories for Tailgate Party Guys – 2018

By Rawhide

New Gadgets for Tailgate Party Guys

The world of new gadgets for tailgate party guys has expanded considerably over the last couple of years. So I thought it was time to add some of my favorite things. These are some of the most useful and also many will be a talking point when you whip them out during the grill’n’beer process. New gadgets are often quite affordable too, so think about these when you are doing your next round of birthday/holiday/random occasion gift shopping. All are suited to males and it is a nice change to find something that is actually an easy choice for that fella in your life. Please note that women can use a lot of these gadgets. Well, OK then. ALL of these gadgets.

New Gadgets for Tailgate Party Grilling

The Stonebreaker Gloves – Tailgating Gloves

New gadgets for tailgate party guys

A pair of gloves with a beer opener built in? Yes please!

These gloves have been specifically designed for tailgate parties as they have a built in aluminum hex bottle cap opener in the pal of the right glove. Very highly rated, they are made of quality leather and there is stitching a-plenty to keep these bad boys on your hands while you are grilling. In truth, they are a tough as nails work glove which is a good safety element for the tailgate party. I like to have a lot of protection on my hands and wrists while grilling so that I avoid burns. These do the job and when you are not actually grilling, they still get use as the bottle opener. Super comfy to wear as they are lined with a soft material. You can actually pick up a grill (well,not red-hot, but darn hot) while wearing them. Previously, it was a hazard to drink and grill but now, it’s a cinch.

Of course, if you are a clumsy (or drunk) tailgater, you may prefer to get a pair of welding gloves with cuffs that come up to your elbows, but hey, I have never required that level of caution. Better still, get a pair of these extreme burn-proof arm guards and then you can take it off when you are not in extreme danger.

Magicook Folding Portable Grill Table with Hooks and Table Tops.

Here’s a nifty folding table that is as portable as anything you will ever need to stash in your tailgate party gear box. It has hooks for hanging cooking tools, heatproof gloves and other essential gear and 4 surfaces for prepping food or putting out drinks.

Magicook Folding Portable Cooking table for tailgate Parties

It’s really light weight yet durable and I can’t imagine anything better or more economical to take with you to the parking lot. In fact, you can fold and fit this table into a carry bag.

Ironcat 7020 Leather Heat Resistant Sleeve

New Gadgets for Tailgate Party Guys – Ironcat Leather Sleeves

I bought two pairs of the red Stonebreaker gloves (One pair of gloves for me and another for Ms. Rawhide and the same large size fits both of us so it’s almost a backup set in case we lose a glove) and a pair of the Ironcat sleeves just in case – which we share. The Ironcat sleeves snap closed and you can take them off easily when you are not handling hot items.

Stonebreaker’s glove range is awesome and I want to thank them for making these for tailgate party guys! I’ll be buying all my grillmates a pair for whatever occasion comes up.

Tailgate Mate Portable Party Table

Tailgate Mate Compact Portable Table

Here’s something that is way more useful than you would ever think. It is a table with spaces for cans, mugs or bottles and folds down to fit in the carry bag supplied with it. We all know that anything that you can fold up to pack is a bonus for the tailgate party and this is a great example. yet I have never seen them in the stores, just online. Maybe they haven’t taken it to the Shark Tank yet! The Red Solo cup fits perfectly. You can pack a few of these useful gadgets for tailgate party guys and distribute them around your spot in the lot and trust me, you will bless the day you bought them. The vial measurements are 22 x 10 x 11 inches. Make sure you spread the legs to its extremity so that it stays in place as there is not locking clip. But I haven’t had one fall apart. Specify your preferred color and you should be lucky to get one to match your team logo.

EZ Hitch Tailgate Table

Great gadget for Tailgate Party – EZ Hitch Table

The EX Hitch Tailgate Table is the compact, handy invention that puts tailgate parties into their place – on a tailgate. (NOTE THAT SUPPLY IS DELAYED AT THE MOMENT BUT PUT IN YOUR ORDER AND SEND THE MAKE A HURRY-UP. THESE ARE GREAT!) It’s a brilliant idea as you can slip this one into your vehicle and take it out and click it on in moments and voilà! You have a party. It literally takes less than a minute to set up and there’s a space for an umbrella to give you that essential shelter.

A free EZ Hitch umbrella is included as is a steel bottle opener that is part of the rig. The table has many positions so pick the way you want it to suit your site.

It’s high quality made from steel and plastic. Very new on the market.

The Simp-L-Shade

Lonely Guy’s Tailgate Party

Simp-L-Shade Tailgate Party Gadget

Gadgets for Tailgate Party Guys also includes ways to get shade. This umbrella shade stand (Simp-L-Shade) clicks into any 2″ hitch receiver and one person can mount it in seconds. The angle of the umbrella is resistant to wind gusts and it anchored to stay. The umbrella insert is 1-5″ which is OK for a patio umbrella . (Note that you use your own umbrella, what you are buying is this holder which is locally made with precision and very strong unlike some of the flimsy imports). And unlike the guy in the photo, be sure to firm up the arrangements on the day so your best buds will come to your tailgate party.

Simp-L-Shade easily inserts into any 2″ towing receiver, insert your own patio umbrella, tighten the screw and in seconds you have shade. Simp-L-Shade easily extends up to thirty five inches from vehicle to allow clearance for the tailgate, hatch, swing out doors or for access to the goodies in the back of the vehicle. Simp-L-Shade also easily adjust to five different angles to accommodate for the sun’s rotation to maximize shade. The Simp-L-Shade’s patented design allows for compact, easy storage when not required. Free limited lifetime warranty.

Portable Football Cooler

OK, so what’s better than a cooler? A cooler that looks like a football. Themed gadgets for tailgate party guys are fun on the day!

Tailgate Party gadget – football shaped cooler

It’s very much a practical novelty item but it is well-insulated and stands off the ground so will prevent stooping. Should be a good item for people with back problems as bending for those beers can be so darn exhausting. It holds more than 40 cans (that’s my share). It’s a good policy to stash food above the ground (Health bureaucracies insist on a minimum of 6″ off the ground to avoid contamination). It closes with a zipper, has a carrying case of its own as well as the box it was shipped in. It is simple to put up and take down. What more could a football fan want? 20″ x 20″ x 38″.

Make sure you come back to this article regularly because, as I find some quirky items, I’ll add them to this list. It’s a good stopping off point for gift-shoppers!

Happy tailgating in 2018!

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Filed Under: Accessories

Happy Holidays!

By Rawhide

… and Season’s Greetings, Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and most of all …

Happy Tailgating!

Here’s what’s on my wish list.

The Flame Boss 200 Wi-fi Kamado Grill Smoker Controller

Flame Boss WiFi Controller

What can I say? This is an awesome invention. Set your smartphone and you are free from being the smoker-slave. No more leaning over and peeking at the meat to see if it is done.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to grill and smoke that meat but sometimes with a beer in my hand, I lose track of time. Now you don’t have to do that as your app will babysit for you.

I hope Santa will be kind to me.

Lots of great games coming up. Is your tailgate party kit ready, packed for the next parking lot?

Happy tailgating folks!

Filed Under: Accessories

Is This the Greatest Tailgate Party Cooler Ever?

By Rawhide

I couldn’t wait to tell you all about this incredible piece of equipment for your tailgate party. It’s a cooler. No. It’s a PA system. No. It’s a bluetooth speaker system. Oh heck. It’s ALL of those things!

It’s the Tunes2Go CA-E065A Koolmax Bluetooth 350 watt portable speaker.

KoolMax Bluetooth Cooler Speaker Combo

This amazing piece of equipment comes in 4 colors so you can match your team logos and uniforms. It cuts down the bulk of gear you have to lug to the parking lot.

Holds 48 cans or 28 bottles of beer and is a 40 quart cooler.

When fully charged, you’ll get 16 hours of battery life and it has all the bells and whistles needed for a great central sound system for your tailgate party. XLR Mic input, bluetooth connection, USB port and so much more. You can check the specs here.

This link will take you to the best deal at the moment.

Great holiday gift for someone you really love (yourself, maybe?).

Then tailgate party on ! (and everyone will be jealous).

Filed Under: Accessories, Food

Cold Brew Kegerators For Tailgate Parties! Update 2018

By Rawhide

Cold Brew Kegerators: Brew Coffee & More

I bet you thought your kegerator could only do one thing – chill your brewski at your tailgate party. Wrong. In 2016, we now have Cold Brew Kegerators. So, Draft Beer or Draft Coffee? Both, thanks. Wine, tea, soda or *shudder* Kombucha and Kimchee? All of the above, you’re welcome.

Let’s leave small for later but here’s a big home brew kegerator that is around two thirds the price of normal 3 tap models:

Kegco Digital Home Brew Triple Faucet with Ball Lock Kegs Stainless Kegerator

Kegco HBK309B-1 Digital Home Brew Kegerator with 3 kegs

I love this model. At a pinch, yes, you can take it tailgate partying with you but it is full size and big.

It has all the bells and whistles including kegs that you know will fit. If you are a home-brewer then you will love this model. Kegco is a reputable brand. It has a wide temperature range allowing for fermenting and chilling, so you just keep the process contained. Press button deep chill finction ! Yesssss !

This kegerator dispenses up to three Cornelius ball lock Pepsi kegs. You can store a 6 gallon bucket or carboy during fermentation, or even store food, wine, kombucha *shudder* and other beverages. The HBK309S-3K’s spacious interior makes it perfect in the versatility stakes. The vitals of this kegerator are: 33″ H x 23-11/16″ W x 23-15/16″ D.

When your kegerator days are over, you can covert it to a fridge really easily (as if that time ever comes! But that’s what you tell whoever is standing in the way of your kegerator ownership, eh? ).

Very well reviewed.

From the biggest to the smallest – here’s the revolutionary Fizzics beer dispenser.

Fizzics revolutionary Beer Dispenser

Very fresh on the market, still being referenced on Shark Tank, the Fizzics is such a nifty way to serve draft beer that I am tempted to buy 6 of them and fill each with a different brewski. It runs on batteries (4 x AA) and you don’t need any nitro or other stuff to run it. Works with most bottles, cans or growlers. It is very new on the market but is universally loved already.

OK. That’s the small stuff. Bigger is better.

Before we progress to the cold brew kegerators, here’s the skinny on beer kegerators in 2016. From the outside, they don’t seem to have changed all that much since last year apart from some digital enhancements but in fact they have branched out. There are some big moves afoot. These chill-meisters are hot, hot, hot! Get used to names such as nitro coffee, javarators, tea-arators, winerators, sodarators, and yes, even those heinous kombucharators and kimchee dispensers.

Edgestar full size kegerator

What this diversity means is prices at the top seem to have dropped considerably. Initially, some bright spark invented kegerators designed for making cold-brew coffee (especially nitro) and other beverages as well as beer. Makes sense. Many consumers are resistant to buying single-use appliances and have found ways to broaden the use of kegerators. Coffee and beer are at the top of the list. Are the two compatible? Yup. They are. And,*shudder*, it’s true that some even can be used for kombucha. (Please do not bring that dragon’s bile to my tailgate parties especially if you have a neck beard and wear a hipster beanie.) Wine, cider, root beer and soda are forgivable. Did I mention many of the new kegerators dispense these – as well as tea – and of course, beer of all denominations? There are specialty taps for dark beers too. This new versatility, and the descending price, have made a kegerator the hottest new appliance in a man cave, tailgate party kit or just the kitchen. Wine cooler, move over. Just make sure the lines are 100% clean in between different beverages so you don’t get any cross-flavors and read up about the CO2 pressure you may need to apply to certain drinks. A side issue is that it was way easier to sell the idea to Ms. Tailgator when I mentioned that we could just as easily make cold-brew nitro coffee for her book club from the new kegerator. Read on for an introduction the best of the best dual purpose beer and cold-brew coffee kegerators.

Size matters:

Jacked Up Compact Cold Brew Coffee Making System

Jacked-Up Cold Press Coffee Making System

FYI multi-use Kegerators fall naturally into the category of full sized. ATM, there’s no compact alternative-use kegerator, though you can modify some to dispense other drinks. Choose one that is rated OK for homebrew. Some beer kegerators are classed as portable and others should be installed in place and left alone. The combo beer + coffee kegerators are all full size as they need to accommodate a nitrogen tank and at least one 5 gallon ball-lock keg. (Kickstarters and funding sites are still working on finessing compact versions. The highly anticipated Jacked Up cold press coffee maker is cheap, cute and portable though it doesn’t do a proper cascading pour, so there’s a bit of disappointment in its design.

Pour overs don’t fulfill the promise either as you need that whole nitro technology and cascading pour plus the kegerator system to store the coffee to avoid throwing out the brew at the end of the day.

Note also that some kegerators from our old articles are no longer made and the ones below, you will notice, have either dropped in price or stayed the same for years despite everything else becoming unaffordable. It has to do with popularity driving the prices down. Some have also been modified and improved as a result of feedback from buyers. Follow the links and have one sent, pronto, so that you can practice your smooth tailgate party moves before this year’s Super Bowl. Or next year’s.

So, where do you start? I have just put together a representative list. Of course, outside that, there are quite a few choices in the range and eventually I hope to test and cover many of them.

The specifications of the Edgestar coffee and beer dispenser are pretty much the gold-standard for versatile drinks dispensers. So I have spelled that one out in detail. Following that description, there is a list of other recommended kegerators that suit a variety of purposes.

EdgeStar S/S Dual Tap Cold Brew Coffee + Beer Dispenser

Meet the versatile EdgeStar Cold Brew Kegerator which could well be the star of your tailgate party. Note that it is ‘currrently unavailable’ on amazon.com but it may be worth writing to the makers to see if you can revive interest.

Dual Tap Edgestar kegerator for coffee

It’s a way to have all the beer you want and follow that up with all the cold brew coffee you need before you leave the tailgate party. This is what the EdgeStar Dual Tap Cold Brew Coffee + Beer Dispenser with Digital Display can do for you, (currently unavailable but you can go on the wait list) combining your two great loves at that other great iconic get-together, the tailgate party. I recommend this one for the man-cave as it is large, professional-looking and will be the centerpiece of your tailgate gate party (well, apart from the 60” TV with the game on it).

You may not want to haul ass this elegant appliance to your parking lot tailgate party. Yet I do know people who have done exactly that, mounting the kegerator in back of their pickup trucks and running their tailgate party from it as though it’s a food truck. It may be time to rethink the format and layout of the tailgate party and step it up a-piece. But I digress.

This EdgeStar stainless steel dual tap kegerator has been designed for the progressive office: perfect cold brew coffee in the morning, happy hour beers at 5 pm, then more coffee before heading home. IMHO, that’s a fine balance for a tailgate party not just life at the office. I think you get the picture.

This model includes a fully insulated draft tower, the coffee faucet – which, by the way, has a ‘*cascading pour feature’ to ensure a top quality crema on your coffee.

PLUS there is the regular beer faucet, a set of classic tap handles which you can switch out to something to suit your taste, 2 Sankey couplers (but I recommend you buy a couple of extras) a dual gauge nitrogen regulator and a CO2 regulator. Tanks included are 1 x 5lb nitrogen tank (for the coffee) and 1 x 5lb CO2 tank (for the beer).

You can easily check the temperature on this kegerator as it has a digital display. You can set it and forget it using the touch controls.

So what does it hold? The cabinet can easily store 2 x sixth barrel kegs (or one of these plus a 5 gallon ball lock keg), gas tanks and all the other equipment required. If you are running a dual system, you may put your nitro tank outside at the back of the unit. (With some kegerators, you need to run dual lines (two separate beverages), you may need to drill the holes a little larger. Check that this does not void your warranty. But with the EdgeStar, it’s all there for you.)

This freestanding EdgeStar Cold Brew kegerator, including castors for ease of moving from room to room or location to location, comes in black or stainless steel so when you order, be sure to click on the correct finish wrap for your décor. It is also amazingly inexpensive at the moment given that it has been designed for stout style beers (such as Guinness or Negro Modelo or your own home brew). Two refrigerator shelves are included so that it can double as a fridge as required.

The temperature adjusts from 32-50degrees F which is 0-10 degrees C. These are optimum beverage temperatures and the deep chill mode ensures your beer will be frosty cold with the perfect head.

And it is guaranteed for 1 year (parts) and 90 days (labor). The company gives great service and follow-up with any questions or issues.

As indicated above, note that it is on backorder at the moment. But make contact with the company and they will add you to their waiting list which I hope is being reduced by the day.

Kegco Kombucherator

If Kombucha is your thing, then this Kegco Kombucherator is made for you. (Available here: https://www.kegco.com/beer-dispensing/kegerators/double-faucet/kom19b-2/)

It has all the parts necessary including a digital display and that makes maintaining that temperature for fermentation a snap. Looks like a kegerator. And it is a kegerator. But there you go! Versatility personified. Remember to clean the lines carefully in between uses.

EdgeStar Winerator

Full Size Dual Tap Stainless Steel Wine Dispenser

Edgestar Winerator – Wine Dispenser

No matter if you plan to serve wine by-the-glass or by-the-carafe, this system saves you money by keeping the bulk purchased wine fresh and true to its terroir, is great for the environment in saving bottles and corks. If you have winos at your tailgate party, this is a great investment.

This is the EdgeStar wine dispenser and an environmentally responsible way to drink wine. It makes for a great money-saving as well as being green. You can keep beer in one side and wine in the other if you add a CO2 tank for the beer side and an additional regulator. Price-wise, it’s a huge bargain at the moment. All dispensing components are wine-certified, and that includes the barrier tubing preventing oxygenation and the 304 stainless steel faucets required to avoid any cross-flavors. You just need to find a provider of wine kegs near you or order them through your wine dealer or http://wineberry.com/wine-on-tap/

http://www.kegerator.com/edgestar-wine-keg-dispenser-wine-on-tap-system/WKC2000.html?utm_campaign=cj&utm_medium=aff&aff_id=1002&utm_source=1490881&mtcpromotion=cj

They tell me that this can double as a cigar humidor! That makes it even better value for some folks.

Anyway, if you need to convert it back exclusively to beer dispensing, that’s a cinch. Just replace the current tank valve or switch the tank itself to a CO2 tank and you are ready to dispense beer.

Sodarator, Meadarator, Ciderator and more

Kegco Full-Size Digital Homebrew Kegerator Triple Faucet Stainless with Ball Lock Kegs

Triple tap Kegco kegerator full size

Even though Kegerators were designed for beer, they are also excellent for Cider, Root Beer, Mead, sodas of all kinds. Having a kids’ party? Then dispense the sodas from your kegerator. This triple tap kegerator is ideal and if you need more space for nitro or additional tanks, you can store them behind the appliance. Beer lines must be cleaned thoroughly before changing beverages. There is a real accent on sterilising the 0-rings and beer lines. (I advise you to have a few spares of each plus a handy beer line cleaning kit ).

By regularly purging air with CO2, you can remove some of the possible yeast contamination that might be present in your keg. Yeast could cause your sodas, mead or soda to ferment. Attach your CO2 gas canister to the keg and pull your safety valve for ten seconds which will replace the air with CO2.

Then, when it’s all clean, Just fit a keg of a non-alcoholic beverage into one of your kegerator’s taps and make a few easy tweaks to increase the CO2 pressure to dispense sodas such as root beer, cola, ginger ale.

You can buy a dual or triple tap version and vary the drinks.

How to Setup a Kegerator to Serve Nitro Coffee

Generally speaking, you will find instructions in the kit. But if you don’t like reading instructions here is a quick outline and a link to an easy video. Some manufacturers or sellers include a link to a video and if you don’t find one of those, check out Youtube inputting your model number.

Assemble the kegerator hardware

Plumb the gas and beverage lines and keep them scrupulously clean in between brews

Mount the supplied draft tower

Install a stout faucet for the cascading pour feature

Connect the gas and liquid lines to the keg

Install the gas to use for nitro coffee

Set the pressure to use when serving nitro coffee

Practice pouring with a stout faucet

Change the taps to ones of your choice if you desire. The chalkboard ones allow you to describe the contents. Use a wet chalk pen so it doesn’t erase.

A short Glossary of Javarator terms

*Cascading pour regulates the way the beverage is dispensed and ensures full body in every drink.

*Crema is that foam you get on well-brewed pure coffee before the cream or milk arrives. In quality coffee, you can get a head as great as a cappuccino, yet there’s nothing added.

*Check out this Youtube video showing hints for setup and use. It’s a detailed video which spells it out. You may need to play it a few times.

Here’s a general instructional about putting together your kegerator:

Step-by-Step: Kegerator Assembly Guide

Warning! Warning! There’s actually a Kimchi kegerator.

Samsung Kimchee refrigerator

Please don’t try to put beer in this one.

Finally, let’s say that as kegerators have moved out of the shadows they have become better engineered and the service from the manufacturing companies is a lot better. This is by no means a complete list but it should be a good starting point for you to flick through the choices available on line. No matter what the weather, even if your team loses, even if the BBQ runs out of gas mid-sear, at least you will get the beverages right. (Currently, you need to put your name on their wait list).

Happy tailgate partying!

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Filed Under: Accessories, Beverages Tagged With: beverage, brew, coffee, cold brew coffee, Kegerator, Tailgate Party

Best Slow Cookers for Tailgate Parties – Slow Cooker Reviews 2017

By Rawhide

Why buy slow cookers?

In a fun few weeks of cooking and eating, we’ve reviewed the best slow cookers for tailgate parties (as well as a few slow cooker accessories too!).

Seems every tailgate party I go to these days, there are slow cookers of all kinds. They come in large to small, to portable and massive, the latter preferred for home-gating. The best slow cooker for your particular need is one of the most efficient accessories for tailgating or home-gating. Luckily for us, there are many awesome slow cookers on the market! It’s almost like the slow cooker was invented just for tailgating. Or, maybe tailgating was invented for slow cookers… If you’re interested in finding the best slow cooker, then read on.

Crockpot Slow Cookers are awesome

Whatever you call them – the generic ‘slow cooker’ or eponymous ‘Crock Pot Slow Cooker’ is a magical appliance: it’s definitely labor-saving. You can cook pretty darn good meals on ‘set and forget’ that make beer taste even better at any tailgate party. While the stews, chilis, gumbo and the like really shine in winter, you can eat slow cooker food all year round. And easy? I would concur. Generally, the cooking process just involves throwing in a heap of stuff. And there are many awesome recipes that give variations on this randomness. If you are a fan of pulled-pork and would rather spend time drinking beer at your tailgate party than cooking and cleaning, (and who does not fit that description?) honestly, do yourself a favor and get one of the range of slow cookers. The cold weather is kicking in to the Lower 48 to coincide with the football season. So I have been experimenting with these remarkable machines already. Slow cookers do so much to make a tailgate party rock that it is crazy.

Is it the best slow cooker for the way you party?

Your ‘best’ slow cooker may not be everybody’s ‘best’ but there are some fundamental aspects to check out with tailgate partying first and foremost in mind.

The first thing to realize is that there are three main levels of slow cooker: small, medium and large. Pick your size with your requirements in mind and then you can start looking at the levels of programmability that each features. For starters, here is a checklist of features you need to be looking for.

Capacity:

Shape eg. Round or oval – note that oval slow cookers are designed to take whole poultry and cuts of meat say, for pot roast or pulled pork made from a whole pork butt. The round ones hold any diced meats, fish, stews, rice, curry, dips, you name it.

Programmable control on the body of the slow cooker itself – the ability to cook from scratch in the slow cooker pot with a variety of temperatures.

Temperature that the food can rest at. This must be over 145°F for Food Handlers’ Health Dept. standards.

Suitable for frying or baking – some slow cookers cook risotto like a dream and you can even make jam or chutney in them. Even no-frills slow cookers are very versatile. And then there are really hi-tech models.

Power connection – cable/cord long enough? Too long? Retractable?

Weight of the Unit. You want something manageable for a tailgate party so that it fits in your kit. You may end up buying a small one for dips, a large one for pulled pork.

Price – whatever you want to spend depends on how important your tailgate partying is to you and your buds.

So here’s the skinny on slow cookers, from the smallest to the biggest domestic versions.

Small slow cookers

The Little Dipper

Crockpot Little Dipper

Keeping the tailgate party foremost in our planning, let’s start small: the first ones are all around $10 a unit (the Triple Dipper of course, is 3 times that). What these Slow Cookers have in common is that they are cheap, party friendly and compact. They are not for the large scale tailgate party unless you have a power source and a few of them. But as host gifts for the tailgate party go, these are perfect, starting with the baby of them all, the Crock Pot Little Dipper.

Crock-Pot Model 32041-C 16-Ounce Little Dipper, Chrome.

Check out these cute 2-cup units that look are a fab idea for setting up a variety of hot dips as a centerpiece to our tailgate party table. With the brand ‘Crock-Pot’, you know they invented a product built to North American Electrical standards. So it’s safe and well-designed. Despite that, it’s extremely inexpensive and not recognized as top of the range so it is accessible. You certainly can line up a heap of hot, spicy, cheesy dippers and supply some crusty bread, pretzels and appropriate beers.

Capacity, The Little Dipper slow cookers hold 2 cups. 16 oz. That’s a lot of dip.

Shape. Round, mainly for gravies, sauces, dips, melting chocolate, cheese etc.. You could cook a Quail, Squab or Cornish hen but nothing larger.

Materials: The Little Dipper Slow Cooker is finished in Chrome with black food grade plastic.

Programmable control – no. It has one temperature.

Temperature – it holds the food at the temperature that the food can rest at. Must be over 145°F for Food Handlers’ Health Dept. standards. This holds the food at 155-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Can tend to bubble so then you can turn it off. Don’t let it get lukewarm if it has meat or dairy in the recipe. Gastro alert!

Suitable for frying or baking – People use these little crock pot cuties for candle making (wax melting) potpourri diffusers and anything else you can think of that needs a constant temperature. They are really good for the long cook required for making your morning oatmeal. Won’t burn or boil over.

Weight of the Unit. 1 pound.

Price – cheap.

Pros – excellent for packing. Great for hot dips. Good for taking to work as well as the tailgate party for a nutritious-delicious desk lunch. Cheap.

Cons: You can’t remove the pot from the unit for easy cleaning. Cleaning is a bit of a challenge. The lid is not Pyrex or even glass so you can’t check the progress of the cooking.

Hamilton Beach Party Dipper Food Warmer

Hamilton Beach Model 33101 Dipper

Hamilton Beach Food Warmer

Capacity, 2 cups. 16 oz.

Shape. Round, Removable ceramic bowl for easy cleaning. 2 1/2 inches deep and has a 4 inch diameter.

Materials: finished in Chrome and black food grade plastic. Glass lid. Ceramic interior bowl.

Programmable control – no. You need to use an exterior timer if you need a timing feature.

Temperature – this holds the food at 155-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Reaches 190 degrees. It will retain this heat for an hour or so but after that, be careful as at that point the food will move out of the safety zone. Discard any food after two hours or put into the fridge/icebox.

Suitable for frying or baking – Good for keeping pre-cooked dips warm safely, chocolate, cheese/jalapeño, wax melting, soap making, potpourri. As well as lining up dips on the table at the tailgate party.

Weight of the Unit. 1 pound.

Pros – Hamilton Beach are very good to deal with. Exchanges are simple. Very inexpensive and no-frills. The Hamilton Beach slow cooker range is guaranteed lead free. It may be alarmist of me, but I just like a declaration of being lead free. I would recommend the use of a slow cooker liner bag (and that makes cleaning even easier).

Cons: Outside gets really hot. Has no switch. Just plugs in to the wall. Very short lead.

Crock-Pot Little Triple Dipper, Silver and Black

Chocolate in the Little Triple Dipper Slow Cooker

Crockpot Little Triple Dipper Slow Cooker

The most popular tailgate party table is one with plenty of variety. The Crockpot Little Triple Dipper is a terrific way to cook and transport three separate dishes/dips at a time. Make three really crowd-pleasing dips or even three styles of mac’n’cheese, pop pre-made dishes into the Little Triple Dipper bowls then into the carry bag and off you go. They are held at a food-safe temperature for at least an hour. As well, the clean up is a breeze as this model has both the glass lids users love and ceramic, removable dishes. I have even put all the bowls into the dishwasher with no ill effects.

Capacity, 3 x 16 oz. cookers. That is around 6 cups of food. Dips, gravies etc..

Shape: each slow cooker segment is round but they fit snugly into a triangular shape.

Programmable control – no, only one temperature.

Temperature – food safe. Rather hot. It can develop a solid surface or skin so give it an occasional stir.

Suitable for frying or baking – no, just keeping pre-made food hot and safe to eat. OK for fondue. The thing with these is that you have to pre-make the recipe and then hold it at a food safe temperature.

Weight of the Unit. 4.5 pounds. Ships at 5.9 pounds.

Price – cheap. Includes carry bag.

Pros – 3 dips in the one space. It is compact and value for money. Has it’s own carry bag.

Cons: You can’t really cook in it apart from fondue. Pre-make your dishes on the day before the tailgate party then hold at food safe in these dishes. This should get you through a tailgate party appetizer round with ease.

Medium slow cookers:

What is the medium size for a Slow Cooker? It seems to be somewhere around the 3 quart mark.

Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

Cuisinart Slow Cooker

Chefs rate this Cuisinart programmable slow cooker really highly. It is not the latest model and the consensus is that most of the newest range cook at too high a temperature due to FDA upping the food-safe level. Cuisinart is a good and reliable brand. I have a few of their products and they are well designed, looking good on the counter as well as being functional.

Capacity, 3 and a half quarts. This is enough for 2 huge full meals with leftovers. Or a mac’n’cheese for a small crowd.

Shape: Oval – you can fit a medium chicken or a small turkey in this. Glass lid, dishwasher safe pot and lid. Easy clean.

Materials – brushed steel, glass lid, ceramic pot – stay-cool handles. BPA free in every part of the slow cooker that comes in contact with food. Lead free.

Programmable control – 4 cooking modes – high, low, simmer, and warm – with a touchpad control panel and 24 hour LCD countdown timer which means you can set it and forget it even the night before you go to work and then return to a yummy dinner.

Temperature – food safe. Has an automatic keep-warm program.

Suitable for frying or baking – No.

Weight of the Unit. 9.5 pounds. Ships at 11.3. (Includes recipe book)

Price – average. A little more than anticipated because it is equipped with time-saving features which make it your slave.

Pros – good for family use. Will cook rice. This should get you through a tailgate party appetizer round. Fully programmable and can be set the night before and cook long and slow before you leave for the tailgate party.

Cons: None.

Crock-Pot Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker SCVT650-PS, 6.5-Quart, Silver

Easy Clean Slow Cooker from Crock-Pot

Crock-pot Slow Cooker silicon handles

Crock-pot touchscreen slow cooker

Made by Crock Pot, this programmable touchscreen slow cooker ticks many boxes but sacrifices others.

Capacity, 6 and a half quarts. Not sure whether to class this as medium or large but to my mind the large capacity is over 7 quarts. Very commodious, plenty of leftovers or food for a big crowd. Try it on chili and you will see what I mean. You could probably buy two of these – one for the beans and fixings and the other for the meat and it would feed a couple of dozen tailgaters.

Shape: Oval – you can fit a turkey in this slow cooker. Glass lid, dishwasher safe pot and lid. Easy clean.

Materials – polished stainless steel, glass lid, stoneware pot which makes it a bit heavy but the solidity also means it’s not easily broken which is good for tailgate parties where a bit of rough housing tends to happen – metal handles with stay-cool wraps built in but also take some pot holders as the edges tend to get hot. BPA free in every part of the slow cooker that comes in contact with food. Lead free. The stainless steel finish is very easy to clean. Just protect from dings by maybe investing in an insulated carry bag.

Temperature – food safe. Has an automatic keep-warm program.

Suitable for frying or baking – Yes.

Weight of the Unit. 15.6 pounds. Stated that it ships at 15.8 which seems a little low. (Includes recipe book)

Price – Inching up to the $100 mark but it is solid state and one of these can feed a dozen of your best buds.

Pros – good for family use as well as tailgate parties so if you want one for the game, this is easy to sneak in. Will cook rice. Has a warranty. Stainless steel – love that. Touchscreen panel makes it easy to program. Has a bonus cookbook.

Cons: None that I can see. So far, this is my fave and perfection is reached at a tailgate party with the Triple Dipper alongside it for variety of sides.

Large slow cookers:

Or you can get a grand size that will feed a heap of hungry buds.

Crock-Pot 6 quart Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker

Crock-Pot Cook and Carry slow cooker

Capacity- This Crock Pot holds 6 quarts. This is enough for 7 meals or a 6lb roast.

Crock-Pot Cook and Carry Slow Cooker

Shape: Oval – you can fit a large chicken or a medium turkey in. Glass lid, dishwasher safe ceramic pot. Easy clean in the dishwasher.

Materials – brushed steel, glass lid, ceramic pot – stay-cool handles. BPA free in every part of the slow cooker that comes in contact with food.

Programmable control – Digital display 4 cooking modes – high, low, simmer, and warm – with a touch-pad control panel and 24 hour LCD countdown timer for set and forget cooking and also with a digital countdown readout to give you the heads-up on how much time you have for preparing accompaniment dishes.

Temperature – food safe. Has an automatic keep-warm program. If you are not around when the food reaches its cooked state, it automatically switches to a safe cook-warm mode.

Suitable for frying, roasting or baking

Weight of the Unit. 8 pounds. Ships at 13 pounds. (Includes recipe book)

Pros – For your tailgate party, this is one of the ultimate units as you can fit in a whole pork butt to make pulled pork or a ton of chicken wings and you can still fit it in your vehicle. Nice and light.

Cons – An off smell when new. Treat as above by doing a discarded pre-cook and then it is fine. Made in China – check this for lead content before you buy.

Elite Platinum MST-900R MaxiMatic Stainless Steel Slow Cooker, 8.5-Quart

Elite Platinum 8.5 quart slow cooker

This is the grand-daddy of domestic slow cookers and if you have crowds at your tailgate parties, then check out this 8.5 quart capacity large pot. And it even comes in red! Oh, and it is a very cheap model with no digital capacity but maybe that’s OK. With the bumping around tailgate party pots can put up with, you can rest assured that after a few dings you can afford to replace it.

Capacity, 8.5 quarts. You can fit a turkey in it, 2 small chickens, a medium chunk of ham or pork butt.

Shape: Oval – Glass lid, aluminum interior pot. Easy clean – just wipes right out and is non-stick.

Materials – brushed steel in red, white or stainless, glass lid, ceramic pot – stay-cool handles. BPA free in every part of the slow cooker that comes in contact with food.

Programmable control – Has a knob to indicate the 3 cooking modes – high, low, keep warm.

Temperature – food safe. The keep warm setting is a little hot but it won’t poison you. Just make sure to monitor that (through the glass lid) and if it is crusting around the edges, turn it off and restart after 15 minutes.

The Elite is suitable for stews, mac’n’cheese, wings, rice.

Weight of the Unit. 16 pounds. Ships at 18 pounds. (Includes recipe book)

Pros: For your tailgate party, you can cater for a crowd with chili for around 10 people or as an accompaniment, 20. Very light weight which is good if you need to stash it on a high shelf or transport to your tailgate party in the parking lot Nice color. This slow cooker has a tight gasket around the lid to prevent spills and boil-overs. Don’t fill more than 2/3. Food doesn’t stick or burn. Easy to clean. For tailgating the large size is satisfactory to transport and the handles don’t get hot. Transport it in its own travel pack (optional – see below under accessories!)

Cons: When brand new, it smells of plastic and washing does not remove the odor. I had read this in reviews and for the first cook I did a vanilla spray, then wiped with oil and boiled some water. Then cooked again using just some meat for the dog. I figured he wouldn’t mind the off-flavor. And he didn’t. I boiled up a chicken and he was happy to wolf that down. No more smell after. Keep warm setting is a little hot – in fact almost boiling. This is tricky as all new slow cookers now must comply with FDA requirements for food safety and hence the higher temp. Be careful of the dish inside. Extremes of temperatures may crack it.

The aspirational slow cooker!

KitchenAid KMC4244CA Multi-Cooker with Stir Tower – Candy Apple

KitchenAid slow cooker

OK, I am including this little beauty – the Kitchen Aid Multi Cooker with its buddy, the Stir Tower -because it comes in Ferrari red and also there’s a Porsche black model so that’s got to be worth something. There are so many teams that feature red and black that these will look like you planned the whole kitchen around your fandom. But I digress. It is also genius when it comes to cooking as they do all the standing and stirring for you.

KitchenAid Slow Cooker Stir Tower

It doesn’t totally fit the mold of Slow cookers as it is high tech with over 10 cooking methods, 4 step-by-step modes with a stir tower that agitates the food during the process. The temperature is perfect throughout and the food is flipped and stirred to perfection. What does it do? It slow cooks at the same time as the stirring process to eliminate the cold spots in your old fashioned crock pot. You can make risotto without even being in the room.

KitchenAid multicooker slow cooker

The Kitchenaid Multi Cooker’s settings are basically risotto, rice, sear, sauté, simmer, soup, yogurt , boil/steam, slow cook high and low, keep warm – all programmable over 24 hours but there are many variants in between.

Capacity, 4 quarts. This is enough for 4 meals or a 4lb roast.

Shape: round. Plus the stir tower at one end. Stir tower, roasting rack, steam basket.

Materials –Tempered glass lid. Silicone flip and stir paddle, silicone flex edge blade.

Programmable control – Digital display.

Temperature – food safe. Has an impressive multi-function digital display and is easy to control and always within food safety range.

Suitable for frying, roasting or baking and deep frying.

Weight of the Unit. 16.5 pounds. Ships at 22.4 pounds. (Includes recipe book). Pot itself is not heavy, just the stirrer.

Pros: Great color. Sort of Ferrari red. Even though the interior can get up to 450 degrees, the exterior is still cool to the touch. Ideal for taking to the tailgate party with a mass of chili within its ‘cooking chamber’. The pot is super easy to clean – just wipe with soapy water and rinse. Makes great custards and ice-cream bases as it does the stirring for you. No more split/curdled mixture. Sears and cooks pot roast in the same pan perfectly.

Cons: Stay tuned. Let’s see if Ms. Tailgater can find any! So far she loves it … It’s a different method of cooking so be sure to read the manual. You can even make *shudder* …. yoghurt. If yoghurt is here, can quinoa be far behind? Well, not at my tailgate party. Not sure my buds would agree to that as an accompaniment to beer. The stirring tower is a bit noisy, but that’s to be expect. So am I when stirring risotto or mac’n’cheese and that’s just the Blake Shelton repertoire. While it is supposed to be dishwasher safe, I probably would not. I don’t put any Teflon type non-stick substances in the dishwasher but hand-wash for longevity and integrity of the coating. No cookbook except an E-cook-book which you only get by contacting Kitchenaid to register the machine.

But that’s not a hard yard.

Slow Cooker Accessories

Crock-Pot Travel Bag for 7-Quart Slow Cookers, Black

Crock-Pot slow cooker carry bag

Keep your slow cooker looking schmick by transporting it to the tailgate party in this specially designed travel bag. The pictured one is designed for the 7 quart, but you will find quite a few different sizes.

The zipper closure keeps the cold air out and it’s made of tough nylon so should give you a few years of service.

Crock Pot leads the way in all these slow cooker accessories and this bag is highly recommended!

Make the Slow Cooker experience easy! Use a liner.

Crock Pot Slow Cooker Liners

Crock-Pot liners for slow cookers

I only recently discovered these great Crock-Pot liners that fit any sized slow cooker from 3 to 7 quarts. Wow, they save a lot of cleaning! Note that they are BPA free and will hold anything from soups to roasts and there is no taste imparted to your food during the cooking process. They don’t melt and will fit either oval or round slow cookers.

Anything that makes the tailgate party experience easier for the host is fine by me.

Pulled Pork Shredder Claws

STRONGEST BBQ MEAT FORKS – Shredding Handling & Carving Food – Claw Handler Set for Pulling Brisket from Grill Smoker or Slow Cooker – BPA Free Barbecue Paws

Pulling that pork with the bear claws

These are a really good buy at the moment. Must be tailgate season! Or pork season? Anyway, these make shredding that melt-in-your-mouth pork a breeze instead of the messy chore that you know it can be. Normal forks don’t do justice to the pork, making the pieces too small. Tailgate parties don’t do much. These are just right.

Bear claws for pulled pork and more

They are bear claw shaped so that you can scrape the pork into soft, melt-in-your-mouth chunks then pick up the shredded meat and serve without dropping it in the parking lot. BPA free, naturally.

Food safety with your slow cookers

For food safety, consider buying one of these to add to your tailgate party kit.

Temperature probe for slow cooker

Particularly with the small slow cookers, it’s worth checking the temperature throughout the day. If the temperature drops below 135 degrees, discard the contents.

And finally, a couple of essential…

Slow cooker recipe ideas

Slow cooker recipe book

Make the Slow Cooker experience DELICIOUS. You can buy many recipe books and here are a couple of classics involving wings and pork.

Buffalo Wings, Slow cooker style.

Ingredients

2 lb wings.

1 cup buffalo wing sauce

1 pkt Ranch seasoning and a pinch of salt, pepper and some chives for garnishing. Ranch dressing also for serving/dipping.

Directions

Throw chicken wings in a large slow-cooker then mix together buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour that mixture over chicken wings stirring to coat.

Put the lid on and cook on high until cooked through, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

After wings are cooked, transport to your tailgate party on baking sheets lined with foil or parchment. Heat the grill. Grill until crispy, 5 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve with ranch dressing as a dip.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas – someone gave me this recipe so apologies to whoever wrote it as there was no source quoted..

Yield: Serves 6-8 as a meal but at a Tailgate Party – up to 20

Ingredients

pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into large chunks

1 onion, peeled and quartered

3 (2-inch) strips orange zest and lime zest. Do with a veggie peeler and make them large enough to find and remove at the end.

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

5 garlic cloves, finely minced not crushed.

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 bay leaves

Directions

Place the pork in the bottom of a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Add everything else and toss the pork pieces so the spices are evenly distributed.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (or high for 5 to 7 hours).

Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a 9X13-inch or similar-sized oven-safe dish. Use two forks to shred the pork.

Pour everything (solids and liquid) from the slow cooker into a strainer set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Discard the solids and reserve the liquid.

To crisp the edges of the pork (this is optional but delicious), preheat the broiler to high and position an oven rack about 6-8 inches away from the heating element. Pour about 1 cup of the reserved liquid over the pork in the pan. Broil the pork (watching closely!) for a couple minutes until it is brown and crispy in spots. Give the pork a good stir/turn and broil again until some of the edges crisp up a bit. You still want the pork to be nice and tender so don’t overcook it here – and keep an eye on it as a broiler can take food from beautifully browned to burned in seconds.

Season the pork with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving plate or platter, if desired. Use additional liquid from the slow cooker to moisten the pork as needed. Serve with lime wedges, tortillas, fresh cilantro and other toppings of your choice. At this point it can be covered with foil and transported to the tailgate party in a hot bag. Heat tortillas on your grill flat top and fill with the pork or alternatively, use baguettes cut to size for individuals.

Happy tailgating!

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Filed Under: Accessories, Food Tagged With: recipes, Review, slow cooker, Tailgate Party

Tailgate Party Supplies — The Monster List 2017

By Rawhide

Tailgate parties are monumental fun. But they can also be hard work. For the party planner, the cook, the person who packs and unpacks the vehicle, that is. We think you, the host, should be really organized with the food, entertainment, booze, games, the setup and breakdown. Best way to do that? Make a list of everything you ever thought you might need at your tailgate party site. Now read on for our updated monster list of tailgate party supplies, 2017!

Tailgate Party Supplies – Notebook

Make a list of tailgate party supplies you need

Make a list. Get a plain old noteb ook or do it on your Smartphone such as ‘Ultimate to do list’. Hey, that’s what I am doing. Follow it as best you can. It’s not a bad idea to maintain an ongoing tailgate party record from week to week of what you served, any site problems and the best games for your buds and then you can contact us and let us in on your experiences from site to site.

Read up and get some inspiration.

Of course, books such as this Game Day Fan Fare are fun to browse though and you will get some ideas on how to make your tailgate party a success. Or just read each section here on our site that we have collated for you over the years we have been researching and writing all about awesome tailgating. There are also some good magazines and TV shows that feature tailgate parties.

Game Day Fan Fare inspires tailgate party supplies

Dress Rehearsal for Tailgate Party Supplies

Set up your tailgate party kit by staging it in a room. Lay out everything you want to take and make sure it fits in your vehicle. Each year, we seem to gather more and more bits and pieces that are seen as standard equipment. One year it just didn’t fit so I bought a trailer hitch AND a rack. Just remember that your space in the parking lot is limited but if you have a small car with a trailer hitch or rack like this 60″ Folding Truck Car Cargo Carrier Basket Luggage Rack Hitch Hauler and you will fit everything more easily. Otherwise, buy a Silverado.

Trailer hitch to cart your tailgate party supplies

Contain your tailgate party supplies

Containers: some well-designed, well-sealed pantry containers can hold salads, meat, marinades, pie of course and cream. I don’t buy round or odd shaped ones but hunt out square ones with the straightest sides possible. These Rubbermaid plastic boxes don’t leak and when empty, the modular containers will fit inside each other for the trip home and the lids also clip together. We know they are not just for Tailgate Parties, but they are red and that could easily match a team logo or Solo Cup …

Keep Tailgate Party Supplies boxed

A Kegerator is the foundation of tailgate party supplies

You WILL need a Kegerator: get a nifty portable kegerator for travel (The Avanti Kegerator holds nearly 13 gallons.

Avanti Portable Kegerator

Then have something like this Edgestar Kegerator full sized at home for the big kegs and home-gating.

Edgestar Ultra Low Temperature Kegerator

Or if you have a large truck and a big party, bring your full sized kegerator too – even a double tap model – but scope out where the source of electricity is, well in advance of the day. Note that we have examined many kegerators and you can read all about it in an article devoted to just those we felt were tailor made for tailgate party use.
You may need a generator if there is no power on your site. Read our comparison, our ‘dos and don’ts’ in regard to portable power on site. There are rules!

Add some growlers to your tailgate party supplies kit

Growlers are great for some specialty beers and drinks. Hey, the coffee can even go in there, say a nice cold brew. Or hot. This one is great for all kinds of drinks at any temperature. Check out the handsome Hydro Flask.

Tailgate Party Supplies: Hydro Flask Growler.

Note that its multi-use extends to keeping beers chilled and at the right temperature for that excellent 1/2 inch of foam no more no less. Many users say that a few judiciously filled quality growlers are just a good as a freshly pulled brewski. I think I need to research that a while lot more. But if space is a problem, then growlers will be a good solution and this comes in black and silver as well. A great looking container, anyway don’t you think? Excellent man gift, too. Hint! Hint!

Practice your Tailgate Party cooking and packing:

Practice your recipes and pack the food in sections according to when you will need them ie. snacks at the top and bottom, entrees second from top, desserts under that. Beer all the way around or better still, in a dedicated cooler. Put your marinated meats in ziplocs or in well sealed and cooled containers such as the aforementioned Rubbermaid range. The heat bags and so on are still the same as last year so stick with the one you already have.

Disposables or reusable dinnerware, beverage containers and silverware? I don’t like disposables and even my red solo cups are reusable. But that’s because Ms. Rawhide is a fanatical environmentalist and now I am edging that way too. It’s a bit of effort. On the upside, reusing saves money. A lot of money. Apparently the average household in the USA throws out more than $1000 worth of plastic and paper each year. That can buy a lot of beer. Just sayin’.

Reusable, dishwasher safe Red Solo Cup

Looks like the real thing no? Or is IT the real thing and the plastic ones the fakes? Not sure. You be the judge. Yep, these really do go in the dishwasher. Between us, Beer Pong is a tad easier with these. As cheating is quite OK at tailgate parties, you can set up your beer pong game with these, Actually, the upside is that you spill less beer.

Tailgate Party Supplies: Ultimate Red Solo Cup

Don’t forget to pack bottle openers and all the plates, cups etc. you need.

Keep Citrusafe in your Tailgate Party Supplies kit

Tailgate parties live or die on the memories and there’s nothing like the longevity of the memory of an attack of Moctezuma’s Curse attributable to a dirty grill. The flames for char grilling aren’t enough to kill all the bacteria. You have to clean it. And store it away from dust. I am sure you treat it like the first-born-son that it is and keep it in the best possible condition but if you have missed a day or two, then now is the time to give it a really good scrub. Citrusafe is excellent.

Citrusafe is essential in your tailgate party supplies kit

Invest in a strong BBQ grill cleaning set

This terrific grill cleaning brush gets in between the cracks and will make the job easier. It has a free basting brush and carry bag too. It’s from USA Kitchen Elite, a BBQ Grill Brush – 18″- 3 Stainless Steel Brushes in 1 – with bags and free silicone ribs baster.

Tailgate Party supplies perfect brush cleaner set

Tailgate Party supplies: Perfect for Char-Broil, Weber, Porcelain and Infrared Grills

Tailgate Party Supplies – Got Gas?

Got your propane supplies? I think Walmart presently has the best price on the small bottles (which can change on a daily basis) but most hardware stores or Smart’n’Final have it for around the same price ($2.50 a bottle-ish). Bring a couple of spares. Or invest in the grab and go large bottle exchange plan at your local gas station.

Tailgate Party Supplies – comfy folding chairs

How are your folding chairs holding up? Do they need replacing or just a good clean? Check all the joints and make sure there are no splits in the covers. You don’t want anyone falling through …. Though it always gets a laugh. Otherwise there are bargains galore at the moment. Choose something like this one from Coleman the camping experts – has a great side table which has enough space for food AND drink. It folds flat for easy carrying but that supports your beefy buds. But we have done a few articles on chairs so check out the full range. We love ’em all.

Tailgate Party Supplies – the essential Coleman Portable folding chair

And here’s a nifty bench that can even manage to support my beefy buds. It’s from Insta-Bench Classic 6-Seater Bench and I think two of these would cover a good sized party while taking minimal space to transport.

Tailgate Party Supplies: Insta-bench seat which can hold 6 x 250 pound drinking buds!

Freshen up your tailgate supplies with a modern cooler

So … each year I notice that cooler technology improves and improves and I add items to my wish-list. Consequently, I get cooler coolers (pardon the pun) as often as most Dads get socks and ties. I have a few ranging from this complete set and a few even bigger Igloo wheeled industrial coolers that can double as seats.

Tailgate Party Supplies: BBQ Grill Cooler Set

Picnic Time Buccaneer All-In-One Tailgating BBQ Grill/Cooler Set

Tailgate Party Supplies: Igloo Cooler

A Money Saver Suggestion for your Tailgate Party Supplies Kit

Ice Maker. Regardless of the naming of the months and seasons, the hot weather hangs on for months. And ice is always welcome. Here’s something we have that will eventually pay for itself and save you many trips to the store for overpriced-leaky bag ice. It’s the Igloo ICE102-Red Compact Ice Maker, and it churns out the ice so fast you can’t help but be impressed. It’s also bright red. It’s not super big but you can stockpile the ice in containers or reusable Ziploc bags and save a lot of money. Ms. Tailgater usually makes up a lot of small bags of ice and pokes them in at various levels of the cooler.

Tailgate supplies money saver iGloo ice maker

Fundamentally, tailgate supplies kits require beer

Beer of course. Hopefully in your kegerator. So do the rounds of the Bevmo branches and the supermarkets and buy some. Or brew your own. I recently stumbled on some pretty inspiring beer based recipes that will keep the girls happy. As well, one is called ‘Vitamin C Brew’ which really puts it in the domain of health food which is essential for a good life. Here’s the recipe:

‘Vitamin C Brew’

Put the following into a pint glass: 2 oz fresh orange juice,1 oz gin, top with Miller High Life and garnish with a slice of citrus. You can also make these with limes or lemon. Don’t bother with grapefruit. It really doesn’t work and a lot of people can’t drink grapefruit juice as it clashes with statins.

Then there’s the ‘Raspberry Snakebite’

1 oz. crème de cassis topped off with raspberry lambic eg.Lindeman’s Framboise.

OK, that’s my gift to the Ladies.

For me … don’t mess with the beer.

15. Food – here’s the thing. You can be traditional: burgers, mac’n’cheese, hot dogs, pizza, fried chicken. Or creative. Ms. Tailgater insists on the latter and I go along with it because she is so darn good at it. We do all of the above but with a spin on the norm. Her salads are amazing. And her mac’n’cheese is also impressive. So my advice is ‘practice makes perfect’. Test and eat all the menu items all year and take the stress out of tailgate party life. It’s not like you’re ever gonna get tired of eating that food!

Here’s a quick and easy starting point but branch out to Food & Wine magazine as well as they are very grill-savvy. The Tailgater’s Cookbook has some nice, simple ideas.

The Tailgater’s Cookbook

Bring water.

Water and non-alcoholic drinks. Yes, some people do have ‘em. Water is essential.

This container

Water Bag Essential in your Tailgate Party Supplies Kit

is practical as you can shrink it up at the end of the day for the trip home. You can freeze it too so it doubles as a cooler insert. Buy a few. Leave one just with water, use the others in place of ice then drink them. Just don’t over-fill- water expands when it freezes.

My Ma always reminds me …’son,’ she says, ‘alternating your beers with water will stave off the inevitable.’ She’s not wrong about much and hasn’t had a hangover for many years. Tailgate parties are notorious for drunken behavior and hangovers (that’s why we keep coming back for more) but I am thinking that at least the designated driver will need water. The Lifeunion 5 Litres Collapsible Water Container, BPA Free Plastic Water Carrier, Outdoor Folding Water Bag for Tailgate Parties is a great addition to any tailgate party.

Tailgate Party Emergency supplies

Emergency items in the Tailgate Party supplies kit.

Pepto Bismol/Alka Seltzer. Just sayin’. Chewables – work fast. Very handy. Pack with the food not the 1st Aid Kit.

Tailgate party supplies: Pepto Bismol

Cleaning up

Roll of paper towels, napkins, tea-towels depending on your environmental awareness. I know we have had to mop up some … well, I won’t go into that.

Trash bags

These will never go astray. All tailgate parties generate a heap of mess and it is great to clean up as you go. Get strong bags. Cut armholes. Improvise a poncho in case of rain. No umbrellas are allowed in most stadiums.

Caffeine may be essential in your tailgate supplies kit

Yeah someone will ask for it. We used to maintain a proper coffee/tea station in our tailgate party setup but now, all I do is decant some brewed coffee into thermos flasks and take one with some milk. Saves messing around and once it is finished, hey, it’s finished and you’ll save a trip to Starbucks. A few of these great Thermos Flasks can store your coffee and keep it hot/cold for 24 hours.

Take ready brewed coffee in tailgate party supplies kit.

Just in case …

First aid kit. BBQ-beer-games-beer-men behaving badly. What could go wrong? Pack a small first aid kit, check it before each party and replenish or customize as required.

Tailgate Party Supplies need the Coleman first aid kit

Your Tailgate Party Supplies box needs the Coleman first aid kit

Don’t get skin cancer out there at the tailgate party – slip slop and slap as they say in Australia. Use SolRX SPF 50. It works for the downunder dudes.

Sunblock

A Fire Extinguisher is essential to the Tailgate Party Supplies box

Maybe you better pack that fire extinguisher as well. Make sure it is a multi-purpose one that attacks grease fires as well as other fires. As well, keep a pound of salt on hand. Nothing better for a grease fire than smothering it in salt and a lid. You certainly want a safe tailgate party.

Tailgate Party Emergency supplies

Gussy up your tailgate party site

Table cloths, decorations, matching napkins in team colors.

Tailgate Party Supplies: Tablecloth

And maybe that flag pole so your buds can find you in the parking lot just in case they can’t hear that yours is the happiest tailgate party in the lot. This gadget will anchor your pole and then add the telescoping pole and flag of your choice: patriotic or team spirited.

Tailgate Party Supplies: Pole Stand

Flag Pole wheel stand – tailgate supplies

Tailgate Party Supplies: Flag Pole

Of course, your guests could always use the GPS on their smartphones but it wouldn’t be as decorative as this flag.

Hoist a team flag to direct friends to your tailgate party.

Waze ‘ll do it for you though it may take you on a 5 mile detour to save you 30 seconds. Get the Waze app anyway.

Sundry items for your Tailgate Party Supplies kit

Koozies, cooking implements and so on.

Koozies are essential items in your tailgate party supplies kit

You can theme most objects to your team preference. Yes, even the burger flippers.

NFL themed BBQ tools

Rain gear, a couple of blankets or very large towels.

Tailgate party supplies – team themed blankets are handy

A TV so you and your buds can watch the prelims.

TV and if required, some power source. See our articles on power generators and TVs. I am really keen on the Smart TV which you can run wirelessly from your laptop. The Sharp LC-32LB370U 32-Inch 1080p LED HDTV (2016 Model) is plenty big enough and does everything you want. 32″ is small enough to carry but big enough for you all to see while the party is happening AND cheap enough so you don’t have to wait till Black Friday to buy it. 1080 is essential so you can get a better picture in daylight.

Sharp 32″ 1080 TV

Games, games, games!

Now, this is an area that can take pages on its own but the Number One is to bring a football or two and do NOT ask Tom Brady to inflate it for you.

Wilson Composite Football

We have some articles on games but allow me to add Giant Sized Jenga. (Mega Hi-Tower – Extra Tall 6ft During Play) (Includes Canvas Storage Bag). It is to the 21^st century what Twister was to the 20^th. A lot of action-packed craziness while sober so you can imagine how good it is after a couple of doses of malt and hops. Well worth the bother of transporting it.

Tailgate Party Supplies Giant 6 foot Jenga

I like the big games but they do fill the truck fast and take some concentration.
The drinking games are sooooo much better. I guess you knew I would go down that route.

IMHO stick to the traditional washer toss and corn-hole

Tailgate Supplies cornhole game

Or beer pong:

Go Pong Beer Pong Table

Tailgate Party Supplies – Ladder Toss Game

Here’s a new game setup from ‘Kid Agains’ (yes, that is their name) that would cover a few different tailgate party fun times with a few beery rewards added in there. It’s easy to transport and put together and does double duty as a beach game too. It is called the Quarterback Touchdown Football Skill Challenge and Toss Game. Seems like a clear winner for the new generation of tailgate party games. Sets up and breaks down fast and folds up small for transporting.

Versatile football toss game for tailgate parties and beach

Tailgate Party Supplies gotta have music.

Portable speakers for your music source. (I have a Sirius list specifically for tailgate parties). You can’t beat the good ol’ Blockrocker though for its output. This one has an extended range to 100feet, long batter life and loud-as, and of course, Bluetooth which will keep your tailgate party hopping.

75 hour battery life Block Rocker with a 100 foot range!

But of course, you can just connect your phone to this Football Shaped Bluetooth Portable Speaker:

Handy in the Tailgate Party kit

It’s a bit lacking in oomph, but it could be OK for parking spaces for tailgate parties which are small anyway. And hey, it’s a football!

Rain, hail or shine gimme shelter

You may need an extra shade boost or shelter. TV for instance, will need some shady space. Some people use full-on canopies and this pretty much gives them a room in their parking space. This is appealing but then there’s also a shade sail. The disadvantage of that is that you need to think about how to hang it and that will depend on your site. You need 3 or 4 anchors depending on the shape. High ones so that you can walk under. But they are great for keeping shade on that TV screen. Some people have extended poles at the back of their trucks and, with a neighbor’s assistance, stretch the shade sail between spots.

12 foot shade sail

An umbrella may be all you need. Add in some sand bags to secure it. The cantilevered design is great for a tailgate party.

10 ft. cantilevered umbrella for your tailgate party

Just note that many parking lots have restrictions on size and spaces are 10 x 10 ft. – this is for your can PLUS your party. So unless you take 2 spaces, you will be squeezy. If you have that second space, then

THE BONUS ROUND!

Portable bar. If you really want to make serving tailgate party food and booze a breeze, add in one of these. Set up your dishes, your drinks and everything you need and the bar becomes the centerpiece of the tailgate party. You can get them themed to your team. If you already own one and it needs a freshen up, then changing the livery is simple as you can buy that separately from ‘Best of Times’. We have written a comparison on tailgatepartysite.com.

Interchangeable team skirts etc. in full range of logos

Pong Bounce is another great game in the parking lot as it is fun and really only effective to play on a hard surface. Parking lots are a dream for this game. I won’t even try to explain how to play but be assured it is wacky, loud, crazy and lends itself to beery rewards.

Pong Bounce for parking lot fun

Avoid fines – put these in your tailgate supplies kit

Finally …. Do I have to spell it out? Consider some way of monitoring your booze content before you get into the car, homeward bound. A breathalyzer of some kind is a good idea. This is the BACtrack S80 Professional Breathalyzer, Portable Breath Alcohol Tester, highly regarded and reviewed.

Bactrack Breathalyzer

There is, of course, a Smartphone app breathalyzer, also by BAC and these are compact and definitely more ‘2015’ than the last lot of testers. Check them out as there are a few in the range suited for your phone. It features bluetooth connectivity, Xtend Fuel Cell Sensor Technology and of course, BACtrack’s police-grade sensor technology which has the highest level of accuracy and consistency professionals rely on. Of course! After all, I am a professional tailgate partier! This is for me.

Bactrack app on your wearable technology

So there you have it, tailgate party dudes! Stuff you need to think of for your tailgate party so that on the day, all you need to do is check off the items on the list before you leave home and spend the rent of the day with the glorious amber brews, tailgate party food, corn-hole and beer pong, and of course, your best buds! (Oh, and somewhere there’s a game happening.)

Happy tailgating!

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Supplies, Tailgate Party

Best Portable Bars For Tailgate Parties 2017

By Rawhide

Portable bars are the stiletto heels of the tailgate party industry.

Ay Caramba! GoPong’s High Top Portable Bar.

Portable bars will pretty up your space and make it sexy. And they are practical steps towards removing a lot of hospitality angst from the host. In fact, it was quite fun revising previous lists of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties to come up with the 2017 selection. In this list, I have taken the criteria for Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties and isolated specific bars demonstrate that characteristic ‘best’.

Best portable bars for 2017

It’s all about that booze, ‘bout that booze! How do you put out all those drinks and service it without having to wait on the gang hand and foot at your tailgate party? Hire a barman? Nahhh. The only ones who work cheap are underage or illegal. It’s more practical to lay it all out on

a portable bar you set up easily in the parking lot and then most of the work becomes DIY. And picking one from my list of Best Portable Bars will guarantee a great gathering point at a tailgate party. It’s the Will Call for booze. When you’re trawling through the Best Portable Bars list, don’t forget to check out some of the devices you can use to take the stress off the big day. We have lots of ideas on tailgatepartysite.com that will help you have a great party with the minimum of stress.

After all, the host gets to play a bit of beer pong too, no?

Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties updated for 2017

This is an updated collection of the latest and greatest ideas for actually serving up the booze with some style rather than just layin’ a few cans and bottles out on tailgate or in a cooler. It’s never too early to get yourself organized for the peak sports calendar. I’ve made the task easier by concentrating on the best portable bars – easily affordable for the most part, though some of you may be attracted to the high end ones.

Some houses come equipped with a bar, especially if they were built in the 1960s. Very ‘Mad Men’. But let’s face it, many people don’t really have space for a permanent full service bar in their homes these days unless they’re an NFL star. Hey, even if they do, they may prefer to have one of these portable bars for setting up in the back yard, by the pool or as part of the outdoor kitchen. There are so many occasions for tailgating or home-gating that you can consider one of these a good investment. Anyway, with the east coast weather being as miserable as it has been, it makes perfect sense to have a portable bar, take it outside in summer or non-snow days, take it tailgating with you and leave it set up in the man cave for the rest of the year. Or fold it up and put it right away when you are not drinking. Ha ha. I see a bar never being folded up.

There are very practical, portable bars on the market. And inexpensive compared with the built-in. Oh, and you can embellish them with your team logo and switch them around for other conferences. Some will even customize your bar wraparound skirts and umbrellas.

Let’s start at the top of the range in portable bars.

Best Portable Bars: Deluxe Metal

Best Portable Bars – Deluxe Metal

15 L x 39 W x 39 H with 2 shelves, this is the bare bones of your portable bar. You can add team themed skirts or whatever you want. It’s easily collapsible to store and easy to put together and has its own carrying case so that checks all boxes. Price wise it is very good value.

Now let’s hunt around for something even more down-and-dirty, more practical. Something where a collection of beer-bongs won’t look out of place. You can set up your brews, snacks and vittles on your choice of these bars to make a fine centerpiece for your tailgate party. You can choose generic, emblazoned with your team logo and colors, tiki bar, lightweight or solid state. Cheap or expensive. Me, I prefer to go mid-range somewhere but not so high end that, if a new fad comes on the market, that I can’t ditch the one I purchased and upgrade without pangs of guilt.

Here’s an illustrated check-list of Best Portable Bars pre-requisites

Look for the following features, and I will give examples as we go along.

Is it light enough to carry? You may have to walk a little ways carrying your kit. Some models have wheels on their bags. Portable bars range from around 12 pounds to over 100 pounds. Best portable bars weigh under 20 pounds.
This one – the Trademark Innovations Portable Bar Table with 2 skirts and a carry case – weighs around 9 pounds. (no umbrella).

Best Portable Bar – Trademark Innovations

Is it so light that it won’t support your alcohol and food? Many are flimsy but have shelves that could maybe be replaced with something less saggy. A quick trip to Home Depot could deluxe up your el cheapo bar in a couple of minutes by adding a panel of MDF to the shelf as they will cut to size.

Can its appearance be customized? The Best of Times Patio Bar’s Team logos and colored skirts can be interchanged to suit your event, even looking like a tropical bar. Comes in umpteen great colors which are fade-proof. Sports wraparounds are a little extra but are worth it for giving your tailgate party a real focus.

Umbrella or no? At least you need a secure space for it. The holder should be able to be made windproof.

Best of Times Patio Bar and Tailgating Center Deluxe Package

Best of Times Portable Tailgating Bar waiting for your team colors. Includes the umbrella!

Easy to attach Portable Bar: weights on legs?

Weights to put on legs of the best bars

You may find that where you set up is windy. I always recommend that there is some anchor. It could be a sandbag, weights or you can just attach to your coolers. Either way, always have some bungee cords in your kit for this.

Appearance – you want your portable bar to look cool.

Easy to set up/take down. You don’t want to be struggling with hinges and skirts. Just flipping open may seem a good idea, but is that sturdy? Note that at setup time you will be sober. Not so much at taking-that-bar-down time.

Dimensions that make sense to your own particular situation. If you can’t haul a big bag, don’t buy a large bar. If you won’t have the space in your tailgate party setup (ie. Some lots only allow you one 10 foot wide space and that includes your vehicle) then maybe just serve from the tailgate or flat surface of your vehicle or just pop open a card table!

Matchability with your game set up. If you are going all out for team spirit, then the changeable skirt with team logo is a must. Look for one with an industrial strength Velcro.

Cutting to the chase, here’s a short list of Best Portable Bars:

Best Portable Bar: GoPong

Ay Caramba! GoPong’s High Top Portable Bar.

Here’s an affordable and versatile portable bar that is ‘high top’ which means it is a good bar to stand at for service. Normal bar height, that is. This one is a perennial, nothing much has changed since it was put on the market quite some years back. But it has many uses from parties to trade shows. More specifically, it is well suited to tailgating and the rigors of the numberless red Solo cups that will be poured on its counter top and the storage beneath for coolers, food or what you will. That’s why I included it in this current list of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties. It’s cheap enough to replace should you, in your inebriated state, leave it behind.

Dimensions: 39 x 36 x 15 inches (W x H x D) when open.

There are three front skirts included and you can also get replacement skirts in your team colors and for all the sports you support.

Materials that make it up are tough, easy to clean with a pro-style top and a waterproof MDF surface on the top.

I was surprised to see that this one only weighed 14 pounds including the case. At that rate, you do expect a bit of flimsiness in the shelf area. The frame is aluminum, but the shelf is MDF and it is a little thin. If you intend putting heavy items on that shelf, do what my mate Seth did and go down to home Depot and get a piece of solid MDF cut. Use it as a brace.

At the end of the day, the GoPong Portable Bar folds up and fits inside a handy carrying case that measures 39 by 15 by 3 inches (W x H x D). Very compact and light. (No wheels on the case but not needed as even my Ma can carry this one). The stitching on the case is a bit flimsy and can undo so pay attention to that. A bit of reinforcing would be advised here too, not just the shelf. Your local dry cleaner may have a mending service so keep that as an option should the stitching unravel.

It is easy to erect and take down (they say less that a minute for each process but that’s a bit of a stretch. Still, it is sort of like putting up a card table.

Negatives are that the case is a bit flimsy, the shelf may sag but it has pizzazz and is OK for starters. Maybe use WD-40 to make sure the joints and hinges are easy to open and close. Return to manufacturer if damaged in transit and they will replace it without a fuss. Fulfilled by amazon.com will give you an extra guarantee.

It also has secondary uses – you can use it at markets or trade shows but don’t expect too much solid state. In my book it is OK for the money though and I am all for using bargain-basement items for a tailgate party. Yes, I have committed that crime of leaving items behind.

Portable bars that are inexpensive

Best Portable Bar: Budweiser Two Shelf with Case

The Bud – it’s team neutral! And it screams ‘beer!’

You want your tailgate party to look grown up and not like a corner of the school prom. And serving purely from the tailgate can be restrictive and messy. So go with the sport or beer theme and invest in a great-looking portable bar. Here’s how Budweiser earned and retained its spot on the Best Portable Bars list. It shouts ‘quality beer’ to all who pass it and looks great. Don’t feel restricted though as you can use any team skirt but hey, that Bud portable bar is cool, don’t you think?

This portable bar has two shelves and that will make sure that you can keep all the drinks and food contained and fit into a small tailgate party space (ie. A standard parking bay). Lay out all your drinks paraphernalia on one and food serving equipment on another. It sets up and breaks down in minutes.

A metal frame, four sturdy legs and carrying case are pretty much standard but this Officially Licensed portable bar seems sturdier than comparable models. Bud doesn’t put its logo on just anything.

The Budweiser is tough and bigger all over at 39 x 15 x 36 inches, metal construction with four tough legs bigger than many on the Best Portable Bars list. Even so, it can be put up and taken own without stress (use the provided Allen Key to install the horizontal bars that give it a high degree of stability).

It has a carry case (use that to protect it when not in use).

Weighs around 3 times as much as the GoPong bar and has two shelves. It is easy to assemble (around 5 minutes) and the wrap around skirt is far more solid state.

You can get other branding on the skirt (hey, some printing companies will put your own face on there which makes this a great gift). Small bungees and eyelets in the skirt may just outlast the Velcro IMHO. So consider that if you have a spare or custom skirt made. Order the eyelets and hammer them in yourself if you are a handyperson. Otherwise, tick that box when you order it.

An adjustable table instead of a portable bar

Lifetime 4-Foot Commercial Adjustable Height Folding Table

Instead of Best Bar – most versatile table!

Here’s a super versatile and cheap alternative to a bar – this adjustable height table. So how did this get onto the list of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties? Well, it’s solid and versatile, you can add your own skirts and put the coolers underneath to double as shelves. You can tart it up with a skirt. Sets up in seconds. It doesn’t make a statement like a real bar but it is affordable and does the job.

You can secure it at 3 heights – 22-inch children’s height, 29-inch table height and 36-inch counter-top height. Use the latter height as the ‘bar’ setup. Also, it has a ten-year limited warranty.

The frame is made of rust-resistant powder coated steel and it actually exceeds ANSI/BIFMA standards.

It’s easy to clean and you can use it in between tailgate parties for other purposes, such as for craft fairs or other parties. Kids’ table at Thanksgiving.

A mobile cart that doubles as a portable bar

Kitchen Cart, Trolley with Wine Storage Rack and Table

Best bar ? Nup, an alternative

OK, so here’s something a bit off the wall. It combines wine with beer and allows for a row of ten bottles of wine (or other 750 ml bottles eg. Bourbon) and you can put the beer on top – and I’m thinking a couple of small kegerators there.

You can switch the bottles out and make more room for coolers, and also use the lower shelf to hold more drinks, food and glasses. The top shelf is perfect for resting full glasses and plates of appies and mac’n’cheese.

It’s a useful piece of wooden furniture for home-gating rather than tailgating as the small wheels will make this a bit of a stretch out in the parking lot. In summary, a good alternative to a bar. Not super heavy duty. Doesn’t have that tailgate party vibe but in the Man Cave – very useful. It does double duty in the house and that is a good feature especially for condo dwellers who need every item in their houses to be multi-use. Not good in the rain. But deserves a place on the Best Portable Bars list as it is a handsome, booze-centered piece of furniture at low cost.

Size: 18.5 x 30 x 33.2 inches – ie. Not bar height. But in the Man Cave, very handy for transporting drinks and food from the kitchen to the comfy seats.

A totally fold-up portable bar

Best Portable Bar: Tailgaterz Tailgating Tavern Table

Best Bar for complete portability

Wow, wow and more wow! This one is my favorite portable bar. It folds and unfolds just like a camp chair, is really nicely made and worth the extra bucks to get something this well-designed. I timed myself putting this one together – 20 seconds from the get-go. And that was without pressure.

It checks all the boxes for efficiency and I really like that campsite feel about the design.

You can lay out and serve drinks and food on it, it has a tough table top area that you can use for prep and insulated side trays are built in. You just provide the chiller blocks and ice. Shelves are built in to the layout PLUS a hanging organizer section so you can stash the Solo cups and bottles there. It is so compact and is a whole serving station with the same footprint as a camp chair. . Just slide your cooler into the space beneath and there you have it.

It is very stable when in use (on level ground) and versatile and that’s why I am including something that looks like campsite furniture in a tailgate party Best Portable Bars list. Tailgaters who have small cars – yes, compact or smaller – will love the fold-away aspect.

You can screamyour team pride by embellishing it with some logos. The color is black which lends itself to dressing up.

No problems with the stitching on the seams – it appears well-made and the zipper is fine even though Made in China, the designers seem to have kept an eye over the process.

The carry bag is perfect for stashing it and you can hang it in the garage when not in use.

Weighs 18.6 pounds so will be easily lifted and transported. Secure as with all bars against the wind.

Sports themed tailgate party portable bars

Best of Times Collegiate Patio Bar and Tailgating Center

We’ve looked at ‘Best of Times’ bars in many forms before but they are such a classic that I can’t ignore them in this 2016 shout out. No Best Portable Bars list would be right without these featured. Though a little more expensive than many others on the market I think that if tailgate parties are your hobby and you fill out the calendar with righteous convivial occasions, then this L-shaped, steel-framed bar is a great investment. It is also such a good-looking bar, that a position around your pool would not be out of place.

Interchangeable team skirts etc. in full range of logos

Sets up in minutes and no tools are required to set it up. I usually keep some WD-40 in the car to keep the joints nice and easy.

Use WD-40 to keep the Portable bar joints lubricated

Logos a-plenty available for all codes and conferences. There’s a drop-down list of all the logos and colors you can order and you also can mix and match for other teams or whatever interests you. Yeah, I’m thinking Ms. Rawhide’s Book Club may even rate a mention here. I’m sure the makers can do a pink skirt … The company is more than happy to do custom wraps.

While we are on the subject of the fabric: 500D polyester makes it tough as nails and it’s water resistant. If you want to take that to another level, you can get a spray water repellent and give it a fresh coat every year.

Fabric Guard waterproofs your portable bar

Made in China but USA designed, there are three levels of shelving, a wide umbrella, and built-in shelf-positioned cooler that holds a whole case of drinks and a wheeled carry bag to get it from point A to point Z …. Anyway, the size is: 63 x 19 x 44 inches and it weighs around 75 pounds so do factor that in when you are loading up the trunk of the car. Oh, but you have a Dodge Ram, don’t you? The perfect tailgating vehicle.

But back to the Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties – again, the Best of Times portable bar would benefit from a couple of weights on the legs and anchor that umbrella well in its holder. But it is a roomy and versatile centerpiece for the best tailgate party evahhhhhhhh (hello, Boston). It is highly recommended and versatile and therefore, gets a high rating on our Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Party list. The range of available skirts and customised decor is impressive.

But now for something entirely different ….

Not a portable bar at all but very portable and carries drinks!

Wyndham HouseTM Dual Tank Double Beverage Dispenser Backpack-7.4 Liters

A portable bar? Try the Wyndham House Dual Tank Drinks Dispenser

OK, so you don’t drive a Silverado or equivalent? Impulse-bought that Mini-Cooper? Limited space for your tailgate party furniture? Well, packing the mini-grill is good but ‘portable bar space’? Nada.

Give every fourth guest one of these. Hands free, adjustable shoulder straps and a nifty cup pocket built-in. Play on, dudes and drink at the same time. Never miss a brewski or a margarita.

Does it warrant a spot on the Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties list? Not really, but it is a fun drinks delivery system when space is an issue and drinking is being carried out at Olympic level. This is a dual backpack drink-dispenser and holds two 3.7 quart clear beverage containers which you can customize to your taste and need. Yeah, you can even put water in one and alternate drinks during the day so that sobriety wins out in time for that long drive home.

OK, we are not talking sold state here and you need to get used to the issues such as spillage, lids popping off mid-game and running out once you have drunk that 1.5 gallons of beer. Not great on hot days as the beer will heat fast so here’s my thought:

Put some of these beers chill sticks in the tubes to retain the chill:

Accessories for Portable bars and drinks

Keep beer cool with stainless steel chill sticks

Look at this as a bit of fun and not a permanent solution to how to serve your beers. It’s good for home brew as you can treat it like a growler – fill up at home, transport carefully in a cooler and drink on the run. Keep lines clean and unkinked and that should avoid any leakage and dripping, and make sure that you click on the lids till they snap into place or they will fall off. Don’t be bowing to anyone. The booze will tip out.

In summary, there are many options at all price points in the range of Best Portable Bars. There are some really expensive models and we have not put these in as they are beyond the spirit of tailgate parties. By the far the most popular tailgate party portable bars in 2016 are the Best of Times range of L-shaped bars with the umbrella. Kind of conservative but they definitely check all the boxes and the initial investment will be repaid over and over again as they are well-made specifically for the tailgate party industry so hey, they have your best interests at heart!

Tailgate Party on!

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Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Beer, Portable Bars, Tailgate Party

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Here’s an illustrated check-list of Best Portable Bars pre-requisites

Cutting to the chase, here’s a short list of Best Portable Bars:

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An adjustable table instead of a portable bar

A mobile cart that doubles as a portable bar

A totally fold-up portable bar

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Not a portable bar at all but very portable and carries drinks!

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