Tailgate Party

Tailgate Party Recipe: Beer Punch & Spicy Hot Dogs!

Check out this video from Nicole and Ari of Drink and Dish with two great recipes for your Tailgate Party. If you love hot dogs and you love beer then you’ll want to see this (so, basically that’s everyone!). It’s a nice twist on two traditional tailgate party staples and looks like a lot of fun to prepare. Plus it only takes them about 5 minutes while chatting…

Oh, and I looked into what beverage dispenser they are using because I wanted to know where you can get one like that with the cool little spout build-in. Looks like it’s the Anchor Hocking Beverage Dispenser. I’ve already ordered mine!

If you have any tailgate party recipes that you want to share leave a comment below with your favorite food, recipe or go-to site for tailgate party recipe ideas.

Filed Under: Food, Videos Tagged With: Beer, Hot Dog, Recipe, Tailgate Party

Review: Best Portable Kegerators For Tailgate Parties.

By Rawhide

One of the questions I am asked constantly is ‘what’s the best portable kegerator available that I can take to a tailgate party?’ It seems to be a perennial problem for most of my hard-partying, beer-swilling funster-dude friends. They obsess over the details. Me, I used to be quite OK with slinging a few freshly filled growlers in a cooler and keeping life simple. After all, at the end of the day when the beer is warm and flat, you are generally in no condition to notice the quality of the brew. Oh, you are? Really? Well, OK then. The answer to keeping your brewski chilled, fresh-tasting and on tap is to transport it in a kegerator that you can set up in the shade (never in the sun) and fill it with a keg or two of your favorite beer.

There are not so many options in truly portable units so here are my three picks in large, medium and small size with a bonus improvisation that I recommend to the budget-challenged among us.

Let’s start at the ‘Go big or go home’ level. This assumes ownership or access to a Silverado or equivalent and maybe a canopy to erect to create shade over your dining experience. It also assumes that you will be sharing the tailgate party with a mob of your rowdiest friends that the designated driver is content to scrape up the remains of the party at the end of the day and hand out the hangover cures.

Raise your hand for the best portable kegerator!

Yeah, well that’s most people isn’t it? Here’s the best one on the market. It is also a little pricey, but you will save its price in beer in just one sporting season if you are a committed Beerophile. You may even qualify for an environmental warrior award in some states, say, Portland Or. – just by virtue of the fact that you will be avoiding using so many bottles and cans. Your drinking is doing the world a favor ….

The Best Portable Kegerator – High Budget

Some might call the Summit Stainless Door Portable Beer Dispenser the ultimate in portable Kegerators. For some it’s aspirational. To us, it’s just simply the best portable kegerator and it’s perfect for outdoor tailgate parties.

The Summit Portable Beer Dispenser / Kegerator (SBC500SSST) is a freestanding full size beer dispenser with a stainless steel top and wrapped fingerprint resistant stainless steel door. It is very definitely portable and has been designed using really tough casters on which you can roll your kegerator to wherever you want it.

Best Portable Kegerator: Summit Stainless Door Kegerator

So for starters, you may need to invest in a dock plate, which can be adjusted as a ramp to wheel all the gear onto your truck.

BLUFF All-Aluminum Dock Plates

This will make loading and unloading your gear an absolute breeze and really doesn’t cost much at all. You will find lots of uses for this nifty ramp around the party site.

The cheaper ones like the Eagle 1795 are made from heavy duty plastic but are still very durable.

But back to the kegerator. It is sleek and contemporary and will fit in with any décor so you can use it at the tailgate party, take it home and put it back in the man cave. By the way, in referring to ‘man’ cave, I am being in no way sexist. I appreciate that many women are great tailgate party givers and participants and have a beer-cetric corner in their mostly Martha Stewart kitchens. So please don’t judge me. It is just common terminology for a haven, a chapel to malt and hops. But I digress,

The Summit SBC500SSST Beer Dispenser/Kegerator comes with everything to enhance pulling a beer: a 5 pound CO2 tank, a Regulator, a Draft tower, a Sankey American tap which you can switch out for one of your liking, say a team logo tap or something cheeky or just one of those chalkboard taps where you can write the name of the brew, a top guard rail, wooden keg slats, drip tray and basic cleaning kit.

The SBC500SSST accepts half, quarter or mini kegs and allows you to serve ice cold beer on tap and the beer stays fresh for months. It is 100% CFC Free!

Oh, and just remember that if you are in the company of folk who recognize the name ‘Summit’ these are people of QUALITY. And if they recommend you upgrade to this little (or, should I say “big”) beauty, they are even more likeable IMHO.

The Summit SS Outdoor Serving Cart w/ Kegerator is probably better than the best portable kegerator in features and size. It outclasses them all – but, it’s also expensive! So, it can’t really take the place of the Summit SBC500SSST for poll position in the race for best portable kegerator. But, if you have the money… by all means – get this one!

Summit SS Outdoor Serving Cart w/ Kegerator

The Summit company has a good name too and they stand behind every kegerator they make with a 1 year ‘parts and labor/5 years compressor’ warranty.

You supply the keg of your choice from the sizes mentioned – half, quarter and mini keg only. Don’t try to force a larger one into the interior as if you don’t keep the door shut snugly, you will never be able to keep the beer chilled. The result – one foamy mess. The appliance is quiet while operating and has been designed to run economically with an adjustable thermostat and regulator. I would highly recommend shelling out for a really great cleaning kit and build the cleaning regimen into your keg-maintenance routine. The other recommendation would be to make sure you have something soft (removalists’ blankets for instance) to protect it while on the road. I also would plug it into a battery pack to keep the cool happening till you set up at the tailgate party site.

The weight is 150 pounds without the beer and dimensions are 35 x 23 7/8 x 25 ¼ so you’d better have that Silverado as it won’t fit in a SmartCar.

Now let’s scale down to a small kegerator. This one may just squeeze into a SmartCar.

The Best Portable Kegerator For The Money – Low to Medium Budget

The Koolatron Beer Mini Kegerator

Koolatron Beer Mini Kegerator

From time to time, you see an average-good appliance that has attracted some vicious negative reviews on selling sites. And other people have nothing but praise. In the kegerator world, the handling of the appliance is as important as the choice of which to buy. You need to keep them out of the sunlight, keep the lines and so on spotlessly clean and maintain it.

In other words, teach the designated driver some of these skills and most kegerators on the market, at any price point, will give you good service. Many problems could just be a maintenance/rough handling issue. Read the instructions and remember that cleanliness is next to beeriness.

So back to the Koolatron. It is neat, compact and eminently carryable. Will fit in the back of a car. My advice is to pack it in a box, cover that box so that sun doesn’t heat it up and also keep it plugged in during the journey to the parking lot. You can do that by purchasing a battery pack. We have a Duracell PowerPack and it runs for hours.

You will find this little beauty will keep any small kegerator chilled so that you will avoid the foaminess associated with a rise in temperatures. Handy as a light source and will charge your phone too.

But I digress …. The Koolatron Mini Beer Chiller is just 9.5 x 9.5 x 17.8 inches. It doesn’t hold a heap but gives you beer on tap. It has a removable drip-tray. It runs quietly and has been nicely designed with a bit of style to it. Only weighs 11.7 pounds without the beer so it’s a natural for a small car, small tailgate party. Will fit a mini keg.

The Best Portable Kegerator – Medium Budget

The similar sized Avanti 2 Mini Keg Portable Party Pub is such a great price (under $300) that everyone could bring their own when there’s large tailgate party happening. It may not be the best portable kegerator but, what it lacks in features, it makes up for in price! The Avanti is very popular for those who don’t want to make a massive investment in their kegerator and it will definitely get the job done without breaking the bank.

Avanti 2 Mini Keg Portable Kegerator

The company claims that you can bring the party with you wherever you go with the Avanti Portable Party Pub (CB350S-IS). Two (2) mini-kegs can be stashed in this little cutie and they can be different beers. Interior LED lighting with an on/off switch will light up the Avanti inside to make setting it up really easy. Some other kegs do not have this feature and it makes it quite hard to set up. Not for the Avanti which is a breeze! There’s a glass storage shelf to chill mugs/glasses and that is a really useful feature. The design is pretty nice and while there is a stylish draught style handle and tap for convenient pouring, you may like to switch that for something that supports your team. Hey, if you are tailgating, then dress your kegerator to match your party.

You’ll love the digital temperature control for easy temperature regulation. As it is really vital to keep the temperature chilled and constant, there’s a safety latch to ensure the door stays closed while you’re dispensing your brewski. Plus, it also has a see-through window to showcase and identify your beer menu as you can clearly see the side of the keg. It makes a good storage space for the kegs and so this means that when those ‘2 for 1’ offers happen at your beer store, you can take advantage of the cheap price and keep the beer a-coming for months. The CO2 regulator and pressure gauge may take a little bit of adjusting but all instructions are included. Do a test run before featuring this at the tailgate party.

Some users have reported problems with the Avanti. As with all others in this range of portable kegerators, I must emphasize that keeping the unit clean, out of the sun, plugged in at all times and chilled will avoid most of these dramas.

The warranty will ensure that any parts that may snap off (well, some of your drunken buddies may not be as gentle with the unit as you, the proud owner, are …) can be replaced by the manufacturer so keep all your paperwork handy.

Dimensions are 21 x 18.25 x 20 x 25 by the way and the input voltae is 115V/60 Hz. It weighs 35 pounds empty.

I think that this is a really great little unit suited particularly for a tailgate party where you may have guests who like different beers. You can give them a choice of two. At a low cost, this is a step up from the smallest unit but is not a massive outlay. A nice gift for that guy in your life as well. (Pick me, pick meeeee!).

Bonus round – the Low Tech Version: A Portable Growler Bag from KegWorks.

KegWorks Insulated Beer Growler Bag

The Best Portable Kegerator – Low Budget

From time to time, growlers come on the market at really low, low prices or in such cool shapes as to make them irresistable such as this cutie that looks like a real keg.

While it is not as awesome as having draft beer on tap with your own kegerator, it’s is a low cost insulted growler tote that keeps your beer at a reasonable temperature for the duration of the tailgate party. Sure, it’s not the best portable kegerator but, for some it’s better than the best of the best portable kegerators because it’s simple, ultra-portable and very convenient. You can buy a few of these and sling them over the back of your car’s headrest, but we all know that in most states of the US of A, this is a no-no. So here’s a warning to young and old, do pack these in the trunk of the vehicle as you cannot carry an open (or even refillable) bottle inside the car as it is against the Highway Code.

Stainless Steel Keg Style Growler

I know folk who take these when they go on micro-brewery crawls in the Portland Or. area, buying a growler or three on the way. One for each bottle of course. Anyway, they do keep the beer cold and require nothing in the way of power or technology. The dimensions are 7″W x 12″H x 6″D. Logically, you could sling a whole range of these into your picnic box and gently transport them to a parking lot where the merriment and beer menu will make your tailgate party memorable.

Ultimately, though, the beer is not a patch as good as draft beer no matter where you source it and the only way to get draft out on location is to transport a portable kegerator. The choice is yours as is the maximum fun!

Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Beer, beverage, Kegerator, Portable, Tailgate Party

Kegerator Review: EdgeStar KC2000 vs Keggermeister KM2800BK

By Rawhide

There’s huge trend for tailgate party fans to equip their own homes with kegerators, setting up their BBQ/grill areas as a perfect homegating venue. Isn’t that the Great American Dream? Well, it’s reality for so many people now that I have a few reviews of the more fixed kegerators. The kegerator review below checks out the Edgestar KC 2000 and the Keggermeister KM2800BK which are both mid-range price-wise, both are single taps but fall into the category of small café size/big party size (as you will see in their specs). They are well-priced and actually will save you money on your beer purchases over time. Since the beer stays chilled and fresh for up to three months, it seems like a way to go. So, read on for this very detailed kegerator review in which we compare the Edgestar KC2000 with the Keggermeister KM2800BK and find out which one is right for you!

Note that these are not for outdoors but in the man-cave or even the kitchen or just a bar area. They kind of both polarize their customers so I have set out to try to figure out why. In my experience, and after reading more than just one kegerator review, some people will either LOVE the Edgestar KC2000 and hate the Keggermeister KM2800BK or LOVE the Keggermeister and hate the Edgestar. Why? Yes, there IS a reason.

Kegerator Review: Edgestar KC-2000.

EdgeStar KC-2000

Can’t for the life of me work out why this model, made at the same place as other Edgestar Kegerators, has received so much negative feed-back. All I can say is that occasionally in manufacturing, there is one lemon. One of these may be it. And yet it also gets glowing reviews. It is made with the same solid-state attention as others we review but somehow, there are problems with sizing and with the temperature.

I spoke with my pal, Seth, about this conundrum and what he said seems to make sense. The KC 2000 is specifically made for certain kegs that are listed on its specs and also are well identified by name, capacity, cup quantity and any problems you may encounter (such as the rim around some of the kegs in their designs). If you use this list as a guide (ie. do your homework) you should be quite safe with this kegerator. Another aspect he stressed was that all kegs need to be pre-cooled before use. Many users skip this step, but it is vital. Every time your kegerator welcomes its load of sweet amber nectar, the kegerator needs a 24 HOUR cooling period, no cribbing on the time, please, your lines and so on must be spotless and gunk free and the beer itself needs to be pre-chilled. It is pointless loading a warm keg into the kegerator as all it will tap is foam and that will overflow and waste beer.

It’s a nice, black finished kegerator and it does look darn suave in the man-cave.

Firstly, you must be aware that this kegerator CANNOT be used outside. It is strictly for indoor use. If you use anything apart from an outdoor kegerator I say, a BBQ area or even in the parking lot, out in the sun, you will compromise the temperature, your beer will bubble and froth like a witch’s cauldron and you will waste your brew. It will not be kept cold. Pure and simple.

However, in an indoor application, this is really good if you treat it right.

Owning a kegerator does require some dedication and logic. You must clean it regularly for a start.

Follow the instructions, check the interior size in the specifications sheet and you should be fine. Especially in regards to pre-cooling before any keg is installed. Also use only the keg specified to slot easily inside – there’s a list of recommended sizes. For instance, the Kegerator KC 2000 specifies that half barrel will fit. So don’t go trying to fit a full sized barrel in it! The interior is 14.5 inches deep–from the condenser shelf in the back to the front edge at the door. If you intend using kegs with the additional rim, they will not fit, so make sure you select the keg to suit this model. Pony size, for instance will not fit due to the temperature gauge at the top and the hoses inside.

This is considered a mid-budget kegerator and, as such, is not going to be in the league of say, a Viking industrial refrigerator or your Miele imported kitchen appliances. However, it is engineered to last and another hint is to check it all over when you remove it from the box. Make sure that any screws, bolts etc. have not jiggled loose in transit. There is an element of assembly in owning one of these. I have not a lot of skills in that area and I sort of figured that a heap of owners may have just jammed it together. If you don’t put the door on right, then nothing will fit properly. Again, read the instructions and if you can’t figure it out, find a 10 year old child to do it for you. Never assemble while drunk. Drinking and assembling is a beer hazard.

Some reviewers say that the materials used in couplings and spellings are inferior. If this is the case, call the company who sent it to you and get them to pressure Edgestar as I get the impression the manufacturing company doesn’t have great people skills. Sounds like they’d rather make or use kegerators than deal with their customers. Well, that’s a crying shame as they have a large chunk of the market share.

So if you don’t have the courage to take all this on, what is the alternative? Maybe this will do it ….

Kegerator Review: Keggermeister KM2800BK Kegerator

Keggermeister KM2800BK Kegerator

Designed for home brewers or just regular beer drinkers, the Keggermeister KM2800BK is a full-size single-tap refrigerator. The makers claim it will keep your beer chilled and prevent it from going flat for up to three months. Bingo! Make or buy beer to put in it. (Be sure to check keg sizes). The stainless steel tower features a black and chrome spout that can accommodate a variety of different height beer glasses, mugs, Red Solo cups in all sizes, Mason jars if you’re a hipster or even bottles. There’s a chrome guardrail on the top so that you can line those glasses up on the counter-style top. The black exterior adds a very stylish finish and it is durable. Four tough casters will make it easy to move for cleaning or just for changing position. The temperature control is adjustable and of course, there are instructions on what temp is the ideal for beer.

This is labeled ‘full-sized’ so a full sized keg should fit. The specs say it accommodates a full-size keg, pony keg, or 2 5-gallon kegs. These, by the way, are enough for a decent party and there is a great chart on how many glasses you can tap from each keg here:

(http://www.kegerator.com/article?cgid=Kegerators&aid=keg-sizes-chart)

This is by far the best reference on the web for keg sizes and what each can deliver.

Note that this is a single tap beer dispenser and you won’t have the choice between beers.

As with all the larger models, the 2.5 pound CO2 bottle is included. I had a lot of specific enquiries on where to access CO2 for refills. Most areas have a dealer in gas and the best people, I find, to provide this service on a reliable basis are your paintball companies. The fill only costs around $10 at present. Cheap! Whoohoo, check out the paintballing and maybe you will want to spend a day splattering each other with something other than beer!

http://www.hollywoodpaintball.com/
Tempting ….. though it does take time away from the beer.

At 35.5 x 28.1 x 23.5 inches it is a large kegerator. While the item is around 80 pounds, when shipped it weighs almost 100 pounds. The shipping packaging in this kegerator is awesome. Double boxed with poly in between and small components and instructions in a small container, well-wrapped – so they don’t get lost. I liked the instruction book for this one as it is clear and has pictures that actually relate to the kegerator. It is a simple job to put it together. That gets 5 stars from me as so many units are damaged in shipping. The makers label this well with ‘This side up’ and ‘fragile’ so someone is taking care.

Be sure to invite some burly friends on delivery day, unwrap, read the instruction book together, christen it with a red solo cup of bottled beer, follow the instructions in regard to leaving it to cool down for at least 24 hours (many recommend 3 days prior chilling) and don’t add the (pre-cooled) keg of beer until it has reached Beer Chill Optimum temperature. Good hand-brewed (boutique) beer is generally drunk at a temperature of between 38° to 45° F as like cheese, it needs a little bit of warmth for the taste-buds to snap to attention. Of course, serving it warm as they do in the U.K. is not an option in my neck of the woods.

Just so you know, the unit is virtually silent. There’s a slight motor sound when you switch it on, but after that, it just quietly chills and serves the beer without complaint

Here are a few hints from other users. If you are opening and closing the door a lot, this will impact on your overall temperature. So don’t. But maybe you need to? A good idea is to add a little cooling fan in the back of the unit to circulate the air. This tiny fan runs off a computer, or any power outlet that is USB compatible (think chargers) or your computer or solar charger.

IO Crest USB Powered Desktop cooling fan

You can run the cable through the kegerator quite easily. Outdoor kegerators are definitely tricky in regard to maintaining optimal temperature but the fan certainly helps.

Some users like to customize by adding a small motor to force cold air up the tower for super-chilled beer which you can do with any of the manufactured brands (any that have ‘Ice’ in the title, for instance or those you purchase at Ralph’s).

The unit is only available in the U.S. at present.

You could add a dual or even triple tap conversion kit but in that case, you would be restricted to really small kegs which may not fit so I don’t even advocate a dual. Better in that case to buy a couple of small kegerators (under $100) on the side and set up your beer smorgasbord that way. Say, Guinness style in one and a Pilsener style in the other. You can run almost any beer through it Pyramid Hefeweizen, Budlight, Budweiser, Dos Equis, Corona, Stella, Heineken and more. Just check the keg size each time on the comparison chart or you may strike trouble.

When you do your first pour, don’t open the CO2 valve to the maximum. This will over-pressurize the keg and you will have a foamy overflow. With the valve in closed position, adjust the regulator to a position that is minimally open to begin with and pour your first glass. Take a moment to sip. If you ever accidentally over pressurize the tank, pull the pressure release pin on the coupler, release the built-up CO2 in the keg and start again. No problems! Drink another test glass.

Some people like to pour a jug of beer for the table. Pre-chill your jugs for a nice frosty drink and the head will be perfect and will stay for the life of the beer in the jug which, in my Grillstation area is an easy task. Those Corkcicle Chillsner Beer Chillers can add a nice touch!

Accessories for Portable bars and drinks

Keep beer cool with chill sticks

The tap handle can be changed to one of your own choosing, say a customized one or a team one for your homegating …

Don’t over chill by the way. Beer popsicles are not that nice. And hard to get out of a keg.

If you have ANY problems, no matter how small, call the manufacturer. Make sure that you have followed the advice above and read all instructions well. Be patient. You are dealing with some gases and temperatures here which need adjusting and balancing.

Note that with the Keggermeister, you can buy a stainless steel version if you so desire. The Keggermeister is shipped with additional parts and a dual regulator so that is a plus.

EdgeStar KC2000 or Keggermeister KM2800BK: Which is better?

Ok, you’ve read the kegerator review of the Edgestar and the review of the Keggermiester. But what is the conclusion here? They each have their avid fans, they each have their haters. It certainly seems that installation could be the main problem as the pressure set up is a little vague in the instructions. Do not run at full open position (on the CO2 tank. Just start small. After a few changes of position and a few foamy beers (yes, go on, you know you want to drink it!) you will find the right position. It just takes time and experimentation. If you are one of those rare buyers who received a broken kegerator, complain! Raise the roof till you get good service. And remember that cleaning is just a small price to pay for beer that stays fresh and chilled for three months. The payback is that you will save 50% of beer money by using the kegerator. Either one. I have no preference. They each seem to suffer from the same critiques and the users who are diligent about the installation/cleaning/setup rules seem to do OK. So here are some videos that will assist you in that crucial set up step.

Video: How to set up the Keggermeister Kegerator

Video: How to set up the EdgeStar KC2000

Let the drinking begin!

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Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Beer, Edgestar, Kegerator, Keggermeister, Tailgate Party

The Best Food Coolers & Warmers Reviewed

By Rawhide

Call it what you like – ‘Ice chest’, ‘Ice box’, ‘Car Fridge’, ‘Esky’, ‘Chiller’, ‘Cooler’, you name it, the box you carry your food in needs to work its butt off. The best tailgate party tip is to find a box that can transport the goods at the correct safe temperature, be easy to lift, wheel and withstand a bit of rough-and-ready treatment. The best food coolers and warmers are reviewed below but as the range expands and contracts, don’t forget to come back and read about all the new items and the ones that are discounted just in time for tailgate party season.

Best Coolers and Food Heaters for tailgate parties

Without the box, your beer is warm, and who likes warm beer outside the British Isles???? Nobody of course. Ideally, a cooler needs to fit in the back of your vehicle and a bonus is if it is strong enough to double as seating or flexible and compact enough to fold up to store in your house. Oh, those last two are mutually exclusive. Don’t sit on a flexible cooler especially when it is full of deviled eggs. Power is optional, in fact it is an affordable option these days. Yet, most coolers just do their job with the addition of ice in the right quantities and will get you through anything from one to five days as long as you don’t keep opening the lid. Buy a cooler that is made of food grade plastic rather than a cheap knockoff that may pollute your food. The powered models can keep you on the road, tailgating from city to city. Don’t laugh. I know people who do just that! The ice filled ones can be managed to do the same though so below are some really good buys and some hints on how to manage your portable food carrier.

Just remember when you are packing the car to allow for the weight of the cooler. Most large ones weigh around 20 pounds on their own, before you add those 16 dozen cans of beer … before you buy, take a tape measure to the trunk of the car and figure out how many of these you can comfortably fit in. So, that’s enough of an intro! Now read on for the reviews of the best food coolers and best food warmers!

The Best Food Coolers & Warmers Reviewed

Let’s start with the coolest of coolers, the Cruzin’ Cooler.

Cooler Review: Crazy Coolers Motorized Cooler

Best Coolers and Food heaters – Crazy Cooler with motor

OMG, so you didn’t get the parking space you wanted in the lot! You’re not next to your mates. In fact, you are way over the other side. Heck, that has to be a long walk. Oh no, and you have a large cooler packed full of sublime amber fluid and hey, it was your turn to bring the ribs. Sit on this little beauty. Start it up and cruise your way to Tailgate Party Heaven. Crazy Coolers created these innovative motorized coolers that kind of sound like a lawn mower or mo-ped when they are running. They feature unique all-terrain tires, a 2HP 4-stroke engine, 48L Cooler and that combo can be a full bar on wheels. Just don’t speed while driving it. The cooler is fine too, but really, aren’t you just buying this one for the fun?

Cooler Review: Bundle-47 Electric Cruzin’ Cooler

Cruzin Cooler Electric Scooter

Here’s the Greenie, Tree-Hugger Tesla style version …. OK, so it’s not a Tesla. It’s from Cruzin’ Coolers and they are the guys who started this mobile cooler ride-on craze.

NOTE TO SELF: Add to Wishlist for Christmas, Birthday, hey any day with ‘day’ in it.

There are 300 watt and 500 watt versions and the whole kit and caboodle weighs around 64lbs..-Nicely finished with aluminum and chrome on exposed metals, it also features a built in cup-holder and an overall quality design and manufacture.

The Top speed is 13 mph.- This model holds 24 x 12oz cans with ice.

Rider Capacity is limited to 250 lbs.-It has easy brake and throttle control and is great personal transportation.

Compatible with: Cruzin Cooler Powered Coolers, Cruzin Cooler Coolagons.

It also has accessories such as this neat cover tailor-made for the Cruzin’ Cooler. which comes in a couple of nice colors.

Too lazy even to drive the Cruzin’ Cooler? Then sit in a chair and tell the drinks to come to you:

Cooler Review: Interactive Toy Concepts Radio-controlled Cooler

Remote Controlled Cooler

This is a Canadian invention. Why am I not surprised? This elegant radio – controlled, battery powered Cooler, lets you just sit back and take the controls on your next beer delivery. Its insulated sides keep your drinks cold for the big game, 12 bottles at a time, allowing the RC Cooler to cater your friends’ drinking needs without you doing more than jiggle the controls. Ice-cold precision: 30′ RC range; 4 sturdy and stable sure-grip wheels; Bottle-cap shaped controller.

Send it back to the kitchen for refills if you need to.

It’s collapsible down to only 6 1/2″ h. for easy storage but I am thinking you’ll be getting this one out every weekend and using it a lot.

NOTE: Uses 6 C batteries in cooler and 2 AA batteries in remote (batteries not included). You may want to get a stash of rechargeable batteries to avoid the cost and pollution of replacements.

Dimensions: 12″ diam., 14″ h. Weighs 3 lbs., 10 ozs.;

OK, now to the serious stuff.

Cooler Review: Coleman 54-Quart Steel-Belted Cooler

Coleman 54 Quart Steel-Belted Cooler

This tough-as-nails Coleman was designed for camping but it is great for tailgate parties – strong enough to sit on. Kind of retro in appearance, it holds 85 cans so you and your three best friends will be set for a day of tailgating. This could very well be the best food cooler of them all!

Its stainless steel handles are covered in grippy rubber making it is a breeze to pick up, at least when empty. The retro look isn’t just for decoration: the steel (which is painted) makes it super tough and easy to clean. It is rust-proof, leak resistant and the drain hole is designed for ‘no-tilt’ emptying. Hinges and screws are also steel and tough. Locally made, from USA and foreign made components, it is guaranteed and anything that breaks under normal wear can be replaced. The latch and gaskets make it seal securely which means cold stays in much longer.

Measurements: 26” x 18” x 17”

Cooler Review: Coleman 62 qt. Xtreme Cooler

Coleman 62 qt. Xtreme Cooler

The Coleman 62 qt. Xtreme Cooler features Xtreme 5 technology and the capacity to hold up to 85 cans. It features two-way handles for easy lifting and carrying, a tow handle and its rustproof, leak-resistant channel drain allows for no-tilt draining. The lid is hinged and high-quality plastic construction from Xtreme 5 technology with Thermozone insulation makes it durable. The corners are curved to prevent the gathering of bacteria as it is simple to wipe out after use.

Wheels are ‘all terrain’ making it a perfect choice for tailgating.

Dimensions: 31.5 x 17 x 15.5 inches (W x H x D)

Sturdy for sitting on, but maybe not Bubba and his sister, Ten Ton Tessie…

Cooler Review: Coleman 100 qt. Xtreme Wheeled Cooler with Tow Handle

Coleman 100 qt Xtreme Wheeled cooler

Next size up holds up to 160 cans. Wow, this tailgate party is getting better by the minute! Very durable, again the ice won’t melt for 5 or even 6 days. A couple of these will see you through – one for drinks, one for food. The insulated walls are 2 inches thick and the snug insulated hinged lid has a gasket seal. It has two tough all-terrain wheels and the tow handle will make dragging it around the parking lot a breeze. Though sand may be a struggle for the wheels particular when the cooler is packed high with brewskis.

HINT: Look after that seal on the lid. Just as you clean the gasket seals of a refrigerator, do the same with these and they will last for many years. Don’t let your guests leave the lid ajar. You need to be quite tough closing it to preserve the cold temperature.

Dimensions: 36.5L x 16.75W x 18.25H inches.

Drain plug works well. Very efficient cooler nicely designed for tailgate party use. Buying from this local company is an advantage as their after sales service is great (for instance, if the handles break, they can be replaced easily and fast).

Good value for the price at the moment.

Cooler Review: Coleman 120-Quart Xtreme 5 Cooler

Here’s a massive cooler that, according to description, will keep ice for 5 days. Looks the same as all the others in the range but enormous. Good seating. The way to do this is to pre-chill everything you put in there and also make the ice you put in there quite dense. For instance, you can freeze a deep aluminum pan full of water and put it, pan and all in a large Ziploc plastic bag which you seal well. This stays cold for days. Or you can buy various sheets of refreezable gel packs. In a parking lot at a tailgate party, despite up to 90 degree heat, 190 cans of beer or the equivalent food will stay chilled. Or buy two and pack those 190 beers and use the other cooler for food. Be sure to measure the space in your vehicle allowing for the hinges of the trunk. This cooler is tall enough for wine bottles to be packed, standing.

Another nice feature of this outstanding cooler is the hinged lid with its can holders. It’s rustproof and has the Coleman designed drain so it is practical for dealing with cleaning and letting out melted ice. The 2 large all-terrain wheels make it simple to transport and tugging its tow handle is a breeze. It’s tough and OK for your guests to sit on. A handy feature is that you can tether additional stuff to the top and the lid has been designed to fit cords to fasten items (dry goods, other small boxes). You can buy these cords separately. The interior has no toxic CFCs, HFCs, or HCFCs. Made in the USA. Full warranty.

Dimensions: 39.75 by 13.75 by 19 inches (L x W x H) (Exterior), 32 by 12.5 by 15 inches (L x W x H) (Interior).

Cooler Review: Igloo Polar Cooler (120-Quart, White)

Igloo Polar Cooler

This cooler only fits 188 cans – aw gee! It’s another version of the 5-day ice-keeper and I see a lot of these in use though I have never owned one. I know that they keep fish and meat frozen for days, so beer should be a cinch. It doesn’t have wheels but it is probably the toughest one around. It has snap-fit latches to keep the warm air out. Very tough walls and well insulated.

I have seen these stacked 2 high made into an amazing table with contributions from all the party guests who coincidentally, happen to have bought the same cooler. It’s 36 inches high (a stack of two) and you can bank them up and throw a team logo cloth over them. Good for playing tailgate party games if you have enough of them! Just get the food out BEFORE you set the table. Just over half price at the moment so snap one up before they sell out.

Dimensions: 38.3 x 18 x 18.5 inches

Cooler Review: Koolatron 18 qt. Compact Cooler

Koolatron 12V compact cooler

If you have any foods that are particularly vulnerable to heat spoilage then maybe you need a plug-in cooler. The Koolatron Kooler is very useful to keep food and drinks cool while traveling or at the tailgate party parking lot and you can plug it in to your accessories socket. (The unit cannot be left plugged in to the cigarette lighter in the car for more than 4 hours or it will run the car battery flat. There is an optional battery saver adapter that will shut off the unit if it overtaxes the car battery).

It’s narrow enough to slip behind the driver’s seat on the floor but has a good capacity at the same time. As it has powered cold, the addition of any ice is not necessary but I just like to put a couple of flexible thin gel packs (frozen) at the top or on the side that may heat up during the drive.

Items to be placed in it should be cool before filling the cooler. The empty unit will cool about 10 degrees an hour to about 40 degrees lower than the ambient temperature around it. It will maintain any pre-cooled contents at that temperature while plugged in. Check the manual for cooling times.

The optional AC power adapter (Koolatron Muti-Purpose Adapter 110VAC to 12VDC ) is useful – plug it into the wall and cool down the box for 12 hours or more. A slab of ice or gel pack is also a good idea. Anything you put it in should be fridge cold or frozen. Note that it will keep things cold not freeze items or cool things down (except by using ambient temperature) A refrigerator thermometer would be a good little accessory for this unit. An extension lead from your cigarette lighter helps too.

The Koolatron is also a food heat source, keeping hot foods hot. Again, set the temperature before you put the food in. I also throw in a few of those small hand warmers having first heated them in the microwave. Pizza, mac’n’cheese and other delicacies will stay hot for hours.

18 quarts is not a huge capacity but between this and your drinks cooler(s), you should cover all bases.

Tailgate Hotbag Side Loading

Tailgate HotBag – Side Loading food warmer

We all have our large coolers and they double as seats and tables in many cases. But this is a range of soft-sided insulated boxes that will keep food hot. They plug into your 12V outlet (and have a long lead). That outlet was once known as a cigarette lighter). Without flattening your battery it will keep your home-cooked food piping hot at 165 – 170 degrees F for several hours. The bag is made from 1000 denier rugged nylon with thickly insulated walls and base and is lightweight and very easy to keep clean. Just wipe it over after use. Designed to be easy to carry and the food slides in through the side so you can access it sort of the way pizza delivery guys get the pies out. Full instructions are included and these come in a range of sizes. If you are tailgating at Metlife, for instance, and cooking on site is not an easy option, then take your pre-cooked corn dogs, hot wings, mac’n’cheese and so on and keep them safely hot in this excellent box. There are no negatives!

Dimensions: 18 x 18 x 5.5 inches ; 3.3 pounds

Then there’s this Large Side Loading Electric Tailgate Hotbag which is perfect for lots of light weight foods that can be stacked such as sandwiches, pizzas or rolls. Bring enough hot food for the whole gang and keep it hot all the way to the tailgate party, even if it’s hours away. The dry heat does not let the food get soggy.

Tailgatea HotBag – LARGE side loading

More food warmers great for transporting your hot food.

Food Warmer Review: Tailgate Hotbag Side Pocket

Medium sized Tailgate HotBag Side Pocket

It’s lightweight, has a handy shoulder strap for easy carrying and large pockets on each end. Heats to 165 degrees to keep your food oven hot from kitchen to tailgate party. Nice for a casserole or pot of mac’n’cheese and you can put bread or condiments in the pockets.

Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 9 inches ; 5 pounds

Review: Black & Decker TC212B Travel Cooler & Warmer

Black & Decker Cooler and Warmer

Black & Decker 12 Volt Travel Cooler & Warmer with 12 can/2.3 gallon capacity. Powers from vehicle accessory outlet. Thermo-electric systerm keeps food cold or warm. Low voltage auto cut-off prevents coolers from draining vehicle battery.

Thermo-Electric System cools down to 40°F below ambient temperature and heats up to approximately 120°F

Plugs directly into vehicle’s or boat’s 12 volt DC outlet or any other 12 volt power supply

Rests on vehicle seat, tailgate, hatch or floor for easy access during travel

Zippered side storage and accessory pouch

Dual can/cup holder

Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 14 inches.

Heavily discounted at the moment.

Cooler Review: Koolatron 12V 48-Can Voyager Cooler

Koolatron 29 qt Voyager Cooler

This is a nice, streamlined cooler/warmer which holds 48 cans and the only difference between this and the other Koolatrons is the size, shape and color. You can stand a wine bottle up in this one.

Heats as well as cools.

NOTE: DO NOT cover up the fan/exhaust outlet. It needs to be able to breathe in and out.

NOTE: Don’t use melting ice in these machines – the gel pack sealed sheets are the best. It will operate best when you avoid opening the lid too many times and also pack it to avoid air gaps. Put chilled items in to retain the cold and hot items in to retain the heat. Again, I noticed that these are heavily discounted at the moment.

Dimensions: 17.5 x 16 x 15.4 inches

12 pounds

Review: Coleman 40-Quart PowerChill Hot/Cold Thermoelectric Cooler

Coleman PowerChill Hot/Cold Thermoelectric Cooler

Keep your food warm OR cool, and strictly speaking, you don’t need ice or a freezer pack. The Coleman 40-Quart PowerChill Hot/Cold Cooler uses electricity to keep your food at the right temperature. Set to Cool mode it cools down to forty degrees below the surrounding temperature; on Warm, it heats to 110-140 degrees above the surrounding temperature. Just plug it into your car’s 12-volt outlet – it has a long lead and even longer ones can be purchased. Also purchase the 110-volt AC adapter (sold separately) for use in the home which is, as mentioned earlier, essential for pre-cooling the unit overnight or in between uses. The PowerChill 40 Quart can hold 44 cans, plus snacks. The interior tray helps keep everything organized, and you can use the PowerChill upright, cabinet-style like a hobbit-sized fridge, or horizontally, chest-style. The door can be converted to open from the left or the right, so it’ll work well in your available space. 1-year limited warranty. These plug in miniature fridges used to be really expensive but there is a great range these days at affordable prices and this is one of my favorites. If you are tailgate partying in, say, Phoenix, a few sheets of gel icepaks will help keep the sun’s effects off your tailgate. But in general, it is fine without any assistance. Also is discounted right now just in time for the 2016-17 NFL season so move quickly if you want one at a good price.

Dimensions 15.7 x 17.8 x 24 inches

Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-16)

You definitely need one of these so that you can pre-chill the container overnight prior to the tailgate party Big Day. See notes on this process! Also if you are homegating in the back yard, it’s a really useful item to save you trips to the kitchen and back and can be plugged into the wall wherever your tailgate party is located.

Cooler Review: Koolatron 26-Quart Soft-Sided Electric Travel Cooler

Koolatron 26 qt Soft Side Bag Cooler

The Koolatron D25 Soft Bag Cooler can be taken anywhere, like the car, to picnic sites, hotels, offices, and more. For even more convenience the D25 plugs into all 12V cigarette lighters. The Koolatron D25 Soft Bag Cooler comes with an easy-to-carry adjustable shoulder strap, and holds up 32 x 12 oz cans. An optional 110V adapter is available for home use. The Koolatron D25 Soft Bag Cooler also has a convenient cord storage compartment when not in use. Cools to 16.5 degrees C or 30° F below the ambient temperature.

What I love about this is its ability to organize me with pockets and compartments for everything. Tailgating is the ULTIMATE picnic and that is what this great little, lightweight cooler guarantees. Bottles of pop, no, make that growlers, can stand up and you can tuck the food in all around it. The long lead means you can keep it plugged in for at least a couple of hours if you have a good battery in your vehicle. Stuffed eggs, for instance, require a really cool temperature or they can be a sure way to spending the day in the porcelain palace in the throes of a Technicolor yodel. Avoid tummy trouble and keep the food really cold!

Dimensions: 9 x 17.5 x 15 inches

Now a few pretty items for the ladies to put their cupcakes in!

Wheeled Picnic Cooler for 4, Houndstooth

Wheeled Picnic Cooler for 4 – many patterns available

This fully-equipped picnic cooler combines a removable wheeled cart, as well as a unique, divided cooler with separate sections for wine and food. Leaning towards the chic rather than tailgate party ruggedness, it has a leak-proof cooler which includes an easy drink access panel in the lid, a hand grip, an adjustable shoulder strap, and an extra front pocket. The wheeled cart has strong retractable handle like a suitcase and is easy to remove when not needed. Designed and assembled in the USA it has a Lifetime warranty. The cooler comes with a combination corkscrew, cheese knife, wineglasses, plates, napkins, flatware, wheeled cart and has a stylish pattern on the outside. Dishwasher-safe plates, flatware and glasses (glasses top rack) are included; hand-wash and dry wood accessories though and only spot-clean bag and cooler; machine-wash and dry napkins. Nice gift for the tailgate party gals! High enough to stash a wine bottle or two.

Dimensions: 17.25″ x 14.5″ x 13.5″

Thermal Food Carrier, Trellis Blue

Ascot style picnic carrier – for the gentlewomen at your tailgate party

Despite its feminine appearance it features sturdy construction just like my cousin Meryl. Thermal Shield insulation make this colorful food carrier essential for transporting food such as casseroles, cakes, rolls, and more hot or cold. It also zips fully open for easy packing. Lifetime warranty. Discounted at the moment for tailgate party season!

Dimensions: 4″ x 18″ x 11″

Trunk Organizer and Cooler Set, Chevron

Trunk organizer and cooler – style and substance

Dimension: 12″ x 23″ x 14″; folded, 12″ x 14″ x 3″

You might find this trunk organizer useful.

It’s a durable three section trunk organizer with removable Thermal Shield insulated cooler and despite its glamorous looks it is great for keeping sports gear, cleaning supplies, and groceries organized. Two large outer sleeve pockets. Foldable when not in use to maintain trunk space. Designed in the USA. Lifetime warranty. Tailgate party season discount!

Happy tailgating!

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Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Accessories, Cooler, Review, Tailgate Party

Kegerator Review: Summit Professional Outdoor Kegerator

By Rawhide

Summit Professional Outdoor Kegerator

Kegerator Review: Summit Commercial Kegerator–Perfect for Outdoor Use and Made by a USA Family Company!

There are not too many USA made kegerators on the market and I went hunting for one that was well-reviewed. The lower end kegerators don’t really fill that bill. The upper level ones, more of an investment kegerator that some of those that really, you don’t expect to last more than one NFL season, have mixed results. But after a long search and a lot of questioning of friends and family, I think I have one you will like. And I’m proud to do a kegerator review of a 100% All-American company.

Summit is a manufacturer of outdoor refrigerators and semi-professional outdoor gear and they have around 600 refrigerator models in their range. They are as American as apple pie, so, with the outdoor kegerator specifically in mind, I took a look at this one they make. Felix Storch, Inc. was founded in 1969 and has been a leading supplier of compact, specialty, commercial, and medical refrigerators and freezers ever since. In its first year, they trademarked the Summit brand name to guarantee quality at the highest level. Distribution started in Long Island City, New York, before moving to the Bronx in 1983, where the company headquarters is now located with warehousing in Edison, Noo Jois-ey.

Summit is a private, family-owned business with no outside investors and that’s kind of great, isn’t it? I reckon that one of the grandsons has invented this smooth appliance. This is your perfect July 4th Kegerator!! Also perfect for Thanksgiving. Oh and Rose Bowl parties, Superbowl Sunday, Friday Night Lights and all that stuff. Mmmm, and watching soccer matches on the outdoor TV screen.

It’s been designed and made for the commercial outdoor market – outdoor bars, cafés that serve beer, resorts, beer gardens and … home BBQ areas where beer is king!

Remember the golden rule – most of the kegerators for indoor use need to stay there. Temperature fluctuations caused by the conditions in your yard will make beer heat up and foam too much and so there is wastage. Nooooooooo! You need a specific outdoor kegerator for the Great Outdoors. So, is it fair of me to include this in a site specifically about tailgate parties? Well, yes, as homegating has become the new tailgating. So many of my friends are tricking out their yards with BBQs,, upmarket grills, rotisseries, smokers, fire pits and of course, a great big TV. I think it is worth looking at the possibilities of adding value to your house and turning it into your own little touch of paradise – beer on tap whenever you want it!

Allow me to present the Summit SBC490OS kegerator and draft beer dispenser which has been constructed to meet commercial quality standards outdoors. It is set in a stainless steel, non-corroding 304 grade stainless steel with a matching door. With finished sides and top with a professional steel rail around the edge and generous drip tray, the Summit SBC490OS is equally suited for built-in or freestanding applications. I have seen these slotted into masonry work and others integrated into custom cabinets. This is a genuine full-sized kegerator which can readily accommodate standard 1/2, 1/4 or pony (mini) beer kegs. This gives you a cooler with a draft tower made for your beer whether purchased or home-brew. There’s a special fan to cool the compressor if it has been built in plus extra shelves are provided to convert the unit into an automatically defrosting refrigerator. Yeah, right, ladies, as if I will be allowing that to happen. You won’t be keeping your designer salads and tiramisu in my kegerator.

You can actually customize this kegerator to some degree. For instance, you can request a diamond-plate door to give it a cool industrial design. This is the great thing about buying a locally made product. The Summit company has a good name and they stand behind every kegerator they make. (I don’t mind them standing behind my kegerator as long as they just keep quiet don’t demand too much beer …).

The list of inclusions covers all draft beer drinking eventualities. You get the CO2 tank, a regulator, a coupler, beer and air lines, a tap, a basic cleaning kit, a tower, faucet and faucet handle (which you can convert and customize). You supply the keg of your choice from the sizes mentioned – half, quarter and mini keg only. Don’t try to force a larger one into the interior as if you don’t keep the door shut snugly, you will never be able to keep the beer chilled. The result – one foamy mess. The appliance is quiet while operating and has been designed to run economically. I would highly recommend shelling out for a really great cleaning kit and build the cleaning regimen into your keg-maintenance routine.

Here’s a really great cleaning kit that easily looks after lines, taps etc. and remember not to scour or scratch the stainless steel finish.

Deluxe Beer Line Cleaning Kit

This deluxe cleaning kit has all the brushes you need to get into nooks and crannies and also has a pound of Brew Clean, the best chemical (read, ‘safest’ and non flavor ruining!) you can buy for your kegerator. There’s no point in buying a kegerator and leaving it to build up gunk and sludge as the beer will be ruined, you’ll have a smelly mess in your BBQ area and probably get sick. Sicker than you would if you are drinking pure, icy beer!

Manuals on setting up and operating are provided and it is important to follow these instructions carefully. The manuals can also be downloaded online so when you spill beer on the paper versions, you have a backup.

The Summit comes with a one-year warranty on parts and labor and 5 years on the compressor. It is also environmentally friendly being 100% CFC free.

Technical Specifications

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Kegerator review of the Summit professional outdoor kegerator. And, before I finish, don’t forget to double check these Technical Specifications and never forget California’s Prop 65 warning!

The power you need to run it? 115 volts, 60 cycle, 3 prong plug. Treat it right and it is energy efficient. Don’t continually open the door and don’t install in direct sunshine. It is one of the few outdoor kegerators on the market that gets high praise from all buyers.

It weighs 150 pounds and the dimensions are: . 34 1/2″h x 23 3/4″w x 26″d

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

No kegerator is a slam-dunk when you first put it in. It will take you a little effort to get used to correct settings in your environment. But if you persist. all the while ensuring that you follow the instructions, keeping the unit cool, all parts spotlessly clean and always using correct keg sizes, you will pay for it in beer savings over the first few years of owning the appliance, depending on how much you drink. In these economic times, doesn’t it give you a warm, fuzzy feeling to realize how much you can save by drinking more beer?

Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Beer, beverage, Kegerator, Review, Summit, Tailgate Party

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

By Rawhide

Avanti 2 Mini Keg Portable Kegerator

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

Avanti Kegerator Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Avanti Kegerator Accessories

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

Refrigerator and Appliance Voltage Protector 115v 10 AMP with 3 MIN Delay

Surge Protector

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

Duracell DRPP300 Powerpack 300-Watt Jump Starter and Emergency Power Source

Portable Battery Pack

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

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

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

Stick it together with this Reflective Insulation Tape.

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

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

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

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

NFL Chicago Bears Kitchen And Tailgate Towel Set

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

Kegco Deluxe Hand Pump Pressurized Keg Beer Cleaning Kit w/ 32 oz. Cleaner

Kegerator Cleaning Kit

How Long Will The Beer Last In The Kegerator?

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

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

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

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

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

They are only shipped within the USA at present.

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

**CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS:

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

Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Beer, beverage, Kegerator, Review, Tailgate Party

EdgeStar Kegerator Review: Full Size Triple Tap Built-In Outdoor Kegerator – Stainless Steel Model:KC7000SSODTRIP

By Rawhide

Edgestar Full Sized Kegerator

For any novices passing by, a kegerator stores, refrigerates, and dispenses a keg of beer in brewery-recommended conditions. Beer on tap! One keg of beer can be enjoyed for several months at a time and save you money and many trips to the store and so not only is the beer cheaper as you are buying it in bulk, but you are saving time and money trekking to your liquor store. There’s something very fulfilling about having your own draft beer on tap – it tastes better too. The best kegerator is a full-sized kegerator and some of the best kegerators are made by Edgestar. Check out this EdgeStar Kegerator review to learn how you can be serving up cold draft beer in the comfort of your own home!

Before we get to the EdgeStar Kegerator Review, let me tell you about a great offer from kegerator.com exclusively for Tailgate Party Site visitors. Just visit their website and use Coupon Code TAILGATE for $25 off any full sized EdgeStar kegerator or Coupon Code TAILGATE15 for $15 off the TBC50S mini Kegerator.

Use Coupon Code TAILGATE for $25 off any full sized EdgeStar kegerator!

EdgeStar Kegerator Review

Ok, so this Edgestar Full Sized Kegerator, is probably not one you are going to want to be dragging along to the parking lot for your weekly tailgate party. No Sir-ee Bob! This one is designed specifically for the home-gating you do when the USA has made it to the FIFA World Cup and you haul your big screen TV to your backyard kitchen and invite the lads over for a pint or two (as they say in Old Blighty). Allow me to translate. If you have a BBQ area with a good sheltered space to build in a kegerator, and you feel that football (soccer) is worth cheering along in between beers, then this is the kegerator for you. (U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A! ohhhhhhhh …. Germany ….?)

Just remember that you cannot use an indoor kegerator outside. Only outdoor kegerators should be used. Because of the intensity of temperatures and other environmental factors, using an indoor kegerator outside stresses the unit’s compressor, shortens its life, and will not chill beer to its optimal temperature. That can lead to foamy beer and wastage. Most home kegerators function best in room temperature environments (mid-70 degrees Fahrenheit). For any environment above 85° Fahrenheit or below 50° Fahrenheit, an outdoor kegerator is recommended. This one fills that bill perfectly as it has the additional insulation and manufacturing robustness to cope with changes in temperature.

This sleek kegerator is kind of industrial looking. But that has its advantages as any spills don’t have nooks and crannies and decoration to make cleaning a chore. A quick clean is all it takes. But do read my other story about the King of Kegs. Careful maintenance and cleaning (faithfully after every party) will guarantee it gives great service for many years AND it will retain its value.

Not only can you serve up a cold draft beer at home, but THREE different brews of the cold, amber fluid. It has not one, not two but THREE taps on its top and you can serve your own choice of drinks in it. You can have it installed in the man-cave, the BBQ area, the outdoor kitchen, garage, workshop or hey, maybe in your breakfast room. I know people who could appreciate the latter option. NOTE: If in the workshop, install at the opposite end of the room from your super-sharp power tools. Oh and it is very simple to install. There’s an installation manual that spells it out for you.

The first thing I must tell you is that you can get your beer in this quantity and SAVE 50% of the cost of the equivalent in bottles or cans. So, in this economic climate, it is a must for the serious beer drinker. A kegerator with a half barrel keg will hold up to 165 beers (12 oz. servings) so run the numbers on that! If you use reusable glasses instead of red cups, there’s another saving and hey, you are doing a good deed for the environment. But who can resist the red cup? They are essential for beer pong after all.

Freestanding kegerators cannot be built in. This is because many refrigerators vent heat out the back of the unit, which would be trapped if built into cabinetry. The front ventilation of the Model:KC7000SSODTRIP keeps it cool and inexpensive to run. The system operates on powerful forced air, cold air being evenly distributed throughout the kegerator to maintain your desired temperature. Because of that system, possible hot spots are eliminated. No warm beer! A perfect pour every time!

Beer temperature

Firstly, just remember it isn’t just for beer. You can fill your kegerator with stout or anything you like. Whether you prefer a cool stout or an ice-cold lager, you’ll be able to keep your kegs as cold as you need using the integrated thermostat that goes as low as 32ºF. You could put root beer in there for your designated drivers. The temperature control is really important for correct delivery of beverages. In this kegerator, cold air is directed up to and throughout the beer tower during a pour. This prevents the beer from foaming which is a result of warming. That’s a great feature as you get the most from your beer purchase if you don’t waste half of it as foam. HINT: keep your glasses (if you are using glasses for that frosty drink) in the fridge or even the freezer and your beer will taste spectacular.

The Kegerator can be installed as a free-standing unit or you can build it in beneath a counter for a flush look. The materials used in the walls on the exterior are hardy and tough in order to cater for their ability to be installed outside. Its heavy-duty door, entire cabinet, and professional towel-bar handle are fully wrapped in tough stainless steel and this makes it extremely rust, heat and water resistant. It’s able to withstand outdoor elements and this kegerator refrigerator is approved for use in your outdoor kitchen, bar or garage.

Technical Specifications

Here’s the technical info in regard to the contents:

1 x 5lb Luxfer CO2 tank. Note, you will need to get this filled when empty so google your supplier before you commit. Refillers can save you money.
1 x dual gauge regulator
3 x D Sankey couplers
3 x NSF PVC Beer lines
3 x red CO2 lines
1 x stainless steel triple tap beer tower
3 x 304 stainless steel faucets for the tower
3 black tap handles.

BONUS: You can customize these by adding tap handles with your team logo.

Baseball Beer Tap Handle

or chalkboard so you can put your homebrew’s name on there. And please come up with a better name than ‘Biff’s Panther Piss’. That’s so old-school.

There is also a stainless steel top cover with a drip tray, guard rail and 4 casters which you can use if you prefer your kegerator to be mobile rather than built in. There is an advantage to having the casters installed as, if you have any kind of spillage, it is great to be able to slide the kegerator out and clean beneath it before the beer solidifies. You want to avoid that old stale beer smell if you possibly can. Even my hardest-drinking buddies don’t enjoy that smell. NOTE: if you do have the casters put on the base, be sure to allow for their extra height when you are planning your counter space. You won’t want to cover the top of the keg as that is where the taps, guard rail and spill-tray are, but you will want it to be flush with the counter either side.

Operating this kegerator is really easy. All unit settings, including temperature and interior lighting, are easily adjusted using an electronic control panel that features push buttons and a digital temperature display. Inside it, LED interior lighting illuminates your keg and keeps your electricity consumption low as it is a cold light (doesn’t give off any heat). The temperature of the beer kegs remains uncompromised.

Just like on those upmarket fridges, the door on the Model # KC7000SSODTRIP is reversible. Say you want it to swing left, then all you need do is install it that way. The holes are already there for your need. If you are installing it in a line with your BBQ and other cabinets, you will appreciate this feature as there is a definite logic to the way an appliance door swings.

Here’s what you can fit inside it:

1 full sized keg. Holds 165 x 12 oz. glasses.
1 oversized beveled edge keg. Holds 82 x 12 oz. glasses.
1 quarter keg. Holds 82 x 12 oz. glasses.
1 slim quarter keg. Holds 82 x 12 oz. glasses.
1 – 3 sixth barrel kegs. Holds 56 x 12 oz. glasses each Sixth.
1 – 3 Cornelius keg. Holds 53 x 12 oz. glasses each Corny.
1 slim quarter plus sixth barrel keg
1 slim quarter plus 1 Cornelius keg.

If you put say 3 different sixths in there, you can make them all contain a different ale. How impressive you will be to all those party animals in your life!!

A note on sizes – Because keg fit varies between different kegerators, some units cannot hold certain brands of beer kegs. Coors Light and Miller Lite, for instance which are “oversized” or bulkier than other standard kegs often have an overlap and don’t fit. An easy way to gauge if these brands will fit in your kegerator is by checking its width. Kegerators with an overall width of 23 inches or more can accommodate light brands. Do your homework. Go to the store with a measuring tape and measure those kegs before deciding.

A manual is provided and a One Year Warranty along with clear assembly instructions and you can also download these from the manufacturer.

Dimensions

HEIGHT: 34 3/8″ WIDTH: 23 13/16″ DEPTH: 25 3/8″ D

The interior dimensions are a little less than that. I have read some reviews of the Edgestar that say that normal sized kegs do not fit inside. Be very aware of the exact sizes and before you order, ask the question whether your specific kegs will fit. I know that some kegs have small variations that may make this not work. However, the list above is what the manufacturer claims will fit.

At 120 watts you CAN if you need to, run it off a battery pack in the parking lot. 1.03 amps. Handle with care, though, if you are going to transport this kegerator. I think I would avoid transporting it full and carry your actual kegs in a cooler and install at the tailgate party site. However, the ultimate use of this model is as a built-in.

Input voltage = 115V/60Hz

Weight 115 pounds so it will fit on the back of your Silverado if you so desire!

When your kegerator arrives, unpack, install, switch on and wait 24 hours before adding beer. Only put chilled beer in. But after that, let the drinking begin! Enjoy!!

Kegerator Cleaning Kit

Cleanliness is next to beeriness.

It’s highly recommended that you purchase this specifically tailored Kegerator Cleaning kit.

The key to buying beer from a legitimate brewery (boutique or not) is the spotlessly clean environment that all components are kept in. This kit will help you ensure that your beer tastes brewery fresh. It works by removing buildups of bacteria, molds, yeast, and beer stone from your beer lines, faucet, and keg coupler. It is extremely vital to keep to a strict regimen of cleaning so that all components are spotless.

Included is a one quart shatter proof bottle, enough beer line cleaning compound (powder) for about 17 cleanings.

The 5/8″ Nylon Faucet Brush can clean the toughest buildups in your coupler and faucet.

The Check Ball Lifter inserts into the bottom of the coupler probe and lifts the check ball, permitting cleaning solution to flow through the coupler when cleaning your system. This saves time by eliminating the need to remove the coupler while cleaning the system. There is an extra neoprene washer and faucet wrench in case you lose your originals which is a thoughtful inclusion.

A handy instruction manual walks you through the cleaning process and in as little as 15 minutes, you will have a sanitized kegerator, providing you with perfectly fresh beer. As your kegerator has 3 taps and lines, you may find it takes a bit longer than 15 minutes. But trust me, it is really important to keep those lines and taps clean. In fact, the more regularly you do the cleaning, the quicker it is to clean. More challenging is if you let that gunk build up for a few parties. Then you have a real handful of soaking, scrubbing and so on. Don’t be tempted to boil those components to sterilize them. You will ruin them. Only mentioning this as I do have a mate whose missus did exactly that thinking they were the same as baby bottles.

So the golden rule: after every keg, clean those lines and taps. Wipe up all spills as you go. As it is stainless steel water is enough to clean the exterior. Avoid abrasives.

It is NSF Approved.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review of the EdgeStar Full Size Triple Tap Built-In Outdoor Kegerator! If you went out and purchased it (or, if you already own it) leave a comment for our visitors with your own EdgeStar Kegerator Review to let them know what you think!

NOTE FOR CALIFORNIAN BUYERS:

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

Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Edgestar, Full Sized, Kegerator, Kegerator Review, Tailgate Party

The #1 Best Kegerator: A Better Investment Than Shares!

By Rawhide

Over the years, I have been asked ‘What is your favorite kegerator?’ and ‘What is the #1 all-time best kegerator?’ by countless folk. My friend Seth has a good take on this. He says that the best keg is the one you can slip into your man-cave and when it seems to be too small for your beer intake or when you need money, you can sell it and get a heap of your money back to put towards an upgrade or something else you need. You’ll notice a lot of ‘starter kegs’ in our article Top 10 Best Beer Keg Dispensers Reviewed such as the KRUPS and HEINEKEN B100 BeerTender with Heineken Draught Keg technology

KRUPS and HEINEKEN B100 BeerTender

The BeerTender is great. But you’re not likely to want to trade it in on a more expensive model but more likely to be leaning towards buying them a big brother.
Here are the two main alternatives.

Buy a few of these and stock your favorite compatible brands of beer in separate containers. Buy a nice branded tap and identify them with their contents. The Pros of doing that are that you can, with the assistance of one of these Duracell Powerpacks take them to your tailgate party and there ain’t a thing wrong with that!

Duracell DPP-300EP Powerpack 300

I have one of these battery packs and use it when I need light, when tires need to be pumped up or the car needs a jump-start. You can run a little portable kegerator on it for a few hours. Nice. So that’s done and dusted for the tailgate party on the move. But at home?

The Best Kegerator

Buy one of these first up:

EdgeStar Full Size Built-In Kegerator – Stainless Steel (KC7000SS).

EdgeStar Full Size Built-In Kegerator

This EdgeStar kegerator is, in my friend Seth’s opinion, the nearest thing to having a pub in your own house. It is designed to be built-in but you can also use it freestanding and whip it out if you need to transport it or sell it. I don’t need to tell you all the stuff about how great it makes the beer taste etc. – that is a given.

Don’t forget that you can also get a $25 discount using Coupon code TAILGATE which will take $25 off any full sized EdgeStar kegerator at kegerator.com. Coupon code TAILGATE15 will take $15 off the TBC50S mini Kegerator.

It works like an industrial, commercial machine. Perfect beer. You can accessorize it with taps and hoses and gadgetry. Check out the manual and so on before you buy as you need a bit of a list of things to make it tick. Many licensed concession stands and ‘food trucks’ have these. Just ask. Imagine one of these in the man cave, BBQ area, kitchen or home bar! Click on the link for all the details of the specifications and so on.

Anyway, the point of telling you this is that Seth got married recently, moved to a tiny apartment and had to sacrifice the chapel that he had installed to the Gods of Beer. He sold his beautiful kegerator and got back 111% of the money he had spent on purchasing it some years ago. It more than held its value as he had bought it cheaply, kept it in pristine condition and accessorized it. Amazing! Had he bought shares, his money would have been down the toilet and been taxable as well. And you can’t drink shares, not even if they are in the Heineken company.

So my point is that the top level home kegerators can actually be a great investment.

Just sayin’

Filed Under: Beverages Tagged With: Beer, beverage, Kegerator, Tailgate Party

The Best Hangover Cure Pills

By Rawhide

Trust me! I’m a doctor! No, I’m not. Not even a chiropractor. But I do know that when one over-indulges in the demon drink, there is generally a price to pay and you’ll be looking for the best hangover cure pills out there. That errrrrrghhhhhh feeling in the morning. Perhaps preceded by a bit of a Technicolor Yodel around midnight. A bit of hugging the porcelain followed by intense dehydration.

Is it worth it?

Hell yeah! If you like tailgating.

Help is at hand, of course. There are thousands of hangover cures, and most of them relate to replacing electrolytes, fluids and salts as quickly as you can and ingesting vitamin B.

Here are the 5 best hangover cure pills that (anecdotally) my friends and I have found fast and effective and not too expensive. My disclaimer is that I haven’t done any double blinds on these or scientific testing. It’s just that these seem to tick all the boxes of helping the human body manage alcohol and don’t have any toxic effects on their own. Read all labels and make sure that you are not taking something that clashes with your own medication. Oh, that’s probably alcohol …. But seriously, folks, if you are on ANY medication, consult your doctor, take these pills, label and pack with you and make sure that you do not risk any side effects and bad interaction between the ingredients of your RX and your supplement.

FYI, a lot of these supplements contain ‘prickly pear’ extract. Prickly pear is actually Nopales, as eaten in most homes in Mexico. If you over indulge in the green de-thorned cactus paddles either as a salad or cooked, I guarantee you will be on the toilet for many a session. Eating too much gives you the squits. OK, there. I’ve said it. That could be a good thing – expel all the alcohol vertically rather than crouched over the bowl offering prayers to the porcelain god.

Most have been Tailgate Party/Vegas-tested and that is as scientific as it gets.

1. PreToxx for Hangovers & Liver Support (45 Vegetarian Capsules with Prickly Pear, Milk Thistle, Cysteine, and Electrolyte Blend)

PreToxx for Hangovers & Liver Support

Prevention being better than cure, I introduce to you a liver health supplement that claims to ease you through the drinking by making your liver stronger and more able to filter out the toxins. This seems like a good idea. Kind of like having your liver do pushups before the tailgate party. All of the above pointers apply. It supports liver function using prickly pear and milk thistle extracts mixed with electrolytes. Not a drug. PreToxx cannot claim to prevent or affect alcohol intoxication and the usual ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ warnings must be read and internalized along with a tequila shot. Hey, we all know someone who can take turns at being the designated driver! Not for pregnant women but I’m guessing alcohol isn’t either.

The ingredients are: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine HCl (Vitamin B-1), N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Prickly Pear Extract), Milk Thistle Extract, Pyridoxine HCl (Vitamin B-6), Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B-12), Calcium (Amino Acid Chelate), Magnesium (Amino Acid Chelate), Chloride (Sodium Chloride), Sodium (Sodium Chloride), Potassium (Amino Acide Chelate), Manganese (Amino Acide Chelate). You take 3 of these and a large glass of water before the booze-up and 3 more before collapsing into your coma after the tailgate party. If you take one a day, it is supposed to support a healthy liver. It prevents dehydration. You can read the full explanation of how each of the ingredients works on the brochure. Many users have claimed that this is an excellent hangover preventative as long as you keep taking the pills. Ceasing the pill-popping may cause the hangover to creep up on you! Also, be sure to swig an occasional glass of water during the night. You will avoid the body aches and post-drinking anxiety by keeping hydrated.

Note: the pills have a really strong vitamin odor probably from the huge quantity of vitamin B in the mix. Flatulent users, beware. You will never get away with blaming the dog while on these pills.

2. Pregame Hangover Pill – 60 Capsules, 100% Natural Ingredients

Pregame Hangover Pill

Pregame hangover pills prevent hangover symptoms including headaches, nausea, and dizziness. This product works as a hangover cure by restoring essential vitamins and minerals that are depleted while drinking alcohol. Pregame is manufactured in the U.S. in a FDA-inspected GMP compliant facility.

If you are under a physician’s care or taking medication, consult your healthcare professional.
The ingredients in the Pregame Hangover pill are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Potassium, Milk Thistle, L-Cysteine, and Prickly Pear Extract.

This one doesn’t require you to take umpteen pills. You just take one capsule of Pregame with at least 8oz of water before your first drink. After your first few drinks take another capsule with 8oz of water. For maximum effectiveness take an additional capsule with 8oz of water after your last drink. They don’t have the stench either. Many users swear by these as they prevent the headaches usually the killer after a long tailgate party with a few rounds of flip cup. If you are nervous about this, I would say have a weekend experiment when you do not have to get up next day. Drink like crazy, take the pills and see how you feel. Well, that is very scientific.

3. Drinkwel – The Multivitamin for People Who Drink (With Kudzu Flower, Milk Thistle, N-acetyl Cysteine)

Drinkwel – The Multivitamin for People Who Drink

90 pills to a bottle is 30 servings so you need 3 to get you through a drinking session. This has similar ingredients but there is also artichoke leaf and kudzu flower as well as a range of botanicals, Amino acids such as N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) to help process alcohol induced toxins and a heap of superfruit extracts including Acerola, Schisandra, Goji, and Açai berry. Vitamins B & C to top it off. It is a soy base. Not for pregnant women. Doesn’t prevent irrational behavior while drunk so use with caution. Check with your doc if you are nervous.

The ingredients include Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopherol Succinate), Thiamine (Vitamin B1) (as Thiamine HCL), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3) (from Inositol Hexanicotinate), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCL), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin), Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (as d-Calcium Pantothenate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Zinc (as Zinc Gluconate), Selenium (as methylselenocysteine), Copper (as Copper Amino Acid Chelate), Manganese (as Manganese Ascorbate), Chromium (as Chromium Polynicotinate), NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine), Taurine, L-Theanine, Kudzu Flower powder, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) extract 5:1 (seed), Rhodiola Rosea extract (root), Artichoke Leaf powder, Green Tea extract (leaf), Acerola Berry extract 4:1, Bupleurum powder (root), Schisandra extract (fruit), Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) extract 4:1, Goji Berry (Lycium chinense) powder (root bark), Betain HCL – quite a mouthful!

The whole idea is to take one of these every day and your liver will withstand the effects of alcohol and 3 before and after you have been on the booze. People like this one as it is not made by Big Pharma. and it works even at high altitudes. No headaches! A side effect can be a feeling of high temperature so stay cool when you go to bed, ditch the blankets and turn on the air con.

Cost effective. Follow the instructions carefully. Of all the many reviews and critiques and anecdotal tales about this Drinkwel pill, most have been positive and this pill comes up better than most. Drinking lots of water, even having water by the bedside is recommended. Made in USA.

4. Dihydromyricetin (Hovenia Dulcis Extract) Scientifically Proven to Prevent Hangovers

Dihydromyricetin

This is American made as well. Tested carefully for purity. It works by reducing the affect alcohol has on the brain’s GABA receptors and damge to the liver caused by over-indulgence at places like tailgate parties. The GABA receptors are a class of receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. But you knew that, didn’t you?

The ingredient listed is 300mg of pure Dihydromyricetin (DHM) per capsule. This is a flavonoid component of herbal medicines extracted from oriental raisin Tree.

The method of using is to take 1-2 capsules before consuming alcohol, and 1-2 capsules each three drinks thereafter, to reduce feelings of intoxication and/or to support healthy liver function. A couple more pills immediately before falling asleep. Drink water with each pill.

Again, this is highly reviewed and praised for its effectiveness and people claim it counteracts the effects of tailgating. Students love this one as it sounds very scientific. You need to do your own experiment with this before going crazy with booze. Set your safe level and know just how it affects your body. You still won’t be able to drink and drive as your BAC will be unchanged by this medicine or any of the others listed here. You will just feel not as drunk and your hangover will not be as severe. Drink lots of water.

Worth checking out!

5. Zaca Recovery Patch, 6 Pack (With Milk Thistle, Prickly Pear, Vitamin B’s, N-acetyl Cysteine, Vitamin C and More)

Zaca Recovery Patch

People who cannot take pills seem to like these. The ingredients are similar to the tablets but in the form of a patch.

With all the hangover cures available on the market these days, I did not think the ones using a patch would be in the least effective. How on earth, I wondered, could the extracts seep through my skin fast enough to counteract a high speed game of dizzy bat?

Ingredients are Prickly Pear, Milk Thistle, B1, Lipoic Acid, B5, B3, Taurine, Lycopene, NAC, Magnesium, Vitamin C, very similar to all the above pills in fact I can’t see much difference. Except that you don’t have to take up valuable stomach space that could be used for beer and bacon by eating a handful of pills.

Oddly enough, it works. It is a lot less stress than downing the pills before and after the drinking. Just slap on the tiny Zaca patch which is only 1” square! Leave the patch on for 24 hours for maximum effectiveness. Remember to have an occasional glass of water in between all the fun stuff and you will be fine in the morning. Good for prevention of altitude sickness.

It’s guaranteed but there has been no testing in clinics and all reviews and data are anecdotal. It is actually very, very hard to test hangover cures. I have offered my services but nobody has taken me up on that yet.

Happy tailgating!

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Accessories, beverage, Cure, Hangover, Pill, Tailgate Party

The Best Canopy Chairs For The Tailgate Party

By Rawhide

OK – so we all know that the weather is bananas these days. Most parking lots either have freezing weather or the sun is pelting down so hard that you almost could forget the grill and BBQ on the hood of the car. You need shade, shelter and comfort. I have been looking at canopy chairs lately and thought I would pass on to you my findings. There’s lots of information here as well as the all important list of the best canopy chairs for the Tailgate Party.

My first finding is that they are generally well made and a little more expensive but that you should have them for a while. When making your selection, check how long the warranty lasts. Some are thirty days, others are a year. Some fold really small and others not so much. So I have chosen a small but nice selection of good chairs. There is only one better than this lot and that is reflected in its price. My take on that is that when tailgating, you need something that if it gets hit by a slumping drunk and snaps in two, you won’t have sent so much money on it that you are devastated. Pick the road well-travelled with chairs.

In general, these are a folding chair with the added bonus of a folding canopy that slips into either a separate bag or the canopy itself. You can forget the umbrellas and still have some shade. And really, they are not much more expensive that chairs sans roofs! These are all mid-range cost-wise so it’s really not a great concern if they degrade after a couple of years of beer-soaking, drunken slouching and collapsing. Heck, it’s a small price to pay for fun. The five I have chosen each have specific advantages, such as color range, compactness, large size, price, but all are worth buying. Check them out and ultimately, choose the one that suits your tailgate party style.

The Best Canopy Chairs For The Tailgate Party

Bravo Sports Quik Shade Chair

Quik Shade Fully Adjustable Folding Chair with Carrying Bag

Quik Shade Fully Adjustable Folding Canopy Chair

As well as having the benefits of a shady canopy, this chair has a wide, oversize seat. It hasn’t escaped me that there is more demand for chairs for people who, shall we say, represent the Hippoglottamus genus, being somewhat Rubenesque. Size ‘Big’n’tall’. Hefty. This chair is perfect and has a high capacity and will support more than 200 pounds.

It folds very easily into a compact bag which is the canopy (with a shoulder strap for comfy carrying) and features a patented design which allows the sun shade to be raised, lowered and tilted either side in the flick of a wrist. It is designed to block the sun from any angle and once clicked into position it is held taut. If you don’t need to use the canopy, just push it to the rear of the seat.

The canvas-like fabric is tough and moisture resistant and comfier than vinyl or polyester.
Has dual built in cup holders – one for you, one for a friend. Naaah, one for you, one for you after that.. In the tailgate party, sometimes, you just have to think of yourself.

Available Colors: Blue and Green.

Sport-Brella Recliner Chair

Sport-Brella Recliner Canopy Chair

The Sport Brella has a 3 position recline design with a 3 position swiveling umbrella. You can stash up to 4 drinks in its built-in insulated pocket and there’s also a 12oz snug-fitting cup holder and a zipper pocket for the bottle opener, your hone or headphones (there’s a slit to thread it through). Metallic liner gives UPF 50+ protection. The articulating arm moves the canopy into many different positions to adjust shade and you can move it to the other side of the chair and on the umbrella ends, there are tiny safety tips to protect you from poking yourself in the eye.

It has a built-in footrest. Very simple to flip open or shut and replace in its own bag. You’ll appreciate its reinforcing bands of webbing and the fact that it is a tougher grade of plastic and metal at the heart of its construction. It will last for years. All this toughness does take a bit more space in the car/truck but it’s certainly a comfy chair and after the tailgate party, it doubles as a beach chair.

Rated 250 lbs maximum capacity but there are users who say chunkier sitters are OK as long as they are gentle. Comatose, maybe.

Colors? Orange with smart, grey trim, Midnight Blue and Red.

Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy

Continuing our search for a tailgate party chair tailored for the more muscular people in your life, we found this portable, tough-construction canopy chair that caters for people up to 350 pounds (stationary weight – not leaping around). Tailgating can proceed without restraint! It’s sturdy as anything on the market and creates a nice patch of shade.

Made of polyester canvas with a seat width of 22 inches. The metal frame is powder coated. The pull down canopy has zip openers to make two little windows.

Dimensions: 61″Hx34¾”Wx37″D.

The cup holder is awaiting your beverage and you can stash things in the storage pouch that is built into the seat.

Colors: Red and blue.

Kelsyus Premium Canopy Chair

Kelsys is a good name to watch for in chairs. The Premium is an upgrade from an earlier model and has a terrific canopy that locks at almost endless angles to prevent the sun from blighting your tailgate party.

For your personal tailgate party style, this one ticks a lot of boxes: again, an oversized seat, this one supporting up to 250 pounds, not quite as large as the previous chair but smartly designed. The manufacturers claim that this one is ergonomic design – there’s a rounded front to make it less angular and therefore, should be more comfortable. Parking lots are not known for their tailgate party comfort apart from what you bring with you and this is a good choice. This canopy is large and you can lock it in place either for sun or shade. Cup holder of course! The fabric is 50+ UPF. The canopy slips over the chair to make a bag for ease of packing away after you have finished partying. Again, a shoulder strap makes it simple to carry back to the car. The frame is powder-coated for extra protection. As well, the well-stitched fabric is stylish and has a mesh panel on the back and seat to keep you cool in the heat. Super easy to clean too. (ie. beer washes off easily …).

It’s a fine, stylish looking chair, one of the best aspects is its color range: there are Lime, Navy and Red versions all with cutting edge trendy grey bases made of its cool, comfortable, easily cleaned fabric.

Bravo Sports Shade Chair With Canopy & Carry Case

Bravo Sports Four Seasons Courtyard Shade Chair with Canopy and Carry Case

The Bravo has been ergonomically designed and suits short or tall people equally. It folds up neatly into a small package into its separate carry bag. There’s a shoulder strap. It only takes seconds to erect and you can slip it into your tailgate party kit without it taking up a lot of room. Note that the fabric is sun repellant, 50+ UPF and the canopy can be angled to many angles to create shade where you want it. There’s the normal cup holder (not two on this one).

Note to anyone over 250 pounds: If you are gentle, you can sit in this but don’t slump into it. If you a ‘Big and Tall’ then choose one of the higher rated chairs.

It’s OK but perhaps a little flimsy and that is reflected in its price.

Colors that I could find included red, blue and black.

Yes, there are some more expensive chairs. But, given the rough treatment that most tailgate party folk will give their furniture, I would go for mid-range and replace it a little more often. The key to this is that at the end of the tailgate party, some people (you know who you are) just don’t seem capable of folding and stashing a chair carefully enough to prolong its life. The Kelsys chair is actually a licensed brand of the famed top of the range Renetto Original Canopy chair which is more expensive but comes in a ton of colors.

The five I have chosen are way more affordable versions and I would say are a better deal for tailgating due to the fact that you will be treating them comparatively roughly. (Or is that just me?)

FOOTNOTE: The weight capacity on these chairs is typically around the 200 pounds rate but do I think you could push that higher. Anecdotally, people of 275+ seem to do OK. No reports of any collapses or injuries.

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Accessories, Canopy Chairs, Chair, Tailgate, Tailgate Party

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