# BEER Storage...



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

What will you have on top of your rowers seat drop bag to keep the milk crates secure?

A table, or zipper top drop bag?

Either will be easily accessible in the morning, and not horrible to get at if you stop for lunch or are in a mellow stretch.


I pack my beer in square buckets in a drop bag under my front seat table. The Walmart bakery frosting buckets hold 35 beers each, no need for mass amounts of duct tape.

6.5gal Cat litter buckets should hold 50+ Beers.


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## wharf-rat (Jan 29, 2019)

Grab bag looks good and could fit under my seat... what about captain bags, wonder how many beer they hold🤔... where are folks stashing beers? I think I will also up my game from a 120 to 150q cooler


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## t-clark (Feb 22, 2020)

We also store beer under the front seat table in a drop bag, and that works great, just not easily accessible throughout the day. I have used a zippered top drop bag that sits in the bay under the captains seat, and put milk crates full of beer in them and that worked out great for easy access. I could unzip the top of the drop bag while in my seat, and easily reach in.


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## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

if you are on a river where the water is colder a drag bag is a great option for daytime accessibility


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## John_in_Loveland (Jun 9, 2011)

Large canvas army duffle holds 4 or 5 cases. Store it on the bottom of the boat somewhere so it stays constantly wet. Evaporation keeps the beers relatively cool.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Mountain Buzz mobile app


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## wack (Jul 7, 2015)

I just duct tape cases in 2 directions. Put extras in my front drop bag (low for cooling effect of water). Fill beer cooler as necessary in the mornings. The duct tape holds the cardboard together reasonably well. Burn when finished with the case. Me and a buddy packed 12 pack/ per person per day for a 6 night Deso and ran out perfectly on the evening of the 6th night.


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## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

My ‘never fail’ beer solution:

1) Every boat gets a 65L-110L dry bag 
2) Prechiiled beer
3) Stock dry bag full of ice / beer when loading trailer or bring auxiliary cooler that stays with vehicle
4) Pack iced beer in easily accessible location
5) Restock with Ice enroute to river
6) Morning of launch add block ice / cubes - as much as possible
7) Wet towel over bag as much as can be managed
8) That bag gets drank first - no exceptions

Should last until next AM and once finished you can stuff those empty bags virtually anywhere.

Yes it is heavy, yes it costs money, but it never fails...


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

My solution so far has been to freeze the bastards solid.
Last couple Grand trips, I layered half my beer supply frozen, across the bottom of my cooler. Used them for part of my ice supply, it worked out well for me.
This time, I purchased a couple of burlap sacks, threaded cord through them for draw strings, and will fill them with frozen beers. They will ride on my floor underneath my gear pile, and I will resupply from the bags as needed.
We’ll see how this idea works out.

There’s a couple of old threads around on freezing beer, if you want more info. just do it slowly, and carefully, and they tend not to burst.

If you use a drag bag, be sure to pull it in for rapids, I have seen friends get summarily Fucked, because the drag bag drug them right into a big keeper hole!!


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Have a similar crew and beer needs. Lots of ways to handle it but a few cool iterations have come about for storage. There is always the morning beer ritual to make sure enough is accessible and cold. If you happen to have a cat then adding pvc tubes to between your frame and cat tubes gives you a ton of storage. Others have built beer boxes on their side rails that make things level somehow and perfectly hold 2-4 cases of beer:


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

matt man said:


> My solution so far has been to freeze the bastards solid.
> 
> There’s a couple of old threads around on freezing beer, if you want more info. just do it slowly, and carefully, and they tend not to burst.


Slow is key.

Don't go from room temperature into the freezer, or they will burst.


Room temperature to fridge for several days, then freezer.

Beer has carbonation. Carbonation is carbon dioxide bubbles. As you lower the temperature, the carbon dioxide actually dissolves into the beer and becomes carbonic acid. Then you have more "head space" in the can and the beer can freeze. 

Warm beer has all that carbon dioxide pressurizing the can and taking up the head space....so if you freeze it, the expanding beer ice crystals have nowhere to go and KABOOM!


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

No way can you pack enough beer! Everyone would need their own 18' oar rigs to supply a week. Right? There is some good news, though. Delivery! Things and services change from year to year. But one constant is that there is a ton of traffic on the river. Commercial jet boats and landing strips can really help here. Some years you can actually get ice on the river! But timely air dropped coolers may be a bad ass idea? Maybe a jet boat drop at a lay over? Anyway, I suggest thinking outside the box on this one.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

I just bring 2 coolers, one for beer and one for food and non-adult drinks. My 100qt rotocooler will hold 4 30 packs plus ice, the 150 will hold 6+. And I never drain that cooler - has stayed cold for 8 days. My formula is typically 15 beers per day, so also 8 days worth of beer for me in the little cooler.... Sometimes on the last day or two I'll drain the cooler and transfer the remaining soldiers into the main cooler then put garbage/cans/etc into the empty cooler. 

I've also simply covered the top of my beaver board with beer boxes then stack gear above as normal... I did this before I realized that adding beers from the bottom of the boat melts Ice in the main cooler and the second cooler more than pays for the space it takes up in ice retention and frosty cold beverages. And I can get most of the weight in front of boat center, an added bonus. Lastly I have a 30 qt soft cooler that holds drinks for the day in the captains bay..... Yes, I have a cooler problem.


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## MontanaLaz (Feb 15, 2018)

I stopped using my drag bag because I can feel it when rowing flat water and for reasons already mentioned in rapids. 

I now go the mesh bag route. I got a big one at a memorial day sale or some such at one of those big farm and ranch supply stores that also sell hunting gear. Big enough for 3 cases and I only paid like $20 for it. 

It doesn't bother me because I am one of those weirdos who actually doesn't like their beer brain freeze cold but I do stash a 12 pack of tasty stuff in the bottom of the food cooler to break out on the last afternoon when pretty much everyone else is out of frosty ones.


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## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

Two coolers is a must + a captain’s cooler at my feet.

The dry bag is to make sure you have cold beer and plenty of it at end of trip.


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## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

Accidentally hit send...

For beer coolers we use a 70qt Canyon Cube and when that is empty move to the Pelican 90 and so on.

I don’t know what all ya’ll’s experiences are but I have yet to find a cooler that retains ice as long as that Pelican. But damn that drain plug sucks when it gets sandy!


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## OregonianRG (Jun 14, 2010)

I have used dive bags that scuba divers use. They are sturdy. I know where you can get one for free. One popped out of my boat when I got maytagged in Velvet.


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## wharf-rat (Jan 29, 2019)

didnt get a middle fork permit so i wont be finding that free scuba bag
The consensus seems to be 2 Coolers +1 Captains cooler is the way to go.
As well, the storage of copious amounts of beer is definetley an art form that only rafters who enjoy multi days in remote canyons seem to have dialed.
Now where the hell do i place that 3rd cooler?
With beer in the 1st bay placed in a dropbag
Beer in the 2nd bay in the cooler (with food)
3rd bay (rowers)- Another Cooler/seat (120Q- Full of beer), Plus small cooler for daily sipping. This will be on raft floor next to myself the rower.
4th Bay- DryBox (only a few random micro beers for late nights)
5th Bay- Gear Pile
This thread is making me thirsty.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I had never considered 2 coolers, but it makes a ton of sense.

I like drag bags for day beers, but they’re dependent on reasonably cool water.


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## wack (Jul 7, 2015)

For early-Aug Deso trip, I froze cases of beer before hand (miller lite doesn't pop)
-Captains/bowman's cooler is a key resource (I use a similar one to this)
-as frozen (seal a meal) food is eaten, beers from front drop bag go in cooler and daily ice is transferred to captains cooler.
My cooler is a basic (cheap) 150qt GOTT and I was able to have ice cold beers on Deso in early Aug (100* days) for a week. I kept a wet towel over the cooler for evaporative cooling. YMMV


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## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

For really big drinkers I recommend a motor rig, you can't drink all of the beer a nice 33' rig can carry, and coolers of ice down both sides.


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## Jen TheJeneral (Jul 27, 2017)

Beer tubes you can drag in the cold water. Each hold a 24 pack on top of all your other coolers and drop bags


wharf-rat said:


> So, my crew and I drink copious amounts of beer. So much so that on my last main salmon trip I wondered a better way to store this beer. My plan is to have a drop bag up front under the table, then add another drop bag under my nrs low back seat. I was gonna place my drybox behind the seat.
> Q: if I stash beer in milk crates under the captains chair will I have trouble accessing this beer. No flip seat. These drop bag beers will be only accessed in the morning to load up all the coolers. Without a flip seat is it even possible to access the drop bag beers. Anyone rocking the beer under seat idea or am I just off on thinking this could work?


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## drfun (Jul 2, 2016)

*It's not just the storage, it's the beer!*

Not to be frivolous, but the first thing that occurred to me is that not all beer is created equal! Some people just like to drink all day, in which case you probably want a lot of light or low-alcohol beer, and need the space to carry it. But if storage is an issue, bring high-alcohol IPAs or similar and then you'll get your mountain buzz with fewer beers and less storage. Voila!


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

I'm not sure I've seen but one or two other boats set up the way mine is, which is odd, considering American Whitewater had them as a standard option on their frames.
Simple aluminum trays attached to the side rails of the frame hold two 54qt Igloo Marine coolers.
Each one holds about 2 cases of beer, with ice.
They only keep ice for about 4 days, which, coincidentally, is about how long it takes to go thru 4 cases of beer.
And gets you to an ice resupply at Five Mile Bar.
Reserve beer goes in a canvas duffel in the back, under the gear pile.

I've plans to upgrade the coolers. Likely going to fiberglass up some xps foam...

Also, a soft sided cooler stocked up each morning, and kept in the Cap'n's bay reduces trips into the side coolers, and greatly extends ice-life. 
Ben


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## wharf-rat (Jan 29, 2019)

Beer tubes, that’s a sweet idea. Better then a drag bag cause it looks like it won’t throw u off line but it’s still in the river being chilled for future consumption. Fantastic 



jifner4 said:


> Beer tubes you can drag in the cold water. Each hold a 24 pack on top of all your other coolers and drop bags
> 
> 
> wharf-rat said:
> ...


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## Managan (Mar 9, 2015)

On our last grand trip one of the boats 19’ cat had beer tubes that ran the length or the boat. They were PVC and were attached to the boat in the void created by the frame meeting the upper arc off the tube. Each tube held a case of beer. The rear cap was fixed and the front cap thread on. He used a paracord system to retrieve beers. Open cap, pull string and out came a beer. I thought about adopting the same system on or boat.


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Beer tube looks sweet but a little too accessible for kayakers and the maggots would probably sneak in and steal beers.


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## Fly By Night (Oct 31, 2018)

LSB said:


> Beer tube looks sweet but a little too accessible for kayakers and the maggots would probably sneak in and steal beers.


That's what oars are for.


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Fly By Night said:


> That's what oars are for.


Yeah and you know what else is fun. Grab the front grab loop and lift till they're vertical. Then pump up and down like a butter churn till they wet exit. Entertainment for everyone.

Edit: JK... I love kayakers. I used to be one myself.


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