It’s a simple fact that food tastes better when you’re sitting outdoors. The same goes for booze. An ice-cold domestic lager by the campfire trumps even the best craft draft at your favorite watering hole. But, your outdoor drinking selection needn’t revolve around canned and bottled beverages. With the right gear, you can elevate your al fresco drinking game with a go-anywhere cocktail-making kit that rivals even the best home bar setups.
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TrailKeg Pressurized Growler
Just because you’re roughing it in the wild for a few days doesn’t mean you have to drink your beer like a peasant. TrailKeg’s Pressurized Growler takes your outdoor beer-drinking game to the next level. The half-gallon capacity keeps 64 ounces of your favorite hoppy beverage cold for up to 24 hours and carbonated for a whopping seven days. So, you can enjoy fresh draft-like beer anywhere.
Jillmo Travel Bar Bag
Safely transporting your cocktail kit is just as important as choosing the right booze to bring. The Jillmo Travel Bar Bag is a waterproof carry bag designed to tote your complete bar setup wherever you need it, making it perfect for camping. Inside, there’s enough room for three full-sized liquor bottles, a cocktail shaker, and all your essential tools. Individual pockets neatly organize your strainers, muddler, ice tongs, jiggers, and more.
Host Bar10der 10-in-1 Tool
Backcountry enthusiasts appreciate compact, ultra-lightweight hiking gear. The Host Bar10der fits ten must-have bartending tools into a single pocket-sized multitool. That includes essentials like a corkscrew, a bottle opener, a knife, and even a jigger, plus specialized tools like a muddler, a zester, and a reamer. The plastic and stainless steel construction make this the ultimate, durable tool for on-the-go bartenders.
Stanley Adventure Happy Hour All-in-One Cocktail Shaker Set
A good cocktail shaker is key to every bar setup, whether at home or in the wild. Stanley’s Adventure Happy Hour All-in-One Cocktail Shaker Set is designed to go anywhere with a 30-ounce cocktail shaker, two stainless steel cups, a citrus reamer, and a jigger cap. Plus, the entire set is made of dishwasher-safe stainless steel and weighs just 0.65 pounds.
GSI Outdoors Nesting Wine Glass Set
No matter where you are, wine is best enjoyed out of a proper wine glass. The problem, of course, is that fragile stemware doesn’t exactly travel well. GSI Outdoors’ Nesting Wine Glass Set is constructed of nearly indestructible, BPA-free copolyester that’s strong enough to outlast you. The glasses unscrew at the midpoint, making for easy transport. Plus, each one holds a generous 9.3 ounces — almost two full servings — of vino.
High Camp Firelight 750 Flask
There’s something charming and nostalgic about old-school hip flasks. But, a few measly ounces of alcohol is hardly enough for hosting a group of friends around the campfire. High Camp’s Firelight 750 Flask holds an entire bottle of your favorite liquor (all 750 milliliters). Plus, the three-piece set includes two built-in stainless tumblers that attach to the massive “flask” (we use that word loosely) via a clever magnetic locking closure.
The Bitter Truth Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set
The right cocktail bitters can make or break a bar setup. The Bitter Truth’s aptly named Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set features five 20-milliliter bottles of the most versatile bitter flavors, including Celery, Orange, Creole, Old Time Aromatic, and Jerry Thomas Own Decanter. It’s a compact set that works equally well in the backcountry or on long-haul flights when you just can’t bear to be without a properly poured tipple.
IceMule Pro X-Large 33L Cooler
Coolers are the only real solution for bringing portable chill into the wild. But, even the best wheeled coolers are heavy and cumbersome for anything more than car camping. For the ultimate, go-anywhere ice solution, you need a backpack cooler. IceMule is arguably the best on the market, and its 33L Pro X-Large Cooler is the perfect outdoor alcohol companion. It boasts enough room for 24 cans of your favorite beverage with ice, and the thick PolarLayer insulation maintains ice-like temperatures for up to a full day.
Looking for fresh inspiration for your next open-air adventure? Check out our round-up of the easiest cocktail recipes for budding bartenders.
