Drinking in Nature: 4 Tips for Bringing Drinks Outside

It’s finally getting warm across most of the US, which means camping trips, picnics, and backyard BBQ’s are making their annual resurgence. Even though alcohol is often on the menu, it’s easy to avoid planning it until the last minute. Often lists involve “get the beer,” and it's complete. That's enough, right? Not so fast.

With a little bit of forethought, you will increase your levels of beverage enjoyment during your next outdoor gathering.  

Pack the right cup

Spending time outdoors already requires a lot of packing, but your drinking vessel is one item that will make a huge difference. Plastic cups have their place, but there’s something even more enjoyable about consuming a beverage the way its creators intended. Lucky for us, the outdoor industry has our backs! You can find unbreakable glasses for beer, wine, or liquor like these from Hydroflask or you can get a little fancy and drink out of real glass protected by silicon.

Choose the best drink

Some drinks don’t taste as delicious warm. (If you want to geek out on why, check out this article). If you’re not packing a cooler, it might be best to bring with you a drink that tastes good at “room” temperature! Choosing a stout instead of a lager, red wine instead of white, or whiskey instead of vodka can drastically improve your experience. Sure, a warm beer at the end of a long hike to the top of a mountain can be tolerable, but wouldn’t it be preferable to have planned for something that truly satisfies?

Think about the packaging

If you’re planning on being away from your car, the weight of your items matters. Choosing beer or wine in cans over glass bottles can help. Cans weigh less and don’t have the same potential to break and create a safety hazard. You can also consider wine in a box. Eco-friendly brands like Bota Box have cardboard that safely burns into your campfire and a plastic liner that's recyclable. Finding the lightest options make for the most stress-free trips and cleanups!  

Bring only what you plan to drink

It’s easy to grab a bottle of wine or case of beer and throw it in the car. However, this can take up extra space and make it easier to justify drinking too much. Bring only what you plan to consume. Pack your serving of wine or liquor in a personal airtight, resealable container so it stays fresh. It will also help your curb the pressure to finish the whole bottle.

Do you have tips to share with us for bringing drinks outdoors? Tag us @betterdrinkingculture so we can both learn from you and live vicariously through all of your outdoor drinking adventures

About the author

Jenn McAmis is a digital nomad who lives with her two rescue dogs in a 1984 Toyota Sunrader camper. She spends most of her days barefoot searching for the next outdoor adventure, drinking too much coffee and dabbling in all things woo-woo. You can follow her journey on Instagram @travelinglovefairy and subscribe to her shenanigans on her website.