The Beer Accessory You Didn’t Know You Desperately Needed

By Alex Delany

If I was strong enough to walk around with a keg on my back, I'd do it. I'd have access to fresh draft beer wherever I was. I'd share it with friends. I'd be the life of every party. Unfortunately, I'm not invited to that many parties, and I don't have a Baby Bjorn-type harness or the physical fortitude to make this dream a reality. But here in reality I have the next best option, a DrinkTanks growler.

The Drink Tank looks a lot like a piece of industrial camping equipment, or maybe a NASA-issued extraterrestrial water collection container. It's a formidable piece of technology that has inspired more than a couple coworkers to ask what the hell it is. It can hold up to 128 oz. of beer (or any liquid). That's 8 pints or just under 11 cans of beer. Plus it would easily fit in a backpack. Its double-wall insulated chamber can keep beer cold for 24 hours after an initial filling. So if your friends don’t finish the limited edition saison you brought back from Vermont, you can have it again for breakfast the next day. Waste not.

What really takes this Hulk-sized Thermos to the next level is the keg accessory cap. With a screw-on top, a CO2 cartridge, and a keg hose, this package turns the already impressive growler into that walk-around keg I was dreaming about. That CO2 pressure keeps beer fresh for longer, as opposed to a "Once You Open It, You Finish It" policy that comes with a regular growler—or crowler. No tipping and spilling. No flat beer. Just the pinch of a tap hose.

The expansive range of color options is also noteworthy. 1980's Philadelphia Eagle green? Sure. Mario Batali Croc orange? Got it. On-trend "I've been really into turmeric lately" copper? Also available. This is the growler upgrade you never knew you needed, but once you make the switch, you'll look back at the old you as a naïve fool.