At beer and music festivals throughout the United States, numerous pints of beer are poured and sold for adoring visitors. Although it is a commonality for some to over-indulge at festivals such as these, it is often considered part of the experience to enjoy a pint or two of fresh lager. Whether you are going just to listen to the music and have a few with friends or plan on finding a designated driver, all attendees of these festivals expect that their beer is going to be chilled to coldest degree. There a number of ways in which to keep beer cold at these hot festivals, but often the most implemented technique is to create a temporary beer cellar. These often come in the form of a hired portable air conditioning unit that is big enough to provide enough cool air to keep the beer stored at the right temperature.
Beer demand at festivals has continued to grow over the years. The number of bars open near festivals or beer tents on the festival grounds seems to be expanding every year, whether because of the popularity of beer or the festival, people keep wanting more beer. This is good for those that are hosting the festival because beer, on top of entrance fees, catering and merchandise revenue, can add a large amount of to the overall revenue of the festival. This makes it imperative that the beer is kept at cool temperature to ensure that people keep coming back to enjoy the festival and the beer. Those festivals that have gained the reputation for selling warm beer will often gain negative press and less people will want to come back in the following years.
With the majority of festivals taking place in open fields or on the streets of rural areas, it is important to have a temporary beer cellar on hand in order to keep beer cold. Normal amenities for keeping beer cold such as huge refrigerators are often not used because of space limitations or power limitations. It may just be too much of a hassle to carry a refrigerator out to the location, making it the perfect situation for a temporary beer cellar.
There are some beers that some may consider OK to serve at room temperature, but when the sun is beating down on festivalgoers, no one wants a beer that is served at 80 degrees or more. Generally, a beer is served at a temperature between 53-57 degrees. Room temperature, approximately 70 degrees, is far too hot to drink a beer, especially when the beer is being kept outside where temperatures may exceed 90 degrees. For large festivals that are taking place in these temperatures it may be advised to have a beer cellar that cools the beer to as low as 44-50 degrees in order to provide instant relief from the heat when the beer hits the visitor’s lips.
With that being said, it is important not to chill the beer to a temperature that creates ice crystals. This could lead to two different outcomes. First, the beer may explode, creating a large mess within the cooler and take away from the revenue generating possibilities of the beer. Second, if the beer does not explode, once the crystals melt, the beer may have a flat taste to it, essentially ruining the taste of the beer. This makes it essential that the individual creating the temporary beer cellar knows the temperatures that the beer needs to be stored at and has a good understanding of the temperature controls on the cellar.
Having a temporary beer cellar is imperative for any outdoor festival this summer. Whether people are lining the streets or filling up fields to hear good music, having the coldest beer is what is going to bring the visitors back the next year wanting more.