It’s Almost Summer in Lubbock: Six Tips for Packing a Better Party Cooler!

A lot of people think they're great party hosts, but they have no cooler packing skills. June 20th is just around the corner and is the official start of summer, so here's my list of six tips to pack a better cooler.

Get it started early

You should pack a cooler about two hours before guests arrive.  That gives plenty of time for beer to get cold, but not enough for all the ice to melt

Use bagged ice

Don't take ice out of your fridge for the cooler. You'll need it for cocktails later. And the bagged ice is a better size for fitting in between cans.

Build layers

Beer cans should go in first, then ice. You keep it more even that way, and you can pack more in the cooler. After that, put in bottled beer, and put wine on the top because it shouldn't be as cold.

Pour cold water over the ice

A pitcher of cold water will help cool drinks down faster.  For beer the ideal is a slushy mixture.

Keep extra drinks on deck in the sink, or in a second fridge

When the cooler goes empty, you need to have cold drinks ready to go. No one wants to wait for beer to get cold AFTER they've started drinking.

Have a separate ice supply for mixed drinks

Don't make people grab ice out of the cooler with their bare hands.  We're not animals here.