Dave's Take: Yeti Rambler 1/2 Gallon Jug (and more!)

[GolfSpy Dave]

Avoiding The Rough in the Drink Cart

I truly believe that improvements in golf equipment have increased my enjoyment of the game. I love that my clubs are forgiving. Better gear has truly translated to better golf for me over the years, or at least less complaining about my equipment.

 

One place where golf technology still lags though is in the beverage cart. Maybe it's not so much a technology lag as a lag in market awareness. For seemingly forever, the beer "choice" on the beverage cart was whether you wanted a small can, or a large can from a big three brewery. Thankfully, there has been some craft brewery penetration at my home course, but the options in the drink cart definitely do not reflect the amazing beer options here in NorCal.

 

Small breweries have exploded into existence in the past decade, and with their emergence, the beer drinker has more libation choices than ever before. You can check my New Brew Thursday beer thread for some great beer options, discovered by both myself, and our hop head MGS forum members. Lots of good beer in that thread.

 

As I said, you are not likely finding a ton of beer diversity at the golf course. This means that if you want to enjoy a (good) beer while you play, you need to bring it with you.

 

 

Now stuffing a few cans into one's golf bag is not a new thing. I'd be willing to bet that has been going on as long as we have had canned beer and golf bags. The issue for some of our small favorite breweries is that they are not large enough to can or bottle their beers. What if you want to take one of these fine establishments' beers to the course? You've basically have one option, the glass growler.

 

Glass + Grass = Pass

 

There was a time when I collected growlers. Each brewery had their own logoed glass growler, and I thought that they made great souvenirs. Plus, there was a time when breweries could only fill their own growlers with beer. Thankfully, that's no longer the case here in California. Now you can fill just about anything with beer. The question now becomes, what is the best growler for bringing beer to the course?

 

On the cheap end, you have the traditional glass growlers. Unfortunately, they are very breakable, and being non-insulated, they also necessitate some kind of cooler coming to the course as well. Insulated, metal growlers are definitely the better way to go.

 

Luckily, there are a ton of insulated bottle choices out there today. Options range from those with simple screw tops, to growlers equipped with CO₂ fueled tap systems. There are even growlers that can survive being shot out of an air cannon! I'm not kidding. Watch this video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTEMYkKV6Kg

 

And that's the growler that I have for you today.

 

The new Yeti ½ Gallon Ramber Jug.

 

The Rambler® Half Gallon Jug is built to take on the wild, whether that's rough tumbles from the truck cab or fishing the Texas flats in August. Like the rest of the Rambler series, it's constructed from 18/8 stainless steel, has double-wall vacuum insulation, and comes ready with our No Sweat™ Design. But this Rambler Jug is also outfitted with our MagCap™ and dock, so your cap is never out of reach while you grab a drink. The one-inch of lid insulation locks in your drink's temperature unlike any other water jug out there. If you want to take your cold (or hot) drinks further for longer, the Rambler Half Gallon Jug has you covered.

 

The Yeti Rambler Jug is like no other beer vessel that I have in my growler arsenal. About all it shares with the others is an ability to transport beer. We have ventured into next level territory here.

 

Survive the Apocalypse Construction

 

The Yeti Rambler Jug is a beast. It weighs just under four pounds empty. That's a lot, putting it about two pounds heavier empty than my same volume (64oz) Hydroflask. If I was to pinpoint the location of the extra weight, I'd place some of it in the jug's husky handle, and the remainder in the insulated lid and body.

 

 

The lid is crazy thick, helping to keep the liquid inside cold. For other vacuum bottles, the lid is the one place where you don't have that double-walled construction. Because of this thickness, the Yeti Rambler Jug's small lid is physically pretty far away from the main chilled volume, likely preventing much environmental heat exchange.

 

 

In addition to improving insulation, the huge removable top makes the jug easier to clean than any other narrow-necked container. No longer do you need to wonder if you left a little bit of the last fill in the bottom of the container. So easy to take apart and clean.

 

Transporting Beer

 

Getting back on track, the main goal here is to transport beer from the brewery to the course, keeping it cold and carbonated for maximal enjoyment during play. For purely scientific purposes, I took the Rambler Jug to one of my favorite breweries, Device Brewing, here in Sacramento.

 

 

The staff at the brewery see a ton of growlers, and yet they were definitely interested in the Yeti Rambler Jug. They took it all apart, asked a ton of questions about it, and seemed ready to buy one after we finished the fill. It definitely caught the eye of the beer-filling professionals.

 

[For the curious, I filled the jug with their Pincushion Pilsner that had been dry-hopped with Mosaic hops. Delicious, and only 5.1% ABV and so it's very golf friendly.]

 

 

After filling, I threw the jug in my fridge overnight, and took it to the course the next morning.

 

The bulk of the Rambler Jug does make it a bit of a challenge to pack in the golf bag. It may fit in a big cart bag pocket, but was too large for my carry bag, and also too large for the mesh section in the Clicgear console. Had we not had someone in our group riding, I probably would have needed to rig up a carry system for it on the pushcart. Carabiner off a cart tube or something. It does fit nicely in the power cart storage basket though, and you could bring a clip and secure the handle to the basket if you are worried about it moving around while you motor. It was shot out of a cannon though so it will probably be fine...

 

 

Our round started off a bit congested, so we decided to help with pace of play by cracking open the Rambler Jug on the second tee box. Nothing better than a cold beer at 8:30 am on a Sunday. Probably didn't speed up the groups in front of us, but we cared a little less.

 

The beer was still cold and carbonated 20 hours after it was filled. Obviously it would be cold since it had been in my fridge, but carbonation could be lost should there be any air leakage. Four nice pours later and we were on the way. The small lid attaches to the larger lid magnetically so you can't lose it during pouring, or chugging. Great insight from Yeti by including this feature.

 

 

We finished the round about four and a half hours later. Though it was 102 °F, the remaining beer in the jug was still cold and carbonated. Full disclosure, a couple of us had a refills during the round. The beer had warmed a bit, but not much. I'd still call it cold. In contrast, beer in a glass growler would likely have boiled away at that point.

 

I dig this jug a bunch. My only real critique for the course is that it does get heavy when filled, and that its bulk makes it tough to pack when walking. One way that you could get around this is by purchasing one of the Rambler Jug Mounts that Yeti is offering. I think that there is a way to mount the jug holder on my Clicgear. If that can be figured out, it's a 100% go for me. If I owned my own power cart, there would be a jug mount attached to it for sure.

 

At $99.99 for the ½ gallon jug, and $129.99 for the gallon version, the Yeti Rambler Jug is no small investment, but it does seem like it will last forever. If it survived a cannon shot into a wall, I'm not sure how I could do something worse to it on the course. Yeti's 5-Year Warranty probably covers you pretty well regardless.

Bonus Coverage: Yeti 20oz Rambler Tumbler

 

You may have noticed the sweet Yeti Rambler 20 tumblers in the jug photos. In my mind, this was the best way to enjoy beer on the course. Bring it in the Rambler Jug, and then share it in the Rambler Tumblers. When I talked with a Yeti rep a few months ago at a golf show, she suggested the 20oz model as the ideal size. Both the 10oz and the 30oz Ramblers are just a bit wider at the base, and so they don't fit that well into the cup holders. The 20oz fits great in the power cart.

 

And also pretty well in the larger Clicgear cup holder.

 

These cups do a great job of keeping beer, and I assume other beverages, cold and contained. The new Yeti DuraCoat Color finishes are bright, and provide a little nicer tactile interaction than the classic smooth stainless. The blue finish is especially awesome, matching my blue wedges nicely.

Double Bonus Coverage: Yeti MagSlider Lid

 

Yeti's new Yeti MagSlider lid is now included with the Rambler 20 tumblers, and available ala carte if you already have a tumbler. It is the show stealer for me. The problem with the tumbler for me has always been lid hole slosh. Beer squirts out the lid hole when I push the cart over various terrains. This new lid ends that issue immediately.

 

How it works is that there is a black plastic rectangle that attaches to the lid via magnets. Once on, it slides back and forth to cover, or reveal the opening. It doesn't seal the lid 100%. It will drip if you invert the cup, but it blocks all course slosh. Plus, the sliding piece can be easily popped off for cleaning. No longer will you accidentally grow bacterial cultures in your tumbler.

 

 

This thing is just brilliant. Even if you currently have a Yeti clone tumbler, you should get one of these lids. I tried it (covertly) in the 20oz Walmart version and the MagSlider lid fits perfectly. It'll be a satisfying $10 purchase. If I was Oprah, the MagSlider lid would be a favorite thing for sure.

 

With the Rambler Jug and Tumblers, Yeti has set the standard for fresh beer transport and enjoyment on the course.

 

Cheers!

 

[TBT]

Man that thing is a beast!!

 

The biggest problem for me....well the 2 biggest problems

 

1) even 64 oz's is only 5 beers...gotta carry 2 of em

 

2) the real biggest problem is that it's actually illegal to bring your own beer onto courses in Texas because it violates their liquor license. I am not saying that's stopped me from doing it, but carrying a big gallon metal jug just makes it much easier for the Marshall to spot your smuggled beer! If I bring cans and put them in my Yeti Koozie then it just looks like I bought beer from the cart girl.

 

My course uses foam cooler bags to put beer in when you buy it at the clubhouse....don't tell anybody but I found identical bags online, bought myself one and just fill it up at home and then put it on the cart when I load my clubs

[GolfSpy Dave]

Man that thing is a beast!!

 

The biggest problem for me....well the 2 biggest problems

 

1) even 64 oz's is only 5 beers...gotta carry 2 of em

 

2) the real biggest problem is that it's actually illegal to bring your own beer onto courses in Texas because it violates their liquor license. I am not saying that's stopped me from doing it, but carrying a big gallon metal jug just makes it much easier for the Marshall to spot your smuggled beer! If I bring cans and put them in my Yeti Koozie then it just looks like I bought beer from the cart girl.

 

My course uses foam cooler bags to put beer in when you buy it at the clubhouse....don't tell anybody but I found identical bags online, bought myself one and just fill it up at home and then put it on the cart when I load my clubs

1. Get the gallon version for only $30 more. Granted a double growler fill will set you back some at the brewery.

 

2. Crazy law and impressive work on your part there

[Kenny B]

Man that thing is a beast!!

 

The biggest problem for me....well the 2 biggest problems

 

1) even 64 oz's is only 5 beers...gotta carry 2 of em

 

2) the real biggest problem is that it's actually illegal to bring your own beer onto courses in Texas because it violates their liquor license. I am not saying that's stopped me from doing it, but carrying a big gallon metal jug just makes it much easier for the Marshall to spot your smuggled beer! If I bring cans and put them in my Yeti Koozie then it just looks like I bought beer from the cart girl.

 

My course uses foam cooler bags to put beer in when you buy it at the clubhouse....don't tell anybody but I found identical bags online, bought myself one and just fill it up at home and then put it on the cart when I load my clubs

Same here in Washington.  Last weekend, the cart girl confiscated a cooler from a foursome that had 24 cans of beer and one Gatorade in it.  She saw the loading it into their cart.  They were lucky they still got to play and didn't get a ticket from the cops.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Same here in Washington.  Last weekend, the cart girl confiscated a cooler from a foursome that had 24 cans of beer and one Gatorade in it.  She saw the loading it into their cart.  They were lucky they still got to play and didn't get a ticket from the cops.

I would hope that the cops have more important things to do than ticket beer smuggling golfers...

[sabol412]

I mean all courses it says to not bring your own beer on to the course that's just for the liquor license issue but more I believe for the buy our beer issue. I couldn't imagine anyone getting a ticket from bringing their own beer on the course and I truly think that as long as you aren't being obnoxious or obvious a course isn't going to search the yeti rambler 1/2 gallon to see what's inside.

 

I think this is actually an awesome idea to do and even if you are just opening some cans at the house and filling it up it's perfect. It will definitely stay cold too! I am a firm believer in everything yeti. Only because I use all of their products. I have a roadie a 35 and a 65 cooler then probably 8 of the 20oz ramblers, 2 canteens the can coozie, basically everything they sell and yes my cooler holds ice for a week and then the water it melts in to is super cold anyway for 2 weeks or more.

 

I didn't think I had a reason for the gallon or half gallon but I definitely think now I do. I'm sure once it's in the cart and covered with a towel around the clubhouse nobody is going to say anything. Again don't be obnoxious or obvious with it and it will be all good!

 

Thanks for the post to even give me the idea GolfSpy Dave!!!

 

 

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