This damnable weather will soon end, and we puny warm weather humans will be able to get back to our favorite habits in life. One of my fun things to do is finding a nice Tiki Bar and  enjoying a cold beer, occasionally.

OK, I’m no longer that young fellow, from decades ago, who felt a need to drink all of the beer in the bar when I went out with friends. You see, even someone as crazy as people said I once was, can learn and change habits; something a lot of you can probably attest to yourselves.

What about now, you might say? I’m retired now, the rat race is over, and I like to relax with a great cold beer, and I like to enjoy other things when I do this, like; a great view, good music, and of course, the company of friends and the interesting conversations we have.

This being the case, and my being an American (Brits like a beer that’s, shall I say, warmer?), obviously I prefer my beer cold. When I used to travel around the world, I drank what they served and that was usually warm beer, of one kind or another. My thought in many of those places I visited was; It’s wet, it tastes like beer, and I’m thirsty! Cheers!

Of course the temperature never slowed me down back then, whatever it was. But now, being someone with casual time on my hands and a pretty loose schedule of thing I really need to get done that might drive me to be other places sometime soon, I like to take my time and enjoy my “brew”.

And one of my requirements is that my beer be served cold. I like for my beer to stay cold, because it tastes bette to me for one thing, and I tend to take longer to finish each one I order.

So, I have discovered, after much research, of course,what I consider is the perfect container for my draft beer.

Right up front we all know that paper cups are insanely stupid things to serve beer in, and I avoid any place that thinks that a paper cup is a good thing for a beer.

Then, honestly, any bar that serves my beer in a plastic “glass” obviously doesn’t respect the flavors of a good beer at all. And over time, each wait-person, in the Pubs and Restaurants I frequent the most, quickly learn that I will not drink a beer in a plastic; cup, or glass or whatever other synthetic container they come up with.

A good beer deserves the proper respect when served and I deserve not to die from the many chemicals I read about that plastic containers leech into whatever they hold.

A real GLASS is, of course, the optimum beer container in normal temperatures, I concede that point, but damn they do get warm fast if you are sitting on a Deck or a Beach or a even Boat somewhere, anywhere, in Florida.

Anyway, surprisingly, after a lot of looking, my search did drive me to a plastic container in the end. I discovered the Tervis brand of insulated “glasses” (cups?).

At first I was wary but after more research I discovered that they use a different type of plastic; one that does not contain BPA’s or other carcinogenic chemicals (as far as I can find out).

My wife and I bought a couple of these (kind of expensive) cups, with tops, and placed them into our car so we would have them if we decided to drive to a local Pub for an afternoon Happy Hour drink with friends.

It’s worked out great, bring in our own cups, change the served drink over to them, and sit back. Our drinks stay cold, even in the hot summer temperature we have in Florida and we get to take our time sipping on them because they stay colder, longer.

And surprisingly, once I started looking around, I saw that some of of my fellow Pub attendees were doing the same thing. We started seeing these great insulated, non-poisonous beverage holders everywhere.

Not a beer drinker? Well, you might like your Martini or Wine, in a cute long-stem glass, but you will have to throw those things down fast, here in Florida if you like them cold. Or, being a Floridian you can look down at your attire.

For most of us, when we go to Pubs or Bars and actually for most of the Restaurants, we will have on the standard uniform of; Flip-Flops, Shorts, and a T-Shirt. Why” Because it’s HOT in Florida.

So, you can also pour your fancy drink into an insulated cup of your own, then relax and enjoy your drink longer.

Anyway, I believe I have truly found the perfect tropical cocktail holder, in case you were looking.

by Don Bobbitt, February, 2016

Copyright, Don Bobbitt, February, 2016, All Rights Reserved, You are free to use and enjoy this article and share it with friends, but of you wish to use it commercially, you must have the written permission of the Author.