So.... the last time I was in the BWCA, I was under drinking age....and that was 22 years ago. I know the rule is "no cans or bottles", so if you want to bring in a few beers for the first night or two out in the bush, whatdoyado?? I don't believe they still make the plastic bottles of beer anymore do they?? And I am not talking about hauling in a case of beer- just maybe a 6 pack or less. I know on one trip I went on, I spied some motor boaters who had a pony keg and a tap- they were not much older than me at the time and looked like they were there to whoop it up for the week, haha.

do you know any home brewers? Right before you leave you could have then fill some plastic bottles( like the size V8 comes in) ala filling a growler style. They would know how to do it. Kind of a hassle because you have to pack out the plastic bottles.

Some of my fellow travelers stop at the Boat House in Ely, fill their growlers and off we go. Other bring "box" wine without the box - just the bag, carefully packed. While others bring Ever Clear for their "Kool-Aid". Drinkers choice. I take the simple method. Water.

I was going to suggest a brew pub nearby, but some won't fill a growler other than their own growler.

Beer I plastic bottles are everywhere in liquor stores near the BWCA. Also any size keg or a growler is ok to bring. For me any alcohol that fits in a nalgeen

Lots of different refillable containers to suit. Plastic, aluminum, steel, and stainless insulated, in a variety of sizes. If you want to carry the stuff. I'm a dedicated micro beer geek and am living the life with all the fresh sources, but not willing to carry the excess weight.
Till I started using Pats Back Country Brew The mixing bottle has compatable threads and size with CamelBack/Nalgene style bottles, so it doubles as a water bottle or mixing bottle. A fresh tasting brew is great several days out, so are the carbonated soft drink mixes.

butthead

1/2 barrel should do it. Life's short drink up my friend.

Probably more than you want to deal with, homebrew suppliers will have "party pigs". They're 6 liter polycarbonate bottles with a tap that you feed with CO2 cartridges. There's some obvious downsides, I'm not suggesting you do this, just offering information.

I happen to be a home brewer. What I do now is fill up a thermos. We use the thermos all week. On travel days be brew coffee the night before so we don't need to waste time in the morning. It's also nice to have coffee while out fishing.

We used to find liquor bottles from time to time on the Fall Lake route. Myself, I swore off the hard stuff in my 20's....only took one bad run in with a cheap bottle of vodka.....file under stories you share around the campfire, haha. I don't mind hauling out plastic bottles- probably only going to be a couple bouncing around the bottom of the food pack. The BWCA to me is not exactly a place I would want to over-indulge in alcohol....but at the end of the first day's paddle, enjoying a nice round of suds with steak and potatoes sounds pretty darn good, haha:-)

I like beer. It makes me a jolly good fellow.

quote yogi59weedr: "I like beer. It makes me a jolly good fellow."

:-)

They don't sell 16 oz plastic beer bottles anymore. The only beer in plastic bottles are now in 40 oz size. Buy 2 - 40 oz ers. At Mike's liquor in Ely he has 4 different types of 40s. I ended up getting Ice House there, it was as close as they had to a real beer. I think the rest were malt liquors.

Grab a Hydro flask growler. They aren't cheap, but if you keep it sealed when you aren't pouring it'll keep your beer carbonated and cold for a couple of days. Got mine filled at Castle Danger Brewing in Two Harbors before a trip and had great beer for 4 days.

quote BnD: "1/2 barrel should do it. Life's short drink up my friend."

I always like to tell people that I've actually seen this on a portage between Jasper and Ogiish around 2005, a group of guys carrying a medical stretcher with a 1/2 barrel keg. We found out several of them were firemen. Their dedication was admirable.

I like the box wine and brandy water approach. Some prefer whiskey water but I can't stand whiskey. Plus the box from the box wine can be useful as kindling if it has been raining, it also protects the bag from punctures when it is completely full. Beer is something that's good for the first night, but after that it is just too difficult to haul. Sinking a growler is a decent option though if you do want the beer. Plastic bottles work too. I like to have one plastic bottle with me most of the time. I use it for mixing my brandy water. It helps to have something smaller that you can seal up and take with you fishing.

quote geotramper: "Grab a Hydro flask growler. They aren't cheap, but if you keep it sealed when you aren't pouring it'll keep your beer carbonated and cold for a couple of days. Got mine filled at Castle Danger Brewing in Two Harbors before a trip and had great beer for 4 days. "

I too use the Hydroflask Growler. I've had it filled at Castle Danger and Boathouse in Ely. Very happy with it although I have no idea if it will keep beer cold past the first night. After night 1, it's whiskey/water or whiskey/apple cider.

quote BigCurrent: "I too use the Hydroflask Growler. I've had it filled at Castle Danger and Boathouse in Ely. Very happy with it although I have no idea if it will keep beer cold past the first night. After night 1, it's whiskey/water or whiskey/apple cider."

Yeah my first post was a little unclear. Definitely won't stay cold after a second day. But will stay carbonated for s while if you keep the lid tight.

I Have both Hydro Flask and Klean-Kanteen vac insulated growlers and both will keep cold and carbonation for up to 3+ days if left closed.
The Kleen Kanteen's have a better sealing spring clamp top instead of the twist on.

butthead

The only issue I come into is that a growler of beer might be a bit TOO much beer..... I have portion control issues, once I crack that lid..game over. It's a bummer they don't make the 16oz plastic bottles of Budweiser/Coors/Etc....makes it a WHOLE lot easier for me to keep myself accountable to my rations, haha. I want a beer, but I still kinda want to keep my wits about me, haha. If I down a whole growler....I might have to sleep it off the next morning...I'm kind of a lightweight that way:-P

Just bring a keg and have it float behind you.