Two ways to make a DIY pumpkin beer cooler

Need a place to chill your brew?  Why not use a pumpkin?  This is a great way to get into the spirit of Halloween while also telling the world you take your drinks seriously.  Don’t want to make a pumpkin keg?  Here are two ways to make a pumpkin beer cooler.

Option one:  The chiller

Directions

1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin, leaving enough room for ice to cover the beer, but also ensuring the hole is big enough to maximize the number of beers.
2. Scoop out the insides and rinse.
3. Some People might want to put a bowl inside the pumpkin.  Others may want to use a plastic bag.  I’m too lazy for that.
4. Add bottled beer and ice.
5. Open a beer and admire your work.

Option two:  Spiked beer

Directions

1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin.  You want a bit smaller of a hole, just make sure you leave enough room to gut the sucker.
2. Scoop out the insides and rinse.
3. Trace the bottom of a beer bottle or can on the pumpkin.
4. Carve the hole and insert a beer.
5. Repeat until you can’t no more!
6. Fill the pumpkin with ice.
7. Open a beer and admire your work.

You can try putting in a bag of ice instead of loose ice, it may minimize the water from melting ice.  This is a pumpkin… with holes in it, and you are filling it with a substance that becomes liquid at room temperature.  Expect a mess.  You may want to keep the pumpkin cooler outside, or put something under it to catch the leaking.

SPOOK IT UP!

You can also put a waterproof flashlight or lantern inside a ziplock bag to create a (b)eerie glow.  Need some beer ideas to fill the cooler?  Try these pumpkin beers.

Photo credits:  flikr, freshvintage, extremepumpkins