​5 Mini Fridges to Store All Your Beer

Open up a beer lover’s refrigerator, and chances are it’s fully stocked. And who could blame him? Right now, you can crack open tons of tasty brews (we suggest drinking a few of our favorite low-calorie beers, like Stone Brewing’s Go-To IPA or Dogfish Head’s SeaQuench Ale). If you’re looking for more room, a mini fridge contains your supply in one place without overtaking an entire room, and frees up some more spots for actual food in the main refrigerator again.

When purchasing a mini fridge for your beer, Ray Daniels, the founder and director of the Cicerone Certification Program, recommends going with a fridge that can hit 38 degrees Fahrenheit—so no, a wine fridge won’t work. And if you go the pullout-tray route, Daniels says to avoid storing any bottles with corks on their sides. “It’s not a good idea to have the beer in contact with the cork. That can cause off-flavors in the beer," he says.

Those aren’t the only features you should check off your list. An important rule: Steer clear of fluorescent lights. “Fluorescent light gives beer a light-struck aroma and flavor, which smells like the common American skunk."

Finally, if you’re buying one in person, don’t be afraid to take a couple cold ones with you on your shopping trip. That’s what Daniels did when he bought one. You need to be able to tell what’s actually going to work with what you own. "Nothing worse than getting home and finding out you can't stand a 22-ouncer up in the bottom shelf," he says.

Here are five beer coolers to chill all your brews—or, at least, get you by.