[Conifers]

I think this product has been rumored for a while, but now someone did a taste test. http://gizmodo.com/we-drank-beer-concentrate-so-you-dont-have-to-1523144310/@tcraggs22

[Randito]

Scotch, Burbon or Rye transfered to a plastic bottle seems like a simpler approach.

[Opus]

I have it, and my experience pretty much agrees with the review. It's not as good as a real microbrew but surprisingly quite good. Far better than Bud or Coors. The carbonator bottle works though it's a little annoying to mix up your beer and then wait a bit when you could just open a can. Weight wise, it's not worth it if you only want to drink one beer. The bottle, concentrate, and carbonation pouch is about the same weight as a tall-boy. But for multi-night trips where you may feel like a beer each night it can shave off several pounds. Mostly it's a fun little toy if you like beer in the backcountry. So many good beers are available in cans now though that I don't see using it a lot. I'll probably put together a more detailed test when I have time.

[PorcupinePhobia]

[l'Emmerdeur]

I concur with Opus. I picked one of these up a couple months ago-- the idea of being able to have an "instant beer" in a back country camp without having to pack it in, or pack out a bunch of smelly, empty tinnies was a holy grail of sorts. Traditionally I bring a flask with some good bourbon with me or purposes of an after-dinner Kentucky cocoa, this seemed like a fun option for when I first roll into camp and get my water supply for the night. Once the carbonator bottle apparatus is accounted for, one "beer" (concentrate and activator) weighs around 2.25oz. As with all luxury item we pack around with us, it's a cost vs. value issue; that being said, I'm looking forward to a cold one at the end of the day! Ongoing field research is slated for the next several months...

[Opus]

I finally brought this thing out on an extended trip, so I feel like I can give a better impression. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures or weigh it. I was able to fit two packets of the Pale Rail, two packets Black Ops IPA, and a single packet of cola into the bottle along with enough of the carbonation reagents. Not bad! Significantly lighter than bringing four tall-boys and a can of Coke. My impressions on the taste still haven't changed much. Maybe I'm biased though since I'm a homebrewer and craft-beer snob. It's better than crap beer but about the level of a sub-par craft brew. The directions say to wait briefly after carbonating but the results are far better if you let it go longer. I started the carbonation process and left it in a cold lake for up to an hour while setting up camp. The taste was better. I did have some issues with the bottle though. Some nights it would work just fine, others I heard gas hissing out from somewhere around the hinge and my beer didn't carbonate that well. I have the orange bottle, the older version. I see they have a blue "version 2.0" bottle so maybe that's better. I did enjoy the beer more after being out there several days but still wasn't crazy about it. Maybe they'll have an improved recipe? It is promising, but mostly just a fun toy in its current incarnation I'd say. Bring beer on short trips, hard stuff on long outings.