Self-chilling energy drink shows great potential

Colin Joliat Staff Writer

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West Coast Chill is a new energy drink that might change the packaging game in a big way. It’s CO2 powered self-chilling can, which means that you never have to keep your drink refrigerated.

Calling an energy drink “chill” seems a little counter intuitive, but the chilling mechanism is the main way the product differentiates itself. Flip the can over and you’ll find a button on the bottom. Push that and the CO2 is release and goes to work cooling your drink 30 degrees in a matter of seconds. While that may not be as cold as you’d like it if it’s 90 degrees out, it’s still better than nothing. At the very least it shows potential.

I don’t know how I missed this when it first rolled out. Thankfully Beer Street Journal spotted the new product and immediately thought of a better application for it. Beer! I don’t know how much of a premium would be tacked onto a case of these cans, but depending on where you’re going it’s probably worth it. I would certainly rather have these on the float trip I’m taking this summer then mess around putting a keg in my canoe yet again.