Best way to carry gin & tonic?

[Brave Sir Robin]

Had a thread on this complete with a poll that was getting some helpful responses but seems to have mysteriously disappeared. So I’ll try again.

What’s the best way to bring in/carry gin and tonic? Does it work to premix a bottle? Bring a bottle of each? Just bring gin & go to bars/Co-op for mixers? Or the pre-mixed cans?

[Brisket King]

Gin Butler

[Crazyfool01]

not much of agin fan but id personally buy the mixer onsite ... especially those with aa bus ticket 

 

[zeppelin]

I bring 500ml with me and buy mixer on site.

Each morning I cut up a lime and make a bottle for the day in one of those £5 double walled Wilko bottles.

And then the same with rum. 

[squirrelarmy]

A G&T works better when it’s chilled. I’d say decant your chosen gin into a bottle, bring some chilled cans for the first day or two. Buy ice from the co-op and buy fresh chilled tonics where you can. 
 

I’ve never tried freezing cans of tonic. Anyone know if it’s ok to do that?

[gazzared]

Do the ice cream vans sell mixers ? 

[CJL9494]

3 minutes ago, gazzared said:

Do the ice cream vans sell mixers ? 

Yeah usually just lemonade though. Dont think I've seen tonic in them. 

[gazzared]

20 minutes ago, CJL9494 said:

Yeah usually just lemonade though. Dont think I've seen tonic in them. 

They're missing a trick then, think they'd be very popular

[squirrelarmy]

4 minutes ago, gazzared said:

They're missing a trick then, think they'd be very popular

Hopefully the traders are reading and will start to stock up on Fever Tree!

[gazzared]

3 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Hopefully the traders are reading and will start to stock up on Fever Tree!

Haha yeah although I wouldn't trust myself drinking spirits at Glastonbury I'd be a mess

[clarkete]

36 minutes ago, gazzared said:

Do the ice cream vans sell mixers ? 

As @CJL9494 said would be coke and lemonade.  Plus there would be queue on a hot day and only sold by the can most likely.

For the best part of the last decade I've been in CV East, where pre-mixed cans were brilliant.  If we came by car we could bring with us and shove in the fridge, then decant a batch and a couple of those blue ice packs each day - although 2019 really tested both the power of that fridge and how long a couple of those cheapo blue packs could function.

The last year of that we came by coach to a rented caravan (where you pay a third party who put it on site), but they even agreed for me to get a tesco delivery to them and they put the bags into the van - bless them they even put the cans in the fridge too so they were cold when we arrived 💗

Sadly one of the consequences of the last two years is they've decided to get out of the caravan rental business, so this year I'm in Sticklinch and again coming by coach.  I'm in my 50s and can't pretend I'm any fitter than the average person of my age, so planning to travel as light as possible - which means I'm thinking of maybe two bottles of gin and then buy mixers and ice from the Co Op.  

Tons of people gave me some cracking suggestions for different drinking vessels in here, some of which are perfect for keeping the drink or ice cold...
https://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/239867-what-beakersbottlesmugswhatever-do-you-use/

If you want to see some discussion of different types of gin and mixer, or potential alternatives, then there's a good thread here...
https://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/229405-what-alcohol-do-you-bring/

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by clarkete

[mike46]

I used to be a bottle of each for my drinks - but the Co Op last time changed that, so this year just bringing my spirits and will grab mixers there

[Greenelk]

1 hour ago, squirrelarmy said:

I’ve never tried freezing cans of tonic. Anyone know if it’s ok to do that?

Mrs Elk has been trying all the canned ones to work out which ones to take, and took advantage of the 4 for 3 offer, so we have loads in the fridge.  Will shove one in the freezer at lunch time and let you know!

[4AssedMonkey]

Lots of talk on here of getting mixers/ice at the co-op.  Think there's a danger of demand massively outstripping supply.  I'd be gutted if I was reliant on it and they sold out by Saturday morning or I had a 2 hour queue to get in the place.

[clarkete]

6 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Lots of talk on here of getting mixers/ice at the co-op.  Think there's a danger of demand massively outstripping supply.  I'd be gutted if I was reliant on it and they sold out by Saturday morning or I had a 2 hour queue to get in the place.

I'm pretty sure they get stuff delivered during the festival, firstly as they've got plenty of things which are fresh, but also someone said that's why it's located there.

[Crazyfool01]

9 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Lots of talk on here of getting mixers/ice at the co-op.  Think there's a danger of demand massively outstripping supply.  I'd be gutted if I was reliant on it and they sold out by Saturday morning or I had a 2 hour queue to get in the place.

they'll have a decent idea of  sales based on last year and other festivals ... all kinds of techy stuff sorts all this ... like it does for most supermarkets these days ... and its based on a road to allow lorry access and resupply ... they had job roles which were for evening staff to enable this ... 

[marktea]

1 hour ago, clarkete said:

The last year of that we came by coach to a rented caravan (where you pay a third party who put it on site), but they even agreed for me to get a tesco delivery to them and they put the bags into the van - bless them they even put the cans in the fridge too so they were cold when we arrived 💗

Was that A&D caravans? Hired from them over a few years up to 2016. Great shame if they had to pack it in because, as you say, lovely people with a small business who were always so helpful. There used to be at least one other company doing this I think but don't have details. 

[clarkete]

1 minute ago, marktea said:

Was that A&D caravans? Hired from them over a few years up to 2016. Great shame if they had to pack it in because, as you say, lovely people with a small business who were always so helpful. There used to be at least one other company doing this I think but don't have details. 

It was indeed, as you say they were lovely and also their prices were a little more resistant to inflation than some other suppliers, who had been similar but became a wee bit more pricey.

There are a number of other firms, you tend to see the signs in the vans up in the same area in CV east, but any I'm aware of have been on waiting lists for a while due to the two year postponement, such as 
https://www.bmvleisure.co.uk/caravan-event-hire/
 

[DareToDibble]

After years of pre-mixing and carrying a shedload of Rum & Coke into the festival and feeling like my back is going to snap in 2, I am now firmly in the "decant your spirit and buy your mixer on site" camp. It might cost a little more but if it makes the walk in easier and my back doesn't feel as fragile as a quaver by the time I get to camp then it's worth it.

Edited May 19, 2022 by DareToDibble

[incident]

1 hour ago, clarkete said:

I'm pretty sure they get stuff delivered during the festival, firstly as they've got plenty of things which are fresh, but also someone said that's why it's located there.

Yes - they're tapping in to a distribution network set up to refill stores each day. The only danger of running out is when it comes to the Sunday as they'll be looking to wind down.

[Crazyfool01]

11 minutes ago, DareToDibble said:

After years of pre-mixing and carrying a shedload of Rum & Coke into the festival and feeling like my back is going to snap in 2, I am now firmly in the "decant your spirit and buy your mixer on site" camp. It might cost a little more but if it makes the walk in easier and my back doesn't feel as fragile as a quaver by the time I get to camp then it's worth it.

I wish I could get the water they bump out my cider cans with onsite and just take cider mixers 

[kaytee...]

Bottle of gin and fever tree cans. I didn't go in the coop last time so not sure if they sell it there to top up but I'm fairly sure they sold bottled tonic at Leeds fest

[marktea]

41 minutes ago, clarkete said:

It was indeed, as you say they were lovely and also their prices were a little more resistant to inflation than some other suppliers, who had been similar but became a wee bit more pricey.

There are a number of other firms, you tend to see the signs in the vans up in the same area in CV east, but any I'm aware of have been on waiting lists for a while due to the two year postponement, such as 
https://www.bmvleisure.co.uk/caravan-event-hire/
 

Thank and that's definitely a shame 😔 Not looking for this year but would definitely consider checking out other COs in the future as it was an option that worked really well for us.  

[clarkete]

11 minutes ago, marktea said:

Thank and that's definitely a shame 😔 Not looking for this year but would definitely consider checking out other COs in the future as it was an option that worked really well for us.  

I've got a couple of others saved somewhere, plus loads of rental campers that others on here pointed me at, can recommend in share in future if required 😊

[marktea]

3 minutes ago, clarkete said:

I've got a couple of others saved somewhere, plus loads of rental campers that others on here pointed me at, can recommend in share in future if required 😊

Thanks 👍👍