Back in September I got word that a couple of guys named Adam and Matt had come up with a product called BottleCamo to hide your beer from the sun, keep it cool and protect those longnecks. They had taken to Fundable.com to try and get their idea off the ground, and rapidly gotten some big media attention that caused pre-orders to explode. By the 1st of October the added media attention had another side effect though. The name had led some to believe that the BottleCamo was intended to hide beer from the authorities in venues where it was not supposed to be present, definitely not the reputation a new company wants before their first product has hit the market. As a result BottleCamo died, and from it's ashes rose "Brewtis the BottleKeeper".
After some manufacturing delays, and customs issues my Special Edition Brewtis finally arrived today, and I am impressed with the build quality. Attention to detail is everything in a manufactured product, and when it is unfinished metal any defect is going to show up easily. Brewtis arrived in great shape, and it is built to last. The neoprene that serves dual functions of keeping your beer cold and holding the bottle securely so that it doesn't break in transit. If it is too thick the bottle won't fit. Too thin the bottle will rattle. The Brewtis fits snugly but just right, allowing my bottle of Summer Shandy to slide home perfectly, holding it tightly enough that the bottle didn't spin when I twisted the cap off. You can't ask for any better fit than that.
Sliding the bottle in to the Brewtis is a snug fit but not difficult to do, exactly what you want from this kind of holder.
With the bottle in and the bottom screwed on tightly, the top sticks up enough for you to remove the cap. This needs to be done before putting the top on the Brewtis, as it fits INSIDE the bottle to keep your beer's carbonation intact!
Very simple instructions are included on the reverse of the tag. Not very hard to figure out, but a nice touch.
The Brewtis is the first of what I hope is a full line of products from Adam, Matt, and the gang at BottleKeeper to fit all types and sizes of bottles. Forget those crappy neoprene koozies, the Brewtis is what everyone who loves beer from the bottle needs to protect their brews. I could see buying a bunch of these before my next trip to Kentucky to make sure that my Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale makes it home in one piece for me to enjoy. Once manufacturing gets ramped up and they become redly available at retail I know there will be a dozen in my fifth-wheel for camping. This is the kind of product I love to back and see succeed, and I'm glad that Adam and Matt have gotten this one off the ground.
I expect you'll see them hitting retailers soon, but until then you can run over to their website and grab a few right now.