Everything You Need to Know about Stubby Holders

Almost every beer lover has several stubby holders that hold memories of good times related to beer festivals or favourite beer brands. Some people believe they were made to prevent hands from warming up beer, others think they’re used to keep hands from getting cold while holding the drink… And they’re both right, however, the simply designed holders were originally meant to insulate a beverage from external sources of heat, such as warm air or strong sunlight.

The term ‘stubby’ originates from Australia and it’s used to describe a 375ml bottle of beer, typically shorter and fatter compared to other bottles, like 330ml export beers or the larger 750ml version. Around the world it goes under various names, such as can cooler, can hugger coolie, cold coolie cup, beer sleeve, koozie and many others.

The first stubby coolers were designed in the US out of polystyrene foam, and over the years they started using other materials for their production, such as EVA, leather and more. A very common material used is neoprene, a synthetic material also known as wet suit rubber. It’s waterproof and stretchable, resistant to chemicals and allows ink impregnated into it, so with specially designed inks and full colour images can be printed on it. That being said, you can even buy stubby coolers that feature radios, torches and other accessories to double the fun.

The highest quality stubby holders Australia designed are double-walled vacuum insulated and made of solid stainless steel. Apart from their longevity and scratch resistance, this type comes in a vast range of shapes, colours and sizes and fits in perfectly with any type of setting, whether it’s formal or more casual.

How do They Work?

As already mentioned, koozies effectively insulate a beverage from external heat and prevent condensation. Each and every condensation drop that forms adds heat into the can, a process that is known as latent heat or condensational warming. When the bottle or the can gets covered with condensation, the energy from the water droplets transfers to the liquid inside of it. According to some studies, it can push the beer’s temperature to a point that it no longer tastes as originally intended. Wrapping a stubby holder around your beer is the best way to avoid condensation as the stubby cooler will prevent it from building in the first place and keep the perfect, constant temperature of your drink and its flavour.

Why Are They So Popular?

As materials used for making stubby coolers developed, the original design went through several changes to suit Australian drink culture and then consequently became an Australian icon. The stubby holder as we know it today represents the Aussie laid back way of life, summer, sun, socializing and good fun. Here are a few of the main reasons why they’re so popular and useful.

1. Versatility

The first koozies were designed as products to be used in warmer climate and as such they’re now common in many Western countries with such climate. In Australia, on the other hand, a stubby cooler makes an appearance everywhere and can be found in local bars, from the outback to the coast, at weddings, parties and celebrations, building sites, sports events – there aren’t many places where you won’t stumble across the much appreciated stubby cooler.

Lightweight, practical and suited to any weather conditions, a koozie makes the perfect drink accessory for Australian weather conditions, and with its modern and simple design it is the most favoured gift choice for a variety of purposes, like birthday gifts, bucks and hens nights, milestones, team building, and other special occasions and memorable events. Also, stubby coolers can be seen as promotional products used by many business and corporates lately.

2. Easy Identification

When using stubby coolers, it’s easier to identify what drink belongs to whom and there is no need to worry if someone else is drinking your beverage. This is quite helpful at times like these, when due to the pandemic we need to be extremely cautious and beware of viruses and germs spreading around.

3. Protection

It is normal to drop your drink unintentionally, but the problem occurs if it breaks and there is glass everywhere around you. With stubby holders, you can prevent this kind of situations and the clutter that comes after breaking a glass or a bottle. It might not save your drink, but it will save you some stress and cleaning afterwards.

Other Ways to Use Them

At first, they seem as one purpose items, only for keeping our drinks cold. But that didn’t stop people from finding more uses for the koozies, considering their size and shape. Many times, an old stubby cooler can be seen on someone’s desk, used as a holder for pens, pencils, stamps, keys, even on the bathroom sink for keeping toothbrushes and toothpaste, or shaving cream. Most commonly, stubby coolers are used in the cup holder of a car or truck, keeping your can or bottle cold while on the road.

Taking Care of Your Stubby

Stubby coolers are not dishwasher friendly, but they are low maintenance and should be hand-washed only. You can clean a stainless steel stubby cooler easily with just a microfiber cloth, no scrubbing or chemical cleaners needed. Same goes for a koozie made of neoprene as it can be wiped clean easily and if heavily stained, it can be soaked overnight.