If you’re heading to a retirement party in the near future, you may be at a loss for what to buy as a gift for the retiree.  Often people that reach retirement age have most of what they want, or are very particular about what they like and don’t like.

So, if you don’t want to get a gift certificate to a local restaurant because you’re at a loss for something more personal, and if the person who is retiring is someone who enjoys drinking beer, why not consider getting them the rather unique gift of a full sized or portable keg dispenser?

Why a portable kegerator or beer cooler, you might ask?  What is your retired friend going to do with that?  Well, it’s simple.  Many people who are retired love to spend their time traveling and going around doing all the things they might never have had the time to do while they were working the 9 – 5 grind.  Once retired, they are free to pick themselves up to go wherever the wind may take them.  If the person enjoys activities such as tailgating at sporting events, enjoying a picnic or fishing by the lake, or one of many other outdoor activities that can’t take place right in their own backyard, then they may enjoy having a portable kegerator or a portable beer cooler with them so they can take a bit of their favorite beverage along wherever they are headed.

What’s the difference between a portable kegerator and a portable beer cooler, and how would I know which one to buy? , you might ask.  Well, of course, you first want to make sure the person likes beer before you buy them a gift like either one of them, or you’ll be wasting your money.  But, if they do, then deciding between the two appliances is simple – it’s the difference between having draft beer or drinking beer from cans or bottles.

Portable kegerators provide the option of putting a small mini keg of beer inside which is kept cold and can be dispensed right from the tap, wherever you may be.  This is a rather unique option that the person wouldn’t otherwise have.  Portable beer coolers, on the other hand, are coolers that can be plugged into a car or truck to provide cooling space for cans or bottles of beer.  They are similar to other types of coolers, except that if you are traveling somewhere far, you can actually keep the inside of the cooler cold for long periods of time because it is plugged into an energy source.

The nice thing about buying any type of portable beer dispenser for someone who is about to retire (assuming they like beer) is that it gives them the flexibility to take the beer with them wherever they want to go.  If they like to travel or go camping, they can bring along some cold beer for the trip.  If they like to spend the day on the beach or by a lake, there’s still cold beer to be had.  If their preference is simply to go spend the afternoon visiting with other retired friends, they can bring along some beer to add to a relaxing afternoon or evening.  No matter where the person may want to spend their time, they can bring along beer that will stay good and cold, so they can enjoy drinking it while savoring time with friends and favorite activities.

So, instead of getting stuck for a gift idea next time you know of someone having a retirement party, find out if they like drinking beer, and if so, consider the fun and flexibility that you can offer by giving them the gift of a portable kegerator or portable beer cooler.  Even if these small appliances cost more than you’d like to spend, they are the perfect type of gift to split among a few friends or co-workers – and if you wind up with a few extra dollars in the pot, you can even throw in a bit of beer to get their retirement off on the right foot!