WHAT IS THIS, “DONT REVIEW FRIDGES?”
I know what you are thinking, “wow old DDB so hard up for appliances he’s out here peddling tangential electronics reviews. You hate to see it.”
That is not what this is. Yes the fridge is a collab with Stone and branded with gargoyle, and trust me, we will get to that. This is first and foremost a BEER FRIDGE.
I have very specific and intense beer needs and I wanted to put this device through the paces to see if this has what it takes or if this is some janky glorified dorm icebox.
First things first, let’s articulate this outright: this is just a baller albeit huge minifridge. It has Stone gargoyles on it but doesn’t like audibly yell “YOURE NOT WORTHY” or have a speaker that says “NOW YOU ARE SUED” or any Sapporo logos on the bottom. It is a fridge ok.
It is a bad ass minifridge that has several cool features if you are maladjusted like me and need even more space for beer to be cold at all times, and other niche needs.
WHAT IS IT?
This is the NewAir x Stone Brewing Beer Froster SBF125AB00.
Let’s get this housekeeping done, you can check it out here:
If you buy the fridge and use the code DONTDRINKBEER you get 10% which is a COMPELLING DEAL.
Enough schilling RuinationBoxes let’s see if this is worth your hard earned Cam Girls credits.
First thing I find hilarious is in the press materials it specifically notes that this will “FROST ALES LAGERS IPAS AND MORE” like imagine if they just listed every beer style that it will indeed frost. Pages and pages like “Yes, dortmunders too, Eisbocks? You got it. Pumpkin Porters? NO. IT WILL NOT.”
The first thing you will notice is this thing is huge. It says it holds 125 cans but that is like to the brim of trash macro (aka an amazing evening) or several cases of cage and corked green glass bottles (impress your Tinder/Grindr dates.)
The ad copy specifically notes the beer door gives you a “frost-free view into your collection of Arrogant Bastard ale.” I mean this earnestly: no one has a collection of Arrogant Bastard. If you walked into someone’s house and saw like a curated vertical of bombers of AB, you’re about to end up on a Netflix true crime documentary.
The door is bad ass though. It is heated so it doesn’t get fogged up or ever introduce moisture so your labels on your American wild ales stay pristine so you can prove the provenance of your Bullfrog Grrzzzz. Wet fridges are poverty tier and this is Stone IRS level.
THE BRANDING
When I opened this my wife said “that has to go in the basement.” Admittedly, the Stone wrapped graphics are the worst part of this fridge UNLESS you absolutely love Stone in which case that will be the best thing ever. It has a campy overtness to it like maximalist GenZ fashion that weirdly almost becomes rad again for how over the top it is. Give it a few years for early 20s kids to drink Levitation ale ironically.
Thankfully, the fridge itself is dope enough that the fridge is easily redeemed.
PARTY MODE
This had me laughing at the idea of pressing a button and like some FROST BREWED marketing from the 90’s an icy party would break out. Then I tried it and it legitimately goes off. I used a thermostim to check the temp and I took at 75 degree 750ml glass bottle from 75 degrees to 54 degrees in 60 minutes. The can dropped even more.
You press party mode and it holds it at 24 degrees for an hour instantly making a beer ready to drink. This sounds inconsequential but I legitimately use this a lot now. No more bottles blowing up in the freezer because you forgot about them. This used to happen to me nonstop and cause domestic strife. Not with party mode.
If you are unlike me and have friends, you can just hold it at 24 degrees for 6 hours assuming people will be constantly using it. This is awesome for Malt Couture because we are always grabbing stuff over periods of time and tossing things in. This sounds like im exaggerating but it alone makes the fridge worth your attention.
It is extremely helpful if you also have a beer podcast and/or friends.
THIS IS BIG AND HEAVY AS HELL
If you have been looking at wine fridges, the heft and compressor on this nukes those. It weighs 91 lbs and has a ton of customizable interior space. I constantly want to try different bottles and styles so I wont ever just have like 125 cans in there. It feels solid, the door slams hard with heft and a tight seal. The entire thing feels competently made.
At this price, yeah it better be. It hasn’t pounded my power bill a ton either.
I used to think when I was a kid that my friend who had a “drink fridge” in the garage was like end game opulence. This is basically that without the dumb freezer part you will never use.
CONCLUSION
This is an over the top, ridiculously branded, luxury beer fridge made specifically for beer that works extremely well. My friends roast me nonstop and even they begrudgingly noted that it was rad. Obviously you’re like “this is clearly paid content, why should I listen to this bullshit.” I totally understand that sentiment, but the fridge is legitimately nice and worthy of your consideration, even at this ultra luxury price point.
Could you go get some Dahmer-tier sad break room fridge on craigslist? Absolutely. This is absolutely a luxury splurge and a tall ask given the price, but it is extremely useful and bad ass.
So drop a G and start icing down that Arrogant Bastard collection that you absolutely own.
We shell see if I get a Cease and Desist for using the word “Stone” in this review.
@newairusa, @stonebrewing, #newairusa, #stonebrewing, #shareyournewair, #newairexclusive , #mynewair, #newair
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