BCCC 21 — Beer Chilling Contraption Contest @ DEF CON 34

About BCCC 21

We Can Finally Drink

It's the 21st year of the BCCC and it's the Beer Chilling Contraption Contest this year! We can finally drink! No more "beverage" — we are drinking beer now, and boy do we need one.

This year we thought we would mix it up and have cold beer and you all could try your hand at warming it. Unfortunately, the guys in charge of getting the ice got a bit too tan walking in this Vegas sun. A different kind of ICE deported them to Botswana and in the ensuing chaos the beverage was left outside and it's warm again.

Fortunately for everyone involved, WW3 and the inevitable nuclear winter will finally solve the warm beer problem — well at least temperature-wise. It might be a little HOT in the gamma spectrum. But while we wait for Pooh Bear, BiBi, Putler, and/or the Cheeto to kick this global cooling contraption off, it's up to us to chill this beer.

THE MISSION: Cool the beer we give you in a red solo cup as quickly as possible to 34°F. You may not alter the beer by mixing it with ice, dry or otherwise. Bring a device you created or build your own at the convention.

There are some great prizes waiting — mostly what the organizer has lying around and doesn't want to take home.

In conclusion, it's not just a warm beverage — it's a testament to the rich tapestry of societal collapse, seamlessly navigating the multifaceted landscape of your broken contraption.

Target Temp

34°F

As cold as your ex's heart

Year

21st BCCC

Old enough to drink

The Law

Core Rules

Cool the provided beer in a red solo cup to 34°F as fast as possible
You may NOT alter the beer by mixing it with ice, dry ice, liquid nitrogen, or any other substance
No commercial appliances. Your contraption may include a commercial component, but it may not be the majority of the device nor may its primary function be to chill beverages
All contestants must have DEF CON badges
Teams may have no more than 3 people at the table during qualification runs
Power will be available

Safety & Categories

If your contraption is flammable, contains compressed gases, or is otherwise hazardous — explain your mitigations to the judges
Pressurized vessels should be hydrostatically tested to 2× max operating pressure with a safety relief valve at 1.5×
This is an indoor event — venting hazardous gases is a no-go
Unlimited class: Bring your pre-built contraption
Hacked class: Build it at the convention from whatever you can find or bring
An unlimited device may not compete in the hacked class, but a hacked device may compete in unlimited

NOTE: Additional rules may be posted at the DEF CON forums or the poster board at the contest. Check the DEF CON Forums for updates. If rules above are incomplete, they will be updated as details are finalized.

Live Scores

Scoreboard

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Legacy

20 Years of Cold Beer

From its origins as the Beverage Cooling Contraption Contest through two decades of increasingly unhinged contraptions, the BCCC is a beloved DEF CON tradition.

2005 — BCCC 1 @ DEF CON 13

The contest that started it all. Hackers with Peltier coolers and improvised copper coils gather poolside at the Riviera to answer the eternal question: how fast can you chill a beer in the Nevada heat?

2008 — BCCC 4 @ DEF CON 16

Dry ice and isopropyl alcohol baths dominate. One team achieves nearly 1°F per second cooling. Rules tighten around beverage purity. Still poolside, still sweating.

2015 — BCCC 10 @ DEF CON 23

A decade of contraptions. Liquid nitrogen makes regular appearances. The contest has become a pilgrimage for the thermodynamically obsessed.

2019 — BCCC 14 @ DEF CON 27

The world is on fire but the beverages are getting colder. Compressed gas rigs, elaborate heat exchangers, and one contestant who brought an actual fire extinguisher.

2024 — BCCC 20 @ DEF CON 32

The 20th anniversary. The contest has been un-canceled after a fantastic afternoon of day drinking. The crack beverage acquisition team hits the streets of Vegas for emergency resupply.

2026 — BCCC 21 @ DEF CON 34

Finally old enough to drink. The BCCC becomes the Beer Chilling Contraption Contest. Nuclear winter remains the theoretical optimum cooling strategy.

Get In Touch

Enter the Fray

Got questions about the contest, want to register a contraption, or just need to talk thermodynamics? Drop us a line.