A self-cooling beverage container includes a container having container bottom and side walls and a container top opening; a top chamber removably fastened to the container side wall and closing the container top opening, the top chamber having a chamber top opening removably fitted with a chamber cap and having a chamber bottom opening with a holding structure having a gas passing passageway with pressure receptacle mounting means; a pressure receptacle containing a refrigerant and having a receptacle opening and being removably mounted to the,pressure receptacle mounting means and extending downwardly into the container; and an actuation mechanism causing escape of the refrigerant from the receptacle and from the container upon opening of the chamber cap.