All That You Need To Know About Keg Beer Equipment

Keg beer equipment can be the perfect addition to any commercial brewery. Whether you are a home brewer or just starting up your own microbrewery, you’ll find everything from keg fermentation tanks and draft systems to keg taps and keg racks.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about keg beer equipment or beer bar equipment including the different types of kegs available on the market today. We’ll go over some homebrewing tips that will make your brew day easier and offer some great options for commercial breweries looking for new equipment.

Before buying a keg, take a few minutes to consider the different styles of keg available on the market today. Below are the popular styles that have been on shelves for some time now. Once you choose what type of keg is right for your brewery, start researching different brand names and ratings like those included in our comparison chart below.

Corny Kegs

These corn-based kegs are made out of durable plastic with a phenolic coating and are designed to prevent rusting and corrosion. Corny kegs can be used for both draft beer and liquid nitrogen applications.

20 oz Corny Keg

The 20 oz corny keg is a lightweight, yet durable plastic keg that is a perfect fit for brewpubs, restaurants, and bars looking to serve 20 oz pours of beer. While they are the least expensive kegs available on the market today, they are not intended for long-term use in terms of storage. These kegs are ideal for serving only fresh beer (no more than 48 hours old) from your brewery.

A 5-gallon corny keg weighs about 18 lbs and holds approximately 1 ½ gallon of beer. The inside surface area is small which makes cleaning and sanitizing very easy.

A 10-gallon Cornie keg weighs about 26 lbs and holds approximately 3 ½ gallons of beer. The inside surface area is larger which makes cleaning and sanitizing slightly more difficult.

Pin Lock (Ball Lock) Kegs

These kegs are made out of durable stainless steel and come in either a pin lock or ball lock style – the difference being that pin lock fittings have a longer tailpiece. Pin lock kegs are ideal for serving a variety of beer styles including light lagers, golden ales, and amber ales. They are easily identified by the two pins located on top of the keg.

Tag Kegs

Tag kegs are made of stainless steel and come in either a pin lock or ball lock style. Tag kegs have a ball-shaped lid which makes them ideal for serving lagers, ales, and some pilsners. They are easily identified by the tag (which resembles a dog tag) located on the side of the keg.

Stainless Steel Kegs

Stainless steel kegs for draft beer can be found in several different sizes depending on your needs. Stainless steel is one of the top choices for commercial breweries because of its durability, ease of use, and low maintenance costs. Stainless steel kegs are available in standard (15 lb. and 30 lb.) and mini-kegs (10 lb., 15 lb., and 24 lb.) sizes.

Beer Kegs

These stainless steel kegs are the most popular type of keg used by commercial breweries. Beer kegs come in two sizes – standard (15 lbs.-24 lbs.) and mini (7 1/4 lbs. – 10 lbs.). The standard beer barrels can be found in 3 gallons, 6 gallons, 22 oz., and 33 oz varieties with the standard beer barrel holding approximately 2 ½ gallons of beer. The mini beer barrels are available in ½, ¾, 1, 2, and 5-gallon sizes. While the mini-kegs hold less beer than their standard counterparts, they can be used with draft sanitizers to ensure the highest level of sanitation during your keg cleaning process.

Champagne Kegs

These champagne kegs are made out of stainless steel and come in 3 gallons or 7-gallon sizes. They also come with a champagne-style shaped lid that makes them ideal for serving sparkling wine and champagne. These heavy-duty kegs can be identified by the diamond pattern on the sides of their handles.

Up-Right Kegs

These kegs are made of stainless steel and come in a 15 or 30-gallon size. They are usually found with a ball lock or pin lock fitting depending on what type of gas they were designed to hold. These kegs are ideal for serving beer from a vertical position which makes dispensing more convenient for customers. These kegs can be identified by their full handle located on top of the keg.

Hefeweizen Kegs

These kegs are made of stainless steel and come in 9 gallons or 14.5-gallon sizes. They are intended to be used with Hefeweizen only, which is known for its cloudy appearance (with yeast residue leftover in the keg). These kegs can be identified by their long spout located on top of the keg. This spout makes dispensing Hefeweizen easier without the need to tilt the keg completely upside down to pour a beer from it.

Stainless Steel Kegs

These kegs are made of stainless steel and come in two sizes – 15 and 30 gallons. They are designed to be used with soda syrup, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or even a combination of gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These kegs can be identified by their full handle located on top of the keg.

Keg Accessories worth considering: Check out our quick-reference chart below to gauge whether each accessory would be useful for meeting your unique brewery needs. The items listed in RED will help you serve beer more quickly and efficiently while the items listed in GREEN will help you maintain a sanitary environment at your bar or restaurant.

Homebrew Kegs

These kegs are made of stainless steel and come in a variety of sizes. Homebrew kegs are typically used for small-batch home brewing. They can be found in ¼, ½, 1, 2, or 5-gallon sizes. The ¼, ½, and 2-gallon kegs have a ball lock opening at the top while the 1 and 5-gallon kegs have a pin lock opening at the top. These kegs can be identified by their full handle located on top of the keg. Kegs are not intended for commercial resale.

Cornelius Kegs (Corny Kegs)

These kegs are made out of stainless steel and come in 2 ½ gallons or 5-gallon sizes. They are similar to soda kegs however they are designed for home-brew use only and cannot be found commercially. Cornelius kegs can be identified by their full handle located on top of the keg. Kegs are not intended for commercial resale.

These are the different kinds of kegs that you need to know about. If you are a beer lover and also if you are looking for different beer bar equipment, then you can consider getting them from Kegswitcher and get the best help from them. For more information, you can call us toll-free at +1-604-517-1223 and get the best help from us for the same. 

“