Keg shelf life under worst conditions

[thesteig]

If a company has a refrigerated distribution system for their kegs, it may elect not flash pasteurize them. In the US, plant storage, and the distribution networks are generally refrigerated for the major brewers. If you go to the grocery store and ask for a keg, it will be cold when delievered to you, and has been kept cold since it came from the plant. Kegs either go a commercial application, where they are chilled, or to a private application where they are consumed in a short period. In other countries (such as Argentina/Brazil for example) countries / brewers who have an unrefrigerated distribution network do flash pasteurize their kegged product.

If I may ask how many kegs per year do you expect to be doing? Are you using half barrels or quarter barrels right now? Depending on your current volume and distribution area, it may make more sense to go to quarter barrel kegs, and deliver more frequently - or - if your customers have some walk in refrigeration, to deliver more in quarter barrells. You can be sure they will change it when empty.

Personally, my feeling is that alot of people only try your tap-handle once. If they like your product, you have an opportunity to become their regular drink. If not, they try another. It would be good to be sure they all have the same experience.

[tarmadilo]

Old thread, fair chance the original poster is MIA...

Cheers, Tim

[Dancing Camel]

No, not quite dead yet.

I'm sticking to the one week supply so far without problems but not fully up and running yet so I don't know if that will continue to work.

Selling in sixtels so more work for me but kegs finish quickly.

DC

[jrdamas]

"It is the general practice here for bars to serve beer out of a room-temperature keg (it can be 90+ deg F under the bar) by flash-chilling through an ice-bank type chiller."
=
Get out of the sticks and go to a decent bar that uses modern refrigeration. Come on! What kind of dumpski bar doesnt mechanicaly cool kegs?

[dick murton]

Some good points there.

If you want your beer served at its best, it should be kept cool until served, say less than 60 F, perferably a little less. Why do you think AB insist of refrigerated transport etc - they have to try to prevent.... I think I had better stop there. But seriously, if you want you beer served in good condition, only sell to outlets that will keep it cool before it is sold. The British brewing industry for one makes (though I have to say I think there is less concern recently) a big fuss over cellar storage. If the storage is no good, and its a big outlet, they will subsidise or install kit to keep the cellar temperature correct. I realise this is not an option for a small set up, but at least you could only sell to those outlets who are going to do your product justice.

Good luck. It sounds like you could use some


Cheers,

[FrankM]

Insulated Kegs

Has anyone tried these plastic insulated kegs?
The polyurethane foam insulation can keep beer fresh without refrigeration for long distance and time. The inner tube is stainless steel, built with autolocking structure, with thick rubber rings for rolling and easy handling, high impact resistance. The party kegs have built-in CO2 bottles. With multi-color selections, they are eye appealing. They are very popular in the Far East, (Tsingdao beer). Sizes are 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 liters. Prices are very competitive. We sell them, contact me for more info.

[Larry Horwitz]

competitive?

They're still waaaaayyyyyyy more then used ss which is what most of us can afford.

[FrankM]

Don't know what other manufacturers charging for these type of kegs.
Our new 25 liters keg costs around $58 each. With volume purchase, price can go lower. Don't know what the used ss kegs cost in your area.

May be it is an alternative for areas which don't have good refrigeration.
The party kegs can stay outdoors for a whole day without refrigeration or chilling.

Here is a picture from www.beeractivist.com of keg delivery, I don't mean you should do the same.

Interesting story: http://www.beeractivist.com/beerfrontier.htm

[hmois]

keg life

brewing in israel-what a challange,and you are the first ?you better make a good one ,i think its a very sensetive market , you think those guys can handle high alcohol and bitterness right away ? i would be careful .Do your customers have icemachines ?tell them to keep the kegs in buckets and on ice exchange ice once a day,cheapest way for you .you are aware if the beers get spoiled its not theres fault they will blame it on you and pretty soon you are gone .maybe you can do a brewpub and let the people come to you .and pateurized kegs or not all the big brewers have the finest labs-filters where they can check and basically steril filter the beers befor kegging.we small brewers dont have the equipment-good luck

[Sulfur]

how is it going

Now it's 6 years later. How goes it? Lessons learned?

[dfalken]

Now it's 6 years later. How goes it? Lessons learned?

I am curious to know what happened as well. I am about to be the first in a country where just like Israel NOBODY is equipped to keep kegs cold, heck in fact almost nobody keeps bottles cold. They only chill the bottles they will sell that day.