Beer Keg vs. Beer Bottles vs. Beer Cans: Is A Keg Cheaper for Weddings?

Beer kegs, beer bottles, and beer cans are various containers brewers use to store their beer. If you are planning a wedding and wonder if a keg is cheaper for weddings, here is an answer to your question. A keg is not cheaper than bottles and cans; instead, it is more expensive. And if you don’t load or unload kegs of beer properly, they can get you injured on your fingers, legs, or any other part of your body. Can are cheaper than bottles and kegs. So, after cans are the cheapest, followed by bottles and then kegs. 

Since kegs are more expensive than bottles and cans, some breweries rent them out cheaply. So, if you can’t buy a new keg for your upcoming wedding event, you can decide to rent a keg instead. 

Is keg beer better than bottled beer or cans?

Keg beer is better than bottled beer and canned beer, but canned beer is better than bottled beer. Currently, most brewers are massively going into the production of kegged beer because you are assured of a proper seal when it comes to kegging of beer. Oxygen can still leak into glass bottles of beer. One unique thing about putting beer in kegs is that it can be flushed with carbon dioxide and sealed, and it will remain fresh for a very long time. Kegs also hinder light from getting into the beer inside it, which is a significant issue with bottled beer. Light and oxygen are the primary enemies of beer, and kegging your beer protects you more from those enemies than canned or bottled beer. Keg beers sell faster than bottled and canned beer. If you replace your keg beer quickly, you will consume fresher beer.  When you talk about quality and turnover of beers, keg beer comes first, followed by canned beer and then bottled beer. 

Keg beer is always fresher than canned or bottled beer, and if you are a lover of beer, you will know that the freshness of beer also influences its flavor. The ingredients that are used in making beer are prone to oxidation, and this can affect its flavors. Hops are one significant ingredient in making beer, and it is prone to oxidation; oxygen quickly reduces the taste of the beer. Oxidation is a continuous process; it continues even inside the keg or bottle or can if it is allowed in. If oxygen is allowed into your preferred beer container, it will ruin the flavor of your beer. Keg beer is better than bootle or can beer because you are assured of no oxygen getting into it once it is adequately sealed. Bottled beer usually undergoes a pasteurization process; this is when the bottles of beer are heated to destroy any form of bacteria. This has a way of tampering with the flavor of the beer. Heat is another enemy of beer in terms of taste. That is why it requires a cooler environment, and heating it to pasteurize can alter its flavor significantly.

When brewing keg beer, ensure you maintain a high level of cleanliness; if you do, your beer will be better than a bottle or can beer. 

Bottled beer is easily affected by light, and beer quickly reacts when it comes into contact with sunlight. Sunlight gives the beer a bitter taste. If you store your beer in a brown bottle, it will reduce its exposure to light, but you cannot be assured of absolute protection if you allow it to remain exposed to sunlight for a very long time. Bottled beer can gradually leak out the carbonation, letting the air affect the flavor of your beer.

Most corporate beers are stored in cans, but most people believe that canned beers have a cheap taste that is why they avoid consuming them. But in terms of storage of beer, canned beers are better than bottled beers. Canned beers are hermetically sealed, so you sure of drinking a beer with its flavor still intact. Also, canned beer does not allow light to penetrate it, which helps keep the taste of your beer intact. If you cannot get a keg beer, then canned beer is way better than bottled beer. 

How many bottles of beer are in a keg?

A barrel (Bbl) is the standard method for measuring kegs of beer. Kegs come in different sizes, and below are the different sizes of kegs with how many bottles of beer they can carry.

For a full-size keg which is also called ½ barrel, it can carry 165  12 oz bottles of beer.

A pony keg known as a ¼ barrel can carry 83 12oz bottles of beer. 

For a sixtel, which is also called a ⅙ barrel, it can carry 55 12oz bottles of beer. 

For a 50 liters keg, it can carry 140 oz bottles of beer.

For a 30 liters keg, it can carry 86 12 oz bottles of beer. 

Can I bottle beer from a keg?

You can bottle beer from a keg, and below are the procedures you can follow to make it happen successfully. 

  1. Make sure your beer line and bottles are cold so that the foaming of the beer will be minimal during the process of bottling. 
  2. Don’t forget to put off the gas to your keg; use the pressure relief valve to relieve any excess pressure. 
  3. Reduce your regulator to  3-5 PSI and put on the gas back onto the keg. It will provide you with a gentle flow rate to minimize foaming.
  4. Turn on your tap and run a small quantity of beer out as waste; it will help to prime the bottle filler. 
  5. Position the bottle filler in the bottle and seal the bottle with a rubber stopper. 
  6. Turn on the picnic tap to a locked position, and as the flow decreases because of pressure, squeeze the side of the stopper to relieve the pressure and fill the bottle until beer flows out to the top, not just foam.
  7. Go to the next bottle and repeat the same thing.
  8. When you are done, give all the bottles a fast shot of beer to top them off (place the tip of the bottling wand about one inch below the level of the beer in the bottle and secure the stopper when carrying out this step)
  9. Place the bottle caps on all bottles of your beer. 
  10. Take your time to tip each bottle on its side and upright again while keeping the cap on. As soon as the beer foams over, lock the lid on, repeat the same thing for the remaining bottles. This way, you are purging them of carbon dioxide. 

When you are done bottling, ensure you increase your regulator pressure so that you can maintain the best level of carbonation. 

How much does it cost to buy a keg?

If you are organizing a party and plan to serve your guests beer, purchasing a keg will be convenient for you because you can easily clean it up after use. A keg is a metal barrel that beer can be stored in. The complete cost of a beer involves not only the beer in it but also that tap and ice bucket that is used in keeping the beer cold. You can choose to either buy your keg or rent for your party. 

The cost of a keg is between the range of $40-$250, based on the size of the keg, the type of the beer, and local rates.

The smallest size of a keg can hold about   5 gallons (about 55 12-oz cups) of beer and is often referred to as a sixer or a 1/6 keg. It usually costs around  $40 to $80. For instance, you can get a Budweiser 1/6 keg for $45, Blue Moon costs around $60, while specialty seasonal ales like Samuel Adams OctoberFest cost around $65. Total Wine, a multi-state beverage retailer, rents 1/6 kegs of Killian’s Irish Red Lager for $46 within the deposit and Bud Light Lime for $48 plus deposit. After the small size, the next size is a pony keg or a ¼ keg that can hold up to 7.75 gallons (about 82 12-oz cups) of beer. A 1/4 keg of Miller Lite costs about $67, while a 1/4 keg of Modelo costs about $80. A full-size barrel can hold about 15.5 gallons (165 12-oz cups) of beer and it is known as a 1/2 keg.

For American draft beers, a full-size keg costs about $100. For ales, lagers, and specialty beers, they can cost from $125-$250. For instance, Bevmo rents kegs of Budweiser starting at about $100. Apart from buying the contents of the keg, other additional fees are needed like,  a deposit on the keg for about $30 to $100, a deposit on a tap for about $15 to $50 a rental fee for the tap which costs about $2 to $15 weekly, a deposit for an ice bucket for about $2 to $20 weekly. Certain refrigerators are designed especially for housing and dispensing kegs. Home keg coolers or kegerators start at about $300 for models that fit 1/4 or 1/6 kegs. Bigger units that can carry a full-size keg or multiple 1/6 kegs cost about $500. Usually, the units have a tap installed in the top to dispense the beer and store the keg in a cool environment. Kegerators help in keeping a keg fresh for about two months and do not come with the keg installed in them. You can rent kegs for as long as you want as long as you can afford the amount for the rent. 

If you want to enjoy discounts when buying or renting a keg in the United States, you will get one on either the fourth of July and Memorial Day. When you are shopping for a keg, ensure you go with someone who can help you carry the keg because it is heavy. 

It doesn’t cost much for you to buy a keg. One beautiful thing about kegs is that you can use them repeatedly for years as long as you learn how best to maintain them. It is a worthy investment that will pay off eventually. 

Conclusion

Kegs are more expensive than bottles and cans. If you cannot afford to buy a new one, you can choose to rent one at your favorite brewery. 

Keg beer is better than bottled and canned beer because it doesn’t easily get affected by oxygen, heat, and light, unlike bottled beer.

You can easily bottle your beer from a keg using the procedures that were listed above.