Beer kegs: what are they and what are they for?
What are beer kegs? How are they built and what are they for? Where are they used and how do they work? These questions are answered in the article below!
Beer kegs: what are they?
Many people wonder what beer kegs actually are. The answer is simple. Beer kegs are extremely tight containers in which beer is stored and transported. Kegs are divided into disposable and reusable. Reusable ones are made of acid-resistant steel. Typically, beer kegs with a capacity of thirty liters are used. There are also 20-liter and 50-liter kegs.
They are divided into a type of head at the top of the barrel. So we can distinguish kegs for a beer with:
- A - Valve
- S - Valve
- G - Valve
- D - Valve
- M - Valve
- K - Valve
Promet sells types A and S
Beer kegs: structure and operation
The beer keg consists of sidewalls and a tube that runs from the head to the bottom of the keg. The beer is pushed upwards thanks to the gas that fills the barrel. Carbon dioxide presses the beer and drives it from the installation to the bottling. Beer flows through the aforementioned pipe, through the bottling plant, to the mug into which it falls.
Carbon dioxide is also responsible for maintaining the pressure balance. It prevents the release of carbon dioxide contained in the beer so that it does not lose its taste and properties during pouring.
Beer kegs and their suitability for use
The history of beer kegs that are currently on the market in Poland dates back to the nineties. It should be noted that a keg that is kept in good condition does not have to be taken out of service just because it is old. If it meets all requirements, has no dents, is airtight, and there is no distortion at the valve seat, it can be used on. The head can be replaced, but must always be perpendicular to the keg axis to be able to pass through the bottling line.
The Promet offer includes disposable kegs and returnable glass bottles. Returnable glass bottles are particularly recommended due to their low carbon footprint when refilled multiple times.
Disposable kegs are also suitable for long-distance shipping of beer where the logistics of keg return would be expensive.
Beer kegs and beer storage: how long can they stay in it?
Every keg, just like every bottle, has an expiry date. However, it should be remembered that beer has a fairly long use-by date. However, the expiry date of the beer cannot be confused with the time that may elapse from the moment the barrel is opened until it is connected to the bottling installation. If the keg is connected to the installation of a given month, the beer contained in it must be dispensed in a timely manner. It cannot be aged in a keg for the whole month because it will lose its taste and properties.
It should be emphasized that the taste and chemical properties of beer in an open keg depend on the installation to which the keg is connected. Usually, the keg can be connected to the installation for a period not longer than three days in the case of a classic bar installation. Other types of installations allow beer from a keg connected to the installation to be aged in it for up to twenty-one days.
The quality of the beer is also influenced by the storage conditions and the temperature of the environment in which it is poured from the mug into the mug.
Beer kegs: a summary
It cannot be denied that a beer keg is a very useful device. It is used in bars all over the world, providing beer to all those gourmets who love it, without affecting its taste and chemical properties. The beer retains its full flavor!