If you dispense your beer with a party pump, which uses air instead of CO2 to drive the beer, you can only expect your beer to remain fresh for 8-12 hours. If you keep your kegs warm, and drive them with CO2 through a jockey box or other faucet, they will most likely last a couple of months.
How long does a keg last with a CO2 Pump?
With a CO2 pump, your keg can last for months, even after it’s been tapped! Of course, there are other considerations you’ll want to keep in mind, so make sure to keep reading to ensure your beer stays as fresh as possible. We’ve touched on this a little bit already, but it’s worth tackling them again.
What's the difference between a keg and a hand pump keg?
Unlike kegerators, hand-pump kegs replace the beer with air, which causes staling and allows the co2 in the beer to evolve out, leaving you with flat beer. If you're not going to drink from the keg for a while, it's a good idea to disconnect it from the intake/outake lines.
How long will a 15 gallon keg of beer last?
I've seen a 15.5 gallon keg of beer be good over a year later. Kept in house at room temperature. Not just acceptable, but just as good as when it was kegged. Thanks for contributing an answer to Homebrewing Stack Exchange!
How many times can you tap a keg?
The good news is yes, you can tap a keg twice —with some limitations, of course. In the event that you’re using a manual or O2 pump, you’ll unfortunately only get one tap out of your keg.
How long does keg beer last with pump?
If you are serving up pasteurized draft beer, the shelf life is around 90-120 days. If you have just gotten an air pumped party keg, you should consume the beer within 8-12 hours if you want to enjoy it at peak freshness.
How long does a larger keg last once tapped?
Keg beer will remain fresh if dispensing with CO2, while maintaining the proper temperature and pressure: For non-pasteurized draft beer about 45-60 days. For pasteurized draft beer about 90-120 days.
How do you make a tapped keg last longer?
The Key to Keeping Draft Beer Fresh The trick to keeping your keg of beer at its best is to keep oxygen out of the keg and keep it stored at the right temperature. If you can do these two things, you will have fresh draft beer for months.
How long do mini kegs last after being tapped?
However, once the keg has been carbonated (or filled with finished beer from a larger keg) it is ideal that you plan to consume it within 2 - 3 months. After the mini keg has been tapped, the beer will be best if consumed within 3 - 4 weeks.
How long is a keg good for once tapped without CO2?
How Long Does A Keg Last Once Tapped Without Co2? With a picnic pump, oxygen instead of carbon dioxide is used in the keg, so it will only last for 12-24 hours, depending on the type of beer and the amount of oxygen pumped in.
Can a keg be tapped twice?
The good news is yes, you can tap a keg twice —with some limitations, of course. In the event that you're using a manual or O2 pump, you'll unfortunately only get one tap out of your keg.
How do you preserve a tapped keg?
On average, a keg of beer will retain its flavor for only a couple weeks before its taste begins to wane. The best way to retain your flavor is to store it at a cooler temperature. And we do mean cool, not cold.
Will a keg freeze overnight?
Depending on the temperature outside, it could take days to fully freeze a keg of beer. It can, however, take less time for it to partially freeze (potentially overnight).
How long do blade kegs last unopened?
1 monthWe guarantee good beer quality of fully sealed Blade Keg for at least 1 month after purchasing from our website.
How long does beer in a mini keg last once opened?
The mini-kegs have a shelf life of 5 weeks, but once they are opened, it is best to drink the beer within 3 days. Place the keg on the edge of a stable, flat surface. Bend the red tab on the front of the keg towards you and pull out the tap. The stem will ease out of the keg.
How do you keep a mini keg fresh?
Typically, one of our mini-kegs can be stored for several months, provided that you store it in a cool place. Refrigeration is preferable, but not completely necessary. We encourage retailers to keep them cold so that the shelf life with you, the consumer, is maximized.
How long does beer last in a keg?
Depending on who you ask or what site you read, the answer will range between 20-120 days. There are many variables that can play a role in how quickly your kegged beer starts to alter in taste, but a general rule to keep in mind is ...
How does a keg pump work?
Using a Manual Pump: Commonly found attached to the top of kegs at house parties and backyard cookouts, the manual pump — sometimes called a bronco pump or party pump — works by pumping air into the keg, pressurizing it so that it can dispense your beer.
Why use CO2 in keg?
This is because the keg remains pressurized, but avoids oxidation.
How to keep a keg of beer fresh?
The trick to keeping your keg of beer at its best is to keep oxygen out of the keg and keep it stored at the right temperature. If you can do these two things, you will have fresh draft beer for months.
Why does beer foam?
Try not to go too much above or below that temperature. If the temperature rises above this, your beer may become foamier as the warmer temperature liberates carbon dioxide too quickly. Not only does this cause excessive foam, but also leads to stale beer.
How long does a beer need to age before kegging?
The going stale statement is on a curve. When kegging a craft beer often you need to age it 3 or more months. Sampling is allowed along the way, by the way….
How long does it take for beer to go stale?
This is especially true as more and more oxygen is pumped into the keg. Generally, you’ll have at least eight hours to finish the keg before the beer starts to taste stale. If you’re lucky, you may get a full day out of it before it goes completely stale. It all depends on the type of beer and how much oxygen was pumped into it.
How Long Does a Keg Last?
If you are dispensing the keg beer with carbon dioxide while maintaining the right pressure and temperature, a keg will last for around 45 to 60 days if it is unpasteurized. If it is pasteurized, a keg will last for around 90 to 120 days. If you are dispensing the keg beer using an air pump, it will remain fresh for around 8 to 12 hours.
Factors That Affect How Long a Keg Can Last
Although the sell-by-date of a keg is already determined from the day it’s made, other factors affect its shelf life, from the keg dispensing system used to the temperature.
How Can I Know a Keg Has Gone Bad?
Even after knowing the factors that can affect how long your keg can last, it is important to be able to recognize a keg that has gone bad. Here are some ways you can know that the keg has gone bad.
How Can I Keep My Keg Fresh?
There are some tips you can use to help prolong the shelf life of a keg. Here are some of the tips that can help keep the keg fresh:
How Does Oxidation Affect Taste?
For many people, the freshness and taste of the beer start to change after around 20 to 120 days. However, oxidation is the first concept that you should consider.
Related Questions
If you are using a manual pump, you can only tap a keg once as you’ll be introducing oxygen into the beer. However, if you are using a carbon dioxide pump, you can tap it as many times as you want.
Final Thoughts
So, how long does a keg last? The shelf life of a keg depends on the storage temperature, pressure, and dispensing system. The type of the beer inside, and whether the beer is pasteurized or not also determines the shelf life of a keg.
How long does it take to empty a keg?
If you don't think you are going to be able to finish the keg, everyone must drop acid. The keg will be empty in 3 hours. Even less if you have more than 4 people.
How long does it take for beer to go flat?
Probably 3-4 days at most before it goes flat. You've consumed lots of the beer which means there's lots of space in the keg for the CO2 to come out of solution to occupy.
What does a hand pump keg do?
Unlike kegerators, hand-pump kegs replace the beer with air, which causes staling and allows the co2 in the beer to evolve out, leaving you with flat beer. If you're not going to drink from the keg for a while, it's a good idea to disconnect it from the intake/outake lines.
How long is a 15.5 gallon keg of beer good for?
I've seen a 15.5 gallon keg of beer be good over a year later. Kept in house at room temperature. Not just acceptable, but just as good as when it was kegged.
How long does corny beer last?
I think the longest I've ever had a Corny keg last is three months, but that was finishing it, not spoilage. Kept refrigerated, sealed and under CO2, it should last longer than it takes you to drink it.
Does CO2 stale beer?
The CO2 isn't going to stale your beer. As long as you are keeping the pressure in the keg high enough to ensure that the carbonation doesn't dissipate into the keg's head space, the beer should stay tasty for quite a long time.
