Draught Beer Handling

Draught beer is packaged in kegs of many sizes. The most common is a half barrel containing approximately 15.5 gallons or 1,984 ounces (nearly seven cases). Following is the best way to handle and serve draught in your operation:

Fresh Draught Tastes Best

  • Rotate your stock—always sell the oldest kegs first.
  • Do not stock new deliveries on top or in front of barrels already in the cooler.
  • The shelf life for A-B draught kegs is 50 days from the "Born On" date.
  • Regularly check "Born On" dates to serve fresh-tasting draught beer.

Temperature is Important

  • Draught beer is best if it is kept cold at all times.
  • The best temperature range for draught coolers is 36° to 38° F.
  • If draught storage is too cold (below 36° F), it will pour slowly with little foam head, it may look cloudy, and it will have less flavor and aroma.
  • If stored over 42° F, draught beer will draw wild or foamy and will sacrifice the quality of taste and freshness of the product.

Cooler Tips

  • Check cooler temperatures daily by placing accurate thermometers in glasses of water allowed to chill overnight.
  • Remind employees and delivery reps to keep the cooler door closed to minimize temperature loss.
  • Avoid stacking warm goods near cold kegs.
  • Never stack other items on top of full kegs.
  • Avoid storing kegs against the wall of the cooler, thus reducing air circulation.
  • Ideally, coolers should be used only for draught beer, not for other foods.

Deliveries

  • Kegs should be placed immediately into the cooler.

Drinking Temperature

Most people like their draught at 38°-40° F. If your beer glasses are thick, and the keg temperature exceeds 40° F, drinkers will get warm draught beer.

A thick, unchilled glass may warm draught beer four to six degrees!

Pressure

Draught beer is pressurized by carbon dioxide (CO2), a by-product of the fermentation process, giving it the pleasant effervescence that makes it sparkle. A constant and uniform pressure is needed while the beer is on tap to maintain carbonation, and applied CO2 pressure is needed to dispense the beer from the keg.
  • At 38° F, the internal pressure of a keg is 12 to 14 pounds per square inch (PSI).
  • If less than 12 PSI is applied, over time the beer will pour slowly and look flat.
  • If more than 14 PSI is applied, ultimately the beer will pour fast and foamy.
  • An ideal flow rate is approximately 2 ounces per second.

Low vs. High Pressure

Low-pressure draught systems are typically short-draw or under-the-bar refrigerated units that require approximately 12 to 14 PSI at 38° F. Straight CO2 is recommended.

High-pressure systems are generally long-draw systems requiring +15 PSI. In other words, the applied pressure needed is higher than the natural carbonation level in the beer.

A 70 percent nitrogen and 30 percent CO2 blend is the recommended source of pressure in long-draw systems.
Do not use an air/CO2 blended pressure source. Air and CO2 can reduce the carbonation level and cause the beer to look and taste flat.

Keep your pressure system safe.
When installing or replacing a CO2 regulator, be sure it has a pressure-relief device. Two pressure-release devices should be present in every pressurized beer dispensing system, preferably built into the equipment.