Draught Equipment and System Configuarations > Essential Draught System Components > Keg

Kegs enable beer transport and dispense while maintaining its quality and integrity. Their design protects beer from both air and light while enabling easy and rapid dispense.  Most brewers use kegs made of stainless steel, but you also see rubber-coated, aluminum, steel—and recently plastic—kegs in the marketplace.

When tapped, the keg’s valve admits gas to the head space where it applies the pressure needed to push beer up through the spear or down tube and out of the keg.

Older keg designs, although rarely encountered, utilize different tapping methods not covered here.   Keg sizes vary from approximately 5 to 15.5 gallons.

Rubber Sided 1/4 Barrel Keg (left) and Bulged Non-Straight Wall 1/4 Barrel Keg (right)

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