Kegerator – The is the king of beer dispensing, which is the reason why many restaurants rely on kegerators to dispense their kegs. Not only is the taste and experience of drinking beer from a kegerator better than other dispense systems, a kegerator is designed to preserve the quality of a keg.
With a refrigerator storage cabinet, the keg is stored at the ideal temperature for the specific beer that is stored inside. This temperature maintenance also prevents beer from being dispensed warm and foamy. The CO2 dispense system of a kegerator prevents oxygen from accessing the beer and maintaining the fresh brewery taste.
For a properly stored keg in a kegerator, how long the beer will remain fresh will depend on the style of beer. Pasteurized beers can stay fresh from three to six months. For non-pasteurized beers, you can expect the keg to stay fresh approximately two months. 
We can’t emphasize enough how important it is for a keg to be stored at the proper temperature. Regardless of your dispense system, maintaining a constant and ideal temperature for your keg is the key to keeping your keg fresh. Ideally, most kegs should be kept at 38 degrees Fahrenheit and not much lower or higher.
Keeping a keg at a higher temperature will not only cause your beer to excessively foam but it will also lead to stale beer. Temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit will likely cause your beer to grow bacteria and increase your chances of premature spoilage. Lower temperatures will cause the beer to retain its carbonation, preventing you from experiencing the nuanced flavors and aromas of each pour.
If you allow the temperature to drop even further, below 28 degrees Fahrenheit, your beer is likely to freeze. Some light beers may freeze at even 32 degrees Fahrenheit so, be aware of your storage temperatures. Kegerators are ideal for keg storage and dispense because they are designed to maintain temperatures.
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Does beer go bad in a keg?
How Long Does Draft Beer Remain Fresh? – There is no one hard and fast rule for how long a keg of draft beer will stay fresh. This is especially true for craft beers because different styles of beer last longer than others. A good rule of thumb is that the shelf life for a keg of pasteurized beer is about 90-120 days (or 3-4 months), and unpasteurized draft beer will last about 45-60 days (or 6-8 weeks) when stored at the proper temperature.
Many import and domestic beers are pasteurized. If you’re unsure whether or not your beer has been pasteurized, then treat it like it is unpasteurized. An important thing to remember is that countdown starts the day your keg is filled at the brewery, not when you tap it or buy it. One of the first things you should do when you pick up a keg is to check is the label to see if it has a “born on” date or expiration date.
If the beer in your keg is passed its expiration date, then we wouldn’t recommend drinking it. 
How long will beer keep in a tapped keg?
How Long Does a Keg Stay Fresh? – For most beers on tap, dispensed with CO2, the rule of thumb is that non-pasteurized beer will retain its freshness for 45-60 days, if proper pressure and temperature are maintained. 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.
- You will find that most breweries now print a freshness date on the keg for your convenience.
- Be sure to read the labeling carefully, as some breweries print this as an expiration date, while others opt for a “born on” date.
These dates have the days it is in inventory at the brewery figured into the equation and generally print the date on the side of the keg or on the cap.
Does beer last longer in a keg or bottle?
Kegged beer stays fresher longer than kegged beer. While conditioning in the bottle definitely helps to keep beer fresher longer, the effects of oxidation are still much greater in bottles than in kegs.
Can a keg be tapped twice?
Can a Keg Be Tapped Twice? – If you’re like most of us, you can’t drink a keg of beer in one sitting—even if you’re surrounded by some of your rowdiest friends. Naturally, you’ll want to know if you can tap your keg twice. The good news is yes, you can tap a keg twice —with some limitations, of course,
How long does Heineken last in keg?
Even after you’ve tapped it for the first time, the Heineken beer inside your Draught Keg will stay fresh for up to 30 days.
Why does beer taste better out of a keg?
Freshness is the biggest reason why one would prefer draft beer over bottled or canned. Freshness has a significant effect on the flavor, which is why beer poured from a keg is expected to be fresher (and tastier) compared to a bottled beer.
Is keg beer ruined if it gets warm?
Why Storage Temperature Matters – Here’s where it starts to get a little bit more complicated — How you store your keg is important, No matter what kind of pump you have on your keg, if you don’t store it at the right temperature you will notice a decrease in quality. The recommended temperature to store your keg is 38°F, 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.
- If the temperature rises above 55°F, then it’s likely that bacteria will start to grow which will spoil the beer pretty quickly.
- If you keep the temperature too cold, the beer will retain its carbonation.
- If this happens, you won’t be able to experience the true flavor and aroma of each pour,
If the temperature falls below 28°F, then your beer will likely freeze. Obviously, you want to avoid storing it at this temperature. It is recommended to store your keg of beer in your kegerator, or perhaps a converted refrigerator, so that it maintains this desired temperature at all times.
Does beer in a keg go bad room temperature?
Why Storage Temperature Matters – Here is where it gets a bit more complicated. Keg storage is critical to the life of a keg (and therefore the life of the party) No matter how you dispense beer or the type of manual pump that you have, your keg will lose its quality if it isn’t stored right.38°F is ideal for keg storage.
According to the Draught Beer Quality Manual, 38°F is the recommended temperature for storing draft beer. This temperature is ideal for pouring and freshness. However, warm beer can affect the freshness and foaminess of your beer. Therefore, when pouring, make sure the keg has been properly chilled. A keg draft beer can’t be stored at room temperature.
Beer can become contaminated with bacteria if it is heated above 55°F degrees. Temperatures higher than that can cause a foamy beer to release carbon dioxide too rapidly. This not only causes excessive foam but also results in stale beer. The beer will quickly go bad if the temperature rises to 55°F.
- Because beer is a liquid (and a damn fine one at that), it’s not a good idea to keep it at too low a temperature.
- Depending on the alcohol content, beer will freeze at around 28°F.
- Eep the beer at a low temperature to preserve its carbonation.
- You won’t get each beer’s authentic taste and aroma if this happens.
Your beer may freeze if temperatures drop below 28°F. It is advisable to keep your beer kegs in your refrigerator so that they can be kept at the right temperature. This information should help you decide on purchasing your next beer keg. Another thing to think about is the size of your barrel.
How can you tell if a keg of beer is still good?
Cloudy Appearance – You may not have to taste your beer to know it’s bad. Beer from a stale keg often has a cloudy appearance. If your beer is unusually cloudy or foamy, this is a sign that it’s no longer good. NOTE: a little foam is okay — particularly if you’re using a manual pump —. However, you should have second thoughts about beer that appears way too “bubbly.”
Can a keg of beer get skunked?
To wrap it up, Since light is an essential ingredient in the skunking process, beers packaged in kegs, cans, and opaque bottles cannot be skunked.
How long does Heineken last in keg?
Even after you’ve tapped it for the first time, the Heineken beer inside your Draught Keg will stay fresh for up to 30 days.
