Keg

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A 15.5 US gallon Keg, cutaway

A keg is a metal container (usually constructed of stainless steel) used to hold beer and other alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, carbonated or not carbonated, generally under pressure. Kegs are characterized by a single (mostly two way) valve in the middle of the top which is used for cleaning, filling and tapping.

(Note: A figal mostly used for soft drinks with two valves on the top is not considered to be a keg in spite of being known as a cornelius keg.)

Formerly a keg was a small barrel made by a cooper used to transport items such as nails.

1 Metrology
2 Tapping a keg
3 Homebrewing kegs
4 Keg laws
5 Games involving Kegs
6 References

[edit] Metrology

A keg is also a standard unit of measure, named for the container described above. A full keg is a 31 US gallon barrel, but is relatively uncommon; a half-keg is what most people commonly consider a keg. A keg in this context has a volume of 15.5 US gallons.

A 15.5 US gallon keg is equal to:

12.5 Imperial gallons (UK)
58.67 litres
100 Imperial pints (UK)
120 US pints
164 12 oz drinks

However, beer kegs can come in many sizes:

Size (US gal)	Size (litres)	No. of 12 oz drinks	No. of 16 oz drinks	No. of 20 oz drinks	Weight of full keg (lbs)
5	20	53	40	32	55-60
7.75	29	82	62	49	90
13.2	50	140	105	84	-
15.5	58.7	164	124	99	140 - 170

See also barrel, firkin, kegger, pony keg.

[edit] Tapping a keg

As with any pressurised container, a keg can cause injury, even at normal operating pressure, whether with compressed air or carbon dioxide:

"The tapping system and pressure regulator both should be equipped with a pressure relief (blow off) device. If you are not familiar with tapping equipment, consult your retailer..." (printed on an Anheuser-Busch's keg cap)

[edit] Homebrewing kegs

Homebrewers often use kegs for aging, filtering, and storing beer. These are seldom the standard kegs used by major brewers to transport draught beer to wholesalers, but instead are reconditioned Cornelius kegs (colloquially known as 'cornies,') many of which formerly contained soda.

These kegs are stainless steel cylinders that hold approximately 5 gallons of liquid. The keg is filled with liquid (wort or beer) via a removable hatch on the top, which is then closed and sealed. Carbon dioxide is added to presurize the keg via an inlet port on the top and is facilitated by gently rocking the brew back and forth. Liquid is dispensed via an outlet port attached to a tube that extends to the bottom of the keg. Pin-lock and ball-lock fittings (or posts) are the two types of couplings used on the inlet and outlet ports. Older kegs tend to use pin-lock fittings, while newer kegs tend to use ball-lock fittings, though the fittings themselves are removable, serviceable, and interchangeable parts.

[edit] Keg laws

Main article: Keg registration

In the U.S. as of 2005, there are 21 states and numerous localities that have keg registration laws. The laws vary widely in terms of whom they target, what their intended purpose is, and how strongly they are enforced.

[edit] Games involving Kegs

There are many games that involve kegs, including keg races, keg riding and keg tossing. Keg games may or may not involve drinking as an integral part of the competition; games in which the keg is carried or thrown obviously require the use of an empty keg. "Keg Races" may refer to a competition in which the participants must spin around a keg a number of times, and usually consume some amount of beer, or the keg may have to be carried as an extra large "baton" in an athletic race. Another variant Keg Race, (known as "Continuous Keg" in Australia) involves large teams who attempt to drink an entire keg without ever turning off the tap. In America, kegs have become synonymous with college parties, which are sometimes called "keggers". These parties, however, typically only utilize the beer inside the keg for games such as beer pong and flip cup, and do not use the empty barrel in a competitive way.

Another game popular in America is the "keg stand", in which people are held upside down with the tap in their mouth, and try to consume beer for as long as possible.