Buying a keg of wine – Everything you need to know

Throughout wine’s near 8,000-year history, storage technology has evolved. From earthenware containers, ceramic vessels, wooden barrels and glass bottles, the need to efficiently store, move and serve the very best wine has always been a priority.

That evolution has continued with the wine keg. In use for many years in the world of beers and fruit juices, kegs are now used to transport, store, and serve high-quality wines, both still and sparkling.

First lets look at the two key areas you will want to know about. The benefits of wine kegs and how they work.

Benefits of wine keg technology

There are many benefits of wine kegs. Each keg holds the equivalent of 26 glass bottles, but weighs considerably less. This helps reduce CO2 emissions throughout the whole supply chain. Plus, you don’t have 26 glass bottles to store or dispose of! Our kegs are made from a minimum of 30% recycled materials and are fully recyclable themselves.

Larger volumes minimise wastage and offer far more flexibility too. You can now dispense by-the glass, or offer multiple carafe sizes. Does your customer want to try before they buy? No problem! Serving times are reduced too, just dispense and go.

The manufacturing of wine bottles makes up more than 50% of the carbon footprint of one bottle of wine. So with no bottles wine kegs save 50% Co2 emissions vs bottled wine.

Most importantly for lovers of sparkling wine, the flavours and bubbles are retained for up to six weeks after opening. No more flat fizz!

There are a wide variety of keg dispensing solutions to suit all hospitality environments from fixed bar, mobile bar and retail environment?

How does keg technology work?

Keg technology uses a traditional dispenser set up. The front-of-house font sits on the bar and is connected to a separate cooler, valve, gauge, pressure source, and wine keg, by a professional engineer. The taps can be connected to existing dispense infrastructure. CO2 or air compression can be used.

If you have an existing dispense set up with an available line, we can offer a Top and Tail single or double tap installation.

Mobile and retail installations are also available, to best suit your business needs. Having a large party at home? We can help with that too!

Wine keg FAQ’s

What types of wines can benefit from keg technology?

Red, white, rose, still and sparkling. All wine types can benefit from keg technology. Check out our wide range of wine kegs ready to go.

How many litres in a keg?

Each keg holds 20 litres of still or sparkling wine, that’s the equivalent of 26.3 bottles! We mentioned flexibility of serving options, so that’s also 160 x 125ml glasses or 40 half-litre carafes.

How long does a keg last?

Unopened, a wine keg can be stored for 6 to 12 months, depending on the type. Once opened, the wine will be available to serve in perfect condition for 4 to 6 weeks. You can see details of how long each wine will last in the product details. For example, our delicious (and Vegan Society approved) Glera Frizzante, will keep fresh for 6 to 9 months from filling, and 4 weeks once opened.

How much does a keg of wine cost?

A keg of our delicious still wine starts from £110, that’s £4.13 per 75 cl (excl. VAT). Our sparkling wines start at £140 per keg. We can often offer next-day or Saturday delivery too.

Anything else I should know?

Yes! Did you know you can also use keg technology with cocktails? Our cocktails on tap service allows you to quickly serve your customer’s favourite cocktail, ideal for parties and events. Espresso Martini anyone?