A keg is used in a beer kegerator. There is a wide range of beer keg sizes. The subject can be quite confusing because different parts of the world use different sizes. Therefore there are no standard beer keg sizes. Many countries are using the metric system for their beer kegs. But in this post I will focus on U.S. keg sizes based on U.S gallons.
Beer keg sizes – the most common
Beer keg size is based on the U.S beer barrel which is legally defined as 31 U.S. gallons. This is also equal to 25.81 Imperial gallons or 117.35 liters.
Half barrel keg
This is the standard beer keg size which is half a barrel. A half barrel keg corresponds to 15.5 gallons. This is equivalent to 124 16 fl oz drinks. The height of a half barrel keg is 23.3 inches and the diameter is between 16.1-17.16 inches (this is the accepted diameter range). The weight of a full half barrel keg is 160.5 pounds and when empty it’s 29.7 pounds.
A half barrel keg in a kegerator.
Quarter barrel keg
A quarter barrel keg can also be referred to as a pony keg. A pony keg size is 1/4 of a barrel, namely 7.75 gallons. With a quarter barrel keg you can get 62 16 fl oz drinks.
The name pony keg comes from the simple fact that it’s smaller than a standard half barrel keg. When a pony keg is full it weighs about 90 pounds. A quarter barrel keg can be a perfect solution for the private party.
Sixth barrel keg
A 1/6 barrel keg size is 5.16 gallons. It’s also called a torpedo keg. A sixth barrel keg can serve you 42 16 fl oz drinks.
The sixth barrel keg is becoming the choice for many places that aim to use a keg smaller than a half barrel keg. A sixth barrel keg can weigh between 60-14 pounds (full versus empty).
Corney keg
A corney keg, or more official cornelius keg, can come in a variety of sizes. The corney keg sizes range from 2.378 to 10 gallons. The most common size is 5 gallons. A corney keg is often used to store home brewed beer. The reason is that it’s easier to fill, clean and maintain a corney keg than an industry standard beer keg.
Some different types of corney kegs.
Eighth barrel
The 1/8 barrel is not among the more common beer keg sizes. The volume is 3.875 gallons. It has the same dimensions as the sixth barrel keg but the bottom 7 inches are hollow.
Mini keg
A mini keg can also be called a bubba keg and is used in a mini kegerator. The mini keg size is 1.32 gallons or 5 liters. This gives you 10.6 16 fl oz drinks. A mini keg is produced for retail sales. It always come with some form of tap. Usually the mini kegs are not returned to the manufacturer for a refill, instead they can be recycled.
A mini keg from Grolsch.
The name bubba keg comes from the Canadian brewery Molson. But now it has become quite a general name for all 5 liter mini kegs in Canada. A mini keg can be the perfect solution for a small gathering of beer-loving friends.
