How to Tap a Keg (and How to Use Kegs Effectively)

Your long-awaited party has finally come. You have the keg, the cups, and a bunch of friends hoping to quench their thirst with beer. But before your first guest can get their hands on a serving of beer, you have to tap the keg first.

Luckily, tapping a keg is not rocket science. You and your friends can enjoy rounds of beer to keep the party spirit going as long as you learn a few dos and don'ts.

Here are handy tips on how to tap and use kegs effectively.

Identify Your Kegs Coupler System

Different kegs have different keg coupler systems and pumps. So, you have to ensure the proper pump for your keg coupler. If you are serving an American keg, it will have an American D system.

If it's a European keg, it will need an S system coupler. If you are unsure of your keg's coupler, it's best to ask your keg distributor to ensure you buy one that fits your keg type.

Let the Keg Settle

If you are planning to serve drinks at a party, it's best to have the keg arrive hours or even a day before the party begins. Ideally, a keg should first settle before tapping it to minimize foaming.

Even if you were very gentle with its transportation, you might not know how much shaking it underwent before it got in your hands. So ensure that you let it settle for several hours before tapping it.

Keep It Cold

While waiting for the keg to settle, cool the keg using ice, starting the lower third of your keg. The ideal temperature for serving a keg with minimal foaming is 33 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most people use a bucket of ice to cool down a keg. If you serve keg regularly, it's best to invest in an insulated keg bag which can help ensure that the ice takes longer to melt and that the beer stays cool longer.

Tapping the Keg

After cooling, the next step is tapping the keg. Most kegs will have a plastic cover on the valve, so you must remove that first. After removing the cover, the next step would be screwing your tap.

Ensure that your pump is disengaged when screwing the tap into the keg. If you do not disengage your pump, you may have yourself or your guests getting in a beer shower.

Enjoy Your Keg

If you successfully tap your keg, your guests can now enjoy their drinks. When you finish your setup, you may not need to pump to get the first servings of beer flowing.

Also, the first servings can have excessive foam, but it will get better after pouring out the first pint.

Home Kegerator Cleaning

If you serve beer often, you should consider getting a kegerator. The purpose of the kegerator is to keep the keg at its ideal serving temperature at all times. You can buy a kegerator from a brewer's supplies shop or have an old refrigerator converted into one.

Whatever kegerator you use, it's essential to ensure it stays clean. This guide to home kegerator cleaning can give you expert advice on how to clean your kegerator to minimize the chances of bacteria getting into your beer.

Failure to clean your kegerators and pumps can cause a deterioration of your beer in terms of taste and the impact it can have on the health of people that consume it.

Final Words

You do not have to have bartender experience to tap a keg. While it could cause headaches if you are doing it for the first time, you should not encounter many problems if you follow the tips above.