Microbrewery Beer By The Corny

[yoey]

I have a barby coming up tomorrow week and have been caught short.

I have 4 cornies and 4 taps, with one corny 80% full and the 3 others empty (struggling to get over Christmas/Australia Day). On Sunday I will be filling 2 of the empties with 2 brews I currently have in secondary. This leaves me with one empty keg.

I am off to Canberra next week for work and was wondering if there were any microbreweries that people know of in the Canberra area (or even Sydney/Wollongong on my way back) that will sell their brew by the corny keg (my keg)?

 

[Stuster]

I have no idea if they sell it by the keg, but if you can get some beer from the Wig & Pen in Canberra you won't be disappointed. Link.

In Sydney, you might try the Macquarie Hotel or Paddys Brewery. And what about something more local at Potters. :chug: PM Keith the Beer Guy maybe.

 

[yoey]

Thanks Stuster,

I'll follow up on your suggestions...

I'm trying to free up a night next week to give the Wig & Pen a try - I've heard so many good reports.

Thanks for the help!

 

[danbeer]

That's quite a good idea... Gets around the brewery having to loan one of their own kegs out.

just like filling a 19 litre growler.


Anyone know if any Melbourne micros will fill containers (kegs) for customers?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

That's quite a good idea... Gets around the brewery having to loan one of their own kegs out.

just like filling a 19 litre growler.


Anyone know if any Melbourne micros will fill containers (kegs) for customers?

Don't know of any, but I might shoot off a couple of e-mails to the Goat and Three Ravens guys and see what they say.... Unless someone already knows??

 

[sluggerdog]

This is a great idea, if only we had someone in QLD who would do this, I'd probably keep 1 keg full time from a brewery leaving the other 3 for my own brews.

Would love to hear the results..

 

[Fatgodzilla]

This is a great idea, if only we had someone in QLD who would do this, I'd probably keep 1 keg full time from a brewery leaving the other 3 for my own brews.

Would love to hear the results..

Just thinking .. most breweries mentioned sell wort packs that you brew yourself. People here want the beer already fermented. So you want them to stop their bottling / kegging runs so you can fill your 19l corny, or sell you a keg (say) 50 litres. Or fill from a keg in the corner. I don't know how much a 50l keg costs retail - guessing $150 - $200 ? How much are you gonna pay for your corny filled ? Its a great idea but I think a few of have posted here after a couple too many ...

 

[sluggerdog]

I wouldn't expect to pay $20 a keg, I would be willing to pay commercial prices for the fill. I usually seem to have a carton of something at home anyway so I don't see the issue in paying commercial prices for a keg fill then paying for bottled beer.

 

[goatherder]

As a corny is less than 48 litres in volume the excise applied be higher than standard tap beer - about 42% higher for a full strength beer. This would have to be factored in to the price somehow I assume.

 

[Maxt]

I would also approach Christoph at Zeirholz brewery. I know he sells mini kegs.Zeirholz

 

[yoey]

Thanks everyone for your help, advice and comments.

I will let you know if I am successful.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Just thinking .. most breweries mentioned sell wort packs that you brew yourself. People here want the beer already fermented. So you want them to stop their bottling / kegging runs so you can fill your 19l corny, or sell you a keg (say) 50 litres. Or fill from a keg in the corner. I don't know how much a 50l keg costs retail - guessing $150 - $200 ? How much are you gonna pay for your corny filled ? Its a great idea but I think a few of have posted here after a couple too many ...

Except that a fair few micros who serve their beer on site, are using unitanks and/or serving directly from bulk bright tanks. This saves them from incurring exactly the sort of costs you are implying, when the only place the beer is going is out through a tap. No packaging run to stop.

In that instance, filling a corny is a cost saving as it is only one pour from one server... don't quite have to have a couple under your belt to think that might be a service that might be attractive for a micro to offer.

The main kicker would be the excise on a container under 48 lts... which would meant the price could never compare in $/L terms to that for a 50L keg, but could certainly compare favorably with packaged product from the same provider. The majority of cost in a bottle of beer is the packaging, take that out of the equation by bringing your own corny to be filled, and there is no reason why you couldn't expect some sort of a reasonable deal on the transaction.

Its probably against the law somehow though so I wouldn't be rushing my kegs down to the local micro just yet

 

[winkle]

Do places that refill growlers book that up as tap sales? Maybe that is an option?

 

[homekegger1]

That's quite a good idea... Gets around the brewery having to loan one of their own kegs out.

just like filling a 19 litre growler.


Anyone know if any Melbourne micros will fill containers (kegs) for customers?

For those in Geelong or in Melbourne, you could always try Damian from Whats brewing. His beers are served on tap at The Scottish Chiefs. I know if you give him enough notice he can give you a corny full of one of his very nice brews. Currently he has an Amber, a Pale, a Porter and a Hefeweizen. I know he charges a deposit for the Keg, however if you speak to him, you may be able to drop one off for filling or even swap an empty for a full. From memory I think he charges about $100 per keg. Not too bad really for good quality beer from a brewery kettle.

You can contact him at [email protected]

Hope this helps a few Vics out.

Cheers

HK