How Many Beers Are in a Mini Keg?

There is nothing quite as frustrating for beer lovers as buying a keg only to find out there isn’t enough beer to satisfy your needs. Conversely, buying too large a keg means you have leftover beer that you don’t know what to do with and that allows your draft beer to go flat in a day or two. 

Luckily, we are here to help answer the vital question of how many beers are in a mini keg to ensure you are purchasing the right amount of beer for your event. 

On average, mini-kegs hold approximately 14 twelve-ounce beers. Here are a few tips to ensure you purchase the perfect size keg for your event. 

Keg Sizes and Types

Kegs come in all different shapes and sizes. When discussing a standard beer keg, it is common for our minds to immediately take us to the most common type, the well-known half-barrel keg. This common keg size is the type of keg you see in the movies at the frat parties with people participating in keg stands.

Fortunately, you have options if you’re having a party and don’t require that much tap beer. Maybe you need more beer than a half-barrel keg can offer but don’t quite need two entire half-barrel kegs. 

Or, you are hosting a small party, but it’s more cost-effective to purchase a keg instead of beer in cans. This is where a quarter barrel keg, a sixth barrel keg, a Cornelius keg, and the mini-keg come in handy. 

Here is a breakdown of the various keg names and their beer capacity by barrel size to better increase your keg knowledge. 

• Half-Barrel Keg – an average-sized keg, also known as a half-barrel keg, holds approximately 165 twelve-ounce beers. This equals 124 pints or 15.5 gallons of beer.
• Slim Quarter – a Slim Quarter keg holds 82 twelve-ounce cans, equal to 62 pints of beer. It has a 7.75-gallon capacity, a diameter of 11 ⅛ inches, and a height of 23 ⅜ inches.
• Quarter Barrel – a Quarter keg has the same beer capacity as the slim quarter keg but has a greater width with a diameter of 16 ⅛ inches. This means that it is also shorter than the Slim Quarter at 13 ⅞ inches. 
• Sixth Barrel – a Sixth Barrel holds approximately 56 twelve-ounce cans or 42 pints of beer per keg. This converts to a 5.16-gallon capacity. 
• Cornelius Keg – Cornelius Kegs are slightly smaller than Sixth Barrel kegs and hold 53 twelve-ounce cans or 40 pints, giving it a five-gallon capacity. 
• Mini keg – the runt of the litter, and why we are all here today is the Mini Keg. A Mini Keg holds approximately 14 twelve-ounce beers or 10.6 pints. It has a 1.32-gallon capacity.

Each keg type has a specific purpose and is useful for different events or settings. For instance, Cornelius and Sixth Barrel kegs are often used for home brewing and are easy to fill and clean and provide an easier way to distribute their brew than bottling offers. 

On the other hand, Slim Quarter and Quarter Barrel kegs are used for small parties, whereas the Half-Barrel kegs are popular for larger parties. 

Lastly, the Mini Keg is a one-time use barrel of beer as it only holds 14 beers. It is portable, making it a great option if you’re planning to visit a friend for a house party or sporting event. 

Keg Buying Guide

The amount of beer you get per person depends on the purpose of the beer and what event it is catering to. Is it for a wedding? If so, you might not need as much beer as you would for Friday night college keg parties. 

Similarly, are you serving a group of heavy beer drinkers? Or do they prefer to sip on one or two beers and call it good? These are all questions you must consider before making a keg purchase. 

Here is a breakdown of how many beer servings per person you should consider purchasing depending on the event you are getting the beer for:

• Wedding – 2 to 5 beers per person.
• Sports Tailgating Event – 8 to 10 beers per person.
• College Party – 10 to 12 beers per person. 
• College Graduation Party – 10 to 12 beers per person.
• 21st Birthday Party – 10 to 12 beers per person. 
• Bachelor/Bachelorette Party – 6 to 10 beers per person.
• Family get-together – 2 to 4 beers per person. 

As previously mentioned, this estimate solely depends on the crowd. If you have a lot of drinkers in the family, you may want to purchase 8 to 10 beers per person for the family wedding. Or, if you are at a sports tailgating event with your family that includes children, 2–3 beers a person will suffice. 

If you are in the market for a mini keg, you already know that it typically only serves one, maybe two people. Therefore, it won’t suffice for a big event. However, if you are attending a large event like the ones mentioned above and find yourself in a BYOB situation, a mini keg is a perfect option.

Keg Cost

The cost of the keg depends on the size, type, and brand of beer you purchase. If you choose domestic beers like Bud Light or Coors, you’ll spend a lot less beer money than if you choose one of the popular import brands, a darker beer or even craft beer. 

Conclusion

Whether you are a beer aficionado searching for a Mini Beer Keg to share your beer enjoyment with a close friend or as your lifeline for the family get-together, they are single-use and the perfect capacity for one to two people. The average mini beer keg holds 14 twelve-ounce beers and is a cost-effective way to enjoy fresh, bubbly beer.