How many beers in a mini keg? There are precisely fourteen 12 ounce glasses of beer in a mini keg, which is 1.32 gallons or 169 ounces.
Mini kegs are great options for the draft beer fan. As much as we all love bottled or canned beers there is something to be said for draught beer that is poured straight from the tap. Unfortunately, prior to mini-kegs hitting the market your options were limited to larger kegs sizes.
However, the mini keg is perfect if you are looking to drink about the equivalent of a 12 pack of beer. They are the perfect size for taking camping or watching football games with some buddies.
The only downside to the mini keg is it can be difficult to find the type of beer you want to drink, for some reason that we do not understand most breweries do not package their beers in the mini keg. We will provide you with a list of breweries who do further in this post, however the most popular of all the breweries that sell mini kegs is Heineken…
How Many Beers in a Heineken Mini Keg? 
The Heineken mini keg is the same size as a standard mini keg, however, due to its popularity, it presents a great opportunity to explore mini-kegs and whether they are the most cost-effective method of dispensing your beer. These kegs range in price from $15 – $30, and on average $20.
The Heineken mini keg serves 14 12oz glasses of beer, however, it advertises 20 8oz glasses, the math is basically the same but the perception of getting 20 glasses versus 14 is more appealing.
If the keg costs you $20 you are paying $1.00 for one 8oz glass. Whereas if you purchased a 6-pack of cans of beer for $10, you would be paying $1.67 for a beer. However, the big difference is the cans are 12oz cans. Per 12oz serving you are really paying $1.43.
So there is a cost savings of buying the Heineken mini-keg of approximately 0.24 cents. But keep in mind that when you buy the larger 24 pack of cans vs the 6 pack the price per beer is going to drop.
What Beers Are Available in Mini Kegs?
Some of the more popular beers that you can get in Mini Kegs are:
- Heineken Lager
- Newcastle Brown Ale
- Coors Light Lager
- Spaten Premium Lager
- DAD Original Lager
- Bell’s Oberon Wheat Ale
How Long Will A Mini Keg Last?
As long as you have not opened or tapped the mini keg and have left it in the refrigerator it should last a few months without any problems. However, once you open the keg and allow oxygen to get into it, it is recommended that you drink the beer within 2-3 days as it will start to develop off-flavors and go stale.
Can You Refill Mini Kegs?
Commercial mini-kegs that you purchase pre-filled with beer like Heineken are typically thrown away. Heineken or any other brewery for that matter is not going to refill the keg with their beer for you. However, if you are a homebrewer you can purchase mini kegs that you can refill many times with your own beer and many ingenious homebrewers have figured out ways to modify and use the commercial mini-kegs for this purpose also.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to refrigerate a mini keg?
Treat it just like you would any other beer you have purchased, whether that is cans of beers or bottles. When you are storing it you do not have to refrigerate it, however when you are getting ready to consume it you will want to refrigerate it beforehand and once you have opened it, it needs to be refrigerated.
What can you do with an empty mini keg?
The sky is really the limit with what you can do with an empty keg. There are many DIY sites out there that can give you all sorts of ideas. Some of the more popular options that we have come across are making flower pots, garbage cans, and even ice buckets for your beer. Here is a site with all sorts of different DIY ideas for you.
Can you recycle mini beer kegs?
Yes if you are not going to reuse your mini-kegs because they are made of aluminum or steel they can be recycled. Check with your local recycling program for details.
The Final Word
There are 14 12oz glasses, or 20 8oz glasses of beer in a mini keg which is the equivalent of 1.32 gallons or 169 ounces, which means they hold 2 more beers than a 12 pack.
P.S. If you make your own beer or would like to start, be sure to grab the recipes for my top 5 brews from my brewpub. Details are on the side of the blog or at the bottom on your smart device.