Calling Austin Beer Works out!

It may be due to keg theft. I wouldn't fault them on that one.

 

I have a 512 branded keg sitting in my keg room.

I got it from Specs when I traded in another keg. I am keeping it until I get another keg and Specs will get it back.

It could be they just do not like people keeping the kegs as long as they do.

 

We have lost over 100 keg shells by selling through off-premise retailers. Each keg costs us about $125.

To prevent that from happening further, we now only sell kegs if we know exactly where they're going. Some retailers are not OK with that policy, so they no longer carry our kegs.

If you would like a keg for a special event or just for home use, email me at [email protected] and I'll work with you to find the closest and most convenient location where you can pick one up.

Just think how cool it would be if we could sell you a keg directly...

 

This makes total sense to me and understand totally.

BTW, I had your DIPA at Cottonwood last week and it was damn good.

 

I second that DIPA @ Cottonwood

 

Thanks for the great response Austin Beerworks. I hope to visit you guys soon.

 

Last I had a conversation on the topic, keg theft/"loss" was a big problem.

Sites like http://www.kegreturn.com/ try to recover some losses.

Reports like the below show one of the places they go:

• http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/mone...keg-theft_N.htm?CFID=2747532&CFTOKEN=95257874
• http://blog.chron.com/beertx/2013/01/brewers-association-lost-kegs-cost-craft-brewers-millions/

Texas made it illegal to recycle a keg unless you are the manufacture, brewer, or rep of.
Still, keg theft/loss is a problem. Laws get ignored in some cases.

Some home brewers use them for their brewing setup. http://www.tastybrew.com/forum/thread/222242 AND they believe they "paid" for it with the deposit. (Sad)

They should make a deposit a lot, lot higher but easier to say than do when some in the chain don't have anything to lose, so what do they care.

Some states regulate the deposit amount and keep it low; not sure why. $120 deposit would likely get a lot of kegs returned. Many would gripe about it though. So ultimately we all pay for the"lost" kegs when we buy beer.

 

I've honestly never heard of a place charging less than 100 bucks for a keg deposit.

 

I believe the one I have from Specs was originally $20. It has been rotated in and out for 5 years now so I can't remember.

 

Why is losing kegs such a problem? Same as renting anything, require a credit card and if they don't return the keg within a given timeframe you charge them for the replacement cost of the keg. Problem solved.

 

What is a reasonable timeframe?

 

I don't know, 30 days? I am just asking why this is any different than if you rent a tiller or something. If you break it or don't return it you bought it.

 

I mean my system isn't perfect (are there really people out there that age kegs?) but there has to be a way to limit the risk for the breweries while still making their kegs accessible.

EDIT: How much are deposits now for most kegs?

 

I know bars do it, I just haven't seen many home cellars with kegs in all the show off threads. So I figured it wasn't super common.