Keg Availability During the Pandemic

Discussion in 'Home Bar' started by matthewp, May 27, 2020.

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  1. matthewp

    matthewp Pundit (856) Feb 27, 2015 Massachusetts
    Trader

    At the beginning of the pandemic there seemed to be increased access to kegs for home purchase, I had a quarter barrel of FiddleHead IPA and then a sixth of Second Dinner from MBC. Both of those were next to impossible to get pre-pandemic. Now I am finding it difficult to get even previously easy to get kegs. My main store is telling me that I'll need to wait until after bars start opening again because most breweries aren't kegging beer currently and the only beers available are near their age limit. I recently got a pale ale which is probably only about 2 weeks away from being beyond its prime. Its MBC Peeper which I know tastes decent longer than 3 months.

    After this keg is finished I'm not sure whether I'll look for another keg or not, at least not unless I can get a keg of something less age dependent (i.e. no IPA's or hoppy pale ales). How are others on here finding keg availability?
     
    #1 matthewp, May 27, 2020
  2. DougC123

    DougC123 Savant (1,186) Aug 21, 2012 Connecticut

    What you are describing is pretty much the norm. In the early stages with restaurants and bars closed, kegs that were previously only allocated to commercial distribution were let into the retail distribution channels to move them. After that breweries moved over to cans and bottles which they could sell more easily. The keg market is just starting perk up again with restaurants and bars starting to open on a limited basis.
     
    #2 DougC123, May 27, 2020
    Scrapss, Jaycase, billandsuz and 2 others like this.
  3. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I have had the good fortune of cheap sixtels from two of my locals. If you ask you might get a friendly deal but you need to ask. This is direct from the brewery and not all states/towns allow loading dock sales but if there was ever a time when breweries felt adventurous that time is now.

    Around here everyone is rallying to support the small brewers and buying crowlers curbside. The favor has in turn been extended with discounted kegs. Nobody is buying kegs except people with kegerators at home so there is next to no market for them.

    I can drink a lot of beer (a lot... it's a different thread... seriously... a lot...) but 2 sixtels is just a very small sale for these guys.
    Cheers
     
    #3 billandsuz, May 28, 2020
    Scrapss likes this.
  4. Scrapss

    Scrapss Pooh-Bah (2,220) Nov 15, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I can say that my supply of fresher-code kegs has dried up for the brands/beverages I prefer. This thing has killed the keg market something fierce.
     
    #4 Scrapss, Jul 10, 2020
    matthewp and billandsuz like this.
  5. Scrapss

    Scrapss Pooh-Bah (2,220) Nov 15, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I had to drive 45 minutes for this...

    [​IMG]

    Yeah. Dried up.
     
    #5 Scrapss, Jul 13, 2020
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