Level of beer in keg

canada_goose · January 30, 2019, 12:53am

Is there a good way to gauge the level of beer in a keg?

loopie_beer · January 30, 2019, 1:03am

If you do an internet search of ‘keg level indicator’ you’ll see several options. Some from as simple as magnets to electronic versions.

I can see myself buying something like this now… thanks…

sneezles61 · January 30, 2019, 12:10pm

When nothing but to sound of air comes out… You hope to have a back up keg or… Sneezles61

brew_cat · January 30, 2019, 12:36pm

You weight them . I have the weights written down so I can figure it out. If you know the weight of your kegs beer is 8.4lbs / 42lbs 1gal/5/gal the kegs are 10.4lbs for my Corny kegs and 17lbs for a snake. You can do the math from there. The only time I care about it is when blending. Usually I just judge by picking them up

canada_goose · January 30, 2019, 7:19pm

Thanks for that one loopiebeer!

brew_cat · January 30, 2019, 9:15pm

That’s fine for telling you the level but it doesn’t tell you how much beer is in there.

sneezles61 · January 30, 2019, 11:03pm

And ifn I had a 17 snake in my keezer… I’d ran out of brews a long, long time ago!! Sneezles61

loopie_beer · January 31, 2019, 12:39am

Not this one. . It not only tells you what’s left it reminds you how much you drank! That system looks pretty cool.

sneezles61 · January 31, 2019, 12:11pm

Now I can see a pub owner that has beer on tap having one of these gizmo’s … Then hammering on the employees that there should’ve been 200 glasses out of a keg, but only pouring 175! I suspect you have to reset it every time you tap keg. I wonder if it knows when its spewing foam?
That gizmo just opens a door with too many questions for me… Sneezles61

brew_cat · January 31, 2019, 12:35pm

Nowadays if you’re ringing up all your sales an owner knows pretty much how many pours in a keg without that. I knew of a few places where the owner counted pours it was hard for the bartenders to make tips

loopie_beer · February 2, 2019, 2:46am

Although I understand what your saying in OH it is 100% illegal to give free beer. The penalties are stiff. This may be the reason pours are counted.

Oh not to mention… an old trick for bartenders are to give free alcohol so the patron leaves a big tip. So the business should go bankrupt so you can make bigger tips?

brew_cat · February 2, 2019, 11:14am

Not an old trick it’s the way it was done. We were allowed to give away drinks to regulars usually after around 3 paid for. That’s how you would develop a clientele. A good bartender knows how to work the bar. You don’t give just anybody drinks. It’s also bad form to leave after your free one so another is paid for everyone wins. Well not really alot more drunk driving back then so alot of that attitude is gone which is good. And don’t get me started about tips. It’s arcane our system of paying resteraunt workers below minimum wage and then crying about them trying to make tips. Like any good employee we knew how to keep the stools full. Sorry about my rant. Hope you people tip well.

loopie_beer · February 2, 2019, 2:25pm

Not a rant; I appreciate your views and insight. That very well may have been the way it was.

My experience on the other hand is different. There have been several times I’ve walked into a bar for the first time and been provided free beers or shots. Another thing I’ve experienced is bartenders charging me for 16oz pulls while giving me 22oz drafts. I’m a firm believer that this is done on purpose and psychologically if your bill isn’t as high as you thought it would be you leave a bigger tip. I’ve been known to leave bigger tips for even servers that obtain quick rapport while the service isn’t any better than usual. And, good for them!

From my understanding and speaking with our bar keeps the clientele we serve tip fairly to very well.

sneezles61 · February 2, 2019, 2:53pm

I come from the 20% tipping crowd… Its really hard to do less… for me that is… Sometimes when the the bar keep stands in a corner BS’ing with one person and inattentive, then I force myself to leave a quarter… I don’t like to hang around at some desert trying to get a brew… Sneezles61

brew_cat · February 2, 2019, 4:04pm

I ran some bars and kitchens back in another day before family so I’m pretty critical more about how a place is run than the food. I like places that run like a well tuned machine even during the crush. Separates the professional from the not so much. I always tip at least 20% nobody getting rich waiting tables. Bar culture has changed like mentioned above for sure. On trick from this side of the bar is the first time you go to a place that you like leave a real big tip next time you come in you will be remembered. You may not get a free drink but you won’t be sitting waiting. After that you can tip as you normally would. We call it an investment

jmck · February 10, 2019, 1:34am

Back to the keg level thing…
I use this: https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Home-Brew-Level-Indicator/dp/B01L2ZYUWK/

Dead simple. Reliable, as long as you don’t move the keg around. I thought it was pretty expensive, until I saw that $150 flow meter.

loopie_beer · February 10, 2019, 3:24am

Although significantly cheaper I stuff 4 kegs into a kegerator and these wouldn’t work. There is absolutely no space for these types of items.

jmck · February 10, 2019, 4:35am

There’s a ~1/4 inch orange bead that rolls down the outside of the keg. There is literally no way this couldn’t fit on the side of a round keg in a square space. You might need a flashlight to find your tiny balls, but you’ll absolutely know how much beer you have once you find them.

sneezles61 · February 10, 2019, 4:11pm

JMCK!!.. This is a family space… Tiny balls!! Sneezles61

jmck · February 11, 2019, 1:39am

I was going to say “tiny orange balls,” but I didn’t want people thinking i was being political. ¯_(ツ)_/¯