Admin on February 7, 2012 57 Comments If you’re a draft beer lover like I am, there is something to be said for bottled beers. The beers they contain are delicious, but something about them being in a bottle just doesn’t taste as good as if they’re poured right from the tap. Unfortunately, most grocery and liquor stores force you to buy the bottles, and there is no way around the fact that you’ll have to drink bottled beer yet again. That is where the 5 liter keg comes in. It was designed by draft lovers, just like you, to allow you to serve fresh draft beer in your home without having to buy a kegerator or build a home bar. We love these specialized mini kegs, but not every brand of beer comes in this size. So, to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of a few brands that you will be sure to love on draft. If you’ve had them, try them on draft; if you haven’t had them, then be sure to put them on your grocery list! Heineken Lager As one of the most popular European beer brands, Heineken’s unmistakable look and label has given the beer increased notoriety over the last few decades. This clean-tasting lager is malty and has a nice bite to it, and the most distinctive part of this beer is its “skunky” smell, meaning that the hops really take effect in the aroma of the beer. A good mix of sweet and bitter, this Dutch beer goes down smooth. ABV: 5% Newcastle Brown Ale Newcastle Brown Ale is heralded by critics, thanks to its sweet and nutty flavor that seems to please most beer drinkers. Originating from Britain, the brown ale has hints of caramel, a malty taste, and a creamy texture that is easy to drink. The light body also gives this beer a certain quenching aspect that enables you to drink several without getting too full. ABV: 4.7% Coors Light Lager Coors Light, one of the major American brews enjoyed by millions, is a thirst-quenching beer with a light body for easy consumption. The crystal clear beer features notes of grains and high carbonation, which is great for those who don’t like heavy or dark beers. A crisp finish and clean taste, this beer can be enjoyed by people of different tastes and styles. ABV: 4.2% Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen Amber A local favorite in Germany, the Paulaner Oktoberfest was a seasonal beer that was so popular, the brewery decided to brew it year-round. Very malty and sweet, this beer is great for those who don’t like an aggressively bitter taste, and the medium body has hints of bread and butter. Because of the malty taste, this beer goes down smooth and quite easily and leaves a bit of an aftertaste to enjoy. ABV: 6% DAB Original Lager The DAB lager is a German pilsner with a very earthy smell and rich golden color. A simple beer, the taste of bread, malt, and hops are the key notes taken away from the taste, while a slight citrusy flavor combines to provide a great aftertaste. The light body allows for it to quench your thirst with ease, while the crisp flavor will leave your taste buds satisfied. ABV: 5% Widmer Hefeweizen This popular American brew is a slight mix between a hefeweizen and a wheat beer, as the taste is wheaty with a mix of a citrus flavor like most wheat beers. The medium body ensures that it will be lighter than wheat beers, but the overall light taste is reminiscent of a hefeweizen. With a malty feel and distinct taste, this hefeweizen will be sure not to disappoint. ABV: 4.9% Bell’s Oberon Wheat Ale A typical wheat beer, Bell’s Oberon has a full wheat taste with a hint of citrus for flavor, as well as a nice, hoppy taste that will mix together well. A sweet, floral aroma entices you to drink more, while the malty texture mixes in with the smells and tastes to create a wonderful drink. The sweet flavor and medium body is great for drinking in the summertime, which is the only time this beer is in stores. ABV: 5.8% Rogue Yellow Snow IPA In the traditional fashion of most IPAs, Rogue Yellow Snow features high notes of hops, but it also has a citrusy bite to it that gives the beer some flavor. Beer drinkers should note that, like most IPAs, the bitterness of the hops in this beer takes over as the main flavor. With a hazy feel and medium body, this beer will quench your thirst as well as fill you up, and the aftertaste has hints of pine and, of course, hop. ABV: 6.2% Bitburger Premium Pilsner This light pilsner hails from Germany, and – as most pilsners – is very golden in color, and features a grainy aroma. However, Bitburger is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to pilsners, as it has a more hoppy flavor than others thanks to its origin. This beer provides a good balance of spice and bitters with malt to give a good, crisp taste. ABV: 4.8% Spaten Premium Lager Originating in Germany, the Spaten Premium lager is an easy beer to drink, thanks to the smooth taste and light body. The grassy, earthy aroma gives a clue to the taste: an herbal taste with a small amount of hops. A malty texture is another feature of this beer, and the balanced flavors make for an overall enjoyable drinking experience. ABV: 5.2% Warsteiner Premium Verum As a German pilsner, the Warsteiner Premium has a straw-colored yellow look with a crisp, light taste. The mild hop flavorings do not tend to overshadow the rest of the beer, and a malty sweet flavor tends to carry through the initial taste. A very simplistic but refreshing beer, the carbonation level is not too high, which is great for being able to taste the subtle notes inside. ABV: 4.8% Feel free to leave a note in the comments if I missed any!
Marcia Klock says November 6, 2013 at 7:44 pm I Want To Purchase These Wonderful German BeEr Mini Kegs, But Can’t Find Them Anywhere. Can They Be Ordered OnLine? OR Can You Tell ME Where To Purchase Them In Southern NJ? Reply
Jeff Flowers says November 8, 2013 at 7:31 am Hi Marcia, Unfortunately, we live down in Texas so I’m not sure what is available to you up in NJ. Try finding a specialty craft beer store or a larger liquor store, and ask the manager if they can special order a mini keg — sometimes called a Bubba — of whatever beer you’d like. It may take a few days to reach you, but they should be able to order it through their distributor. Additionally, I’ve seen a few of these mini-kegs popping up in grocery stores, here in Texas. Typically just the Heineken and Newcastle, but they are growing in popularity and being carried by more retailers. Good luck and I hope you find it. Cheers! Jeff Reply
Michelle says December 2, 2013 at 11:19 pm Hi Jeff I live in Texas too and would like to know where you find these different brands. Reply
Jeff Flowers says December 4, 2013 at 2:43 pm Hi Michelle, Thanks for your comment. The mini kegs of beer are becoming more and more popular. Because of this, you will see them showing up in your local grocery stores more. However, the choices will be pretty slim. I know my local HEB has a couple of options available. Your best bet would be to go to a large liquor or craft beer store, such as Specs, and ask them if they stock them. If they don’t, ask them if they can order one for you. Most of the time, they will be able to place an order for you in the size of keg you want. I would also do a search on Google for “buy kegs of beer in CITY“. This may also give you some ideas on where you can get a mini keg with the type of beer you want. I hope this helps. Good luck. Jeff Reply
Jesus Sosa says July 30, 2020 at 2:07 pm Do you know if the make these in any of the Mexican beers(Modelo, did xx)? Reply
Mr. M. J. Gaudet says September 29, 2016 at 2:31 am Stop looking in you grocery stores. Go to an ABC store and tell the guy behind the counter you will purchase them, and be sure to make sure he/she KNOWS what you are speaking of… THE 5 LITER KEG! You might also mention they are made for “THE KEGERATOR”. Be sure to stress the 5 liter size. And you might want to make sure to speak with the boss, not some ‘flunky’ that has NO CLUE what is being stocked in the store. You can easily find these on-line, but the shipping cost is way too high for me. Reply
Tom says April 18, 2018 at 3:11 pm Check out Canal’s. I’ve purchased those in the Bridgeton NJ store at about $20 and ask for cold. New Castle Ale 4.7% is what I like. Reply
Larry says January 6, 2014 at 7:01 pm Ann, unfortunately they don’t make Shiner in a 5 ltr, best bet is to have a empty keg refilled at A keg store. Reply
Jordan says January 3, 2014 at 12:37 pm Hey Jeff, It sounds like you’re in Houston (where I am too)…have you found a specific spot that carries a few options around town? I’m going to take your advice on the HEB since I live near the one off I-10 and Bunker Hill…but I had already checked with the Spec’s near me and they don’t carry them. (I’ll take your advice going forward and see if I could convince the manager to order me a couple at a time) Thanks in advance! Reply
Eddie says March 12, 2014 at 3:10 pm My wife was sweet one day, (she’s always sweet) and bought me the Krupp brand of kegerator. Unfortunately only 3 different brands works. Heineken, Heineken Lite, and Newcastle Brown. Wished she got me this one. Love some of the other beers you can use. Plus after 3 years, it stopped working. Reply
Alyssa says April 1, 2014 at 6:05 pm My husband bought an EdgeStar and the only beers we can get in our area of the 5.0 L mini keg is Heineken and Newcastle. We’ve searched every grocery store, beer distributor and liquor store and NONE of them carry Coors Light (nor did any of them offer to carry it). It’s quite frustrating as we are NOT Heineken fans and I do not like the dark ale of New Castle at all. Does anyone know how I can get some Coors Light mini kegs to Chautauqua County, NY? Reply
Dill weed says December 24, 2014 at 6:03 pm Bring an empty mini keg and I’ll take a leak in it. There’s your Coors light. Reply
gary says July 12, 2015 at 4:49 pm Not a politically correct response, but true. If Coors light is your beer, just drink water. Reply
Elias Camarena says April 5, 2014 at 8:40 am I dunno about to you guys but I’m in california and we have bevmo. They have a great selection of beet and kegs that I’ve just started to buy and experiment with. If anyone has any of these stores in their area, I would say give them a try. Big selection and I took home a mini keg of dab recently. It was great. Only around $16 and lasted long. Hell, I love beer and had to kill it at the end. Just some advice, even though I’m new with mini kegs myself, get the german shit that costs about the same as the heineken or newcastle (usually less most likely) because it will be better trust me and mini kegs can last long. Got some dab and it it was pretty good for only atpu d 15$!!!! I took care of it like a baby, didn’t shake it, and kept in intact in my fridge to get ice cold till I decided to get a get-together and man everyone loved it, and it lasted long!! Enjoy life, cheers!!! Reply
Elias Camarena says April 5, 2014 at 8:53 am Sorry my smartphone sucks but don’t fall for more expensive brews like heine and newcastle in mini kegs unless that’s all you can get. That stuff and every other thing only costs too much for what it’s worth is usually because of advertisement. Stick to localbrew and that goodgerman shit. They keep it more clean, pure, full-bodies, I mean they keep strict laws in their beer Reply
Kim says June 21, 2014 at 3:55 pm Does anyone know of a gluten free beer that comes in a 5L mini keg? If so, where can I find it? Thanks! Kim Reply
Byron Ames says June 28, 2014 at 11:25 am Question are all the beers on your list pre charged? My Co2 cartridges will not hold a seal. Has any one converted the regulator on a kegerator to a remote large C02 bottle ? Reply
Scott says August 31, 2014 at 9:37 pm There are a few places online that you can buy mini kegs. Reply
Peter Johnson says September 29, 2014 at 5:58 pm I have an EdgeStar Kegerator and it is great. My question is, do the beers listed above that have their own taps at the bottom (i.e. – Spaten) work in the EdgeStar with CO2? Thanks, Pete Reply
Dillweed says December 25, 2014 at 10:20 am All mini kegs have the spout at the bottom. They will work with the EdgeStar with CO2. Reply
David Reynolds says December 15, 2014 at 8:05 am I live in North Carolina and it is one of a few states that will allow alcoholic beverages to be shipped to an adult resident in the state, but I’m still having trouble finding someone who will ship to me. I have bought from Half Time before, but they have stopped taking orders over the web. The local stores offer only a limited selection – help!! Reply
Melisa Bowerman says March 24, 2015 at 11:40 pm Where can I find coots light in the 5 liter? I live in Spokane Washington Reply
Mateo says June 28, 2015 at 10:22 pm I see a lot of comments out there about not being able to find these anywhere. I agree, they are hard to find. This is why I decided to start my own home brewing hobby. This thing is great, but the limited selection was unfortunate. So why not turn lemons into . . . . well, beer! that’s what I did, and now the options are endless, I’m just re-using the mini-kegs I saved (glad I did. Figured I would keep them only as novelty, nice to put them to use!). Reply
Royston Huxtable says October 5, 2015 at 5:38 am Hi I am looking for where I can purchase the fitment that sits on top of the unpressurised 5 litre mini keg so that can use beers such as Warsteiner etc. in my worktop cooler dispenser. Anyone have any ideas, as the sellers of the dispensers do not seem to do the parts for them. Reply
Monique says December 18, 2015 at 8:06 am Hi I was wondering if Corona light comes in the 5 liter keg? Reply
BryonTX says January 11, 2016 at 10:00 pm just going to leave this right here for you all. https://www.drinkfind.com/beer/prev.html?id=1 under the price you will see find it, click the “df” and it will show you a map of where you can find it. however all you need to do is go to your local liquor store and talk with a manager, just like with the quart and half barrel kegs as long as the local distributor carries it and its in their store system then they can order it for you. If you live in a small county like i do then sometimes they have to have it shipped in from Houston (for those of us in texas) but you should be able to get them with in a week. Reply
Linda says January 19, 2016 at 8:48 am Please help me to find distributors that have these kegs. I can’t find anyone that sale it and my kegerator is just collecting dust in my kitchen. I live in NC please help thank you Reply
Lyle Allen says February 4, 2016 at 5:16 pm Can any of these be purchased in New Orleans, LA? Or where can they be ordered for shipment to NOLA? TIA, Lyle Allen Reply
Mike says April 9, 2016 at 11:28 pm I live near ST Louis MO has anyone seen any 5lter kegs other than Heineken? Reply
Danny Wilson says May 12, 2016 at 3:45 pm I’m having the same problem. I got my mini Kegerator almost a year ago, haven’t been able to find any mini kegs yet. Near Baton Rouge. Reply
James Eccles says August 1, 2016 at 1:00 pm How and where can I order and purchase mini beer kegs online other than Amazon can you help I’m interested in German lagers and pilsner Reply
Sandra says August 19, 2016 at 12:54 pm Try World of Wine. I buy mini at a local one in florida. They have stores in NJ according to their site. Reply
Raymond says August 31, 2016 at 1:16 pm can the coors light mini keg fit into a krups b95 beertender? Reply
Kathy says November 9, 2016 at 8:58 pm Where in Texas are you located? Looking for coors light mini keg Reply
Mark Moynahan says October 31, 2020 at 11:10 pm Did you ever find Coors Light in the mini keg? I’d like the same. Reply
Dougie W says November 30, 2016 at 6:40 pm What about Miller Lite…..can buy it in bottles but very few places have draft in SC….sad Reply
Jack Black says February 10, 2017 at 4:48 pm Why would you even care about having piss beer in a mini keg? Piss beer is always better in brown bottles. Reply
Andrew Kiser says November 25, 2017 at 1:30 pm Is the Märzen Amber available in Massachusetts or how much to order a mini keg of it? Reply
jackson says December 18, 2017 at 7:31 pm I’m actually looking for any of the manufacturers that make the cans themselves here in the USA. Reply
Despearately Seeking . . . in Columbus, OH says April 9, 2018 at 11:47 am I too am in search of something other than Heineken for my mini-kegerator! Is there anything else out there like the New Castle Nut Brown Ale which is, as I understand it, also brewed by Heineken? Where can I find it in Columbus, Ohio? Please someone help! Reply
Karen wilson says May 1, 2018 at 7:33 am Does anyone know if any Budweiser brands come in mini kegs? Reply
Harmon says December 23, 2018 at 6:15 pm I order mine from a locally owned convenience store, not through a national store. Reply
Kegerator.com says January 17, 2020 at 4:13 pm Thanks for the question Neil! You’ll get about 8 and a half UK pints out of a mini keg. Hope this helps, Cheers! Reply
Martin R Holtsberg says March 29, 2020 at 3:59 pm If you are ever in Ft Walton Beach Florida, Beach Liquor has 5 or 6 different German beers, along with Heineken and others. I picked up 2 mini kegs of kulmbacker German. There were 4 other brands , but 2 kegs were $59.00. Reply
Bianca Gloria says April 27, 2020 at 3:23 pm I can’t seem to find any 5L kegs in the Austin Area. Please any help would be great! Reply
Yessica Rodriguez says June 15, 2020 at 10:34 am Do you have any Budweiser mini kegs? That would be a good Father’s Day gift to my husband. Reply
Kat Lowry says September 19, 2020 at 2:10 pm I just purchased the Warsteiner Premium Verum mini keg at ALDI today. Can’t wait to try it. Reply
Mike Walsh says September 24, 2020 at 3:17 pm i have the Krups B100 model. i can’t find these mini kegs anywhere. i live in NYC, Manhattan. also, i can’t figure out if Spaten or other types will work with the krups besides heineken or newcastle. i realize it needs the tap on top of the keg, not at the bottom. very frustrating. Reply
Anthony Tan says September 29, 2020 at 10:26 am Please advise if you have 6 litres beer kegs for Philips Perfect Draft beer dispenser ? I am from Singapore. Thank You Reply
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