Bell's Mini Keg Information

Bell's Mini Kegs

What is the shelf life of an unopened mini keg?

Typically, one of our mini-kegs can be stored for several months, provided that you store it in a cool place. Refrigeration is preferable, but not completely necessary.

We encourage retailers to keep them cold so that the shelf life with you, the consumer, is maximized. Once you get it home, storage in a cooler would be ideal, but cool spaces such as closets or basements will work!

How long will a mini keg last once it has opened?

Our recommendation is to finish the mini keg within 24-48 hours.

You can probably store it longer, especially if refrigerated with the top vent closed between pours, but our concern is that the carbonation will start to suffer.

There isn't any kind of counter-pressure applied to the container that would help hold in the carbonation, so the top seal offers only so much protection, even in the closed position.

How to open a mini keg

We often get questions about how to properly enjoy a Bells mini-keg. So, we went to one of our Engineers for some answers.


Are your mini kegs compatible with counter-top dispensing systems?

We have tested two and while we do not endorse them, the Avanti Portable Party Pub and Vinotemp Mini Keg Beer Dispenser seemed to work well.

    • Related Articles

    • Get Fresh With Your Beer: Understanding Shelf-Life

      When a decision was made to change how we relay the shelf-life of our beer, some of you may have wondered: "Why can't I see a packaging date on my beer anymore?" "What does a best-by date tell me about my beer?" Instead of having a packaging date, we ...
    • How to open a mini keg

      We often get questions about how to properly enjoy a Bells mini-keg. So, we went to one of our Engineers for some answers.
    • Your label states that the beer is "Best Kept Refrigerated," what do you mean?

      Keeping beer cold will slow the oxidative processes that cause staling, so we recommend refrigeration to maximize the shelf life and insure that the flavor remains as true to our intentions as possible. This remains, however, a recommendation and not ...
    • What type of coupler do you use for kegs?

      Our kegs use the standard Sankey “D” coupler.
    • What is the best way to store your beer?

      Think about dark, cool spaces such as pantries or basements if you don't have enough space in your refrigerator. The goal is to minimize exposure to light and heat. Beer will stale over time: we do what we can to minimize the potential and to slow it ...