Keg Beer At Home

Hospitality. Something so necessary, yet so lacking in many people's lives. It is important to understand that good hospitality is a vital part of human existence. Without which, many a lone and weary traveler would perish or fall prey to all sorts of villains. When inviting someone into your home, it is proper to welcome then with a drink, be it beer, tea, or coffee, and help him or her feel at home. When throwing a party, worry not about the finances, but be generous and giving to your guests. No doubt when such benevolent hospitality is returned to you, it will be most appreciated.

The finest pleasure of being a home brewer or owning a kegerator is the ability to offer, at a moment's notice, a finely crafted ale to your guests. The worth of a refreshing drink after a long travel is priceless. This is a treat for them and also allows you to see how specialty brews go over with individuals before introducing them at a larger party. As both a hobbyist and entrepreneurial brewer, I find that guests and friends are excellent test tasters for new brew inventions!

I like to always have a keg of home brew ready to offer to visitors. Naturally, the best way to keep your beer fresh and ready at a moment's notice is through the use of the device known as the kegerator. Known as the home draft beer system, this invention allows the smooth, even flow of cold beer, as one would be served at a bar.

Your Kegerator need not serve only home brew, though - kegs of fine beer can be purchased at finer liquor stores everywhere, and at some supermarkets. If you are lucky enough to have a microbrewery in your town, you can often pick up kegs of beer there as well. It is always best to support small, local businesses, especially microbreweries, which are going up against megalithic corporations in their efforts to make decent beer available to all. A visit to your local micro brewery may turn into a good time as well - you should call ahead to verify whether or no they sell kegs at the brewery and inquire whether they offer guided tours of the brewery. Such a visit can prove educational as well as inebriating. The Sake works of Berkeley, CA is one example of a company that offers such tours. They offer samples of not only many kinds of Sake during the factory tour, but also plum wine and other specialties.

Let your home bar or brewery be no different! I often gave tours of my brew workshop to guests. Invariably, after tasting the home brew, my guests became interested in it's method of production. I would often take them to see row upon row of bubbling carboys and beckon them to sniff at the exhalations thereof.

It does not take long for word to spread about your home brew or draught ale served from a kegerator on your home. Once your friends have sampled your brew, they will be eager to take some home with them. I have even been commissioned to produce 20 gallons of specialty ales for a friend's wedding. I produced for the event a creamy Cacao Porter, a straightforward amber ale, an "Evil Caravan" stout, and, with the assistant of "Dead" Ben "Carleton", of the Seven Bridges Organic Brewing Cooperative, his infamous "Wasted Wight".

All of the ales were a hit, and although we had no kegerator, we chilled the ales in force carbonation for one week in a walk in refrigerator, which allowed the CO2 to better saturate the mixture. There was a small problem with foaminess, which would have been eliminated by the use of a kegerator - or of moving the kegs to the wedding reception earlier in the day to settle! Nonetheless, all guests enjoyed the ales, the food, and the music! Serving such an event as a wedding as a home brewer is much fun, and allows the full character of your efforts to come to the fore. Seeing so many people enjoying themselves and your brews is quite satisfying!