Making kegged wine is an economical and functional way to reduce wine costs, preserve quality and promote sustainability. It’s currently creating waves in the beverage industry. If you’re looking to invest in the best equipment to serve kegged wine, explore our guide below and talk to a Meritus Gas team expert today.
Creating kegged wine is straightforward and only requires a few pieces of equipment. Most importantly, you need a keg — wine kegs generally come in the same sizes as beer kegs, so you can choose from mini kegs to extra large kegs for your needs.
The typical wine keg comprises several different parts, including:
In addition to the keg, make sure you have the following items and equipment:
Here are the general steps of the kegging process:
Contact a Meritus Gas team expert to streamline your kegging process with the best products.
This process can preserve your wine’s stunning flavor profile and delicate notes. Here are some of the best practices to ensure your wine on tap stays delicious:
Ensure all keg fittings and valves are high-quality and sanitary. Other important keg equipment pieces to double-check include:
Just like bottled wines have specific storage instructions to preserve their quality, so do kegs. Generally, white wines should be stored in a walk-in cooler and served cool, while reds should be kept at room temperature.
Following proper storage procedures keeps your wine crisp, fresh and flavorful for longer. Additionally, consider the ideal serving temperatures for wine even when it’s on tap. Here are some serving suggestions:
Gas propels the wine out of the keg and prevents oxidation and spoilage. If the gas mix is out of balance, the wine will spurt out or drain too slowly.
Nitrogen is the most commonly used gas for kegged wine. However, you can also use a combination of gases. A combination of nitrogen and carbon dioxide creates the perfect bubbly yet stable pour that improves wine longevity. While commonly used for beers, it also works well for a steady wine stream.
The right gas mix preserves your wine’s beautiful notes and undertones. Meritus Gas Partners can help you find preservation and dispensing solutions that keep your wines crisp and flavorful with the ultimate blend.
Over time, bacteria, yeast and mold can build up in keg gas and beverage lines, affecting the quality of the wine. This buildup can destroy the aroma, flavor and appearance of wine and lead to customer dissatisfaction. Periodically clean these lines with a caustic high-pH wash and a citric low-pH acid wash to keep them sterilized.
The golden rule of kegged wine is that you can only keg it when it’s perfect. The powerful preservation qualities of the gases involved prevent it from aging once it’s stored.
Age your wines and ensure they’re in peak condition before you pour them into the keg. If you’re working with high-malic acid wines, leave them to ferment until they’re buttery. If they’re kegged too early, they could smell.
Kegged wine offers a range of benefits for both businesses and consumers. Here are some of its perks:
1. Preserves Flavor
Once opened, a bottle of wine will start to oxidize and may become vinegary or lose its vibrant colors within a few days to weeks. Kegged wine keeps its flavor — even complex bouquets and subtle earthy finishes last in the keg. Kegged wine can be conserved for months and still maintain its consistency and flavor. Customers and connoisseurs alike will enjoy the aromatic and full-of-character product.
Kegerators — refrigerators designed to store kegs — make serving easier. Bartenders don’t have to search through shelves of wine bottles to find the right one and spend time popping a cork. They simply pull the tap handle and pour.
Old bottled wines can be damaged over time due to improper storage and temperature fluctuations. Alcohol waste can cause businesses to incur significant losses. Kegged wine lasts longer and isn’t prone to oxidation. The keg and gas preserve the wine to prevent spoilage and maintain maximum flavor.
Kegged wine also saves businesses a significant amount of money on cork, carton, bottle and labeling costs. They can offer it to customers at lower prices. Compared to bottled wine, kegged wine reduces labor costs by 17% and wine costs by 20%, and you save 85% of storage space.
Kegged wine is also better for the environment. Studies show that wine packaging has the biggest environmental impact out of all the steps in the wine production chain. Creating heavy glass bottles taxes water and energy consumption and releases selenium emissions, which are toxic for humans.
Stainless steel kegs are reusable for many years when kept in good condition, offering customers the same wine-by-the-glass perks but without the bottles.
Start Kegging Wine With a Meritus Gas Partner Near You
Whether you’re looking for gas or other kegging materials, Meritus Gas Partners has what your business needs to start kegging wines. We partner with a network of independent distributors across industries and connect customers with the services they need. Browse our gas offerings to learn more about how we can support your kegging endeavors and find the right partner for you today.