Breweries that fill Corny kegs???

Has anyone ever heard of a micro/craft brewery that's willing to fill corny kegs? I just got a 3-gallon job that's perfect for transporting and if I didn't have a batch ready, I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to get one filled at a brewery.

On a silly note, is it possible to empty bottled beer into a keg and distribute via draft? I know it's a strange question and why would you, but I'm just kinda curious if it would cause any issues.

Check with your local breweries. Some will fill a corny, never hurts to ask.

I tried to get a 5gal corny filled at a brewery in Rhode Island. Talked to an employee who spole with the head brewer and they could not do it due to limitations in their liquor license. It only allows them to sell growlers to customers to take away from the premises.

It all depends on the local brewery and their license/state law. But if the brewery fills kegs, I bet you can have a corny keg filled but I'm just speculating. EDIT (Clarification): I'm guessing that if the liquor license allows for selling kegs, they can fill a corney.

It doesn't hurt to ask the brewery.

To fill corny - purge with CO2, rig hose from sankey beer out to corny beer out (detailed elsewhere from corny to corny), transfer with lid off or relief valve open.

I've considered doing same - age some, drink some, still have room for other beers in fridge...

curtis97322 said:

To fill corny - purge with CO2, rig hose from sankey beer out to corny beer out (detailed elsewhere from corny to corny), transfer with lid off or relief valve open.

I've considered doing same - age some, drink some, still have room for other beers in fridge...

Click to expand...

Never thought of that! The PITA is that I can't fit any decent sized kags in my fridge - just my 3gallon corny. But it was a free fridge and too damn cool to throw away.

If the brewpup has kegs for sale they should be able to fill kegs. You may need to supply the fittings to fill your keg and/or sweet talk the brewmaster/manager to do it though.

Bopper359 said:

I tried to get a 5gal corny filled at a brewery in Rhode Island. Talked to the head brewer and they could not do it due to limitations in their liquor license. It only allows them to sell growlers to customers to take away from the premises.

It all depends on the local brewery and their license/state law. But if the brewery fills kegs, I bet you can have a corny keg filled but I'm just speculating. EDIT (Clarification): I'm guessing that if the liquor license allows for selling kegs, they can fill a corney.

It doesn't hurt to ask the brewery.

Click to expand...

Newport Storm?

Well, I live in Lancaster- I know LMB SELLS them filled (mad expensive), but haven't asked... Maybe?

Check out the LHBC club meeting last Wednesday of every month at LMB- I think you would enjoy it- PM if you need information web page or anything. Cheers!

MoRoToRiUm said:

Well, I live in Lancaster- I know LMB SELLS them filled (mad expensive), but haven't asked... Maybe?

Check out the LHBC club meeting last Wednesday of every month at LMB- I think you would enjoy it- PM if you need information web page or anything. Cheers!

Click to expand...

Cool. I dropped Spring House a line and asked them. Seems like if anyone will do it –*they will.

I'll try to get over there next week.

I still have made it there myself; I think I know what I should do tomorrow night

My local brewery had a packaging shortage and actually asked club members to bring in cornies and fill them to help them alleviate the problem. Of course, they're very active with our club and we hold meetings on their production floor...so I'm assuming that's rare.

tek210 said:

Newport Storm?

Click to expand...

John Harvards

I'm in Michigan and the 2 breweries I frequent most often have vastly different rules.

The Michigan Brewing Company is a large brewery with good distribution, a homebrew shop with great prices and pub that sells decent food. They will fill anything you bring in. I can get a 5 gallon cornie filled for $37.50 unless it is one of the higher ABV beers then they charge more. All you do is bring the cornie in, tell the waitress what you want, order some food and it comes out filled 10 minutes later.

Redwood Lodge in Flint is an excellent brewery with a very expensive menu. No distribution that I am aware of but they sell kegs. You have to call 24 hours in advance to get a keg filled and they will not fill cornies, you have to get a 1/6 barrel with Sanke tap from them. But if you are a mug club member - the cost is still only $36. Mug Club Members do not have to pay a deposit on the keg either.

I prefer the beer at Redwood but it is so much easier to go to Michigan brewing. Plus Michigan brewing sells sacks of 2 row for $38 vs my LHBS charging $55.

Linc

MoRoToRiUm said:

I still have made it there myself; I think I know what I should do tomorrow night

Click to expand...

Spring House just emailed back, and sadly will not fill cornies.

natron008 said:

Spring House just emailed back, and sadly will not fill cornies.

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that! I still have some growlers that could use filling I will ask at the next LHBC meet if LMB fills them, but I kind of doubt it...

Victory or Troegs? Doubtful, since they are 'bigger' breweriers; I know Victory sells sixtels.

just emailed the local micro here waiting on response. i also asked if they have any empty kegs they are willing to sell. hopefully i get some good news

Bopper359 said:

John Harvards

Click to expand...

Never heard of that one. Where is it located? Good stuff?

I've never heard of a brewpub that wouldn't fill one. I ask every time I stop at a new one and they always say no problem.

MoRoToRiUm said:

Victory or Troegs? Doubtful, since they are 'bigger' breweriers; I know Victory sells sixtels.

Click to expand...

Since putting in my keezer, I've *really* wanted to pick up a keg of Storm King. :cross:

Maybe some day.

It doesn't really bother me because their growler filler is so amazing! I want to buy growlers just to watch the machine run.

natron008 said:

On a silly note, is it possible to empty bottled beer into a keg and distribute via draft? I know it's a strange question and why would you, but I'm just kinda curious if it would cause any issues.

Click to expand...

Not bottles, but I've emptied a 5L minikeg of Spaten into a corny. The head suffered terribly but it tasted great for the week it lasted.

Once the proteins have been "liberated," they don't go back into solution. If I had a way to keep the foam down, it probably would have been excellent. I did make sure the keg was full of CO2, but the foam almost came out the top....

944play said:

Not bottles, but I've emptied a 5L minikeg of Spaten into a corny. The head suffered terribly but it tasted great for the week it lasted.

Once the proteins have been "liberated," they don't go back into solution. If I had a way to keep the foam down, it probably would have been excellent. I did make sure the keg was full of CO2, but the foam almost came out the top....

Click to expand...

Good to know. As silly as it seems, I considered dumping bottled bear into my keg for sake of having something on draft between batches.

BBC here in Louisville will, on their beer list it says something like, by the six pack, growler or 5 gallons, and its only $35.

natron008 said:

Good to know. As silly as it seems, I considered dumping bottled bear into my keg for sake of having something on draft between batches.

Click to expand...

I poured 12 22 oz. bottles in a corney once. It worked fine. Fill it with CO2 first and then try to pour carefully so you don't foam it up. Afterwards, seal the keg and pressurized it to about 30 PSI and shake it to get some of the CO2 back into the beer that you lost during the pour. Let it sit for an hour or so and drink away!

TrojanMan said:

Since putting in my keezer, I've *really* wanted to pick up a keg of Storm King. :cross:

Maybe some day.

It doesn't really bother me because their growler filler is so amazing! I want to buy growlers just to watch the machine run.

Click to expand...

I actually had a sixtel of their Storm king- sooo good. Best expenditure of part of my bonus I ever made! I just wish it would have been a bottomless keg

natron008 said:

On a silly note, is it possible to empty bottled beer into a keg and distribute via draft? I know it's a strange question and why would you, but I'm just kinda curious if it would cause any issues.

Click to expand...

My batch of hefe came out just a tad bit too sweet and fruity. I spiked the keg with a 40 of Bud Light (hey, think of it as flavored, carbed water) and now that batch is perfect. I mean, PERFECT. Just the right amount of tartness.

Sacrilege? Maybe, but for $2 bucks, I made a batch of barely drinkable hefe into a masterpiece!

In Aurora, Illinois America's Brewing company at Walter Payton's Roundhouse will fill cornies with most of what they have on tap. Some of their specialty or seasonal brews they reserve for the restaurant and bar customers. I clean and sanitize a cornie and they do it while I wait during the week. They don't do it on weeknds however. Most times Brewmaster Mike Rybinski fills them for me so as an added bonus I get to pick his brain some. I don't brew as ofter as I like so this helps me keep my supply current.

From their website....

5 gallon Cornelius kegs can be filled with either the ball lock or tab lock. We don’t loan 5 gallon tanks, so it has to be your own tank. For example, a 7-Up or Coke Tank can be filled. If you bring your own tank, allow 45 minutes to clean, if dirty, & fill. Clean kegs can be filled usually within 15 minutes.

$35 + tax

Dang! You people in the midwest seem to get great deals on Corny refills.
They are $55 to $60 here in Seattle to fill. However, most of the brews are 6% or higher ABV... maybe that is the difference? Or maybe everything is just more expensive here.

Hell yeah, we pay $20 just to get growlers filled around here. Unless you hit them on special nights.

20 for a growler fill!?!? Where are you going? LMB is $8 ($7 on Wednesdays); Isn't Springhouse only like $9?

MoRoToRiUm said:

20 for a growler fill!?!? Where are you going? LMB is $8 ($7 on Wednesdays); Isn't Springhouse only like $9?

Click to expand...

Sounds about right for Spring House. Matt's a cool dude.

MoRoToRiUm said:

20 for a growler fill!?!? Where are you going? LMB is $8 ($7 on Wednesdays); Isn't Springhouse only like $9?

Click to expand...

It all depends on the beer. The last growler I had filled was $32 but it was 9.2%. Both goose island brewery and rock island by me charge up the but for high % beers.

Just found out st arnolds here in Houston is restricted by law but they are trying to get it to where they can and request that I write the state rep in regards to HB2094 so if there are any Houston locals here that want to help the local micro to be able to serve us directly and not only on tour days submit a letter to the state rep in regards to HB2094

ThatGuyRyan said:

It all depends on the beer. The last growler I had filled was $32 but it was 9.2%. Both goose island brewery and rock island by me charge up the but for high % beers.

Click to expand...

That explains it; I know at LMB, my local pub, they do have a limited edition brew of a belgian triple- Very good, about 9.6% and growler fill is about $30. Forgot about that

Answer to the mini-RI brewery thread within this thread

John Harvard's is also known as Union Station it is right across from the Skating Rink in Down Town (down near RI-RA and all those Fancy places down there - decent beer, nothing to RAVE about - they don't do nearly as many "out there" brews as Trinity - they keep the beer simple and accessible to the masses.

Florida law is assed backwards they won't even allow filled growlers here... I asked a local brewpub about kegs and of course it's a no. You can brew and sell to consume on premise, however cannot distribute. You must be a licensed company and/or a distributer to get beer out and not sell on premise. It's retarded, here is some info.

Mac & Jack's will fill a corny.
Mac & Jacks: Retail Store

I believe Buzzard's Bay brewery in Westport, MA will fill one, not far from RI...

Does any on know if any Arizona brewerys will do this. I was told Sleepy dogs does but I just called and the guys said they dont.

Great idea, I'm going to ask at the local brewpub tomorrow, they are having their quarterly tasting. Would love to have some of the stuff from there on tap.

Dry Dock here in Aurora, CO will fill either ball or pin lock's for 55, 65 or 90 depending on the batch.