Buying a keg, legally

[Yuri_Rage]

The moral debate has been done to death. The thread will be closed if suggestions to "keep the keg for the deposit" continue to surface. The OP asked for a legitimate way to buy a keg, not a way to justify obviously underhanded actions.

 

[Refry]

If you want a new keg, Geemacher in eastern PA will sell them for $128 (I believe the Sabco ones for $129 are used and you have to pay $100 more for an upgrade to new).

You can call Geemacher or do an online e-mail request (better chance of getting a response with a phone call based on my experience). They will sell individual kegs.

http://www.geemacher.com/

 

[KCBrewer]

My apologies to Yuri and the OP, I simply read the topic as how to get a keg legally, so that was the topic I replied to. I've only been on here a couple months, and didn't realize it had been previously beaten to death.

 

[JOHN51277]

+1 Craigslist!

 

[chr0nic]

Yup, got mine from CL as well. As for the red tags mentioned, I got a keg filled Friday (swapped my keg for theirs) and there were no tags on the one I received. I've never seen them on any keg in this area for that matter. Perhaps it is a state law?

 

[brewmonk]

If you plan to chop the sanke to make a keggle does it matter if the stem is bent?

nope, not at all. I was saying that, to ME, the kegs looked like they were in GREAT shape (with a bit of a sarcastic smirk).

 

[nebben]

....

If you don't sign a lease or rental agreement when you pick up a full keg then no liquor store in the world is going to be dumb enough to make the deposit less than the replacement cost.

If you purchase beer in kegged form, you do not get title to the keg- only the beer that comes within it. The keg remains the property of the brewery or distributor during this process.

Beer kegs become hot commodity for thieves

Some states mandate the deposit cost. Kegs also cost between $140-$160 new for breweries and distributors, so it is unlikely that they are able to replace "stolen" kegs with the forfeited deposits. I've never seen deposits in the $170-$200 range...

 

[doctorRobert]

When I bottled beer, the bottles have a deposit. If I dont return those is it stealing?

 

[neovox]

Last week I bought 2 legal kegs from my local metal scrapyard/recycle center for $30 each.

I tried emailing a bunch of local scrap yards locally. Didn't get a response from a single one.

 

[starrfish]

D_struct your PM is full. Cear it out so I can send you a PM...

 

[Hannable1975]

I'm pretty sure it's 100, but the ones I saw on CL are in the 40-50 range. That's in the triangle area.

My experience in NC, just outside the Triangle is $50 - $75,, tops, regardless of size. The variance is higher near the colleges, lower in the counties...

 

[petey_c]

excaptn, did you try one of the local scrap metal yards (like Loni-Jo on Kinkel St.)? I believe there's one or two more in that area. I usually go to them when I have wire to scrap. I don't recall seeing kegs there, but then again, I wasn't looking for one either.

 

[BoundForBeer]

Scrap yards if you call will most likely tell you they do not have them. I remember looking for some when I would call they would say "Don't buy those at ALL it is illegal". I think they thought I was the fuzz tryin to bust them. and then going there and seeing 6 or 8 at the yard. With today's scrap prices you are going to pay about 30 for a keg. I say hit the scrap yards don't call asking. Also found a 10 gallon SS brew pot at on for 10 SCORE!

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

Anyone have success at calling local breweries to see if they have kegs that are damaged for sale?

 

[akthor]

It's not and I used to manage a redemption center. Stealing kegs is when thieves steal them from outside bars and redemption centers etc and DON'T pay a deposit. You pay the deposit on the keg and don't return it, it is yours. Here in Maine they take your driver license/ID info and attach it to a serial number on the keg. So that if the police bust a party and there are underage kids drinking off a keg they can find out who bought the keg so that they can charge them. The beer distributors DO NOT use this info to track down the kegs if the deposit is not claimed and the keg returned.

Fact of the matter is that very few kegs are not returned the deposit is up to $40 now I believe here so most people return them. The ones that don't get returned are considered the cost of doing business I am sure.

99% of their keg business are bars and restaurants anyways and they always get those back unless they are stolen and if it's a few of them they will loook into it.

Trust me I know I worked with beer distributors for 7 years in the redemption business.

When I bottled beer, the bottles have a deposit. If I dont return those is it stealing?

 

[Flomaster]

I was planning on making the 90 mile drive down to Phoenix this weekend to pick up a few kegs from craigslist. no doubt they were bought full and just never returned back for the deposit.

I called local recycling yard here and he said it was Illegal for them to buy used kegs. I work a part time job at a restaurant/bar on Friday and sat night, on our kegs it has a sticker that says $30 deposit. I'm sure we'd have to pay that $30 if the keg were to get damaged or come up missing.

so If I can just pay $30 and get a couple from work that would be the hot ticket saving me 4 hours of driving, mileage, and gas.

-=Jason=-

 

[Homercidal]

Anyone care to post the agreement that is signed when buying a keg? I'd be interested in seeing what it says...

 

[Yuri_Rage]

The idea that the police won't track you down for keeping a keg and forfeiting the deposit does not make it right. Again, this debate is over. It is immoral and illegal to take property that is not yours.

Additionally, the OP specifically wanted to discuss alternate means (other than the deposit forfeit) by which to get a keg.

Per my warning earlier, this thread is closed.