Real Soda Kegs!

[Rocket365]

I was in Turkey last week and while wandering around a resort town named Ceshme and I saw these 3 gallon soda kegs hanging outside a restaurant. I guess they haven't converted to a bag in a box system yet. I wish I coulda fit a couple of these in my suitcase for the trip back to California! I wonder what kind look I would have received from customs if I did.

 

[Vance71975]

Awesome! Just dont get caught taking them lol.

 

[RMitch]

Stealing kegs, ftl.

:cross:

 

[WhiskeyR]

He didn't steal anything, sheesh.

 

[Pivzavod]

Stealing kegs, ftl.

:cross:

ftl

Turkey is a Muslim country, they might chop your hand off for stealing a keg.

 

[Dhruv6911]

ftl

Turkey is a Muslim country, they might chop your hand off for stealing a keg.

... pretty low dude

 

[marzsit]

america is the only country that uses bag-in-box. corny kegs are still used everywhere else because it is cheaper and better for the environment.

here in america, bag-in-box is cheaper due to health regulations regarding reusable containers.... that is why there are no reusable beer or soda bottles, no more reusable milk bottles... america generates more solid waste and garbage than all other countries combined....

 

[Chap]

america is the only country that uses bag-in-box. corny kegs are still used everywhere else because it is cheaper and better for the environment.

here in america, bag-in-box is cheaper due to health regulations regarding reusable containers.... that is why there are no reusable beer or soda bottles, no more reusable milk bottles... america generates more solid waste and garbage than all other countries combined....

I see 2.5 and 5 gallon corny kegs all over Okinawa, I just can't find anybody to sell me any

 

[Goblism]

A local cafe still uses the ball locks I believe...I just can't get them to sell me any of them!

 

[rjwhite41]

america is the only country that uses bag-in-box. corny kegs are still used everywhere else because it is cheaper and better for the environment.

here in america, bag-in-box is cheaper due to health regulations regarding reusable containers.... that is why there are no reusable beer or soda bottles, no more reusable milk bottles... america generates more solid waste and garbage than all other countries combined....

We use both in my restaurant, keg's are for catering. The BIB is about half the price of the keg (They are both 5 gallons) but that isn't an accurate comparison. The BIB is actually syrup which has to be mixed with carbonated water therefore the yield is much more than 5 gallons whereas the kegs are premixed. I believe the average yield from 5 gallons of syrup is 35 gallons of soda.

I think the true reason that BIB is used more frequently in America is because of the distribution network here. The machine used to mix and dispense the soda is provided by Pepsi/Coke. I'm not sure they do that in other countries near as much, partially because other countries don't drink as much soda as we do, and therefore the restaurant would have to supply their own dispensing system. Keg systems being far away the cheapest and easiest to use as we all know.

One of the main reasons that it is cheaper for BIB, I believe, is that it is easier to store, has a longer shelf life, and it is easier to ship. The majority of the process is automated and so little labor is involved. If my Pepsi guy had to drop off kegs, and I had to change them out every 5 gallons, then we would have a serious problem. (A) I don't have the room for that many kegs and (B) I don't have the time to be changing them out. I serve 1,000 people a day in my restaurant, the majority of which drink soda and then we offer free soda on the casino floor which services 2,000 people per day or more.

Anyway, I don't believe health regulations have anything to do with it, it's more of a storage and transportation issue. I will agree that there is an excessive amount of solid waste in this country though.

 

[RMitch]

We use both in my restaurant, keg's are for catering. The BIB is about half the price of the keg (They are both 5 gallons) but that isn't an accurate comparison. The BIB is actually syrup which has to be mixed with carbonated water therefore the yield is much more than 5 gallons whereas the kegs are premixed. I believe the average yield from 5 gallons of syrup is 35 gallons of soda.

I think the true reason that BIB is used more frequently in America is because of the distribution network here. The machine used to mix and dispense the soda is provided by Pepsi/Coke. I'm not sure they do that in other countries near as much, partially because other countries don't drink as much soda as we do, and therefore the restaurant would have to supply their own dispensing system. Keg systems being far away the cheapest and easiest to use as we all know.

One of the main reasons that it is cheaper for BIB, I believe, is that it is easier to store, has a longer shelf life, and it is easier to ship. The majority of the process is automated and so little labor is involved. If my Pepsi guy had to drop off kegs, and I had to change them out every 5 gallons, then we would have a serious problem. (A) I don't have the room for that many kegs and (B) I don't have the time to be changing them out. I serve 1,000 people a day in my restaurant, the majority of which drink soda and then we offer free soda on the casino floor which services 2,000 people per day or more.

Anyway, I don't believe health regulations have anything to do with it, it's more of a storage and transportation issue. I will agree that there is an excessive amount of solid waste in this country though.

Part of it is strict food industry regulations. You say you work in a restaurant, what's your limit on food storage? At my restaurant, they have to throw food out no more than 3 hours after it is cooked/prepared. Could be 100lbs of perfectly cooked, stored, refrigerated chicken wings, and boom...in the trash, via regulations.

So I don't doubt that the same standards apply to beverages.

 

[tnshurtm]

As far as reusing containers, I have had bad experiences in Thailand and Jordan with ordering a coke and they bring out a bottle from the 70s that is already open and tastes like dog $***. ...a little off topic, but along the lines of no food regulations.

 

[RMitch]

As far as reusing containers, I have had bad experiences in Thailand and Jordan with ordering a coke and they bring out a bottle from the 70s that is already open and tastes like dog $***. ...a little off topic, but along the lines of no food regulations.

In a lot of countries they still use glass bottles. (What I think you are referencing)

And cola always tastes different in glass. Personally I dislike it...a lot of the old-timers will prefer it though.

But its also that in different countries, the ingredients used to make the soda vary slightly. Different source of sugar/corn syrup...different source of brown sugar...different water, etc. Just like how Guinness brewed in Ireland tastes different than that brewed in the States...soda will vary as well.

My word of advice... Never drink German Sprite.

 

[KevinM]

Right, why ship water when the resturant has their own to carbonate and mix with syrup. (Lets not get started on the whole bottled plain water thing either.)

However, there are some places that distribute milk in reusable glass bottles. But again... distribution. Those bottles are shipped back and its easier to keep this process in a certain distribution range. I use Calder's dairy when I can for that reason. That and I use one or two of the bottles for storing kefir.

However, being from the US I still say: "Cool, people are still currently using kegs for soda!" Also great for places where the water supply is less.. regulated, available?

 

[bwomp313]

My word of advice... Never drink German Sprite.

Just curious, why shouldn't you drink German Sprite? Is it nasty?

 

[rjwhite41]

Part of it is strict food industry regulations. You say you work in a restaurant, what's your limit on food storage? At my restaurant, they have to throw food out no more than 3 hours after it is cooked/prepared. Could be 100lbs of perfectly cooked, stored, refrigerated chicken wings, and boom...in the trash, via regulations.

So I don't doubt that the same standards apply to beverages.

As you know, from working in a restaurant, food regulations vary by state and even county. In the state of Iowa there is no time that food needs to be thrown away provided it is handled, heated and held properly. We check our temperatures every 2 hours to ensure that our food is at least 140F. Now very few items last that long and they are mostly sauces or roasts. Now if your food is not being held in a method that cannot maintain that temperature then it must be disposed of after 4 hours. Just out of curiousity I checked the Massachusetts food code. According to the Massachusetts department of health you use the 1999 FDA Food Code, Iowa uses the 2005 food code. Even the 2009 FDA Food Code doesn't stipulate that you throw food away after 3 hours. Your 3 hour rule would then be a company rule unless you have a local regulation that I am unaware of.

Now, instead of talking about hot hold temperatures the better comparison would be to ask if you wash, sanitize and reuse your plates. That's the equivalent of reusing a soda keg. There are regulations regarding the cleaning and sanitizing of soda kegs for reuse by the soda companies I am sure, but it does not hinder them from using them. The same can be said for restaurants or else we would all use disposable dishes. Storage and transportation of the water are the issues that make it much more convenient and cheaper to use BIBs.

There is a company around here that does distribute their milk in glass bottles. Also, think about those 5 gallon water jugs that you can return, they refill those. As for another comment, I had a Pepsi in a glass bottle just last week. It was made in Mexico, and I have no idea why it was being sold in Missouri, but I bought it anyway. In Mexico, Pepsi uses cane sugar instead of corn syrup so it has a slightly different flavor. If you've had a Pepsi throwback then that is what it tastes like.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I do not know about the food storage laws for sodas, but I can safely say that the manpower/shipping costs for BIB (post-mix) vs pre-mix is much cheaper with post-mix. The amount of storage required for the boxes is also lower, which is also another advantage.

Pre-mix (cornies) are still in use, but they are far and few. You will sometimes find them at state fairs, where 'carnies' seem to prefer them to BIB. It's probably due to the lack of clean tasting water available to the food vendors at fairs.

Other countries also drink much less sodas than we do in the US, I think a lot of that has to do with the unlimited-refills that we have here.

M_C