Sparkling Wine Kegs

Keg Tips for Sparkling Wine

• Due to a high dissolved CO2 in sparkling wine, their kegs need to be stored/served COLD. If the wine is served from a warm storage room and cooled en route, then the CO2 will diminish through the life of the keg (lost to the headspace) and the final pours will lack sufficient CO2.

• Sparkling wine kegs should be pushed with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in order to retain the CO2 in the wine throughout service of the wine. The gas that you push the beverage will affect how it tastes/acts. A fully sparkling keg may need a higher pressure than you are using for beer.

• For example:

  • Sparkling Albariño - 3.5 saturations = 6.9 g/L = 21 psi head pressure @40F

  • Carbonic Primitivo - 2 saturations = 3.9 g/L = 7 psi head pressure @40F

• If the wine is excessively foamy at service, it may help to extend the draught line (extra tubing between the keg and tap). This can help settle down the wine en route to the tap, especially if you have a short draught line.

• Use a US standard Sankey type D keg fitting.

• We use a Petainer 20L Hybrid one-way keg. This keg is made of plastic and should be handled more carefully than a standard metal keg. It is possible to puncture the outer wall, which will cause failure of the keg.

• When your keg is empty you can recycle your keg. Check with your local recycling centers for best practices in disposing of your kegs.

  Learn more about recycling your keg.