Planning the drinks for a party, wedding or event gets much easier once you know how far a keg will go.
German beer kegs are available in handy sizes including 3L and 5L, giving you plenty of proper German beer without filling the fridge with individual bottles. They’re also available to buy individually at German Beer, so you can order a single keg without our usual six-item minimum.
Here’s how the sizes compare, how many servings you can expect and how many kegs you may need for your guest list.
3L vs 5L Beer Kegs: What’s the Difference?
The main difference is simply how much beer you get. A 3L keg holds around 5.3 UK pints, while a 5L keg holds around 8.8 pints.
| Keg size | Approx. UK pints | 500ml servings | 330ml servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3L | 5.3 | 6 | 9 |
| 5L | 8.8 | 10 | 15 |
A 3L keg can make sense for a smaller gathering or when you want a couple of different beers available. A 5L keg gives you more servings per keg, making it a practical choice when you’re catering for a bigger group.
The right option will depend on your guest numbers, how much beer you expect people to drink and what other drinks you’re serving.
How Many Servings Are in a Beer Keg?
Serving size makes a big difference when you’re working out quantities.
A 3L beer keg will give you around:
- 5.3 UK pints
- 6 x 500ml servings
- 9 x 330ml servings
A 5L beer keg will give you around:
- 8.8 UK pints
- 10 x 500ml servings
- 15 x 330ml servings
Allow a little extra rather than expecting to pour every last millilitre into a glass. Foam, spillage and generous pours can all reduce the number of complete servings you get.
How Many Beer Kegs Do I Need for a Party?
Start with the number of guests who’ll actually be drinking beer.
As a straightforward planning figure, allowing two 500ml servings per beer drinker means budgeting for around one litre of beer per person.
Using that calculation:
| Beer drinkers | Beer required | 3L kegs | 5L kegs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 people | 20L | 7 | 4 |
| 50 people | 50L | 17 | 10 |
| 100 people | 100L | 34 | 20 |
Those numbers assume every person listed will drink beer and have two 500ml servings. If only half of your guests drink beer, halve the quantities accordingly.
For an event where beer will be served for several hours, you may want to allow more. If you’ll also have wine, spirits, soft drinks and other options available, your beer requirement could be lower.
It’s worth having some spare capacity for a larger event. Running out halfway through the evening is much harder to solve than taking an unopened keg home.
How Many Kegs Do I Need for 20 People?
A group of 20 beer drinkers having around two 500ml servings each will get through approximately 20 litres of beer.
That works out at around four 5L kegs or seven 3L kegs.
Serving beer alongside wine, spirits and other drinks? You may need less. Mixing keg sizes can also give guests a choice of German beers without ordering large quantities of each one.
How Many Kegs Do I Need for 50 People?
A 50-person guest list needs approximately 50 litres of beer when you allow two 500ml servings per beer drinker.
You’d need around ten 5L kegs or 17 3L kegs to cover that amount.
Storage becomes worth thinking about at this point too. Ten 5L kegs need a fair amount of fridge or cold-storage space, so make sure you’ve got somewhere suitable to keep them before the event.
How Many Kegs Do I Need for 100 People?
For 100 beer drinkers, two 500ml servings each means allowing approximately 100 litres of beer.
That’s around 20 x 5L kegs or 34 x 3L kegs.
Guest numbers alone won’t tell you exactly how much you need. A wedding with a full bar and wine on the tables will have different requirements to an event where draught beer is one of the main drinks. Use the figures as a starting point, then adjust them around what else you’re serving.
Beer Kegs for Weddings
Wedding drinks need a little forward planning, especially once the guest list starts growing. Start by estimating how many guests are likely to drink beer, then decide how many servings you want to allow each person.
Remember to account for the whole period when beer will be available. If guests can grab a beer during the afternoon as well as the evening reception, your quantities will need to reflect it.
Several smaller kegs can also work well when you want to put a few different German beers on the menu.
Check with your venue before placing an order. Some venues have rules around supplying your own alcohol, and you’ll need enough cold storage to keep each keg ready to serve.
Beer Kegs for Parties and Events
Birthdays, BBQs, garden parties, work events and other celebrations can all be a good opportunity to get a keg in.
For smaller groups, a single 3L or 5L keg may be enough alongside other drinks. Larger events will need a bit more planning, particularly if beer is going to be one of the main options.
Think about:
- How many guests will drink beer
- How many servings you want to allow per person
- What other drinks will be available
- How you’ll chill and store the kegs
- When the kegs will be opened
Once you’ve got those numbers, choosing how many kegs to order becomes much easier.
How Long Does an Opened Beer Keg Last?
How long your German beer will keep after opening depends on the keg and dispensing system, so always check the instructions supplied with the product.
Exposure to air can affect carbonation and freshness after a keg has been tapped. If you’re buying a keg for an event, it’s best to plan around drinking it during the event rather than opening it well in advance.
Keep unopened and opened kegs according to the storage instructions provided with the beer.
How Should You Chill a Beer Keg?
Give your keg plenty of time to chill before you plan to serve it. A full 5L keg contains a lot more liquid than a bottle, so putting it in the fridge an hour before guests arrive won’t necessarily be enough.
Check the individual beer’s serving and storage instructions, make sure you have enough fridge or cold-storage space and get your kegs chilled ahead of the event.
Avoid shaking or moving the keg unnecessarily immediately before serving too. Giving it time to settle can help you avoid a glass full of foam on the first pour.
Can You Buy a Single German Beer Keg?
Yes. Kegs can be bought individually from German Beer and aren’t included in our usual six-item minimum.
That makes a keg a handy option if you want to order German beer without choosing six individual bottles or cans. You can pick one keg for a smaller occasion or order several for a bigger guest list.
It also gives you a chance to enjoy German beer on tap at home or at an event without needing a full-size draught setup.
Stock Up on German Beer Kegs for Your Event
Got the guest list? Now sort the beer. Shop our German beer kegs online and choose the size and beer that suits your plans. You can order kegs individually, so there’s no need to build a six-item order around them.
Get German beer delivered straight to your door today.