Moving Guide

How to Move a Keg of Beer

Published July 16, 2012 · Written for MovingGuru readers since 2013

The short answer

Keep the keg upright, cold and secured. A full half barrel weighs roughly 160 pounds, so lift it with two people or roll it on its rim, load it upright against a wall or wheel arch, strap it so it cannot roll, and let it settle for several hours before tapping. Any question about crossing a state line with alcohol is a legal question, not a lifting question, and is covered separately below.

Need to get a keg from point A to point Party?

Listen, Broseph, a whole night’s worth of drinking, dancing and poor decisions rides on you moving that $70 keg of Keystone Ice the right way. If you mess it up, you’re going to have a foamy, dysfunctional mess. Here’s how to avoid committing such an uber party foul:

Get Transportation

You need some type of vehicle to transport a keg. If you’re buying a keg, then I hope there is someone with a car who plans on drinking from its golden guts. Ask them to lend their car to the cause. If they refuse, threaten to bar them from the party.

Once you have a car, make sure you have space to put the keg. One open car seat will cut it.

Rent a Tap.  Seriously, Just Do It

Yeah, I know, your cousin lent you his tap and he swore by Coors that it flows like a waterfall.  I don’t care.  Rent a tap.

Without a tap, you don’t have beer.  And, unfortunately, taps fail all the time.  Perhaps it’s the type of keg, the age of the tap, the poor quality suds… I don’t know, but I’ve seen many hosts hunched over a broken tap while the party waited impatiently in line.

Avoid this humiliation by renting a second tap.  Having it on hand might save your party.  Not that your cousin’s tap isn’t legit…

Don’t Try to Be Hardcore

The beer store guy is going to place the keg in front of you, and at that moment you might remember that work out from two weeks ago.  You might feel the Herculean juices of a man about to throw a rager surging through you.  You might believe you can lift that thing.

For the love of everything suddy, don’t.  Wait for your buddy, and carry the keg outside together like a couple pansies. It’s better then you lifting then dropping the keg and turning it into a big metal ball of agitated carbonation.

Strap It In, And Take It Slow

Don’t just toss your keg in the car or truck and leave it fallible to physics. If that thing is bouncing around a truck bed like a pinball, it’s going to spray beer fizz all over the place when you try to tap it.  And then the first forty beers are going to be 95% foam, and you’re going to be storing beer fizz in pitchers waiting for it to reduce into a something borderline drinkable.

Amateur status.

Treat your keg like a kid.  Buckle it into a seat, if possible.  If not, put it next to someone who can hold onto it.  If not that, then try to at least wedge it into a spot so it doesn’t roll around.

Then take your drive slow.  Try to see if you can accelerate to 40 mph at a consistent rate over 15 seconds.  Take sharp turns like grandma.  Brake before your start braking.

If you’re having a real party, then you’re probably going to be moving liquor bottles, too.

Keg sizes and what they weigh

Common kegApproximate volumeApproximate full weight
Half barrel15.5 US gallonsAbout 160 lb
Quarter barrel7.75 US gallonsAbout 87 lb
Sixth barrel, sixtel5.16 US gallonsAbout 58 lb
Mini keg1.32 US gallonsAbout 13 lb

Weights vary with the container and the beer, so treat these as planning figures. The point is simple: a full half barrel is heavier than most people expect and is the main reason kegs get dropped.

Moving the keg itself

  • Two people, or one person tilting and rolling it on the bottom rim over hard flat ground.
  • Never carry a full keg down stairs alone. Use a strapped appliance dolly and a spotter.
  • Keep it upright in the vehicle. A keg on its side stirs up sediment and foams badly.
  • Strap it against a wheel arch, a bulkhead or a seat back so it cannot roll under braking.
  • Put it in a tub or on a mat. Condensation and drips are part of the deal.
  • Keep it cold the whole way. Ice in a tub around the base beats ice on top.
  • Let it rest, ideally several hours, before you tap it.

If you are handling it on your own, the companion article on moving a keg alone goes through the one person technique in more detail.

The legal side is a separate question

Physically transporting a keg is a lifting and securing problem. Carrying alcohol across a state line, or in the passenger area of a vehicle, is governed by state law and it varies by state. Open container rules, quantity limits and permit requirements are set by each state, and household movers often list alcohol among the items they will not load. Check your own state and the destination state before you drive, and read transporting alcohol over state lines for how to look that up.

Sources: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) · NHTSA road safety. Rules, programs and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a full keg of beer weigh?
A full half barrel is about 160 pounds, a quarter barrel about 87 pounds and a sixth barrel about 58 pounds. Exact weights vary by container and beer.
Can you transport a keg on its side?
It is better not to. Laying a keg down stirs up sediment and traps gas at the tap fitting, which means foam. Carry it upright and let it settle before tapping.
How long should a keg sit before tapping?
Give it several hours cold and undisturbed after transport. The colder and the more settled it is, the less foam you pour.
Will a moving company transport my beer?
Many will not. Alcohol appears on plenty of non allowable lists, and rules differ by company and by route. Ask before move day and plan to carry it yourself if the answer is no.

Filed under:Difficult Things to Move

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