Wine On Tap, Don’t be Afraid to Keg and Serve it up! When it comes to the age-old debate of kegging versus bottling wine, there’s really no contest – kegging is the clear winner. Bottled wines, no matter how carefully they are stored, simply cannot match the longevity and consistency of wines served from a keg. It’s a matter of basic chemistry and physics. Once a bottle of wine is opened, it is exposed to air, which causes all sorts of undesirable chemical reactions to occur. Sparkling wines quickly lose their fizz and become flat, while white, sweet, and rosé wines start to oxidize, dulling their bright, fresh flavors. Even red wines can sour and develop an unpleasant “vinegary” taste as they are gradually transformed by exposure to oxygen.
This process can happen remarkably quickly, often in just a matter of days, leaving wine drinkers disappointed with wines that have lost their original character. In contrast, a keg of wine maintains its optimal flavor profile for weeks or even months after being tapped. The wine inside the sealed, pressurized keg remains isolated from air, preventing oxidation and preserving the wine’s vibrant taste, aroma, and mouthfeel. Kegged wines are quite simply a far more reliable, consistent, and satisfying option compared to the fickleness and short shelf life of bottled wines. For anyone serious about serving high-quality, fresh-tasting wines, kegs are the obvious choice.
Got Gas?
Nitrogen (N2) and Argon (AR) are inert gases that push the wine through your homebrew kegging system. You do not want to carbonate (CO2) your wine unless you are making a sparkling wine. Inert gases do not react with other substances under normal conditions. This means it will not distort your beverage’s aroma or flavor.
Beverage Elements carries a wide range of Nitrogen Cylinders that can also be used for Argon or any other inert gas cylinders. Ranging from 15 – 300 cubic feet, aluminum, or steel, you can build a homebrew kegging system that fits your needs, whether for home or commercial use.
Stand Up Kegs (Not Keg Stands)
The Cornelius, or “Corny,” keg is a versatile piece of equipment that can serve as both a storage vessel and a serving container for wine, whether it’s sparkling or still. While pouring wine from a beer tap may lack the romantic allure of pulling a cork, filling a single Cornelius keg is far more convenient than the laborious task of filling and corking twenty-five standard 750 mL wine bottles. Additionally, by eliminating the need for corks, you can avoid the potential issues of leakage and off-aromas that can sometimes plague traditionally bottled wines.
Like glass, the stainless-steel construction of Cornelius kegs provides an inert surface that will not impart any unwanted flavors or aromas to the wine. Furthermore, the ability to purge the headspace of the keg with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide helps to minimize oxidation, ensuring your wine retains its freshness and vibrancy for longer. This preservation of the wine’s character is a significant advantage over bottled wines.
Another benefit of the Cornelius keg system is the flexibility it provides for serving wine. Rather than having to open an entire bottle, you can simply pour a single glass as needed, allowing you to enjoy your wine at your own pace without worrying about the rest of the bottle going to waste. And if you do need to take a bottle to a friend’s house, you can easily fill one directly from the keg, ensuring you always have a fresh, high-quality wine on hand.
Beverage Elements carries the best of the best in kegs. Your brand, your size, your choice. Check out our wide selection here; Ball Lock Kegs.
Keg Storage & Dispensing Temperature Recommendation
- Whites: Store in cooler/refrigerator and serve at 40–45° F
- Reds: Store at room temperature, a maximum of 70° F, and serve at 55–60° F
Wine Kegging Equipment – Brewer’s Supplies
- Keg Kits (They’re not just for beer!) If you don’t want the labor intensive time investment of piecing together a system, we have you covered. With a wide selection of homebrew kegging systems from single to multi keg, varying size ranges, and amazing capabilities, you can find your perfect beverage companion with everything you need.
- Regulators We carry a great selection of high-quality, name brand, industry endorsed regulators for both CO2 and Nitrogen. Single, Dual, and Triple gauge options are available so you can grow your homebrew kegging system as you discover just how fun and convenient it is making your own at home.
- Accessories We carry everything you need to serve your finest wine. Towers, faucets, pigtails, and tubing for both nitrogen and CO2 systems. Want to serve both? Check out the Stainless-Steel Dual Tap Draft Tower with Faucets. Just add a nitro faucet (it comes with two standard) and voila! You can serve sparkling and still!
You’ve Been Served
A homebrew draft wine setup provides the home winemaker with greater flexibility in terms of how they choose to serve and enjoy their creation. Rather than being limited to the standard still wine format, they can experiment with carbonating the wine to make it sparkling, or even adjusting the sweetness level to suit their personal tastes. This level of control and customization is a major perk that simply isn’t possible when working exclusively with pre-bottled wine. Overall, draft wine is an excellent choice that can streamline the winemaking process, preserve freshness, and unlock new possibilities for the enterprising home vintner.
