Hello and thank you for buying a Fyne Ales mini-keg! You’ve already followed the most important instruction by coming to this page – here’s everything else you need to get a perfectly poured pint of beer out of the keg and into your glass (without getting covered in foam).
If you’ve had one of our mini-casks before, please, please read the below because Fyne Lager and Easy Trail mini-kegs are slightly different to our other year-round beers in mini-cask and the instructions on the back aren’t quite right for getting the best pint.
WE RECOMMEND YOU LEAVE THE KEG TO SETTLE SOMEWHERE COLD FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS BEFORE OPENING.
Because these mini-kegs are pre-carbonated (unlike the mini-casks of our year-round beers), they may have some excess carbonation built up, especially if the keg had been jostled around (think shaken-up can of cola). To remove the excess carbonation – open the air release on the top of the keg BEFORE you try to tap the beer, otherwise you’ll be drinking a (delicious) glass of foam.
A small amount of beer foam may escape the mini-keg through the air-release, this isn’t something to worry about, there’s plenty of beer inside.
With the keg safely vented (when the hissing subsides), rotate the tap until it’s horizontal- it’s the bit on the front that looks like a tap.
Then, pull the tap out until it stops. Getting closer!
Now you’re ready to pour! Get your glass ready under the tape and press the red button on the front of the tap to free the beer!
When you’re done pouring, re-insert the tap and close the air release to prolong the lifespan of the beer – if you leave the tap open, it’ll get pretty flat pretty quickly. We still recommend consuming the mini-keg within 24 hours after opening – the beer will go flat relatively quickly once open, so grab some pals and make it a party!