Free tool
Keg cost calculator
Enter what a keg costs and what you charge for a pour. You'll see how many pours you really get, what each one costs, your draft pour cost and the price that hits your target.
How many beers are in a keg?
A US half barrel holds 15.5 gallons, or 1,984 ounces. That's 124 sixteen-ounce pints on paper. In practice you'll sell fewer: foam, the first pours after a keg change and line cleaning usually cost somewhere around 5 to 10%. The calculator takes that off before working out your cost per pour.
| Keg | Ounces | 16 oz pints | 12 oz pours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half barrel (15.5 gal) | 1,984 | 124 | 165 |
| Quarter barrel (7.75 gal) | 992 | 62 | 82 |
| Sixth barrel (5.16 gal) | 661 | 41 | 55 |
| 50 L | 1,691 | 105 | 140 |
Before any loss to foam or line cleaning.
What's a good pour cost for draft beer?
Draft beer usually runs a lower pour cost than bottles and cans. Many bars aim for somewhere around 18 to 25% on draft, depending on the beer and their prices. Craft and imported kegs cost more, so they often sit at the top of that range.
Draft pour cost % = keg cost ÷ pours sold ÷ menu price × 100
Why draft is where the money leaks
A keg can't be counted bottle by bottle, so over-pours, foam and free beers hide easily. Weigh kegs or estimate them in tenths at each count, then compare what you used with what your POS says you sold. A gap of a few pints a keg adds up to hundreds of dollars a month across a full draft list.
Pricing liquor or wine instead? Try the pour cost calculator or the wine pour cost calculator.
Let the count do the math.
Bar Ledger counts your beer, wine and liquor in one place, and lines up what you used with what your POS says you sold. 14 days free, no card required.