A half-barrel contains 31 pitchers of beer, assuming one pitcher equals 64 ounces and one barrel is 31 gallons. One gallon is 128 ounces, so a half-barrel of beer has 1,984 ounces. A half-barrel of beer contains 62 small pitchers assuming a small pitcher is 32 ounces; a half-barrel is comparable to 165 12-ounce bottles of beer.
Whole barrels, half, thirds, quarters, sixths, eighths, 5 gallons, 30 litres, and 50 litres may be sold lawfully in the United States as of 2014. Beer quantities are calculated to five decimal places for tax purposes.
A keg typically contains less than one barrel of beer. As of 2014, the half-barrel keg is the largest size marketed in the United States. Additionally, quarter-barrel and one-sixth-barrel kegs, or 7.75 and 5.17 gallons, are available. Half-barrel kegs typically weigh 161 pounds and have a diameter of 16 inches. The weights of kegs vary slightly among manufacturers.
Kegs are served under pressure via flexible pipes on the top or spigots on the bottom of the container. When beer is served from a keg as opposed to a bottle, it is served fresher. A kegerator is a customised refrigeration appliance used to preserve kegs at home.
