Kegco 5 Gallon Ball Lock Keg is great for homebrewing

Thursday, November 6, 2025

When a brewer gets tired of bottling their beer, sick of gushers and dreading cleaning bottles over and over again, they might decide that kegging their beer with a ball lock keg so they can have a beer when they want it and not have to worry about a beer gusher or an exploding bottle ever again.

There are plenty of ways to keg home brew but a popular choice is to use a 5-gallon ball lock keg.

They are an ideal size for standard brews made in a 5-gallon fermenter and are easily connected to a jockey box and stainless steel faucet for an efficient pour.

So what is the best ball lock keg to keg with

best ball lock keg for brewing

Kegco's rubber handle home brew beer keg is a popular choice for American beer makers. It torpedoes the others out of the water, leaving them in a foamy mess.

This corny keg is designed for use with ball lock keg couplers and features a 304-grade stainless steel construction.

That just means the Kegco is a durable beast.

This keg has a permanently molded rubber bottom skirt and top handle that makes it easy to carry and stack, making it ideal for smaller breweries and home brewers with limited available storage space. The stainless steel lid also fastens tightly to the body and features an integrated pressure release valve that allows you to easily depressurize the keg.

The ball lock fittings that are naturally designed for use with ball lock keg couplers. The ball lock fittings can be easily accessed to make cleaning and maintenance fast and simple.

The beauty of this pepsi keg is that it can also be used to store not only beer, but also wine, soda, kombucha, and cold brew coffee.

Key specs at a glance

Capacity 5 gallons nominal. Ideal for standard homebrew batch size
Material 304 stainless steel shell and lid for corrosion resistance
Handles and base Molded rubber top handle and bottom skirt for stacking and easy carry
Connections Ball lock gas and liquid posts. Compatible with standard disconnects
Lid Stainless lid with integrated manual pressure relief valve

Why ball lock is a homebrew staple

  • Quick disconnects that click on and off without tools
  • Common parts and seals that are easy to source and replace
  • Friendly ergonomics for tight fridges and keezers
  • Simple to clean. Wide lid opening and removable dip tubes

How to set up your first ball lock keg

  1. Disassemble the keg. Remove lid, posts, poppets, and dip tubes. Soak parts in warm cleaner. Rinse well.
  2. Inspect and lube O-rings with a small amount of food grade keg lube. Replace any flattened or cracked rings.
  3. Reassemble. Confirm gas post is on the short dip tube and liquid post is on the long dip tube.
  4. Pressure test. Seal the empty keg and hit it with 10 to 20 PSI. Spray soapy water on posts, lid, and PRV. Fix leaks before use.
  5. Transfer cold beer. Closed transfers reduce oxygen pickup. Keep lines and keg sanitized.
  6. Set serving pressure. Chill the keg. Start around 10 to 12 PSI for most ales at 2 to 4 °C. Adjust by pour speed and foam.

Cleaning and maintenance

  • Between kegs. Rinse, then run warm cleaner through the liquid line. Rinse until the outflow runs neutral.
  • Deep clean every few batches. Pull posts and dip tubes. Soak parts. Use a dip tube brush. Replace O-rings as needed.
  • Storage. Leave kegs dry with lid off or loosely fitted. Store with a whiff of CO₂ if you want to keep oxygen out.

Real user notes

I have been bottling my beer for over 20 years. I received the two 5 gallon kegs today and I was happy both were shipped with positive pressure. So I immediately knew that all the seals were good without pressurizing. The kegs were new and had no dents. I then immediately cleaned and sanitized a keg and transferred a batch of Peach Ale from secondary. Within minutes I had an amazing beer. I’m not going back to bottling. The next keg is going to be filled with a stout so I’ll have some variety on tap. I’m so happy.
This product arrived in great condition. Everything seals tight and the ball lock valves are very nice. The keg is obviously high quality and will be a great addition to my home brew equipment. I'm just sorry this will be hidden in my kegerator.
Shiny, shiny. In recent years, used soda kegs have become scarce enough the price for one that merely holds pressure has risen pretty high. Might as well buy a new one, and get it clean, with fresh seals and O-rings all round, to boot. Kegco offers a solid product, and I like the rubber all around the perimeter of the top.

Pair it with the right draft gear

Match the keg with quality taps and lines for smooth service. A jockey box is perfect for events. A good stainless steel faucet gives you clean pours and easy upkeep. Keep 3/16 inch beer line length in mind for line balancing. Start near 5 to 6 feet at 12 PSI and tune from there.

Buying checklist

  • New or refurbished keg with 304 stainless construction
  • Fresh lid, post, and dip tube O-rings with a spare set on the shelf
  • Ball lock disconnects that match your lines and posts
  • CO₂ cylinder and regulator, plus a manifold if you run multiple kegs
  • Cleaner, sanitizer, and a dip tube brush
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