Creative Uses For Empty Beer Kegs

by Karl S Updated on August 23, 2019

Beer kegs are large tanks where +5L of beer are available for you.

These barrels have several applications, and therefore several presentations and characteristics. Kegs for parties do not have a superior dispenser and is of the non-returnable type.

Creative Uses For Empty Beer Kegs Homebrew Academy

The other types are usually perfect draft kegs for bartenders. The difference between both is the material of the barrel and its reuse. The Perfect Draft is returnable and can be filled again with special equipment.

Reusing empty beer kegs in your business.

In nightclubs, beer kegs are widely used. When finished, they can be reused in different ways, depending on the type of barrel used. The barrels used in this case are Perfect Draft or regular kegs with a bartender.

The perfect draft is a reusable barrel in its design. At the time of purchase, you will pay a deposit to the seller or manufacturer for the barrel. The deposit will allow you to take the barrel to the factory and fill it again with beer for reuse. Another option is to return the barrel, and you will be refunded the amount paid of the deposit.

There are cases in several countries where shipping costs are higher than the amount of the deposit. If the bond is less than the cost of transportation, businesses keep the barrel and do creative things.

The regular bartender barrel cannot be returned or refilled. It is a barrel developed with recyclable materials. With bar barrels, you can recycle and earn something for it or reuse it in creative work.

For both barrels, transformations can be applied and turned into various personal and business objects.

The first example is lamps to decorate your business. You can cut the top of the barrel and use the point where the dispenser is to hold it and leave it hanging.

Another object you can make with an empty beer keg is a grill. You can make it by chopping the barrel in half and soldering it to a base. Now, all you have to do is place the slit in the grill, and you have a new sophisticated kitchen appliance.

Yet another way to make a grill is to cut open a section of one side of the barrel in the shape of a square. Place the slit on the rack and adjust it to the width of the barrel, and that’s it: you have a grill for feeding your customers.

In other cases, it works as a cooking pot. You only have to chop the top, soldering a handle and ready you have a pot to cook. 

A portable mini oven is always useful; that’s another reuse for a beer keg. The result is grill-like and straightforward. You cut a square section of the barrel; weld a few hinges and then cut a section with a lock. With everything welded, all you need is firewood, a slit and a portable oven.

A modern potty is another plumbing knowledge. To do this, you need to remove the dispenser and open a hole parallel to the machine. The next step is to glue the barrel to the wall and adjust the water inlet and outlet pipes in the respective holes.

Another simple use it as a mini-table, for placing drinks. It does not require any transformation other than putting it in the desired space. It is advisable to paint it and place a wooden or metallic surface on top. It gives a particular character to your business.

You already have the table; why not making a chair for your customers?

The chair requires removing the top of the barrel and welding a base with the seat on the walls. All you need to do is place the padded seat on the bottom, and you have a comfortable and pleasant position. If you want to make it more striking, you can paint the barrel the same color as the seat.

Reusing empty beer kegs in your home

There are many applications for home beer kegs in any of its three editions. Applications range from essential household items to play items for both children and adults.

The first application is a primary party tool; you can turn them into a compact cooler. You can chop the top and take advantage of the thermal conservation properties and make a cooler. What is missing is ice, and you can put beers or other liquors. Once filled with ice, it will keep all beverages cold; besides, it has a natural and unique look.

The second application you can make is as a bathtub for children. Crafting one is straightforward: remove the top lid and fill it with water. The material of the barrel is of stainless metals, and you do not run the risk of any cut by oxidation.

Many young people don’t like conventional laundry baskets for the sake of simplicity. You can take advantage of the barrel and use one as a laundry basket: remove one of the covers and that’s it.

Another application is as a dishwasher for your kitchen utensils for giving a fun twist to your kitchen. You cut the barrel in half horizontally, and grab the section with the dispenser. 

Remove the machine from the lid and use white cement or some paste; glue that portion of the barrel to the counter. Connect the drainpipe to the dispenser hole, and you have a new sink!

A traditional game is to roll down a hill in a barrel. To save yourself a wooden barrel, use the beer keg. All you have to do is remove the two lids, and that’s it. A recommendation is to wear a helmet as a preventive measure and a bag if you have just had a beer.

Another home application is a homemade basketball hoop. Use the barrel as a hoop and play with your friends, one on one or a game of 21. You can use the barrel on the floor or chop up a small portion and hang it for using it as a hoop.

For home football, empty beer barrels are good for creating goals. Goals are created using a barrel as a side goal post and a beam for the top one. With 4 barrels, you can set up an entire homemade court in your backyard.

In some homes, barrels act as five-liter water tanks. The idea is simple; you connect a funnel in the hole of the dispenser for water entry. Then, open another gap parallel to the machine for the water outlet pipe, and you already have a tank at your disposal.  

You can use it as food plates for both your pets. You can chop the ends of the barrel and  use them as containers to serve food and water to your pets. The remaining part can be used to make a homemade stove or wood burner. All you need is a slit, firewood or charcoal and to cook.

You can use one as a sink in your bathroom. The procedure is similar to making a kitchen sink; only you puncture a barrel from top to bottom. You hit the wall with some plaster and connect the pipes through the hole in the dispenser. You can use the remaining part to make the base of the sink.

The base of the sink is created by chopping a quarter barrel, but vertically from the remaining ¾. You glue the three quarters to the wall by covering the sink pipes. You proceed to paint them, and you already have a homemade, but novel, sink. 

Other uses for empty beer kegs.

We’ve already seen several ways to recycle an empty beer keg for both home and business. However, there are still other ways to recycle them, which are included in the home as well as in other activities or locations.

For Garbage 

The first application is as a garbage can. You can use the barrel to deposit garbage. You can use it for the kitchen, your room, or for the whole house. it depends on the quantity of trash generated.

You can create your novel garbage disposal in different ways; the best is to paint the barrel with a creative look. There are other ways to create a more robust and bigger trash can. You can use two barrels and combine them as a single can. For the first one, you cut off both ends. Then, you only need to glue or solder that one over the uncut one. You paint it, and that’s it.

In Gardening 

In gardening, you can reuse them in different ways. The first option is as a barrier and support for the newly planted plants. By removing the ends, you can use the barrel body to fix the plant and prevent it from being knocked down.

Empty Beer Keg Garden Pots
Source: Pinterest

A Pot

If you need a pot to place your plants, use the barrel to create one. The shape is simple: puncture the bottom into the desired dimensions for your plant. Take a hammer and a large nail; use them to open small holes allowing the water to circulate. Finally, place the plant, soil, fertilizer and water.

You can add some wheels and a handle; the result would be a homemade trolley for yourself.   

A Cool Box!

If you need a box for storing the auxiliary electrical cables of your car, we have the solution to your problem. Create a case by cutting the two ends of the barrel. Using solder, connect them with a hinge, and place a latch on the opposite end. Just place the wires, close and secure your new case.

As a Rubber Case

For small carts, you can create spare rubber cases. The mechanics are the same as for the electric wires. The difference is the thickness of the case; you must cut the width of each piece, considering the width of the rubber.

As Time Capsules (small ones)

If you have kids, then you can get even more uses out of empty beer kegs. The best one is a time capsule; you can use the empty barrel to place your things and bury them. Being such a solid metal, it will withstand the pressure of the earth and preserve the treasures hidden inside the barrel.

Young people hold frequent parties and use both full and empty barrels. One way to use them at an is as a free beer cooler. Another application is for drinking games, such as bouncing the coin and falling into the glass. The metal surface is ideal for these types of shenanigans.

As a Snack Table

Another application for parties is as a snack table. There’s never enough tables at a party,  and you can place a board on top of a keg to solve that. Lastly, if chairs are missing, you can use it as a chair for people who arrive as a surprise or uninvited.

empty beer keg table
Source: Pinterest

Other Tips to Make Things More Exciting With a Beer Keg

Source: Pinterest

At parties with swimming pools, you can place a couple of barrels in the water and walk on top of it. It’s an entertaining game where the barrel will spin until one falls. It’s very popular these days. Instead of using a wooden roller, you can use the barrel, although it is advisable to wear shoes.

Let’s finish with the world of young people; let’s go to the adult world and see what applications we give to the barrel. The first application is using it as a trunk; this has several presentations.

For the first one, you don’t have to do much: just cut the top and put a handle.          

The second requires more work. First, you must cut in a half barrel. The next thing is to merge one of the halves with a metal or wood plate with some hinges. Finally, you put some handles for a padlock, and you already have a handmade trunk.  

How do You Create a Table?

Now let’s go on with another handcrafted creation, a state-of-the-art table. For creating it, you must cut the two ends; grab the two handles, and eliminate the excesses and irregularities in the metal, leaving them clean. Heat them and fold them until they are concave and ready to form part of the table.

Choose a modern base for the table and proceed to weld the ends already worked. One is in the bottom and the other end to the top of the table. You can paint the terms of the base color or another color, according to your decoration requirements.

You can make hanging or glued decorations on the wall, either for your home or any establishment. The first application is as a pendant ornament. You can fix a hinge to the ceiling and place a hanging chain on it. You can decorate the barrel by painting it, putting decorations on its surface. Just place it around the chain.

Another ornament is to cut the barrel in half and decorate it or leave the original design depending on the tastes. Fix the half with rivets, screws, or other elements, and you can add additional features. Add some lamps; you can use bushes to harmonize.

Creating a shelf or desk is difficult and requires a lot of wood, but if you have a barrel, there is an easier option. First, cut three sections in the barrel; the width should be equal to the diameter of the barrel. Fix several fasteners in each part of the barrel, preferably metallic and placed in parallel. 

Place trays of any material inside the sections and over the fasteners. Now you can place your things inside each level, and you can put them in the desired place. Decorate it with paint and other ornaments of your preference, and like that, you will have handcrafted sophisticated furniture.

If you want to create simple benches for your garden or patio, there are several simple ways to do them. The first way is to cut the barrel vertically until everything is uniform. Then, you can weld a metal plate or fix a seating board with rivets and nails.

The other way is to cut it horizontally, and you can do two things from there: the first is to use the lid as a seat. The second option is to attach a padded seat to the side without a cover. The next step in this model is to connect the base to the walls and tops of the barrel.

Both elements can have decorations like paintings and ornaments. Another option is to use cushions to add more comfort to the seat. You can also add some tables at the ends for resting your arms.