Chris Shanahan: Zierholz launches five-litre, take-away beer keg

Brewpubs tempted to package take-away beer face the dilemma of how to do it without degrading quality. While bottles seem an obvious choice, it’s a risky option, requiring expensive equipment and new processes, often beyond the resources of small operators.

Canberra’s Wig and Pen, for example, brews, kegs and serves its delicious beers on site in the city, but makes and packages its only bottled product, Kemberry Ale, at De Bortoli’s William Bull brewery in Griffith, New South Wales.

Taking another tack, Zierholz brewpub, Fyshwick, recently launched take-away five-litre steel kegs. Brewer Christoph Zierholz packages these on site presents few difficulties.

He offers the full range of Zierholz beers in the kegs at the brewery. And the Local Liquor chain offers Zierholz German Ale through about 15 of its outlets. Zierholz hopes soon to widen distribution through independent retailers.

Chateau Shanahan successfully road tested five-litre kegs of Zierholz German Ale and Pilsner for this column.