A keg holds a fixed number of pours. Keg cost ÷ pints per keg gives cost per pint; price minus that is the pour profit — the heart of taproom and beer-cart economics.
The example
$160 keg, 124 pints.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | 160 / 124 | $1.29 |
| 3 | $7 − $1.29 | → $5.71/pint |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Pints per keg: half-barrel ~124, sixtel ~41 (16-oz pours; adjust for foam/spillage).
- Divide keg cost by pints for cost per pint.
- Pour profit = price − cost per pint; keg profit = (price − cost) × sellable pints.
- Account for spillage/foam (~5–10%) — sellable pints are fewer than theoretical.
Foam and spillage are the silent margin leak. A half-barrel is ~124 sixteen-ounce pints on paper, but foam, line waste, and over-pours shave 5–10% off — so the sellable count (and your real cost per pint) is worse than the spec. Build a spillage factor into pints-per-keg, and the cost-per-pint and keg-profit numbers reflect reality. Tight pours protect more margin than a price hike.
Try it: interactive demo
Keg cost, pints per keg, pint price.
Variations
Pour profit
Price − cost:
Keg profit
Profit × pints:
Sellable pints
After spillage:
Pitfalls & errors
Pour size. Pints per keg depend on the pour size — 16 oz vs 12 oz.
Spillage. Subtract foam/waste for sellable pints.
Zero pints. No pours gives #DIV/0!.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate keg cost per pint in Excel?
What's the profit per keg?
How many pints in a keg?
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