Okay....I've read a lot of reviews (both negative and positive) on the BeerTender and now that I have gone through six DraughtKegs. I thought it's time to provide my own feedback.
First off...this is simply an expensive toy for beer drinkers. Anyone can open a bottle and pour it in a glass. Using the BeerTender takes some skill and a bit of patience. With that said, I would not recommend the BeerTender to people who drink a lot of beer. It will only frustrate them.
Yes...the BeerTender is expensive (I paid $299) and the Heineken DraughtKegs are also expensive ($19.99) considering they contain the equivalent of 14 twelve ounce bottles. And yes, you could chill a DraughtKeg in the refrigerator just as easily...BUT HEY....This is a fun appliance and that's what it's all about. I have always wanted a keg system for my bar but I don't have the space for one so this is the next best thing.
And yes...you can only use the BeerTender in Heineken DraughtKegs, so you better like Heineken if you buy a BeerTender. I hope Heineken starts producing Amstel Light in DraughtKeg. Or better yet, I hope Krups gets smart that starts partnering with Sam Adams and other domestic brewers.
Here are some of my random observations.
I found the BeerTender (model B95) to be a well built appliance. It looks nice and takes up about the same amount of space has a large coffee machine or KitchenAid mixer. It has become the centerpiece on my bar.
Setup is very simple. Follow all the instructions. The art is in pouring the "perfect" draught.
The LCD display is bright and on all the time. Now my bar has a pale blue nightlight.
There is a low fan sound when the BeerTender is cooling down a keg to the specified temperature. After that, it is very quiet. I recommend you purchase your DraughtKeg's cold if possible. It takes several hours for the BeerTender to chill down a room temperature keg to 36 degrees. And that's no fun because the first thing you'll want to do after hooking up a new keg is...start pouring. As with any keg system, the first couple pours will be mostly foam. Set them aside, they will settle.
I keep mine set to 36 degrees. For me, anything higher is too warm. I haven't measured to see if it is actually pouring 36 degrees, but it is cold enough even on a warm day.
If you are turned off by skunky Heineken in bottles...FEAR NOT. There is absolutely no skunky taste (or smell) with the DraughtKeg. However I have found the head has what I consider a slight metallic taste. I have found it to be present in both Heineken regular and Ultimate Light. This taste disappears as the head goes down. I suspect this taste comes from the built-in CO2 in the DraughtKeg. I prefer regular Heineken over the Ultimate Light. With the DraughtKeg system, it tastes like a full flavored domestic lager.
I can consistently pour 18 8-ounce pilsner glasses from a 5L DraughtKeg with little waste.
Yes it does pour a lot of foam if you are not careful when pouring. Follow the instructions carefully. Frosty glasses aid in minimizing foam.
I have read many complaints about the keg gauge on the B95 being inaccurate. I did not find this to be true except for one time when I installed a new keg and came back a while later to find the gauge reading half full. I followed the instructions for resetting the gauge and haven't had any further problems. The gauge measures the weight of the keg so it's only going to be so accurate. When the gauge is on the last of four bars and flashing, you better have another DraughtKeg chilled and standing by because it will run out after only a couple more pints. There are 168 ounces in a 5L keg. That equates to roughly 42 ounces per bar on the gauge. I always wipe down the inside to mop up the condensation when changing kegs.
If you have been patient enough to read all my ramblings, you will now be rewarded with a little trick I discovered to reduce excessive foaming. REMOVE THE POUR SPOUT!! The inside diameter of the pour spout is much smaller. Forcing beer through the pour spout agitates it causing unnecessary foaming. This must be by design, but I find it much easier to pour a pint without the pour spout. I poured my last two kegs without the pour spout and I was amazed at how much easier it was to pour the perfect glass (with two fingers of head). I tilt the glass at the recommended 45 degrees and slowly straighten it as I pour. I can pour a perfect pint almost every time without the pour spout and since the pour spout is the only thing that comes in contact with the beer, there is no longer a need to clean it. Voila problem solved!
All this typing has made me thirsty. I think I'll play with my beer toy now. Enjoy!