Customer Reviews

BeerTender from Heineken and Krups B95 Home Beer-Tap System

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

If you love draft beer but don't drink enough to need a full keg this is for you!

I like my beer ice cold poured in a SMALL frozen glass .... I dont drink enough to warrant a full size type draft keg machine with all the hassles that come with it (like Co2) this unit is simple: just drop the draughtkeg in and your done. This unit has a thermostat setting that lets you set it to 36 degrees , the other unit will not allow you to lower the setting so this alone makes it worth the extra $20.

With the draughtkeg and beertender you get a nice little fridge who's sole job is to keep that keg ice cold and easy to pour... since it has a bottom drip tray you can pour your draught " english " style by letting the first half second just pour out to clear the foam then quickly put your glass in to get a nice pour with little foam - you cant do that when pulling from the big fridge....

What makes it nice is you can pour as much or more importantly as little as you want... like I said I like a small beer glass that gives me nice cold gulps of beer then just pour more - no wasted warm beer just nice and cold PLUS its fun to pour ! Lets face it this is a luxury item because you could just keep it in the big fridge and pour from there but thats no fun! Plus the big fridge is not going to maintain that keg at a constant 36 degrees!

The unit itself is pretty small and very light - it uses some induction type cooling so there is no typical fridge motor its a small fan - now this fan will work hard at first to get that keg down to temp but once its done it gets quieter - its loud enough that you should not put it in an area that is normally quiet .. also since it does not use a fridge type motor it will not work outdoors! It uses the ambient air to help cool the unit - anything over 85 degrees and it will not be able to maintain the temp - so indoor use only.

So to sum up - if you like the Heineken draghtkegs you will enjoy this item - is it necessary ? No , but you will get a much more enjoyable feeling when pouring that perfectly chilled draught. I hope Heineken adds more to the draughtkeg line up like they have in Europe... remember it only works with Heineken so if you dont like Heineken then this item will not work for you...

B95 or B90 ? Spend a little more and get the fancy lcd screen and temp control - especially if you like the cold beer because the other unit is preprogrammed at 39 or 40 deg ... but some people like a warmer draught but the price difference is so little you might as well ' go all the way ' ....

Cheers!

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!

I bought one of these and am impressed. The B 95 model shows you all the levels of beer, tempeture, and date of installment. The beer is coldest when set on the lowest level. No complaints about shipping or the price.Amazon had the best price and free shipping.

Some downsides, Don't jiggle the kegs or you are gonna get alot of foam. When you install the keg, wait 24 hours before use.Keep this in mind for that bar-b-que next Friday.You also have to get the kegs cold and I mean cold, put them in that other fridge or in a ice chest with ice, because they will foam as well.

Most supermakets here in Vermont, don't have the keg so, you have to go to a beer warehouse. Prices I have been finding are $15.99 to $17.99 per keg.

The Heneken light is very good!!. I like better than the regular.

I guess to sum it up is read the booklet that comes with the Beer Tender...

I received the BeerTender for my birthday. Unfortunately, the maiden voyage met with very rough seas. Three of us floated the keg in a single weekend, and each glass was about 90% foam. The second keg was a little better, but still yeilded way too much foam. I carefully re-read the instructions, and I visited the web to educate myself on other people's experiences and ideas. On the third keg, I was careful not to agitate, I refrigerated it for 24 hours, thoroughly washed the spout (the only part of the BeerTender that comes into contact with the beer), tapped the keg and waited 24 hours before pulling the first draw (making certain to pull the tap quickly all the way) using a frosted pint glass tilted at a 45 degree angle. My efforts yeilded about 80% foam on the first couple draws which reduced down to about 60% foam after 2-3 days. I just tapped my fourth keg yesterday, and the results thus far seem virtually identical to the third keg. Perhaps I am still making a critical mistake, and if so, someone please help! Otherwise, it sounds a lot like a Visa commercial... BeerTender ($300), Heineken keg ($20), tubes ($35.57 for 30 tubes - $1.18 ea), having to wait 5 minutes to drink a 55 degree pint after the foam settles 'priceless'. I'd have to say, all things considered, the product is a marginal value.

I've had the B95 BeerTender for about 3 months/6 kegs. I can't personally verify that the keg stays fresh for 30 days because we've yet to take more than 2 weeks to empty a keg. But all indications say that it would remain fresh.
It's easy to set up, easy and fun to use, and keeps the kegs at a great temperature. You need to purchase the disposable tap tubes (they are not reusable), but they are reasonably priced, so I stock up on them. You wouldn't want to reuse them, anyway, as that could be unsafe. One of the biggest hassles with big kegerators is the need to sterilize the tubes and pipes, and this negates that problem.
Aside from having to drink Heineken exclusively, due to the lack of other compatible kegs available (which will hopefully change!), the only technical negative I have experienced (which has kept me from rating this 5 stars) is the fact that the volume indicator on my unit does not operate. This appears to be a design flaw, and it's up to you whether the possibility of your unit having this flaw prohibits you from spending the money on this product.
Only once has the volume indicator on my unit read anything below 4 bars (full) as a keg was drained--even when empty. Even after following the "troubleshooting" instructions in the manual, it did not operate correctly. The single time it seemed to be working, it went from 4 bars down to 3, and then down to 0 almost immediately, as the keg was emptied with a final 10 oz. glass.
It's annoying to not have this feature work correctly. Other than this, I have no complaints, and truthfully, I probably would have bought the item even if it didn't have a volume indicator at all. Nevertheless, it is helpful to have that feature working correctly when you use it intermittently and lose track of how much might be left in the keg. We had an instance where we thought we had enough left and offered a cold glass to a visitor, only to have it spit foam and air at him because the keg was empty.
I contacted Krups about this and was told to ship it to a service center--too much of a hassle!

Simple things than can ruin your experience with the BeerTender. Follow these, and you should be able to pour perfect two-finger-head beers on one pull.

First, they sell these mini kegs EVERYWHERE. Many times they are not refrigerated. Put it in your fridge overnight before you transfer it to the BeerTender, or buy it cold.

The keg is small, and keg-shaped. It tends to roll all over the place when you drive it home, knock around, etc. Even if you buy it cold, if its shook, you will have a FoamTender.

Safe bet: Always put that mini keg in the fridge overnight.

DON'T use the hardware that came with the keg to put it in the BeerTender. You need to use the supplied tube, and they can only be used once.

Keep your temp at the lowest setting (why not?), and wait for the keg to reach that temperature.

Rinse out a glass sunder cool water before you pour a beer.

IMPORTANT: This isn't a full sized keg. If you have poured from a full sized keg and tap system, your first instinct might be to ease into the pour by going slowly on the tap. DON'T! You need to quickly snap the tap back, not violently, but don't ease into it. Do the same to close it off, and you will notice a much better pour.

Your first (and maybe second) glasses will be foam, just as it is for any keg. If it goes much past that, you might have done something wrong.

This is actually all in the manual, but who reads those ;)

...then you will probably like this product.

I've had the BeerTender for a few months and several mini-kegs so far, and will share some observations and experiences:

o The BeerTender is just a small refridgerator with a simple tap lever and spout. There is no CO2 system associated with the BeerTender; the special Heineken mini-keg has some kind of internal pressurization that is actviated when the keg is tapped.
o You do not need a BeerTender to get beer out of the special Heineken mini-keg. Each one comes with a manual tap that can be used if the mini-keg is stored in a normal refridgerator.
o The manual tap supplied with the mini-keg is not usable with the BeerTender. You must purchase single-use tubes to tap the mini-keg for use with the BeerTender. With some care, the tubes are re-usable (see product reviews for the BeerTender tubes).
o In addition to the initial cost of the BeerTender, the Heineken mini-kegs are not particularly economical. Where I live, Heineken in bottles and cans is usually less expensive, ounce-for-ounce, than the mini-keg.
o Despite being another plug-in appliance, the BeerTender does not appear to be an energy hog. Once a keg is cooled to the set point temperature, it only uses about 20 watts to maintain temperature (measured by a "Kill-A-Watt" meter). It seems well-insulated, though is not Energy-Star rated.
o Pour quality is very inconsistent. Some kegs have worked as advertised: first glass all foam, and the rest of the glasses 1/4 or less foam. Some kegs foamy for the first half, then OK second half of the keg. And one or two that produced 1/2 a glass of foam over the whole keg.
o I've tried many of the suggestions from Heineken and other reviewers for a good pour. This is my opinion what is important: beer temperature below 40 F, fully open the tap, tilt the glass at 45 - 60 degrees, use a clean/rinsed/cool glass, make sure the spout is clean, allow the mini-keg to settle after moving. I always have bad results if I don't keep the spout in contact with the glass and beer while pouring, which is contrary to Heineken's recommendation.
o On my last two kegs, I slightly kinked the tube from the mini-keg to the tap instead of trying to keep it mostly straight. This will happen if you align the opening in the top of the mini-keg with the BeerTender tap lever. Both kegs have poured very well - maybe because the kink in the tube goes down into a colder part of the BeerTender, or because of some flow restriction. In any case I hope it is not a coincidence.

The BeerTender is about as easy to set-up as a beer tap system gets. I have experience with other mini-keg taps using external CO2 cartridges, and they also take some practice to get proficient with. And "full-blown" tap systems are considerably more difficult to set up and use, but offer other benefits. Trying to compare these different systems is like "apples and oranges."

Overall, I deducted two stars for the inconsistent pour performance since that is what this whole thing is about. The unit itself has worked fine in terms of keeping the beer cold and indicating how much is left in the keg.

6/9/09 Update:

After continued inconsistent performance (some kegs foamy, some kegs fine), I may have stumbled upon an important tapping practice: make sure the end of the beer tube is fully seated in the top of the pour spout. Just snapping it in and letting the hinged cover push it down does not always get the open end completely sealed, which may result in air leaking and foam. I now seat the beer tube first, then snap it into the clip before closing the cover. It's worked for the last few kegs at least (and makes more sense than the tube-kink-thing described above).

I got the beertender for father's day and I have to say it is a great product. The beer gets chilled at 36 degrees and it is nice! Pouring the perfet beer takes some practice but this is the fun part. The only drawbacks are: Time it takes to cool the beer. For a keg at room temperature it would take anywhere from 12 to 18 hours depending on the preset temperature you choose. The other drawback I would say is the need to buy beertender tubes. The tubes have to be replaced every time you tap a new keg. But this is not a big deal - the tubes only cost $3.99 for a bag of 10 tubes.
Overall, I love this machine. Two thumbs up to Heineken!!!

I have had my Beetender for about 6 weeks and had to return it 3 times !!! The volume control starts blinking after only 1 8 oz glass...very annoying. The temperature guage only works for a few days before it shows no temperature. I love Heineken and the dispenser is a cool item if the controls only worked properly. On the last one, the control indicator didn't work at all! Oh, by the way, I called Krups Customer Service and they were no help only suggesting I return it for a new unit...which I did twice. Also, emailed Krups 2 weeks ago and am still waiting for a response! I guess I'll go back to bottles.

The beertender I received poured nothing but foam. I tried multiple kegs, warm, chilled overnight, multiple beer tubes, different glass temps, different poring angles, etc. etc. etc. The only good thing about the experience was the excellent customer service and REFUND from Amazon.com, although I did loose the money on the package of tubes and shipping.