Trying to return a keg to a brewery, or .. no good deed goes unpunsihed Options

[glennh2os]

Very long story shortened.. I had recently met up with a guy online who wanted to sell me an empty keg very cheap. Knowing the state of the stainless keg market I intended to buy it and return it to the brewery. After I bought it it occurred to me what kind of keg it was, an AB one! Don't know why that should have surprised me, but it did..

So my dilemma is this, if it was one of the local micros I'd not have any problems returning it since I know where the breweries all are. But since it's an AB one I don't have a clue how to proceed. Just drop it by a Total Wine? Stop a Bud truck on the street? Anyone have any better ideas? Anybody ever tried to get a keg back to AB??

[Zulu]

I'll return it for you (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/devil.gif) I come past Cary most weeks.....



Seriously , the only way is to contact the Distributor ,

DURHAM, NC HARRIS INCORPORATED 3505 HILLSBOROUGH ROAD
DURHAM, NC 27705 TEL: (919) 383-8555
FAX: (919) 383-3543

This post has been edited by Zulu: May 31 2008, 08:17 PM

[glennh2os]

I'll return it for you (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/devil.gif) I come past Cary most weeks.....
Seriously , the only way is to contact the Distributor ,

DURHAM, NC HARRIS INCORPORATED 3505 HILLSBOROUGH ROAD
DURHAM, NC 27705 TEL: (919) 383-8555
FAX: (919) 383-3543

Thanks for the info, I'll give them a call

[Boo Boo]

They are cracking down on theft of kegs now-a-days. You may find that they want the keg back and not want to pay you for it without a receipt
of its origional purchase.

I hope that's not the case for you.

[Howie]

Very long story shortened.. I had recently met up with a guy online who wanted to sell me an empty keg very cheap. Knowing the state of the stainless keg market I intended to buy it and return it to the brewery. After I bought it it occurred to me what kind of keg it was, an AB one! Don't know why that should have surprised me, but it did..

So my dilemma is this, if it was one of the local micros I'd not have any problems returning it since I know where the breweries all are. But since it's an AB one I don't have a clue how to proceed. Just drop it by a Total Wine? Stop a Bud truck on the street? Anyone have any better ideas? Anybody ever tried to get a keg back to AB??

You are a gentleman and a scholar. It's impressive that you would go BUY a keg from someone just to return it. Our city seems to be bad about kegs - I see them for sale on Craigslist all the time.

I don't see any chance that you'll get a deposit refund without the original receipt, but it doesn't sound like that's your motivation here. If you simply want to get it back to AB, I think just drop it by Total Wine.

[glennh2os]

You are a gentleman and a scholar. It's impressive that you would go BUY a keg from someone just to return it. Our city seems to be bad about kegs - I see them for sale on Craigslist all the time.

I don't see any chance that you'll get a deposit refund without the original receipt, but it doesn't sound like that's your motivation here. If you simply want to get it back to AB, I think just drop it by Total Wine.

I may give Total Wine a try, but a guy on another board I frequent suggested to me that TW weren't taking back kegs "that weren't theirs". But nothing ventured I guess. Really wasn't much money to worry about, like you said that wasn't the motivator. I've gotten to know a lot of the brewers around here, and the stainless keg shortage is a real problem for the smaller guys. All else fails I'll give the distributor number a call next week, and take it to them..

[BelgianBoy]

I called AB a couple years ago and asked them about a keg that I obtained and asked if I needed to return it and I was told to keep it. I also tried SN and couldn't get through to anyone. I wouldn't be suprised if some brewers get in trouble with kegs in the near future.

[BrewingDan]

Or drop it off to any nearby restaurant that has AB products on tap. When the delivery guys come to deliver beer, they always pick up the empties.

[ghart999]

You are better than me. I'd give nothing back to AB.

[SoCalBeerGut]

glad to see someone else who cares enough to return empties (in the end they are the breweries property) Pete at alesmith mentioned that he literally has hundreds of kegs (corny and sanky) that are missing at this point and that people occasionally will try to basically blackmail him (give me a t-shirt/beer and you'll get your keg back) with kegs they find/come across. Be nice give the guy his property back... AB probably doesnt need such kindness but the smaller brewers definetly do.

[Mike2008]

It was a few years ago when AB and probably the rest went from a $10 deposit to $20 per keg when buying a full keg of beer. Well when it came time to return the keg they would only refund $10 without a receipt. It was in my name, dont they keep records? I was NOT going to take a $10 hit. It is still in my garage.

[Howie]

It was a few years ago when AB and probably the rest went from a $10 deposit to $20 per keg when buying a full keg of beer. Well when it came time to return the keg they would only refund $10 without a receipt. It was in my name, dont they keep records? I was NOT going to take a $10 hit. It is still in my garage.

Well, if it's still sitting in the corner of your garage collecting dust, then it sounds like you took a $20 hit. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/hehe.gif)

[Mike2008]

Well, if it's still sitting in the corner of your garage collecting dust, then it sounds like you took a $20 hit. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/hehe.gif)

Thats true but it is mine (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/biggrin.gif)

[GehanG]

For the OP and Mike2008, if you have a keg that's possibly not going back, why not convert it to a boiling kettle?
I'm surprised no one suggested that yet. Aren't those just kegs with the tops cut out and a valve welded in?

[Howie]

Aren't those just kegs with the tops cut out and a valve welded in?

You don't even have to weld them in. There are many weldless valve kits on the market