Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of the most commonly asked questions from our customers.

Product Facts

Why should I use One Way Kegs?
Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 1
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How much does the keg weigh?

The Dolium one-way keg has a weight of 1.25kg.

What is the environmental impact vs. stainless steel?

The Dolium one way PET kegs are 100% recyclable. The environmental impact of Dolium disposable kegs when compared to stainless steel kegs is much lower.

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 2

What are Dolium's Quality Standards?
Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 3
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Can I get Nitrogen instead of CO2?

 Yes, Dolium one-way kegs are available prefilled with both nitrogen and CO2 based on the customer’s request.

Technical Info

What is the maximum working pressure?

The maximum working pressure is 3,5 bar (50 psi) which is equal to stainless steel kegs.

The Dolium® kegs remain functional up to 5,0 bar. The Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) opens at 5,2 bar (+/- 0,2). For more details see our instructional video below.

Dolium Prv Activation
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Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 4
What is the shelf life of the beverage in the keg?

The technical shelf life, in compliance with the brewer’s specifications, is proven to be 6 months. This is equal to returnable stainless steel kegs.

What is the difference between PET, PE and HDPE?

PET : Polyethylene terephthalate is a resin used for injection stretch blow moulding of bottles and containers for food and beverage. This is the basic resin for the Dolium one-way keg body.

HD-PE : High Density Polyethylene is a resin used for injection moulding of plastic parts. This is the basic resin for the Dolium one way keg’s top and bottom.

What is the O2 intake and the CO2 loss?

The Dolium one-way keg body is composed of Invista® PET Polyshield® blended with 5% of MXD6 Polyamide.

The polyshield component contains the oxygen (O2) active barrier, keeping the oxygen away from the product, whilst the MXD6 Polyamide is responsible for blocking the CO2 from leaving the keg.

The average loss of CO2 is 0.05gr/30L/month. For the oxygen content present in the keg over time please refer the graph below:

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 5

Does the keg have UV protection?

The monolayer keg wall is blended with a specific amber colour which is protecting beer in the frequency range of 300-450 nm which is the UV sensitive range for hops resulting in light struck off-flavours.

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 6

What is the maximum temperature and pressure a Dolium® one-way keg can hold?

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 7

How long does the dolium barrier last ?

Dolium  one-way kegs have 18 months of Barrier Protection from the assembly date indicated on the Pallet Label and on every Keg Bottom Label.

How do I read the pallet label?

The new Dolium pallet label has important features in product information, tracking, content and best product guarantee dates.

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 8

 

The new Dolium pallet label includes a QR CODE that contains all the Pallet Label information.

 

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 9

How are kegs to be stacked in the warehouse and when shipped?
  • Use clean pallets.
  • Do NOT use pallets that are visually contaminated.
  • Check the allowed maximum load for the pallets used.
  • Do NOT use pallets with nails sticking out of the surface.
  • Strap the filled kegs at each level.
  • Wrap the palletized kegs with a plastic film
    (Preferably white film as it is a better protection against sunlight).

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 10

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 11

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 12

 

Filling and Tapping

Which keg volumes are available?

Dolium one-way kegs are available in 30 liter (7.93 US gallons) , 20 liter (5.28 US gallons) volumes and 12.5 liter (3.30 gallons), see our products page

Which fitting types are available? How do I connect my keg coupler to the keg?

Dolium one-way PET kegs are equipped with either:

  • S type spear = Sankey, well type or European Sankey type
  • D type spear = Draft, American Sankey type
  • A type spear = Alumasc, Flat type
  • G type spear = Grundy, Trilobe type
  • AF Type = Alcohol Free Coupler

Dolium One Way Kegs Faq 13
For all spear types the connection process is equivalent to stainless steel kegs.

Will the Dolium keg fit on my filling line?

The Dolium one-way kegs can run on manual, semi-automatic, full-automatic, in-line and rotative filling lines.

Each filling line can differ from another. We can provide you with more technical details on request.

Dolium® can also provide samples for qualifying brewers for testing purposes.

Please Contact Us for more information.

Do I need to clean the keg before filling?

No internal cleaning required. Our customers receive clean and sealed kegs. The Dolium disposable one-way PET keg is assembled using clean and sterile components in a clean room environment.

We recommend to rinse the outer spear parts by use of hot water (85°C for 2 seconds) or clean water (peracetic acid or chlorine dioxide) prior to opening the valve system.

Do I need to flush the kegs before filling?

Yes. Our customers receive CO2 or N pre-flushed and CO2 or N pressurized kegs.

Dolium® guarantees a CO2 or N concentration above 90%.

Therefore a final CO2 or N flush is required on the filling line prior to filling equal to practice with stainless steel kegs.

Do I have to adjust the filling speed of the Dolium® keg vs. stainless steel kegs?

No, the Dolium one-way kegs can run on manual, semi-automatic, full-automatic, in-line and rotative filling lines at filling speeds equivalent to stainless steel kegs.

How can I manually fill the kegs? Can the kegs also be hand-filled right-up or can they only be filled upside down (on a filling line)?

Dolium® kegs can be filled manually in straight up position or upside down equal to stainless steel kegs. For detailed instructions please Contact Us.

Dolium Manual Filling
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What tests or preparation do I need to do before I fill the keg?

For detailed descriptions of pressure and temperature settings please Contact Us or consult our Handling & Safety instructions.

Dolium one-way kegs are delivered CO2 or N2 pressurized, a pressure test is recommended.

No cleaning or disinfection activity is required. A CO2 or N2 flush is still mandatory prior to filling.

Ensure that Dolium one-way kegs never get into contact with caustic soda or alkaline detergent solutions (a.o. lye, alkaline chlorine solutions, tensides) as PET is not compatible with these type of products.

What is the headspace I need to respect in case of a manual filling?

The Dolium one-way keg is designed for a head space of minimum 2% of the nominal volume.

What is the maximum pressure to apply during filling?

Please keep the beverage pressure below 3 bar with a minimum pressure difference of 1 bar between in and out.

Can I put a Dolium keg in a fridge for dispensing?

Yes, the working temperature of the Dolium one-way keg is set between 0°C and 35°C.

Please check our Handling & Safety instructions.

In what time do I need to empty my keg and how long does the beer remain good once the keg has been opened?

Beverages packed in stainless steel kegs are always at their best being drafted and consumed as fresh as possible.

We promote the same for Dolium one-way kegs. A maximum period of 30 days should be targeted for using kegs and draft.

What remains in the keg when it is empty and all the of the beverage is out? What do I need to do when my keg is empty?

Once the keg has been emptied and disconnected it is still filled with CO2 or N gas under pressure.

Therefore we recommend depressurizing the keg as soon as possible in a well-ventilated area.

The depressurization procedure is simple and can be be done by turning the Pressure Relief Valve by 90 degrees with a flat head screwdriver.

Please check the neck carrier on the keg or our Handling & Safety instructions for a detailed description.

Can I cut the plastic with a knife or sharp tool?

Once the keg is depressurized, you can break down the plastic by crushing, cutting or shredding.

Can I recycle the keg through domestic waste?

Never put the keg outside as domestic waste! Once the keg is depressurized, it should be recollected, brought into the recycling circuit.

Commercial Questions

How much does a keg costs?

Please contact our sales team at sales@dolium.eu for a quotation.

 
When is the Dolium one-way keg more efficient than a stainless steel keg?

Contact Dolium sales@dolium.eu and we’ll get in touch to run a simulation for you.

Why are Dolium kegs more efficient than low rotating stainless steel kegs?

Dolium® kegs are more efficient than stainless steel kegs because of:

  • High long distance transport costs on two way stainless steel kegs
  • High loss of stainless steel kegs due to theft or damage
  • High Capex investments in stainless steel keg renewals
  • High Capex investments in stainless steel keg to cover the volume growth
  • High Capex investments during seasonal peak volumes
How can I buy Dolium one-way kegs?

Please contact our sales team at sales@dolium.eu and we will be happy to connect you with the proper distributor or to process your request directly ourselves.

Can I test the kegs prior to ordering?

For qualifying brewers we have a program in place to provide free samples for testing purposes.

Dolium one-way kegs have the flexibility and compatibility required to fill manually or automatically.

If you are interested in testing the compatibility for your system please contact us for further details at sales@dolium.eu.

In which countries are the Dolium® kegs available?

With manufacturing in Belgium and distribution throughout the globe, we can meet your needs no matter the country you are in.

Please contact sales@dolium.eu so we can best assist you.

What is the official product code applicable for the Dolium® keg?

The HS code is 39233090.

Can I use Dolium one-way kegs for other beverages like wine, cider, kombucha, and other beverages?

 Yes, Dolium one-way kegs work with most products whether they are carbonated or still. Of course specifications such as saturation levels, alcohol content, and ingredients like oils and fats should be checked with Dolium® in advance 

100% recyclable keg