Beer & Wine
Usable beer = Keg volume × (1 − Waste %) Serves per keg = Usable beer (ml) / Serve size (ml) Cost per serve = Keg cost / Serves per keg Selling price = Cost per serve / Target food cost % 30L fusto example (8% waste, 400ml media): Usable beer = 30,000ml × 0.92 = 27,600ml Serves = 27,600 / 400 = 69 serves Keg cost €70 / 69 = €1.01 per serve At 25% food cost → sell at €4.06 → €4.00–4.50
The most common Italian keg sizes are the fusto da 30 litri (30L) and fusto da 50 litri (50L). Some craft breweries supply 20L kegs (fusto piccolo). The 30L fusto is popular for rotating taps and craft beers; 50L is standard for lager brands like Peroni, Nastro Azzurro, and Moretti.
Expect 5–10% loss from the first pour (purging the line), foam, and the heel of the keg. A 30L keg realistically yields 27–28L of sellable beer. Proper gas pressure, line length, and faucet temperature all affect foam levels — see our beer tap pressure calculator for optimisation.
A 30L keg at 8% foam loss yields approximately 27.6L of beer. At a 400ml pour (Italian standard pint/media), that is roughly 69 serves. At a 500ml pint, you get 55 serves. At 200ml (bicchiere piccolo), 138 serves.
A 30L fusto of a standard Italian lager (Peroni, Moretti) costs approximately €60–80 from a distributor, equating to €2.00–2.67 per litre. A premium craft 30L keg may cost €90–140, or €3.00–4.67 per litre before waste.
Italian bars typically target 65–75% gross margin on draft beer. With a 400ml media selling at €4.50 and an ingredient cost of €1.10 (including waste), the margin is approximately 76%. Tourist areas and premium venues can achieve 80%+ margins.
Yes. CO2 and mixed gas (N2/CO2 blend) costs approximately €0.10–0.20 per litre of beer served. Refrigeration and line cleaning add indirect costs. A thorough cost analysis should include €0.15–0.30 per serve for these operational costs.