Our Story

From Dream to Reality – The Keg It Journey

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Crazy Couple Lives Out of a Car to Bring the Best Portable Bar to the World

Want to skip the story and go straight to our Keg Kit? Click here!

Hello, fellow hosts and enthusiasts! Dallas here. I'm thrilled to share this journey of persistence, innovation, and family, bringing you the ultimate portable hosting solution—the Keg It Keg Bag and Keg Kit. Join us on a personal adventure that started with a simple need and turned into a passion-driven family project.

The Beginning: A Spark of Inspiration

It all started back in 2021 during a family Christmas lunch. I wanted to impress our family and friends with cold beer and cider we made, straight from the tap.

Who would have known what this would have lead to?

We improvised with insulated grocery bags, ice, and a mess of tubing and fittings. While it worked, it sparked an idea. Why not create a portable, stylish solution for kegs?

The Need for Something Better

Soon after, we faced another challenge. My wife, Felicity, was invited to a birthday party and the birthday girl requested we make and serve flavored seltzer on tap. The party's theme was quite classy and we wanted to step our presentation up a notch. We searched across the web but couldn’t find any cooler bags that looked good or were the right size to serve a small keg from. Frustrated by the lack of options, (and fueled by a few beers at the time) we decided to create our own solution declaring, "If it doesn’t exist, let’s make it!"

The Journey of Creation

Full disclaimer: While I did study engineering and have an idea how to read drawings, I have no background in product development. We dove headfirst into the world of design and manufacturing, and it was a steep (and sometimes costly) learning curve. We were clueless as to how to properly develop designs, details, and manufacturing specifications, but our passion for quality and value drove us forward.

We kept at it and somehow actually managed to receive our first prototype in time for the birthday party. While it was a major step up from grocery sacks, it still had plenty of flaws—leak issues, zippers closing the wrong way, pockets in weird places, and fraying straps, to name a few—showing that our vision hadn't been properly communicated but we didn’t give up. We worked through every detail learning more about stitching, materials, and production methods than I ever thought I would along the way.

Refinement and Perfection

It took time, but we methodically addressed each fault in the initial prototype. Unhappy with what was stock-standard, we spent the time working with suppliers until we found the appropriate high-quality materials that would do this justice. We put each iteration through robust testing, and kept improving until everything was just right. As each issue was corrected we saw the vision that was captured by our initial sketches come to life.

Our final design is a great coming together of function and style. At the same time we tested and selected components that would simplify a mobile tap setup and pour every drink reliably.

Christmas 2022 - Quite an improvement, if I do say so myself!

Our goal was to put together a kit that was so easy to assemble and use that anyone, anywhere could do it with confidence. The resulting combination of the bag and kit works so well and is also sleek and durable—ready for any adventure.

Living the Dream (Literally)

This is where I sometimes question our sanity... shortly after the arrival of our second child, we decided to take a leap of faith and make our dream a reality. We realized that this had significant potential but would take some real dedication.

SOLD! Hopefully we knew what we were doing...!

With Felicity's full support I resigned from my job, we sold our house, and as a family we packed up our Mitsubishi Outlander and hit the road. We and spent the next four months traveling up, down, and around New Zealand. We promoted the Keg It Keg Bag and Keg Kit at every brewery, bar, festival, and holiday park we could find, along the way living out of motels, friends' spare rooms, and our car with our two kids.

We made sure to stop at some fun places too, like this shot taken at Ngarunui Beach just outside of Raglan :)

It was a challenging period, but also incredibly rewarding. We learned more about what people were trying to accomplish, what the actual need was. We realized this wasn't a product that was about solving the problem of how to serve beer - it was about bringing people together, about being the ultimate host and looking after your friends in the best way. We connected with so many wonderful people and made such great memories as a family, all while seeing lots of sights and experiencing plenty of what New Zealand had to offer.

A New Chapter in Texas

After living almost seven years in New Zealand, our journey then took us to the U.S., closer to extended family and new opportunities. In Texas, we've taken everything we learned from our loyal customers in NZ to improve Keg It further, maintaining our commitment to quality, ease of use, and enjoyment. We continue to innovate, always looking for ways to enhance the hosting experience for our customers.

It's a family affair - Patrick at work inspecting a new shipment of Sanke kegs (Before anyone complains about child labor, he's not getting paid so it's totally fine, right?)

Honestly, I've never worked harder - but getting to work with my wife and on things that we're both very passionate has been such a blessing. I've never had more fun or satisfaction in what I do.

Join Us on the Next Part of This Incredible Adventure

We invite you to be part of our story. Whether you’re a brewer or craft beer enthusiast wanting to serve the freshest ales, a cosmopolitan hostess looking to perfect her brunches and cocktail hours, or the guy bringing the best tailgate to any (and every) event, our mission is to make your hosting experiences unforgettable. From our family to yours, thank you for supporting us and joining us on this incredible journey.