Keg lager & mainstream
68–75%
High volume, low wastage — your GP workhorse.
Draught beer margin
calculator.
Work out your true cost per pint, GP% and profit per keg — with wastage and VAT handled properly — and find the pint price that hits your target margin.
Free to use
VAT-aware
Wastage included
All UK keg & cask sizes
Your keg & pricing
pints before wastage.
What you charge on the bar, including VAT if registered.
Line cleaning, fobbing and drip trays — 5% is a sensible default.
%
At your pint price
Gross profit margin
%
Cost per pint
£
Profit per pint (ex VAT)
£
Sellable pints
Revenue per container
£
Profit per container
£
Price needed for a target GP
Charge at least (inc VAT)
£ per pint
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How draught beer GP
is calculated.
Your real margin depends on three things people forget: wastage, VAT, and the fact that GP is measured on the selling price, not the cost.
The formula
cost/pint = keg cost ÷ (pints × (1 − wastage))
GP% = (net pint price − cost/pint) ÷ net pint price
- 1 UK gallon = 8 pints, so an 11 gallon (50L) keg holds 88 pints before wastage.
- Net pint price is the bar price with VAT removed (divide by 1.2 at 20% VAT).
- To hit a target GP: price = cost/pint ÷ (1 − GP%), then add VAT back on.
Worked example
- 1. A 50L (11 gal) keg costs £130 and holds 88 pints.
- 2. After 5% wastage you have 83.6 sellable pints → cost per pint is £1.55.
- 3. Selling at £5.80 a pint → £4.83 net after VAT → GP of 68% and £3.28 profit per pint.
- 4. Over the keg that's roughly £274 profit from £485 of till revenue.
Ignore wastage and VAT and the same numbers look like 74% GP — six points better than reality.
How many pints in a keg?
Common UK keg and cask sizes, with sellable pints after 5% wastage.
| Container | Litres | Gallons | Pints | Sellable (5% wastage) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6L (1.31 gal) mini keg | 6 | 1.31 | 10 | 9 |
| 20L (4.4 gal) polypin | 20 | 4.4 | 35 | 33 |
| 30L (6.6 gal) keg | 30 | 6.6 | 53 | 50 |
| 40.9L (9 gal) firkin | 40.9 | 9 | 72 | 68 |
| 45.5L (10 gal) keg | 45.5 | 10 | 80 | 76 |
| 50L (11 gal) keg | 50 | 11 | 88 | 83 |
| 81.8L (18 gal) kilderkin | 81.8 | 18 | 144 | 136 |
| 100L (22 gal) keg | 100 | 22 | 176 | 167 |
| 163.7L (36 gal) barrel | 163.7 | 36 | 288 | 273 |
Craft & premium keg
65–72%
Higher keg costs, but customers accept a premium pint price.
Cask ale
60–70%
Cheaper per pint but shorter shelf life — budget wastage honestly.
Beer margin FAQs.
How many pints are in an 11 gallon (50L) keg?
An 11 gallon keg holds 88 pints (1 UK gallon = 8 pints). After typical wastage of around 5% for line cleaning, drip trays and fobbing, expect roughly 83–84 sellable pints.
What is a good GP% on draught beer?
Most UK pubs and bars target 65–75% gross profit on draught beer. Wet-led pubs at the higher end, food-led venues sometimes accept slightly less. Cask ale usually runs a few points lower than keg lager because of higher wastage.
Do I calculate beer GP before or after VAT?
Always on the ex-VAT price. Divide the pint price by 1.2 (at 20% VAT) before comparing to your cost per pint. A £6.00 pint costing £1.50 looks like 75% GP, but the real figure is 70% once VAT is stripped out.
How much wastage should I allow on draught beer?
A common allowance is 5%, covering line cleaning (each clean throws away the beer sitting in the lines), fobbing, drip trays and short measures. Well-run keg products can get down to 2–3%; cask ale and long line runs can push 8% or more.
How do I work out my cost per pint?
Divide the keg cost (ex VAT) by the number of sellable pints after wastage. Example: a 50L keg at £130 gives 88 pints, or about 83.6 after 5% wastage — a cost per pint of £1.55.
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