The lost art

How to do a keg stand

A keg stand is a party tradition with a simple idea. One person goes upside down on top of a beer keg, friends hold the legs in the air, and the person drinks from the tap while everyone counts. It looks like a solo act. It never is. A good keg stand is a team effort from the first pump to the dismount.

Keg stands are for adults of legal drinking age. Know your limit, and look after the person on the keg.

What you need

• A keg with a party pump tap, sitting flat on solid ground.
• One person going up. This is the stander.
• One or two friends to hold the legs. Two is better.
• One more friend to work the tap, if you have a spare.
• A crowd to count. Optional, but it helps.

The steps

1. Pump the tap. Give the pump a few strokes before anyone goes up. No pressure in the keg means no beer, and nobody wants to hang upside down waiting.
2. Grip the rim. The stander puts both hands on the top rim of the keg, arms straight, like the start of a handstand.
3. Lift the legs. The friends each take a leg and lift. They do not stand the person straight up. The body leans out to one side of the keg, at an angle, with the leg holders standing on the floor beside it.
4. Take the tap. The stander holds the spigot in their mouth with one hand, or a friend holds it for them.
5. Count out loud. The crowd counts the seconds. The count is the score.
6. Tap out. When the stander has had enough, they let go of the spigot or wave a hand. The leg holders lower the legs slowly until both feet are on the ground.

The jobs, and why they matter

The stander gets the glory, but the leg holders do the work. They carry the weight, keep the body steady, and decide how the landing goes. A stander is only as good as the friends holding them up. That is the whole idea behind our line, No man stands alone.

Tips from people who have been there

• Agree on the tap out signal before the lift. A wave of the free hand works.
• Leg holders should hold at the shins or ankles, never by the shoes. Shoes come off.
• Keep the ground around the keg dry and clear.
• Lower the legs slowly. The dismount is where most keg stands go wrong.
• A short stand done well beats a long one done badly. Nobody remembers the number. They remember the landing.

Questions people ask

How long is a good keg stand?

There is no official record book. Most people last somewhere between five and twenty seconds. Among friends, anything past ten earns respect.

How many people do you need for a keg stand?

Three at a minimum: one person on the keg and two holding the legs. A fourth person on the tap makes it easier.

Why does the body lean to one side?

Because the friends are standing on the floor next to the keg, not on top of it. Holding the legs off to one side keeps the weight over the stander's arms and gives the holders a solid grip.

What should you wear to a keg stand?

Something you do not mind getting beer on. We make keg stand shirts, hats, and coozies for exactly this.