The American Keg Company in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is the only facility in the U.S. making kegs out of American steel. Kellby Ochs, production manager for American Keg, repairs a weld made by one of the robotic welders.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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The American Keg Company in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is the only facility in the U.S. making kegs out of American steel.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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The production of a keg begins with rolls of American-made stainless steel.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Discs cut from the large rolls that have been stamped with government warnings and logos are loaded into a deep draw press, forming the two main parts of the keg body.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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The two body pieces are then welded together.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Once the two body pieces are welded together, the weld is inspected from the inside.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Keith 'Grizz' Gabel shows the chime (the top and bottom ring on the keg) before and after it is formed and attached to the body.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Once assembled, multiple kegs are loaded onto a carrier, which is then bathed in a series of citric and nitric acid baths. This process is called passivation and it cleans and finishes the surface of the keg.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Kegs are then pressure tested and specific brewery logos are screen printed by quality control specialist Brian Cassel.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
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Hundreds of finished kegs are ready to be shipped from the Pottstown, Pennsylvania, facility.
