Keg Cooler Buyer’s Guide: NTKC1 vs NTKC2
Whether you run a traditional pub, a festival bar, a pop-up event, or a sun-soaked beer garden, one thing remains non-negotiable: the beer must be cold, fresh, and ready to pour. Not every venue, however, has the luxury of a dedicated cellar — and that’s exactly where a keg cooler comes in.
At Anglia Catering Equipment, we supply the Prodis NTKC range — a pair of professional, self-contained keg coolers that make draught dispense straightforward wherever you are. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is a Keg Cooler?
Simply put, a keg cooler is a refrigerated cabinet that stores a beer keg and keeps it at the correct serving temperature. A built-in tap column sits on top, so you can dispense draught beer directly from behind the bar. Unlike a traditional cellar cooling system — which stores kegs underground and pipes beer through long lines — a keg cooler is entirely self-contained.
As a result, you need no cellar, no lengthy pipe runs, and no major building work. Just a power supply, a CO₂ connection, and you’re pouring.
Keg coolers work particularly well for:
- Venues without a dedicated beer cellar
- Seasonal or temporary bar setups — festivals, events, and outdoor venues
- Beer gardens that operate independently from the main bar
- Operators who want to add an extra draught line without infrastructure costs
- New bar setups starting from scratch
The Prodis NTKC1 — Single Door, Single Tap
The NTKC1 is the compact option in the range, and it’s built for venues serving one draught product at a time.
What It Holds
Specifically, the NTKC1 holds one standard ½ keg (11 gallons) — roughly 88 pints — in a fully stainless steel interior with a capacity of 164 litres.
Key Features
- Forced air cooling for rapid temperature pull-down after keg changes
- Temperature range of +1°C to +8°C, controlled via an internal digital controller
- Insulated beer column with cold air feed, so beer stays cold all the way to the tap
- S-type Sankey keg connector and integrated CO₂ knockout
- Recessed drip tray and easy-to-empty drain pan
- Glass rail on three sides for safe bar operation
- Castors as standard, making repositioning easy
- Durable black exterior with a hard-wearing stainless steel worktop
- 2-year parts and labour warranty on the refrigeration system
Dimensions
Width: 612mm | Depth: 760mm (810mm inc. standoffs) | Height: 982mm (1,312mm to top of beer column)
Best for: Smaller venues, single-product bars, tight back bar spaces, and low-to-medium volume service.
The Prodis NTKC2 — Double Door, Double Tap
The NTKC2, on the other hand, steps things up considerably. It suits venues that need two draught products on at once, or simply want the reassurance of a backup keg always standing by.
What It Holds
In total, the NTKC2 holds two standard ½ kegs (11 gallons each) in a 292-litre cabinet. Crucially, each keg sits in its own separate compartment with its own door, making management straightforward.
Key Features
The NTKC2 includes everything from the NTKC1, plus:
- Double door access, so each keg has its own compartment
- Dual tap column with two independent beer lines, each terminating in a ½” BSP John Guest female connector
- ‘T’ connection at the front for neat connection to external drains
- Larger worktop with a recessed drip tray to handle increased pour volume
Dimensions
Width: 1,247mm | Depth: 620mm (650mm inc. standoffs) | Height: 1,065mm (1,438mm to top of beer column)
Best for: Busier bars, venues with a rotating tap selection, high-volume service, and anywhere a backup keg on standby is essential.
Perfect for Festivals and Beer Gardens
One of the most common questions we hear at Anglia Catering Equipment is whether a keg cooler works well for outdoor and event use. The answer is a firm yes — and the NTKC range suits both settings particularly well. To understand why, it helps to look at each one in turn.
Festivals
Running a festival bar brings real challenges: no cellar, no fixed infrastructure, and absolutely no tolerance for downtime when a queue of thirsty customers is waiting. That’s precisely where the NTKC2 comes into its own.
With two kegs stored and two taps running, you can serve a lager and an ale simultaneously. Alternatively, you can keep one keg as a hot swap, so the moment the first runs out, you’re back pouring within minutes. On top of that, the forced air cooling pulls temperatures down quickly after a keg change, meaning you won’t wait long for the next one to chill. Furthermore, because the cabinet runs from a standard power supply with a simple CO₂ connection, setup in a marquee or temporary structure is refreshingly straightforward.
Beyond the cooling performance, the castors let you reposition the cabinet as your setup changes. Similarly, the robust black exterior and stainless steel worktop handle the knocks of a busy event environment without complaint.
Beer Gardens
Moving from events to more permanent outdoor setups, a beer garden bar often operates semi-independently from the main venue — and that’s where a keg cooler really earns its place. Rather than running long beer lines from a distant cellar, with all the temperature management headaches that brings, you can instead place an NTKC cabinet at the garden bar itself and serve direct.
When it comes to choosing the right model, the decision is straightforward. For a quieter garden with one rotating draught product, the NTKC1 is the more cost-effective choice. For a garden doing serious volume — or one that wants to offer a choice of draught options — the NTKC2 is the right tool.
Either way, customers get cold, fresh beer without compromise, and your staff get a system that’s simple to operate and easy to keep clean.
What Both Models Share
Both the NTKC1 and NTKC2 share the same commercial build standard. In addition to their individual features, both models offer:
- Fully stainless steel interior — hygienic and easy to clean
- Automatic defrost — no manual intervention needed
- Environmentally responsible refrigerant — the NTKC1 uses R600a and the NTKC2 uses R290, both carrying low global warming potential
- Galvanised floor protector included as standard
- Energy rating C
- 2-year parts and labour warranty on the refrigeration system
- 3–5 working day kerbside delivery as standard, with premium options available on request
NTKC1 vs NTKC2 — Which Is Right for You?
| NTKC1 | NTKC2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kegs stored | 1 x ½ keg | 2 x ½ keg |
| Taps | 1 | 2 |
| Cabinet capacity | 164 litres | 292 litres |
| Width | 612mm | 1,247mm |
| Best for | Smaller venues, single product, tight spaces | Busier bars, festivals, multiple products, high volume |
Frequently Asked Questions
Setup & Installation
Do I need a gas licence to use a keg cooler? No — there is no specific “gas licence” for CO₂ used in beer dispense. CO₂ is an inert gas, so the Gas Safe Register (which covers natural gas and LPG) does not apply here. However, as an operator you do have duties under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, which means your CO₂ system needs proper setup and maintenance. We therefore always recommend having a qualified dispense technician install and commission the equipment. It’s also worth noting that the Prodis warranty covers the refrigeration system only — responsibility for the dispense setup sits with the operator.
What kegs are compatible with the NTKC range? Both models use an S-type Sankey keg connector — the standard fitting for the vast majority of lager and ale kegs from major UK and European breweries. Consequently, compatibility is rarely an issue. That said, if you’re unsure whether your specific keg fits, get in touch and our team will confirm before you order.
Can I use a keg cooler outdoors? In short, yes — provided the unit has adequate shelter. The NTKC range performs well in covered festival bars, marquees, and beer garden bar setups. However, you must keep it away from direct rain, extreme cold, and prolonged direct sunlight. As a result, a covered or semi-enclosed bar structure is always the ideal setup.
How long does it take to chill a keg from room temperature? Thanks to forced air cooling, the NTKC range pulls cabinet temperature down quickly. Nevertheless, a full keg at ambient temperature will still generally need several hours to reach optimal serving temperature. For events, therefore, we always recommend either having kegs delivered cold or building in adequate chill-down time before service begins.
Maintenance, Warranty & Delivery
How difficult is it to clean? In practice, day-to-day cleaning is very straightforward. The stainless steel interior wipes down easily, and staff can remove and empty the drip tray and drain pan without any tools. Beyond the cabinet itself, your dispense technician will handle beer line cleaning as part of regular maintenance visits.
What’s the warranty? Both models come with a 2-year parts and labour warranty covering the refrigeration system. Importantly, the warranty excludes dispense equipment — so make sure a professional handles that element of the installation from the outset.
Do you offer delivery to my area? Yes — Anglia Catering Equipment delivers across the UK. Standard delivery on the NTKC range is kerbside, 3–5 working days. If you need something sooner, premium timed and next-day options may be available — contact us to discuss your requirements.
Ready to Order or Want More Advice?
The Prodis NTKC1 and NTKC2 are available now from Anglia Catering Equipment Ltd. Whether you’re equipping a permanent bar, planning a festival season, or setting up a beer garden for summer, our team will help you choose the right model and talk through installation requirements.
Or browse our full range of bottle coolers, and commercial bar refrigeration.
Get in touch with Anglia Catering Equipment Ltd today — we’re here to help.
